Bonded Title???'s

[casterbuster]

Has anyone had get a bonded title for any of their vehicles, if so what steps do I need to take? Here is the long story bought the truck from someone who never registered it, but had the title from the person that they bought it from. I got the title when I purchased the truck. I trailered and dropped the truck at my fathers shop, three hours from home, so I would have a place to work on it. In a hurry to leave on a Sunday afternoon, I forgot the Title in the glove box of the truck. No problem I thought, I will have parents mail it to me so I can get everything switched over and registered in my county and so on...

So, they dropped it in the mail which was about 1 month ago or so...

Now, I have no title...

So, if any of you have any suggestions other than shooting myself, please help.

[Longhorn Man]

If the last owner had it titled in his name, then it doesn't matter if he ever regestered it.
First, verify what i am saying with your DPS.
Call the last owner, tell him what happened. Give him all the details of what he needs to do, and naturally, offer to cover any and all charges, taxes and fees. (I think it's like 50 bucks) But have him apply for a lost title. As long as he was the last LEGAL owner, then it should be absolutly no problem.
Maybe throw in an extra 20 or 50 for his time and trouble. But the best bet is to have every step he needs to take and tell him in advance. This way there are no unexpected trips to the DPS or the courthouse or what ever. He walks, in, he knows what's going on, and he gets it all done at once, then when he gets his duplicate titel, he signs it and drops it in the mail with signiture required and tracking if USPS offers it, and in a few days you have a 100% legit title in your paws and you can go spend more money putting it in your name.

[casterbuster]

that would be great if possible, but he never titled it in his name and to top it all off the lady he bought it from wanted it back a few years ago, but he wouldn't give it up.

Now you understand my problem.

[Longhorn Man]

wow

[centsless]

Check with a local tag and title service. A lot of them offer lein services. The one I have dealt with here in MD will get a title for $300.00 if you have lost one. I'm not sure if TX is the same, but I hope that helps.

[Longhorn Man]

The problem is, legally it belongs to the woman who wanted it back... 2 owners ago.

[msgross]

I know that in Indiana you could have the police run a check for stolen vehicle. If clean then you could apply for a new title...never did it but heard of others. I am trying to get a PA title off of a NY "transferable registration"... i feel your pain.

[Gary]

Too bad you're not in Bama, no titles on vehicles older than I think 76 or 73 either way, my 72 has no title, just need a Bill of Sale. If that lady finds out you're title-less she's liable to report it "stolen" and lord what a can of crap that would open up.

[casterbuster]

ok, just talked with man I bought the truck from, and he threw another wrench in the works...he said I quote "oh no, the bad thing is that she works for the austin police department so she could cause more problems"

Great now what... Well what about a rebuilt title? Because, the vehicle wasn't running and had not been registered for seven years could this be a possibility?

Ya'll got anymore ideas?

I sure could use a good idea...

[dyingdeadman]

just call the a local title place, explain to them what happened, you lost the title. guy you bought is from never changed it over to his name. they will be able to piont you in the right direction on getting the title.

also i think you can still get a builders title. i am not sure what all you need on that. i would just call the title place get allthe information you need on both of those.

[67Mach1]

Google Lawrence Title, they are located in Taylor, TX and might be able to help. Problem is that you have no documentation that the title was ever in your hands. But you do have the truck.

Have you done any work to the truck? If so you can file a mechanics lean on it. You would have to do a title search to get the last owner of record from the title.

Not too complicated they can explain it more. The only risk is that she will show up with the money to pay you and claim the truck. When I put one on a car years ago I had 500 in tires put on it a new 100 battery and storage charges that all added up to more than the value of the car.

31 days later after no reply, I advertised the car for sale(simply put sign in window car) No one bought it after 10 days so I "bought" it from myself. There is paperwork that will be needed and if you talk to the place in Taylor they will help. Of course for a fee. But on the DMV website there are instructions and forms to use that you can do it yourself with.

This takes some time but is better than bonded title at this point. Bonded title would require a bill of sale from guy you got it from and then paying about 1-200 to the title place to do the paperwork. Unfortunatly, the owner of record can come and claim the truck at a later date if she finds out you have it. You would have to wait 2 years or so to let the bond fall off the truck before it is yours free and clear.

[67Mach1]

Originally Posted by dyingdeadman

just call the a local title place, explain to them what happened, you lost the title. guy you bought is from never changed it over to his name. they will be able to piont you in the right direction on getting the title.

also i think you can still get a builders title. i am not sure what all you need on that. i would just call the title place get allthe information you need on both of those.

IIRC a builders title would require that he show receipts for nearly every part on the truck including vin numbers or part numbers when avaliable, where he bought it from, and price paid. THey would then issue a new Title and new VINnumber for the truck. Loads of work and the truck would have to be inspected by a DPS person along with the paperwork before a new VIN is assigned and you could get the title.

Not sure but the title will then not show that it is a 70 truck at all.

but will match the new vin.

[casterbuster]

Thanks, for all of the suggestions guys, I will definitely look into the mechanics lean if all else fails...

Thanks 67Mach1 you really seem to know a lot about these situations...

I new that posting this would get me headed in the right direction.

[biglou55]

In mass when you go to the dmv and explain that you bought it from someone who never titled it they would go after him because he did not apply for a title in his name within 30 days. So if he is a friend chose youre words carefully. What some people do here is they let somebody sell it to a friend in new hampshire who registers it and thiry days later they sell it to you. n.h. is a none title state. all legal ( sort of.) I bought a 65 C50 wrecker from a lady who got it in an inheritance. The dmv told me I had to have a title or an old registration-copy of death cert.- a copy from her lawyer proving she inherited it -and a notarized bill of sale that is less than thirty days old. Or i will be fined. It is a good thing that i work with her father for the last 15 yrs. This state is a P.I.T. A.

[72lb4x4]

If you go to explain this at the tax assessor's, be prepared for a stern lecture that goes like "you can't buy a car from someone who doesn't own it." On the other hand, titles float around with signatures from long lost owners all the time here.

Your trouble is that the "real" owner wanted the truck back at some point, and may be connected.

I bought a Texas car without a title last year with a bill of sale written on a scrap of paper.

To get a bonded title, you need to:
Get 2 estimates of the trucks value from tote the note dealers for example, Fill out a few forms,
Go to the DMV, fill out another form, they do a search on the title, and give you some more papers.
You then go buy a bond at about $100 per $1000 of the highest estimated value times about 1.5.
Go to the tax assessors office with all the paper and pay the tax and title fees. 2 weeks and you have a bonded title. Two years and you have a clear title.

I'm fairly sure they don't try to contact the legal owner, but if they make a claim on their own, the insurance company pays the bond, then tries to get you to pay them back.

I can dig up the folder with the extra forms and my notes if you want. All this info is on the DMV web site, which you can find at texasonline.com or something like that.

I wouldn't pay to have this done. I'd do it myself again if I had to.