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Selling a car - License plates?
We are FINALLY (!!!) getting DH a new car tonight - we ordered it months ago and got the call today that it has arrived! This of course means we are getting rid of his old car - and thankfully one of his band-mates is quite eager to buy it.
A question for all those who have sold cars (private party):
What happens to the license plates? I know the rule is different from Wisconsin's - - but I can't remember how. Do they stay with the car? What if the buyer is from Wisconsin?
I thought I had read something online about the MN rules, but I cannot find it now for the life of me!
I plan on doing the tranfer of title at the DMV, so I'm sure they can tell me, but I want to have all my metaphorical ducks in a row before then if only because the guy we are selling the car to is a wee bit sketchy and I wouldn't put it past him to try to pull a fast one on us somehow or skirt the law (especially as I know for a fact he's had problems with the law in the past).
Any other car selling tips are appreciated. We already have an agreed upon price and I plan on drawing up a "Bill of Sale" - to go along with the title transfer, but like I said, the buyer has been known to be less than legit with things and I really don't want something to come back and bite us!
Thanks!
Re: Selling a car - License plates?
The plates go with the car. If the buyer is from Wisconsin, he will just need to go get new plates in Wisconsin, but you don't need to be involved in that, just make sure the title has been signed over to him.
When you get your new car, the dealership will file paperwork to get new plates for it, and they'll likely be mailed directly to you. You'll get a temporary thing to put in the window until your new plates arrive.
Mr. Sammy Dog
Thanks! I just found the info online too.
Am I crazy for insisting that the title transfer take place at the DMV? I know I could just sign it over to the buyer and rely on him to file all the paperwork . . . but like I said, this guy is sketchy, and I just don't really trust him to do it! I am also insisting that DH go with him to the bank to deposit the money as he is paying in cash.
Ugh - as nice as it is that this guy wants to buy it and we don't have to go through the hassle of listing it, I wish he didn't give me the heebie-jeebies to the point where I am doubting the legitimacy of everything! Of course, being a band-mate of DH's you would think/hope he wouldn't try to pull anything, right?
I would absolutely go to the DMV to make sure the title is transferred. My parents sold a car when I was a kid and trusted the person to take care of the title. He didn't transfer the title and then proceeded to committed a robbery where the car was used to get away. The police showed up at my parents house because the car was still registered to them.
Also, I'd follow up in a few weeks to make sure the title has been transferred. Almost a year after I traded my last car in at a dealership, I got something from the court about of a crap load of parking tickets. Turns out either the dealership didn't submit the paperwork or the DMV didn't process it correctly (I could never get a straight answer from either place) so the title - and the parking tickets - were in my name.
Tired after a long morning of hiking and swimming.
Thanks for all the feedback and reassurances that I am not paranoid. It strengthens my argument to know that 1) going to the bank/DMV with the buyer is not out of the norm and 2) things can go wrong, so best to do I can to prevent it!
The buyer wanted to do the exhange today (just got a frantic call from DH that he is in the area and wants the car sooner rather than later) - but the DMV is closed today and Monday and I don't yet have the Bill of Sale or Disclosure stuff put together. Plus, to be honest, I'm not even 100% sure where the car title is! I have a good idea where it should be, but I've been too busy to confirm . . . I need to get on that!
So first thing Tuesday morning it is . . . but how much do you want to bet that the buyer calls us over the holiday weekend to see if we can do it sooner?
If its a Minnesota Title there should be a post card attached to the bottom that you fill out as the seller, with some information you have to obtain from the buyer (as in his driver license number I believe) and you keep that and turn it in to the DMV. That way they have record from you that you sold the car and your hands are clear of it. Then when they don't see any paperwork from him they will go after him to take care of it.
I guess I haven't looked at a title in 3+ years that we've owned both our vehicles, but that is the way we handled it when we sold a motorcycle 3 1/2 years ago.