Transferring a car title from an auction sale in Pennsylvania
September 4, 2011 3:19 PM Subscribe
Out-of-stater thinking about buying a car at auction in Pennsylvania. The title isn't at the auction house, but at a "messenger service" in town. Is this standard practice?
Considering buying a used car at an auction tomorrow in Pennsylvania. I'm aware of the mechanical risks associated with buying a car at auction, but I also have some reservations about transferring the title.
The auction company doesn't physically have the title. It's at a messenger service in town that they use for car auctions. This is a private business that does title transfers and tags. They're closed tomorrow because it's Labor Day, so I would have to come back at a later date to get the title transferred. I'm a Virginian.
Is the practice of leaving the title at a business like this standard for car auctions, or would I be an idiot to buy the car and not obtain (or see) the title tomorrow? The auction company says I would get a receipt of purchase that I could then give to the messenger service to transfer the title.
The Carfax came back fine, but it says that a lien was put on the car a while back. Later -- about two years ago -- it says that a duplicate title was issued. The auction company says that they couldn't obtain the title if there were still a lien on it and that "the title is clear."
I guess I'm most worried that the bank will still be on the title and that this will be difficult to transfer. If the lien is still active, it will need to be satisfied before the title can be transferred. More generally, I'm also nervous that I won't have enough "proof" to obtain the title from this third party service (and have no way to contact them before I'd need to bid).
Thanks for any help on this one. If there's anything else that I should ask the auction company ahead of time, that would be helpful too.
Considering buying a used car at an auction tomorrow in Pennsylvania. I'm aware of the mechanical risks associated with buying a car at auction, but I also have some reservations about transferring the title.
The auction company doesn't physically have the title. It's at a messenger service in town that they use for car auctions. This is a private business that does title transfers and tags. They're closed tomorrow because it's Labor Day, so I would have to come back at a later date to get the title transferred. I'm a Virginian.
Is the practice of leaving the title at a business like this standard for car auctions, or would I be an idiot to buy the car and not obtain (or see) the title tomorrow? The auction company says I would get a receipt of purchase that I could then give to the messenger service to transfer the title.
The Carfax came back fine, but it says that a lien was put on the car a while back. Later -- about two years ago -- it says that a duplicate title was issued. The auction company says that they couldn't obtain the title if there were still a lien on it and that "the title is clear."
I guess I'm most worried that the bank will still be on the title and that this will be difficult to transfer. If the lien is still active, it will need to be satisfied before the title can be transferred. More generally, I'm also nervous that I won't have enough "proof" to obtain the title from this third party service (and have no way to contact them before I'd need to bid).
Thanks for any help on this one. If there's anything else that I should ask the auction company ahead of time, that would be helpful too.
Best answer: For what it's worth, CarFax shows the same thing for Texas titles when a lien is released. In Texas, when you pay off a car (and are keeping it, not trading it in or selling it to a dealer) the lender mails you the title with the lien released on the face of the title. There's a box for a signature and date next to the lienholder block. You are then responsible for taking the title--which still has a lien on it, but shows on paper as now being fulfilled--to the local county Vehicle Titles and Registration office and requesting that a new title be issued that is "clear" and has no lien showing. That title is considered a duplicate title since the ownership information did not change.
Pennsylvania's form for accomplishing the same thing has a similar name: Application for duplicate title or to record, renew, remove a lien or to correct lien information by lienholder
posted by fireoyster at 4:02 PM on September 4, 2011
Pennsylvania's form for accomplishing the same thing has a similar name: Application for duplicate title or to record, renew, remove a lien or to correct lien information by lienholder
posted by fireoyster at 4:02 PM on September 4, 2011
Response by poster: easily confused: I would, but it's Labor Day tomorrow and the messenger service is closed.
posted by zxcvz at 8:57 PM on September 4, 2011
posted by zxcvz at 8:57 PM on September 4, 2011
Ah sorry, hadn't thought about the holiday!
So basically you're supposed to just TRUST them or something on the title, "oh no, there's no lien, and you can check that AFTER you pay us!"? Sounds kind of iffy to me, but then I'm a suspicious sort of person. Perhaps only go ahead and buy it if you can afford to lose the money, but not if, say, the amount lost would preclude you from buying another vehicle.
posted by easily confused at 4:06 AM on September 5, 2011
So basically you're supposed to just TRUST them or something on the title, "oh no, there's no lien, and you can check that AFTER you pay us!"? Sounds kind of iffy to me, but then I'm a suspicious sort of person. Perhaps only go ahead and buy it if you can afford to lose the money, but not if, say, the amount lost would preclude you from buying another vehicle.
posted by easily confused at 4:06 AM on September 5, 2011
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posted by easily confused at 3:51 PM on September 4, 2011