I learned a lesson just 3 months ago on selling cars. For years I always just signed the title and left everything blank for the new owner to fill in when their ready to register and stuff. Well I sold a beater car to a kid, in Oct 21. In Jan 22 I got a call from a tow company an hour away. The car I sold was towed & impounded due to no registration when police pulled it over with some other dude than I sold it to driving, I was told that being the last registered owner, I was responsible for all tow fees and daily storage fees, and to get it back I needed a title. At first I didn’t believe them, then I checked with an attorney and found out it was very real and I was responsible. The problem was I had no proof that I sold it, I should have filled out title completely and copied it or took a picture at the point of sale. Then I would of had proof and could fight it.
I had to apply and pay for a new duplicate title from the DMV, wait the 10 days for it to be mailed to me, bring it to the police that did the stop, get a release paper, go to the tow company and present all that plus $500 for fees, load the car on my trailer and take home. I sold the car for $1500, paid $520 plus time off from work, fuel (1.5 hour drive each way) to get the car back. Now the car is beat, not worth more than parts. Body damage, interior looks like the guy had a pet grizzly bear, and the ash tray had 100s of half smoked joints.
The dude that was driving it when stopped is a violent felon, caught just 1 year ago with heroin, crack, illegal stolen handgun, thousands in cash, rap sheet for beating his girl to a pulp, and he only served 4 months in prison and was out. WTF!!
He had temp tags on the car from Tennessee, and had a years supply of them. I check up on this and it’s a real problem in this country. They call them ghost cars. You buy illegal temp tags online and the police have no means to verify if they are legit. The car can be used to commit a crime and if caught on video or abandoned guess who get a knock on the door…last registered owner…yup!
Fuck that, I will now fill out titles in full when selling, take a picture and present to the DMV when I turn the tags in. If the buyer doesn’t like that then they can look elsewhere.