Mouse2k4

Alright so I need advice as to what I should do. The situation I'm in is as follows. I bought a vert Rx7 about a year ago for about 1800 and did some expensive work to it over time. At that time it was under my step-dads name. We decided it would be cheaper to put my insurance under my name as well as the title of the car. So we did and When I took the car to inspection immediately after switching the title and tags to my name the VIN on my car didn't match the VIN on my or my step-dads old title. The DMV told me that I have to find the technical owner of my vert and negotiate with them. If my title belongs to their car then it becomes more simplistic however I looked up the VIN combinations for Rx7s and JM1FC332 is a TurboII and JM1FC351 is a vert. So the car I technically own is a TurboII.

What I think I should do is, tell them to swap titles and pay me 140$ for a new title or they can give me the TurboII and call it even since technically that's the car I own. If I can even find the other person that is...

What do you think I should do?

Evil Aviator

It sounds like either the seller signed over the wrong title, or the seller ripped you off. I think you should go back to the seller and see what happened. If you can't find the seller then you should try to track down the real owner of your car. It is possible that it is stolen, so hopefully your local police can help you with that.

Mouse2k4

Trying to avoid cops for the most part to avoid getting my DD impounded since technically its not my car...

Evil Aviator

You are using a stolen car for your DD and hoping that the police don't find out and nail you with a felony? Wow, that's brilliant.

REAmemiya_fan

What he said...

The best thing you could do is go to the local police, tell them what happened, and get everything sorted out. They will understand your predicament and surely will help you. They aren't going to put a gun to your head and say where the f*** did you get that!

Mouse2k4

I live in NJ. Cops do whatever the hell they want.

bay2

iTrader: (1)

goto the dmv and see if they can help you locate where your car (actual VIN) is. if you bought it out of state, contact that states dmv. the dmv will have a record of transfers, even if out of state, since the dmv will contact the prior state with transfer of title.

it could take awhile, but you hopefully will end up knowing where the car is on your title, and perhaps even find out if the VIN on your title has been retitled (duplicate title), etc that's my guess, if it wasn't a shady deal in the first place then the wrong title was given, perhaps even duplicated once it was realized, who knows?

keep us in the loop, let the mystery unravel.

Mouse2k4

Will do its going to be some time but the story will slowly unravel im contacting the Eatontown DMV tomorrow to see if I can get a vin lookup for my vert to see who owns it and my guess is that will help me locate the car I own.

Evil Aviator

Didn't he just come back from the DMV?

Mouse2k4

has to be the main DMV which is Eatontown the one I went to was Freehold which is a DMV made out of a 70s Car dealership but Eatontown is like the headquarters in NJ

p0tat0s

iTrader: (3)

I'm almost not surprised that something like this would happen considering we live in the state with THE most *** backwards DMV and police systems

Mouse2k4

for real I dont know what will come out of this but i hope i end up with a good condition TII

bay2

iTrader: (1)

well the "right" thing would be you getting your title for your vert, since you paid for the vert in the first place. the law may let something else happen however, but depending on whats going on, two people have the wrong cars. which in the eyes of the law, could make you both criminals in the sense of stolen property if either one of you report your title'd car stolen.

is that worth it just for a stupid car? provided the tII is even in good enough condition to even care. it would be my guess that the car is either sitting dormant on a lot or destroyed and never reported seeing that you can register your plates on the VIN. that means that according to jersey no one has challenged your title to the car. at least.. that would be the implication.

i'd just get my correct title and be happy i actually have proof i own a car i'm driving and trying to sell.

Mouse2k4

I have to play it as I see it I guess

farberio

iTrader: (7)

.

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

can you get your Step Dad to go to the DMV and say he lost the title?.then get another Title in your Step Dad's name with the Car's Vin?..and then Transfer ownership to you?

HOZZMANRX7

iTrader: (43)

All he'd be getting is another Title to the other car since that's what is in his name.


To the OP, would you rather be smart or be what you think is right.

Smart would be to go to your local police station and explain to the guy in charge of traffic both verbally and in written form what happened and leave with one of his business cards. This so in case you get pulled over you can minimize the brain damage that would result by simply showing the business card to the cop and suggest he/she call that police station.

Smart would be to go to the DMV and explain the situation and ask for the current address of record for the "former" owner who is still the owner. If he/she moved, the local post office should have the forwarding address. Also, did you have the former owner make up a simple bill of sale as well? If so, then carry that with you as it's only stolen if you're in using the car WITHOUT the permission of the owner. That Bill of Sale would evidence you're driving it with permission, thus would be your Get out Of Jail card while you're sorting this out.

More over, you're essentially talking about contract law. What would be viewed as "Right" would be what the intent of the seller and buyer was. Your intent was to buy the Vert, the seller’s intent was to sell you the Vert. Most likely all the court would do is order what was actually a clerical error be corrected. If you want to debate to the contrary, all you get would be a big legal bill and you'll most likely still end up with the Vert. Besides, the TII might be comparatively a POS. By your own words, you know the condition of the Vert considering the “expensive” work investment you’ve already made.

The clerical error is the Sellers, so it's on the Seller to cover what ever costs necessary to correct the error. But until you get that done, be smart and avoid any need for a "dog ate your homework" defense.

As a final comment, shouldn't this Thread be in the Lounge section?

Mouse2k4

I assumed since the problem was dealing with a second gen rx7 it belonged in the second gen forum but a for your advice I will probably follow because I wont be much further off from where I thought I was.

Mouse2k4

been a while since this thread but I went to eatontown dmv and they told me to go to trenton.. clutch blew up in the car so I have pep boys fixing it but I really dont want to just have to then im going to trenton to see what they can do about it.

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Poor car.
Dubious title and now Manny, Moe and Jack are abusing her.

Mouse2k4

yeah im pissed about pep boys but the butthole tow truck would only bring it there...

Mouse2k4

Got my car back from pepboys with a bumpersticker...(I wanted to kill) and an idle problem. luckily the bumpersticker came off real easy and the idle problem was fixed temporarily by adjusting the throttle screw however the idle is still bouncy as **** but that might just be dirty fuel injection.