what to do?what to do?

hey folks,i am needing some advice.i have finally found a service truck for cheap ($500),with 180k miles diesel,5 speed,BUT there is a problem,the title and registration is lost.the owner wasn't aware of this,and called me as soon as she found out.i called the dmv and they told me with no title or registration,i could not get a duplicate title even if the owner got it for me because it has not been on the road in the past 5 years,so it has been wiped from the system and the only possible way to get a title is to get it legally inspected by a certified mechanic and THEN go to the city,and apply for a registration so I can apply for a title.the question is do you think it is worth all this mallarky?the way I look at it is,i am really after the service body,and the truck is a plus,so if I have to,i can swap beds with the truck I have and the then use the rest as parts if she can't find the title,or I can't get one.what would you?thanks

Rock
 

I would call a different dmv off ice and ask again.
And if the answer is still same as above, ask to talk to the head honcho.
Dmv clerks ate like building inspectors and you will get a twelve different answers to the same question asked nine times.
 
if it has an old license plate use that to track down the old registration and/or title. But if you don't really need the title just buy it from the lady with a bill of sale with the serial number on it..best if she signs the bill of sale in front of a notary
 
what has the city have to do with a state license? In Missouri the last owner can get a lost title for around a hundred bucks, and
you are good to go. Talk to a Highway Patrolman or you DMV.
 
hey guys,thanks for the replies.i am not sure if it has a plate on it,also I know the way I said it didn't sound this way,but if I can get a title,i plan on putting on the road and using as a work truck,which of course I would much rather see the truck on the road then on the shelf,so I will keep calling the dmv until I get a straight answer.i just feel it is too good of a deal to pass up,since all it needs is batteries but since it is a hour and a half away,i have yet to see it in person,because I want to be sure it is practical.thanks

Rock
 
Please tell us how you get owner info from just a licence plate?
Especially an old expired plate?

Florida DMV has a form you can snail mail in with a couple of bucks to find out with a valid plate.
But only if the owner has not opted for personal info restrictions.
 
$500? For a service body the doors open and close on?

And a diesel truck chassis too? It runs?

Don?t see anything like that here. Maybe with another zero on it.

Paul
 
If the so-called "owner" is legitimately the owner, THEY need to get the duplicate title, then transfer ownership to you.

If it costs more to do this in your state than the vehicle is worth, RUN, don't walk away.

DO NOT buy it, then try to clean up the mess.

All my life I've heard about "sheriff's titles", bonded titles, etc., etc., etc., but have NEVER gotten first-hand info from someone that has successfully done those things for "title missing" vehicles. (NOT to say it hasn't worked for some, in some states, but more than once I've gotten questioning or dubious looks from the local sheriff just for asking about such things.

When buying/possessing a vehicle for which you do not have a title, you always run the risk of the REAL title holder coming forward and declaring it stolen and you'll have the law after you.

Many legit junk yards won't even buy a wrecked vehicle with no title just for that reason.

Also, if you fix it up/improve it and someone else holds the title and comes forward to claim it you can have it taken away and lose the purchase price and the value and time of everything you've put into it.

SIMPLE version, have the seller get a legitimate title (if you want the vehicle bad enough you could help with the cost of that), and only THEN fork over the purchase money and take possession of it.

If that doesn't work out, keep looking, there's other vehicles out there!
 
I bought a car a few years back with a lost title. This was in Illinois, so it may not apply to other states.

Current owner had to go to Secretary of State's office and apply for lost title. Also started the paperwork for transfer of title. Owner of vehicle had to pay a fee by check to the Secretary of State for lost title application. Once paperwork was processed, current owner gave me the paperwork at sale to proceed with transfer of title. I had to pay a fee to get title transferred into my name. Once title was located, it was transferred into my name and mailed to my address. Took extra time and cost the seller more money, but I was able to get the title.

With that said, I would almost certainly walk away from any deal where the title was not available at sale.
 
Couple of years ago when I bought my truck after getting title notarized I somehow lost it. Hardest part was getting seller to go with me to the DMV to get a duplicate title, this was in Ohio. Walked out of the DMV office with the new title notariezed so I could go direct to get my plates. Don't remember cost but not bad.
 

As mentioned earlier, every state has different rules and hoops to jump through. Asking on here will (as someone also mentioned earlier) get you 17 different answers, most of which probably will not apply to your situation. Check with your local DMV and they will tell you what you need to do.
 
I hear some states are like you described. As messed up as California is, the DMV has a lot going for it (except for the long lines) I just applied for a duplicate title for my Volvo truck that hasn't been run for years. Cost 20.00 or so for a duplicate title. Stan
 
I'm of the opinion that; If it seems to to be too cheap, there's something fishy, especially when suddenly no paperwork.
 
Do you know why it was parked for over 5 years? Just like a $500 parts tractor, I would consider this a $500 parts truck. If it has $500 worth of parts you can use, salvage what is of value to you and sell the rest to a salvage yard.
 
Have a beer,
by the time you have finished it something will come up to take your mind off of the predicament.
Follow the rules. play the game. Hire an attorney or lien sale expert.

pile $$$$ into it to legally "own it" then decide what you have or move on.
 
You'll need a title just to send it to the scrapyard.

If you just want the service body, tell the owner you'll give her 500 bucks for the body, and she can keep the rest. If she wants to get rid of the whole truck, she has to come up with a title.
 
In Virginia any licensed salvage yard can get a title for a vehicle,they have to have a marked off area for vehicles that have no title then they turn the vehicle vin number into to DMV
which researches the title to make sure its not stolen and maybe contact the last known owner.Think it costs less then $100 but has to have the title to be legally crushed or parted out.
If the vehicle is cut into two pieces and one part is brought in one day and the 2nd half the next day no title search is required considered scrap.
 
(quoted from post at 20:48:28 02/12/20) hey folks,i am needing some advice.i have finally found a service truck for cheap ($500),with 180k miles diesel,5 speed,BUT there is a problem,the title and registration is lost.the owner wasn't aware of this,and called me as soon as she found out.i called the dmv and they told me with no title or registration,i could not get a duplicate title even if the owner got it for me because it has not been on the road in the past 5 years,so it has been wiped from the system and the only possible way to get a title is to get it legally inspected by a certified mechanic and THEN go to the city,and apply for a registration so I can apply for a title.the question is do you think it is worth all this mallarky?the way I look at it is,i am really after the service body,and the truck is a plus,so if I have to,i can swap beds with the truck I have and the then use the rest as parts if she can't find the title,or I can't get one.what would you?thanks


Rock
I would not buy a vehicle without the title. Been there, done that, got the criminal record to prove it.
 
In Indiana, it's not all that hard to get a title for a vehicle that doesn't have one. I've done it for a 1950 Willys truck I bought on a bill of sale, truck was last plated in Wisconsin in 1968. All it takes is money and patience in Indiana. Depending on location, lost title vehicles vary from easy to impossible.
 
Where were you a few years ago. I couldn't get $1,800 out of this 1984 with 64,000 original miles on it. It was an Air Force vehicle at Wright Patterson AF Base its entire life. It also had no title because it was a federal government vehicle, but it did come with paperwork that allowed me to get it titled in MI.

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NC call's it a MVR 4 you can apply for a duplicate title and transfer the title to the new owner on the same form that saves from having to wait for the duplicate then transfer it over to the new owner.

Here in NC if there was no record of title I would locate a DMV inspector he would know the deal on how to go about the process of inspecting it and the paper work needed to seal the deal.

BTDT it was from Ohio, Ohio never responded we are talking about a year the inspector issued me a custom title I had to bond it. This was a Harley it was hotter than a firecracker with a NC title BUT the vin was not for a Harley he issued me a custom vin we set down and stamped it I was good to go. The title I got when I brought it was from Ohio no one from Ohio are NC were willing to touch it because it should have never been titled that way to start off with so the custom vin sweep it under the rug.

After all in said and done Ohio DMV and the insurance co that payed it off called me wanting to know where they could pick it up I told them I did not have theie scooter if they needed any more info I gave them the Inspectors number.
 
Since you are in PA and I am in PA, I can shed a bit of light.

First thing is most of the answers you got so far are simply wrong. This is NOT Texas, California, Illinois or Ohio. It is Pennsylvania. There are only TWO DMV offices in Pa. One in Harrisburg and the other is in Pittsburgh. The used to be one in Philadelphia, but it was closed some time ago. Most DMV functions are handled by third party agents. We have agencies here in Allentown that handle every aspect of DMV transactions except actual issuance of titles.

I have never heard of titles being removed from the system if not kept active. I suppose it is possible, but I hadn't heard of it. As far as I know, there is no such thing as a "bonded" title here. Also, the DMV will not issue a title on a bill of sale as in other states.

The simplest way to get a replacement title would be for the last legal owner to apply for it. This can be done at most any third party agent. If you can find an old (even expired) registration (most call it owner's card) it will have the title number on it, and the title can be traced from that.

You should know in advance that there will probably be some expenses involved. Some of the third party agencies have some pretty high fees.
 
I bought a 1939 Ford Sedan a few years ago that had no title. We filled out a few forms, had a state police verify the serial number and in a days had a title. Fast forward 10 years, I bought a 1948 Dodge Power Wagon. State laws have changed drastically. I have been fighting with the DMV for over 4 years, have paid a license service to get a title and I still don't have one and may never get one.
 

Same here only one main office you find the inspector that handles local state inspection stations he's the go to man for this.
 

It is not "malarkey" to conduct business in a way that helps prevent stolen vehicles from being re-titled/registered. If you only wnat the service bed then buy the thing and take the bed off. I do not want to meet a $500 truck moving on the highway anyway.
 
to many fish in the fire to suit me 500 and no title I would not got there , there is a lot of service bodies out there. I am not a craig list fan but as of week or so there was two on there for the dollars you been talking
 
Okay, let's think ahead a little. You give her $500 and take truck. Next week she goes to sheriff. My truck was stolen and I think I know who has it. Heres the title Mr. sheriff. Sheriff shows up at your place. WTF!!!!
 
and you will have a receipt with her signature on it and a photo of her drivers license and off to jail SHE will go
 
As mentioned title rules and procedures are state specific. So if I was you I would go actually look at the truck and see if it is worth pursuing and if so I would ask the owner to provide the replacement title with the understanding that you would pay the extra cost. If they won?t do any thing to help get the title move on. If the truck isn?t as good as it sounds move on.
 
(quoted from post at 17:42:50 02/13/20) As mentioned title rules and procedures are state specific. So if I was you I would go actually look at the truck and see if it is worth pursuing and if so I would ask the owner to provide the replacement title with the understanding that you would pay the extra cost. If they won?t do any thing to help get the title move on. If the truck isn?t as good as it sounds move on.
Good advice.
 
first off,that is a really nice truck,and I couldn't help but notice the well kept yard around the truck.wish I would have checked the classifieds.

I want to thank all of you guys for your input,and all of the much needed information.i think I will see if she if willing to get the title for me,or I will just buy the bed seperatly and forget all of the trouble like you guys suggested.if that don't work,i am runnin'.
thanks,Rock
 

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