Title questions

[humanliberty]

OK so recently I ended up buying a car on Ebay, the one that belonged to cnotesdip on this forum, for 3k. The car was sold from delaware. The title was in someone else's name a "friend" of cnotesdip I later found out, in Arizona. The title had not been transfered to the person I bought it from on ebay. He said this was normal, and he hadn't gone through the trouble of registering it because he didn't want to keep it. The car had temporary delaware tags (I don't know how he got those if he didn't have the title in his name) I did hand over the money and take the title ( I did the research only later on when I got home, fearing I might have bought a stolen car). So the title block has the owner's ame and signature on it but not my name or anything yet. It also requires a notary to be present (obviously there wasn't, since the title is still in his name).

What should I do with this? I already paid 2.25k. Should I ask the ebay seller to get Daniel Hoffman to sign it over to him and then to me? Or should I try to get my money back completely and cancel this whole thing, if I can at all of course. The car is worth the money, but of course I want a clear title in my name. The title is fine otherwise.

Thanks.

[humanliberty]

My preliminary conclusion:

Basically, the ebay dude never legally owned the car, so he was never legally allowed to sell it. Since a notary needs to be present with the original owner and me to make this car mine, I have bought nothing. I have just handed over money to the ebay guy, and a car which neither of us owns has changed hands.

If this is true, I now need to find out how to minimize my damage. I don't want to go through huge amounts of trouble to get the car in my name, and at this point it looks like I just want my money back until the title can be transferred from the ebayer to me.
What do you guys think?

[DocDuvi]

you will be fine go to your tag/title agency and register it in your name

[elchicano]

yea i think you would be okay, my friend does that all the time. He buys a car for cheap and then sells it and makes a profit. He never registers it under his name, from what i know there has never been an issue. but yea you should got to the tag/titile agency and see what you can do.

[b.u.ti-ful]

Selling a car that you bought to re-sell without bothering to title it in your own name is pretty common here in Wisconsin - but then, it does not say anything about a notary on out titles.

The DOT in you area should have an 800 number you can call and ask your questions anonymously. Don't waste your time in the actual local office until you know its worth while.

I bet it will go through.

[aceyx]

I'd try and get in touch with Daniel Hoffman directly. The title should have his address, and there might be a forum member willing to help you out.

[blndweasel]

Just went through a similar experience with another vehicle. Not exactly the same situation, but similar. In CA, there is no prerequisite for notary on the title, but it seems like you shouldn't have a problem not involving the middle man in the title transfer process.

good luck, and congrats on the ti. I know it got a lot of negative press in the forum here, but hey, it's still a ti, and now it has a good home.

[thesk8nmidget]

well hope it all works out i have bought and sold plenty of cars without putting the car in my name first. but hopefully it isnt just stolen and he got the title some how.