How do I register my car

Hi,
So I bought a 2006 Dodge Durango from a dealership, that changed owners shortly after. I’ve been trying to get the car registered since then but can’t. The finance company told me to get the title from the dealer. I had a hard timing doing that but when I finally got a hold of the new owner of the dealership, he told me he couldn’t help me because he wasn’t part of the sale. DMV tried to help me get a hold of the previous owner, the guy who sold car to dealer, because it’s still in his name. But no luck there either. Then DMV found out JP Morgan Chase has a lien on the car. Maybe previous owner still owes them money? I don’t know. I called JP Morgan Chase auto sale section (or whatever it’s called) explained my situation, gave them car info…but they said they can’t help me because my name is not on the title…? DMV recommended I ask my finance company to help me talk to JP Morgan Chase to work something out to get a lien release. But all theyre saying is theyre having a hard time getting a hold of anyone at JP Morgan and they really can’t help and yadda yadda… my question is, what do I do now? DMV said I should probably get a lawyer but what kind? And should I keep paying the finance company for my car. Is there no other way to get my car registered. DMV gave me my final temp tag, and it lasts til May so I’m desperately trying to get this issue resolved but I’m completely at a loss as to what I do next and where do I go from here. Please help

Sorry for your trouble but I seriously doubt anyone here can help you as you have a legal problem. Any lawyer should be able to do this but you should contact your state attorney office first.

3 Likes

Sounds as if the seller sold you a car that wasn’t his to sell.

Contacting a lawyer sounds like a good idea- one that specializes in fraud.

4 Likes

Thanks. I’ll contact them soon

Can a finance company finance a car knowing the dealer doesn’t have the title?

The former owner has a bank lien on car. Bank has not been paid. So they may go after former owner? He does not care? Dealer took n car with lien. They didn’t care at time? They don’t care now as they sold dealership.

Save all your paper work, get an attorney. Consider reporting this to your States attorney general office. This may be paper work that was sloppy as the dealer was selling and did not care, or fraud as they knew they were selling and are now living in Aruba.

Do you have a bill of sale? does it mention liens?

1 Like

Do I have to ask used car dealer selling car if they have a clean and clear title for that car? Most folks would make a wild assumption that car/dealer has a title.

1 Like

It seems to me that the new dealership owner likely bought the bad as well as the good stuff from the previous owner. Be sure to ask your lawyer about that. If the previous owner declared bankruptcy and the new owner bought the dealership from the court, they would proboaly not owe you anything.

1 Like

I don’t think a dealership can distance themselves from the pending transactions that took place when the business changed owners.

This sounds more like a used car lot the is no longer in business and someone else now occupies that location. If that is the case you would have to go after the owner of the business that sold the vehicle, he may be responsible for many other unsatisfied liens on other vehicles.

1 Like

Many car dealers pull every crooked stunt in the book when they’re on the way out.

Several years after I left this one dealer they went under and the lawsuits started. The facility was leased.
Apparently my ex-bosses gutted the building of all light fixtures, air lines, furniture, and even took all of the wall sockets out to sell…

With JP Morgan Chase holding a lien I think you’re going to be in for a real battle with this. I’ve gotten involved with several banks over the years concerning vehicles on which money was owed and the owners had disappeared.
I had the cars in my possession and the banks held the title with liens It was a Mexican standoff that never ended.

The banks wanted the cars without paying me and refused to cough the titles up. I told them to xxxx off. One of them even went so far as to hire a repo guy to come down one evening and break into my shop to get one of them. He got caught by a business owner next door.

So you bought the truck from dealership number 1, took possession, then dealership number 2 bought out dealership number one. And somehow in the switch you can’t get a good title to the truck you purchased. That’s no good. Sorry you got in that fix. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time I guess. It always takes a few weeks from the time you make the deal and take possession until you get the title. No much you could have done about that.

I think you need to focus on getting help from dealership number 2. They purchased presumably both the assets and obligations of dealer number 1, and so this is one of the obligations they purchased: To provide you a clear title to the truck. IMO dealership number 2 should pay off any liens, and give you a clear title. That is what number one would have done, if they hadn’t sold the dealership. Ask to see the terms of the dealership purchase agreement, no harm asking.

Make sure everyone involved with this is aware of the situation. Dealer 2, Dealer 1 (if you can find them), the DMV, the lien holder to the original title, and your lender. You may have to figure out a way to convince them all to co-operate, which may involve keeping possession the truck but not paying the payments until clear title is given to you. Whether that’s a viable plan within the confines of your state’s legal system, no idea. Best to consult a local lawyer if you need certainty. You got the truck though; that’s your leverage; best to keep it that way.

Yeah good luck. Maybe @wentwest will have something to offer. Sounds like the original dealer was supposed to pay off JP and clear the title, but left town before it all happened. I would have thought your bank should have protected you by not loaning money on a car with no title. How could your bank even put a lien on the car without a title? I kinda think the new dealer is more on the hook depending on whether they bought the business or not or just started a new business. I hate to say it but this might be one of those times when its better to just let the car go back and find another one, but what will the bank do with a car with no title or worse a lien from JP.

Not making payments is a risky move, in my opinion

I personally like Bing’s idea better

I think you’re between a rock and a hard place. Not making payments to the finance company will soon get the vehicle repoed by the finance company. It seems to me you may end up owing way more than the Durango is worth by having to pay your finance company and Chase to clear the lien.

If Chase has a lien on the vehicle then it’s because of the original owner or possibly the selling dealer if the dealer was using Chase to finance their floor plan.
Dealers have been known to screw over the financial institutions who are backing them.

I suggest that you contact Chase personally and try to find out what’s going on. Failing that, a lawyer I suppose and which piles up the financial burden even more. Most lawyers around here want at least a grand retainer to even touch something lightly.

Holy credit score Batman , way to ruin your credit.

3 Likes

Your State probably has a department that regulates and licenses car dealers. It might be part of the DMV, but it might be in Consumer Protection, or somewhere else. Most States have a general website that’s their State two letter abbreviation and the .gov so try that, and start digging. There will be a phone number you can call, but then you need to write a summary letter to them, and attach the story of what happened so far, with names and dates in a sort of diary. When you send the letter to the State you should send a copy to the second dealer, too.

At the end of your letter to the State you should suggest a remedy, like an order that you return the vehicle and dealer 2 refunds you everything you spent, including sales taxes, loan fees, everything, within 30 days.

3 Likes

I can’t see how dealer #2 can be held responsible for this problem

It depends whether dealer 2 bought dealer 1 or not, and whether dealer 1 was in bankruptcy court or not.