Help With Purchasing a Used Vehicle

[OrangeTaintedLuv]

My boyfriend is seriously considering purchasing a (used) vehicle from an individual. Anyone have any advice as far as getting the title changed over?

 

[Baboso]

Just make sure the seller signs the title (still on the back, I think), and present it at the county title office when your bf goes to register the vehicle. That's all there is to it.

 

[accuratehorn]

The seller has to sign the title on the front, which he should have done previously. Then he has to sign it on the back, and there is a place to verify the mileage, and the seller states if it is actual mileage or not. There is also a white form, the sales tax affadavit, that the seller has to sign in two or three places, verifying the sales price and the mileage of the vehicle.
Also, you should look at the title to see if it is a salvage title, meaning the car was totaled by an insurance company, and if there is a lien still on the title. A lot of times, even if the guy paid the lien off three years ago, he did not get the lien released by the bank on the title, and you can't put it in your name.
That's all I can think of.
Oh yeah-check the VIN# on the car to see if it matches the VIN# on the title-very important.
It is often a better risk to buy a used car from an individual owner than a car dealer, especially if the owner has good service records that go with the car.

 

[OrangeTaintedLuv]

Thanks!

It turns out that there is still some money owed on the vehicle in question. I'm assuming once he pays off the balance, the title will come to the seller & then He (the seller) signs it over to us?

 

[Baboso]

Get a cashier's check for the amount he owes on the vehicle. Go with the seller to the financing bank, pay off the loan with the cashier's check and sit there and watch the bank release their lien. Do not give the seller the full amount of the sales price or you may find yourself in a mess if he doesn't pay the car off.

 

[accuratehorn]

Yes, you must get a "clean" title when you buy the car. Not 6 months later, but when you give them the money.

 

[OrangeTaintedLuv]

Thanks again all. We actually are firends with the seller. We called the comany that the lien was through and paid the vehicle off & then gave the seller the balance of the asking price. We also drew up a "bill of sale" to protect ourselves & the seller until the title can be signed over.

All in all it was pretty painless.

 

[horn4life]

I don't think the Bill of Sale will work for title transfer any more. You have to fill out another form the state now requires.

 

[OrangeTaintedLuv]

We just filled out a bill of sale to show that the car was sold. We should have the title by the first part of next week.

 

[horn4life]

You need a form other than the bill of sale if the car is relatively new to transfer title at Travis COunty.

 

[BooDog]

FYI

Title Transfer in Travis County

 

[orangecat]

okay, does it matter if buyer and seller are in different counties?

It looks like we're purchasing a used vehicle. Seller has a loan, I have a loan application approved.

According to my credit union, process is:
1. Seller calls my credit union to find out 15 day loan payoff:


2. They can Fed Ex check to me, payable to both me and seller, we go to her bank, pay off her loan, then I take Bill of Sale(or will title be handed over immediately?), to my county's Tax assessor collector, where I pay T, T, and L in cash.


I sent an email to my county last night, but no response.

 

[homer]

haha. what the hell is a post from 2004 doing up on the first page.