The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk titles

I hope this is in the right place? if you read a post I left in the greasy spoon you will understand this question. If you don't have a title for your truck here in Minnesota you have to bond you vehicle for three years then you get a title. My question is if someone has the past valid title for your truck and steps forward after the three year bonding process can they take possession of the truck?

That's a question you need to direct at your state DMV or your family shyster.

You could always try to get a title through Broadway titles. I'm sure quite a few people here might have had experience with them. I was going to use them for my '58 but lo and behold the previous owner called me out of the blue 5 weeks later to tell me he had finally found the title.

I would use Broadway Title only as a last resort. It's been investigated (don't know the results of the investigation) for issuing fraudulent titles. They were issuing antique titles on antique looking kit cars so the owners could escape the costs & regulations associated with new cars.

I know something about this! I bought a fairly new (but used) truck and the (*#$ car lot didn't file any paperwork. According to Texas law, and it sounds a lot like MN law, for me to get straight, I have to:
- Get a "letter of rejection" from the state ($2)
- Take the letter of rejection to my county tax office. They will either grant me a tax hearing to relieve me of having to pay taxes again, or require me to get a bond. Naturally, they required me to get a bond. Why? As insurance for the truck against repossession for 3 years. In other words, it is entirely possible that someone out there has a title to the truck and tries to take possession. The bond requires the bonding company (a.k.a. insurance company) to pony up for the value of the vehicle. This keeps it out of state courts should there be a disagreement.
- Go to the bonding company who will write you a bond using either an appraisal or the value that the state put on the vehicle in their letter of rejection. My purchase was for $4K, the value was set at $8K, and the bond cost $120.
- Take the bond with your fat wallet, and go BACK to the tax office and pay for title, tax, and license AGAIN. This gets you legal with the state.

Then I get to file a claim in small claims court to recoup my previously paid TTL + the bond cost.

I don't think anyone can step forward after three years: you've paid for the bond, you've duly paid taxes on the vehicle like a good citizen for three years, and the other person has not.

When it comes down to it, what else can you do? This is the legal process as defined by my state. I think I'd win any dispute so long as I keep my file of papers.

By the way, when you get that letter of rejection, the state sends a letter to the title holder telling them that someone is trying to make claim to the vehicle. This is their official notice of a problem. I called the previous owner and gave them an advance warning of what was happening. They were thankful about me letting them know, and I have no concerns about any future attempt at trying to take possession after 3 years.

Bill

I will second what Tiny said. Go to the BMV or your attorney,for a good legal answer.

ok i had the same problem. had a truck with no title in the state of california (which ca dmv is no help what so ever). I got ahold of an old vin plate from a previous parts truck i had, made sure it was clean and had no problems, got a title from a title service, and then went to an auto registration place and they did all the paper work for me and inspected it there. in total cost about 400 dollars.

I did my title work yesterday. I had to pay ~$90 to get legal, but the state didn't require me to pay the sales tax a second time. This was excellent news because it saved me $500. I still had to pay the title application fee, bridge fee, blah blah.

I ended up spending about $400 to get the "lost" title replaced. I now feel like an expert, and I definitely know more than any one government agency, each of which sent me on a wild goose chase. Sadly, I think the process varies by who is behind the glass at the window when you go to get things fixed.

Bill