in MI, there's a process for getting a title for a non-stolen car if you bought it without a title. it is painless and only takes one extra trip to the Secretary of State's office. Downside is that the value of the vehicle has to be less than $2500 in its current condition -- a subjective evaluation method, for sure.
when i went through this process, i told them that the car was bought at an estate sale, which is what the guy i bought it from told me. i never said "i bought it at an estate sale."
maybe OH has something similar? i'd investigate this path before admitting to having a title that's been bounced three times.
bravenrace wrote:
Title services?
Google something to the effect of "auto title service" and you'll quickly become acquainted with the world of paper-trail-generation...
Clem
If the bill of sale you had was from the second owner, who's name is on the back of the title, and selling it to you, then you would have a clear chain of ownership and probably be OK. Which is why I'm sure you meant that the sellers signature on your bill of sale matched the buyers one on the title perfectly, right? Or at least on the new bill of sale you just found somewhere....
But before you do anything, call the DMV and ask them what they want from you. Don't tell them anything that'll get you in trouble, just the facts: you want to buy a car out of state, the owner filled in the wrong name on the buyers part of the title but never got it signed, you can't wait for him to get a new title. because it would take two trips. What can be done?
You know, I'm kind of dense sometimes. I was just about to reply to you about you being dense when it suddenly occured to me that I'm the one who is dense, not you. 
I would like to not have to come out and tell you in a public forum how to manipulate the system with quasi-legalities. Glad you figured out what I was trying to tell you.
Here's my concern with that approach. If I write up a bill of sale from the buyer that is on the title, you don't think they'd tell me to contact that seller to have him transfer it into his name and then into mine? That would be hard for me to do since I don't have any way of finding him.
You don't. You use the owner's name that's on the title. As far as you know, that first buyer never took possession of the car.
That's why you call the DMV first. Ask them and find out which way they want it done.
Jim, here's my two cents:
I had a title where the seller had accidently started to write her name in buyers area, realized her mistake, crossed it out and finished up her part correctly. When I took it to the DMV (here in Ohio as you know) they told me they couldn't process the title and the seller would have to ask for a new title. I tried my luch at another DMV office and had the same result. Figuring I didn't have any choice, I got the previous owner to meet me at yet another office (closer to her) and when the lady looked at title and we explained what happened she just went ahead and processed it as it was saying "she's not selling the car to herself".
...anyway the point being you might get lucky taking it to one of the DMV offices, but you will learn what direction you might have to take.
(sorry so long-winded...).
Stan
Sorry to dredge up this old thread, but I've done some things and need some additional advice.
I was able to get the DMV to come to my house and do an out-of-state inspection, which I need before I can transfer the title into my name. I found some contact info for the guy whos name the title is signed over to, but I've not had any luck reaching him. He apparently screens his calls, and he hasn't returned my voice mail or emails. The DMV told me that he needed to transfer the title and sign it off to me. I asked her "what if I can't contact him" and she muttered something (not with a lot of confidence) about contacting the DMV headquarters in Columbus and getting a new title without getting this one transferred, but I'm not sure what she was talking about. Any ideas? Anyone in or near Verplank, NY, that could visit this guy for me?
i'd start over at a new DMV office along the lines of "hi, i bought an old car without a title. does OH have a process for verifying that it's not stolen, then issuing me a title if it is indeed not stolen?"
you already know with reasonable certainty that it's not stolen, as you've got a title for it.
you may choose to rephrase the question to add "from a state that does not require a title for a vehicle more than X years old or less than Y value".
Play dumb, but be polite and courteous. Express your desire to handle the situation correctly.
bravenrace wrote:
Title services?
I just did this. I used a place in Maine.
I'll PM you details.
guess i missed this thread.
In Illinois and in Wisconsin you can "bond" a vehicle to get title to it in case like yours.
I did it in illinois quite a few years ago on a few occasions.
is it a vehicle where a "parts car" is readily available for $300-500 with a clear ohio title?
because scrap is up now, and if you see where i am going with this, you could have a headache free title to your car for net investment of $0 and get some spare parts out of it. if this is the TVR - never mind.
contact columbus. it is a pain in the butt and i had to do it a couple times, but never for a situation as yours.
AngryCorvair wrote:
i'd start over at a new DMV office along the lines of "hi, i bought an old car without a title. does OH have a process for verifying that it's not stolen, then issuing me a title if it is indeed not stolen?"
DO NOT DO THIS they will tell you to leave and take any papers you have for it. At least the ones in columbus.
I tried getting a title for a certain Porsche OG GRMers know and me being 22 looked suspicious. I was told to do many dumb steps because they didn't believe me. I said it was sitting in my yard for 2 years and it had an out of state title. too much info.
My dad walked in with pics of it (looking like it had been sitting for several years) and a statement he wrote of how it was stored in his yard for over a year and he needed a title to register it, store it, or get rid of it. Nothing more nothing less. Too much info is your enemy.
He had a title in 3 days. I tried for over a month. oh and I also got different procedures when i talked to different people as well.
Maybe your best bet is to get an abandoned vehicle title and saying it was dumped in your yard over 6mo-1 year ago.
~Alex
Rustspecs13 wrote:
AngryCorvair wrote:
i'd start over at a new DMV office along the lines of "hi, i bought an old car without a title. does OH have a process for verifying that it's not stolen, then issuing me a title if it is indeed not stolen?"
DO NOT DO THIS they will tell you to leave and take any papers you have for it. At least the ones in columbus.
DON'T YELL! IT WORKED FOR ME IN MICHIGAN! ASK 914DRIVER, HE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM ME AFTERWARDS!
Well, unbelievably, the guy called me back yesterday afternoon! This was after 2 months of trying to reach him!
So here's the deal - And I now need some advice on this also. As I've said before, he's in NY. The back of the NY title is signed by the woman that sold him the car, and who's name the title is in. His name is written in as the buyer's name, but he did not sign it. So to correct this, I have to send him the title, he has to transfer it into his name and then sign the back as the seller and put my name in as the buyer. I've talked to this guy several times over the years, and he's a really nice guy, but keep in mind that I didn't buy the car from him, so I don't really know him. He's too far away for me to take it to him, so I have to mail it to him and trust that he will do what's needed and send the title back to me. I made a copy of the title and am going to send it certified mail, but what else can I do make this deal more secure for me?
try the "someone left this heap in my garage to work on it and they disappeared over a year ago" abandoned/mechanics lien route first?
i'd just be worried that guy on title knows the car is way further along than when he lost interest/skill to do it, now he would love to have it back, he transfers title to his name, calls police says his car is stolen and just happens to know the SOB in ohio who did it. maybe it is because i do not trust anyone, but all you have for paper trail now proving anything is a post on the internets on a message board.
bravenrace wrote:
Well, unbelievably, the guy called me back yesterday afternoon! This was after 2 months of trying to reach him!
So here's the deal - And I now need some advice on this also. As I've said before, he's in NY. The back of the NY title is signed by the woman that sold him the car, and who's name the title is in. His name is written in as the buyer's name, but he did not sign it. So to correct this, I have to send him the title, he has to transfer it into his name and then sign the back as the seller and put my name in as the buyer. I've talked to this guy several times over the years, and he's a really nice guy, but keep in mind that I didn't buy the car from him, so I don't really know him. He's too far away for me to take it to him, so I have to mail it to him and trust that he will do what's needed and send the title back to me. I made a copy of the title and am going to send it certified mail, but what else can I do make this deal more secure for me?
power of attorney form. Illinois has them for situations like this. The bad part is you get stuck paying 2 title transfer fees (original owner to him, and him to you) that is how illinois did it. Wisconsin just did one transfer charge.
NY POA form http://nysdmv.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nysdmv.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=135
OHIO POA http://publicsafety.ohio.gov/links/bmv3771.pdf
to make it more secured for you? insure the title for the replacement cost of the car when you mail it 
I'm not following you on the POA. Are you suggesting that he fill that out so that I can transfer the title? Pleez Xplane.
I did exactly that bravenrace, and it worked splendidly.
