I bought a car from a private owner. They refused to send title after I made final paymt. What can I do?

Well it's a messed up situation. Since the title is not in her name yet, technically she had no legal right to sell you the car because that's considered title jumping.

I would call her and leave her a message telling her that title jumping is illegal and she either needs to process the title with full intentions of signing it over to you, or you will have no choice but to take her to small claims court. You must have a bill of sale and some proof that she sold you the car and accepted your payments. Good luck and I hope this helps.

You should have insisted on the title when you bought. She should have been put down as lienholder.

Then you could have gotten the tag.

Your new title, in your name would have been sent to her which, 99.9% of people would insist on getting their title with the lien released before making the prior payment.

Why you didnt is a question you have to ask yourself.

The seller has all your money and no motivation to get you your title.

And you let her do it to you.

-------------------newest response....

If the cars already paid off, then just keep bugging her about it. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

If you have a bill of sale and cant get her to cooperate, I DO think you might stand a chance in small claims court.

At the least it would motivate her to get your title to be done with you.

In the meantime, ask your DMV what can be done as far as a tag.

You OWN the car legally. You just cant get the title yet and it may be weeks from the time she signs it and the dealer sends it in before she gets it back, then however long before you get it from her.

In my state, you can get multiple 10 day tags but you have to go in repeatedly and pay a few bucks for each one.

Do you have physical possession of the car? Is there any existing paperwork that supports your claim that the money you sent to the bank was payment for the car? I don't understand the concept of "temporarily registered." Send him a registered letter, return receipt requested, in which you politely ask for the title, as per your agreement. Express polite unhappiness that you have been unable to contact him - and you sincerely hope that his continued silence will not force you to having to involve an attourney, because then he would be liable for costs and fees as well as producing the document. That might move him a little. Involving attorneys is almost always an attention getter.

I think you can go down to the office where you get your license plates and give them the info on the car and they might be able to help you get the title! Im not sure on this but its worth a shot! Let them know that you paid of the car and the owner will not give you the title, if that doesnt work let the previous owner know you are taking it to court!

Obviously, this vehicle should have been paid off by that previous owner. Why didn't you ask to see the title before you even dropped money on this ride?

I don't think small claims court wil be helping you with a vehicle title issue...hope you have more money to spend on this.

I think the title is still in her name, unless she signed it for you. Did you or she send the required paper work to the DMV. If not the car is still registered in her name. If it is still registered in her name then all accidents that happen to the car are in her name. So you may want to tell her that unless she sends the title you're going to get into an "accident" and her insurance will not be happy. Just a thought, and use the air bags please.

Small claims court? Just don't mention any of that tag swapping stuff..

You need legal advice. You are in a big mess and an attorney is probably your only hope.

file a complaint and see an attorney.