Dec 2nd 2005 (friday) I sell a vehicle. Title is signed over, insurance is removed when they drive away.

Dec 4th 2005 (sunday) I purchase a new vehicle.
Dec 5th 2005 (monday) DMV makes me fill out additional paperwork.
Dec 6th 2005 (tuesday) I get everything 100% completed, get my new vehicle legal, tell them to remove the old vehicle from my name and switch the tags to the new vehicle.

All is good until...

Dec 15th 2005 (today/thursday) I get a letter in the mail from an impound lot informing me that a vehicle registered to my name has been towed, stored, and is accumulating fees. If the vehicle isn't picked up by the 22nd, they're going to auction it off and turn the remaining balance over to a collection agency to have them collect it from me.

$140 towing
$180 administrative work
$45/day lot fees for a maximum of 10 days before it's auctioned

I called the DMV main office and inquired if the vehicle was still under my name. I was informed it was, so I told the woman that I had requested it be removed from my name the same day I had tags switched to my new vehicle. She removed it as being sold on Dec 2nd.

I called the two company two times this morning, explaining that I didn't have shit to do with it and I could provide paperwork from the DMV saying that I didn't have shit to do with it because that guy was driving it illegally and I had done everything that I was legally required to do.

"It doesn't matter, when we initially ran it through, it came up registered to your name."

"Well... Just contact the new owner, I'm sure they don't want to lose the vehicle... even if they don't pick it up, I'm sure we can sell it to cover all fees."

I tried calling the buyer, and left his mother a voice mail instructing her that I need her to call me immediately.

I don't really see it as anything to worry about... but it has pretty much pissed me off.

so pay the damn fees...take YOUR car back and sell it again :)

What did you sell?

What did you buy?

I sold an explorer.... and bought a lower mileage, higher end explorer.

I hope you have a lawyer.....but I wish you the best. The DMV sounds to be at fault.

What did you sell?

What did you buy?


Where did those come from!!!! thats a good gif., got the whole thing... like where she takes it off and get with her twin or something!?

I hope you have a lawyer.....but I wish you the best. The DMV sounds to be at fault.

1: DMV was supposed to take it off.. why would I take the tags off and remove insurance and tell her I SOLD THIS, if I didnt want it taken off? There's evidence there to show that I would've taken it off, not to mention me saying "I sold that vehicle, I need to remove it from being in my name, and transfer this vehicle to my name."

2: HE'S DRIVING IT ILLEGALLY. If I have to pay SHIT or anything goes against my credit (I have perfect credit, I walked into a bank at 20 years old and requested a $3,000 personal unsecured loan and walked out with the money with no co-signer) I'm suing the shit out of them, and quite possibly the DMV.


I know a state trooper, I called and left him a voice mail. I'm going to see what advice he has and see if he can tell me why it was impounded. If we [me and the guy or his mother] don't get in contact and it isn't paid tomorrow, I've got a good mind to go get it and part it out to get my money back or just apply for a title. He does have the title signed over to him, so he could probably sue me for that... But in the end, his ass is going to get reamed one way or another, not mine.

If you have a bill of sale, then there should not be any problems in any way.

I would bet that the impound yard uses the "Credit" line to get people to come pay.

Well... in virginia a bill of sale isn't required. as long as the title is filled out properly.

He called me monday and told me that his mom signed in the wrong place and the dmv thought it looked suspicious so they're requiring me to send him a bill of sale. i printed it out, signed it, put it an envelope.... and planned to mail today....but awoke to that certified letter.

So... he can't have it switched into his name... but he does have the title.

Just talked to chief of the police department that impounded it. He said I had nothing to worry about, that anything criminal would go against the driver not the owner and that technically I could go present this to a judge at the court house and have him award me the vehicle back. He's going to have the officer that impounded it call me and put all of this in the report.

So...

I'm cleared up with DMV
I'm cleared up with the police
Only thing left is the impound lot... I'm getting copies of everything to take to them monday. Still haven't got a call back from the buyers.

Good to know everything got cleared up for you, man....

I had something like that happen to me as well... Sold my 85 300ZX to my neighbor who let it sit outside on temp tags for a month or so, and it was finally towed away... A little later, I got a notice telling me the exact same crap they've been giving you, since I guess he never got it registered in his name after I signed the title over to him...

I pretty much just told them that the car no longer was mine, and wasn't bothered again... Still a pain in the ass, though....

Well... in virginia a bill of sale isn't required. as long as the title is filled out properly.




I always do one anyway. CYA.

Yea, i'll be doing that from now on also just in case I run into deadbeats not doing shit legally again....

Update: Guy just called me and said he knew it was impounded and is going to pick it up tomorrow....