----- Original Message -----
From: ROGER MEISENBACH
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 2:48 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Checking ownership
BUYER'S BEWARE............Word of caution to anyone contemplating buying a car out of Canada. They do have a process called Registration there, similar to our titles, providing for valid/certified transfer of ownership. Just know that any Canadian joker/shyster can legally sell any vehicle with a simple Bill of Sale and the agreeable VIN, WITHOUT BEING THE CURRENT REGISTERED OWNER!!!
Believe this is true in all the provinces. Some transactions, especially at Used Car Dealerships, may go through multiple "sales" without Registration/Title change and the last registered owner being maybe years back in the car's history. And unobtainable for sign-off. I understand the locals live through this by obtaining some kind of easy-to-get temporary license tag that does not require proof of ownership. Sound absurd? You bet.
I speak from first-hand negative experience in an eBay deal where policy states rather quick deposit and final payoff (also, the eBay buyer protection plan, Safe Harbor, does not apply to deals outside the U.S.). My "seller" delayed sending a copy of the current Registration/Title long enough to clear my Cashier's Check and then never provided it. It was non-existent and he knew it. But perfectly legal in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Without proper paperwork showing a valid transfer, you cannot get a car across U.S. customs...whether it was U.S. or Canadian built. There's more to this story but this is enough for now. Anybody else with crooked Canadian deals? Who would think that any civilized system in the Western World would allow such a loop hole and opportunity for "legal" criminal misrepresentation. I can only guess this system prevails because it provides attorneys a cash cow. Roger K.C., MO
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Smith
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 11:07 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Checking ownership
When buying a used car, you will already need to have the title in order to register it, so you know who that person is. As a rule, private party sales require the current owner (or seller) to sign off on the title and give it to you. Finding owners previous to the last one I think was the issue.
In addition, if you buy from a car dealership you will never see the title because the dealership is required by law to process the change of ownership.
For vehicles purchased without a title (on a "bill of sale"), there are companies that can obtain a good title for you at a cost but again, you will not know who the last (or any previous) owners were.
As for it being a violation of the "Privacy Act", any public record is not subject to any privacy act.
Regards,
Bob
"A. Foster" <monkeypuzzle1@xxxxxxx> wrote:
No Sir;
Finding former owners is pretty standard practice in jurisdictions that
require titles for vehicle registration. If you buy a used car you need the
last registered registered owner to transfer the title to you. In the case
of a car that hasn't seen the road for some time it is no uncommon for the
owner of a car not to have the title transfered to him unless he intended to
drive it straight away.. How would you go about doing that without a title
search of prior owners if you are not allowed to know who those owners are?
I think someone is getting car ownership mixed up with license plate
numbers.
Best Regards
Arran Foster
1954 Imperial Newport
Needing A Left Side tailight Bezel and other trim parts.
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2003 6:32 PM
Subject: Re: IML: Checking ownership
> I highly doubt that any state will give anyone information about a car's
former owner for the simple fact that it is a violation of the Privacy Act.
> Doug 1958 Crown coupe
> >
> > From: Bob Smith
> > Date: 2003/06/19 Thu PM 08:24:09 EDT
> > To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: IML: Checking ownership
> >
> > If you know what state it was last in, some states might furnish this
information (for a fee). In some cases, they charge for each owner
information. However, in California, no one can get information on former
owners due to a law that was enacted about a decade ago. If you don't know
what state it was last registered in, you are pretty much out of luck.
> >
> > JOHN FACER wrote:
> > Hi,can anyone tell me how to trace the the previous American owners of
my 1981 Imperial.?
> > Any help would be welcom.
> > Johnny 'Jack Daniels' Facer
> >
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