PA title for a wrecked vehicle

Rob_Mopar wrote: In the last few years PA has been a little pickier about title work on cheap vehicles changing hands. When the vehicle is being sold for significantly less than average market value, there's an extra form to fill out stating why the price is so cheap. "Vehicle is wrecked, not drivable" is acceptable for that. If you are doing a title transfer only (not going to tag it at the same time), I suspect that will raise less scrutiny.

Another life long PA resident here. Bought and sold many of used cars and have only had trouble once, and it was a legit sales price just like yours. Basically transfer the title and pay the tax based your real purchase price. As mentioned there is an extra form to fill out to explain why the price is so much lower/different then what the car tax gods think it should be. Fill it out and explain what it needs to be repaired and driving. Also try and find a notary that will do the paperwork the old fashion way, no the online transfer deal. Take pictures and more or less demand that the notary includes them with the paperwork that is sent in. Worse case is that you will get a letter from the Pa Dept of revenue demanding the difference between what you paid for it and what they think you should have paid for it. Been down this route two times, once as the buyer and once as the seller of the same truck. First time I got the letter I called and spoke to a worthless person at the state and explained the forms that were submitted were correct. Her response was basically " yeah right". At that point I told her I wouldn't be paying a dime extra regardless of what she thought. When I sold the truck, the new buyer and I both got the letters. I wrote "BERKELY YOU" in huge letters across it with a sharpie and sent it in. Bottom line is as long as you and the seller agree on the price there really isn't E36 M3 they can do about it. Just transfer it and go on about your life!
Paul

clownkiller wrote: Original post you said it has a clean title. Why do you keep saying rebuilt title? Just transfer it to your name. Put in a value that the state will question less, and pay the taxes on it.

I say rebuilt title because I don't want one... and I refuse to pay $600 tax on a $500 purchase.

sounds like y-all in Pa have to have signatures notarized .... here in NC, I just take any title to my bank (CU in my case) notary is free there, and they couldn't care less... as long as they see you sign your name ... that's all they're notarizing .... would this be the same as Pa ?

paulmpetrun wrote:

Rob_Mopar wrote: In the last few years PA has been a little pickier about title work on cheap vehicles changing hands. When the vehicle is being sold for significantly less than average market value, there's an extra form to fill out stating why the price is so cheap. "Vehicle is wrecked, not drivable" is acceptable for that. If you are doing a title transfer only (not going to tag it at the same time), I suspect that will raise less scrutiny.

Another life long PA resident here. Bought and sold many of used cars and have only had trouble once, and it was a legit sales price just like yours. Basically transfer the title and pay the tax based your real purchase price. As mentioned there is an extra form to fill out to explain why the price is so much lower/different then what the car tax gods think it should be. Fill it out and explain what it needs to be repaired and driving. Also try and find a notary that will do the paperwork the old fashion way, no the online transfer deal. Take pictures and more or less demand that the notary includes them with the paperwork that is sent in. Worse case is that you will get a letter from the Pa Dept of revenue demanding the difference between what you paid for it and what they think you should have paid for it. Been down this route two times, once as the buyer and once as the seller of the same truck. First time I got the letter I called and spoke to a worthless person at the state and explained the forms that were submitted were correct. Her response was basically " yeah right". At that point I told her I wouldn't be paying a dime extra regardless of what she thought. When I sold the truck, the new buyer and I both got the letters. I wrote "BERKELY YOU" in huge letters across it with a sharpie and sent it in. Bottom line is as long as you and the seller agree on the price there really isn't E36 M3 they can do about it. Just transfer it and go on about your life! Paul

I like it. I think I will just submit it and let them choke on it. if they don't like it they can send me a letter too. :-)

if NJ thinks the vehicle price is too low.. they will use blue book value. Not sure if there is a way to fight that

In reply to wbjones:

In PA title transfers are done by private franchises. It's a bit strange to many but it does offer advantages. First, they're freakin everywhere - typically two or three at least in every town. Also, you can find a place that will fill stuff out without questioning it, either via computer or by hand.

Coming from NJ... I found it weird that the DMV in pa only handled licensing.

Funny thing was.. it did not make them any faster than NJ's system that does everything

yeah... tx dmv stuff was all handled at the county tax office

mad_machine wrote: if NJ thinks the vehicle price is too low.. they will use blue book value. Not sure if there is a way to fight that

I've been titling "$300" cars in NJ for 20 years now, never been questioned on it. Although a majority of them really were $300 cars...Im a cheap bastard.

mad_machine wrote: Coming from NJ... I found it weird that the DMV in pa only handled licensing. Funny thing was.. it did not make them any faster than NJ's system that does everything

Perhaps, but at least we are smart enough to pump our own gas.

ddavidv wrote:

mad_machine wrote: Coming from NJ... I found it weird that the DMV in pa only handled licensing. Funny thing was.. it did not make them any faster than NJ's system that does everything

Perhaps, but at least we are smart enough to pump our own gas.

And we're smart enough to get someone else to do it for us

The only good thing about PA is the drivethru liquor stores......the same can't be said for NJ.

yamaha wrote: The only good thing about PA is the drivethru liquor stores......the same can't be said for NJ.

No... drive thru beer distributors (there's one a mile or two from my house)... liquor/wine stores are all state owned/operated (and not drive-thru)... and at a beer distributor you can buy a case of beer only/minimum. A 6-pack or singles you have to buy at a "take out place" that sells beer by the tap.

Yeah... we have some weird laws...

talk about weird laws ...

when I lived in Florida in the early '80's, they had drive-thru bars ... you would place your order (like at a MickyD's) and then drive up to the window, pay for your scotch on the rocks, accept your drink ... then drive away ... things have changed a bit since then