Buying a car out of state?

[Cruiser]

Short version:

I've been talking to a guy outside of New Orleans, where I grew up, about buying a Pinzgauer that he's selling on CL. Best bud lives down there and owns a mechanic shop. So he's on board to drive 2.5h each way with the flatbed this weekend to go buy it for me. The plan is for him to inspect it and, assuming it's in the condition the seller says it's in, to buy it with cash that I send him. Then he'll take it to his shop and spend a few weeks wrenching on it and doing some upgrades for me after which I'll drive down there and trailer it home.

The question is this; how do we correctly transfer the title? The seller lives in Texas but the Pinz is at a ranch he owns in Louisiana. The caretaker of the ranch is handling the sale for him. Pinz was never registered in Louisiana because they couldn't get their insurance co to write a policy for using it on the road since they classified it as a farm implement. So I believe (waiting on confirmation from the caretaker) it still has the New Mexico title which was signed by the previous owner when the current owner purchased it.

I just want to be sure we're completing this transaction by the book so that it's not a hassle to register it in CO when I get it home.

Here's the truck. You can see why a fellow would go through all this hassle, right? It's a god damned 6x6 Pinzgauer.

[iceman]

I mean if there's a clear title it should be straightforward, I don't see an issue with it being a NM title, in fact I'm sure CO has a lot of experience dealing with NM titles. They don't need to know the whole story about LA and the ranch and whatnot, it's irrelevant. In my dental opinion.

ps. nice rig! Hope it's good mechanically for you.

[Bobby Stainless]

If you have the signed title for the vehicle, then there shouldn't be an issue, regardless of where the vehicle is.

I would get a picture sent to you, of the front and back, and go to the clerks office if you want to double check.

In fact, you can can get all that done, while it's being worked on. Have tags an reg when it shows up.

[Cruiser]

Sorta figured that would be it. Thanks boys! Will try and get pics of title front and back so I can make sure everything is on the up and up.

Hopefully it works out. I've been wanting one of these for a while and when this one just popped up a couple of weeks ago I couldn't resist it.

[uglymoney]

If you have the signed title for the vehicle, then there shouldn't be an issue, regardless of where the vehicle is.

I would get a picture sent to you, of the front and back, and go to the clerks office if you want to double check.

In fact, you can can get all that done, while it's being worked on. Have tags an reg when it shows up.

Can he buy it contingent on the title being clean? I've seen them deal with this on 'Chasing Classic Cars'. The title was sketchy but Wayne ended up knowing the guy the car came from and that guy was able to guarantee that the title was clean and that he would be able to register it in Cali so Wayne went ahead and bought it on behalf of his customer.

[GeezerSteve]

Edited response:

Be careful. Louisiana law is in many respects different than the law of the other 49 states.

[MTT]

I will be watching to see what your buddy says as to condition.

All I can think of is Louisiana - Bayou country and how much Brackish water that things been submerged in.

Just sayin

[Danno]

I'd do what Steve says, even though it isn't legal advice. I'd also call or better yet walk in to your local County office and ask them. All you need to say is that it has a NM title, that was signed over to the current owner, and he wants to then transfer that title to you, and what do you need to title it in CO. Believe it or not, but I have found the local car registration folks to be helpful. They don't want you to make 8 trips to their office to get it right, so they will try to tell you what they'll need.

[Bobby Stainless]

Im not sure what is meant by "clean". He wouldn't have the title, if a bank owned it. Which in this case, with this type of collectible, it would be very strange for a bank to lend on it.

Before I write a check for a car, I make them send me the front and back of the title showing release of lien, or ownership from the get go.

Cruiser can take that to the clerks office, and have them confirm that the car can be registered and tagged in CO.

To complete a CO DMV title transfer, go in person to your county vehicle office. You'll need:

• The vehicle title with ALL of the following information:
  
  • All sellers' signatures.
  • The sale date.
  • The sale price.
  • The car's mileage, also called odometer disclosure.
  • Your name and address.
  
  
• An emissions inspection if it's required in your Colorado county.
• A Bill of Sale if:
  
  • There isn't space for the odometer reading on the title.
    OR
    
  • You and/or the seller want a receipt for the vehicle.
  
  
• A completed Application for Title and/or Registration (Form DR 2395).
  
  • IF the vehicle will have more than 1 owner, ALSO complete the page of the application entitled “Joint Tenancy with Rights of Survivorship Acknowledgement of Intent".
  
  
• Proof of auto insurance.
• A form of Secure and Verifiable Identification.
• The lien document (original or certified copy), if you're financing the vehicle or have any other liens.
• Payment for car title transfer fees and taxes.
  
  • Varies by county and vehicle. Contact your county's motor vehicle office for more information.
  
  

You should receive your vehicle title within 6 weeks. If there's a lien on the vehicle, the title will be sent to the lienholder.

Im not a lawyer, but I am a used car salesman.

[MakersTeleMark]

The following documents are required in order to register a vehicle in Colorado that is currently registered in another state:

title or current registration
a completed Verification of Vehicle Identification Number DR 2698 form by a Colorado law enforcement officer or Colorado licensed dealer (fees apply)
secure and verifiable identification
weight slip if registering a truck that the weighs more than 4,500 pounds unless the empty weight is on the title or registration
current proof of Colorado insurance (policy sighted on smartphone will be accepted)

And from experience, make sure the scale you get it weighed at is certified. Also, for $$ purposes, take as much shit off of the truck as possible. I've removed an entire bed and a whole axle off of a duece.5 to save a bunch of $$.

[Mazderati]

What you're describing is title skipping. If CO does require a bill of sale to title and register, and information on the bill of sale doesn't match information on the title, you can bet questions will be asked.

[Cruiser]

BAM! This place delivers. Thanks again for all the insights and info.

[MakersTeleMark]

What you're describing is title skipping. If CO does require a bill of sale to title and register, and information on the bill of sale doesn't match information on the title, you can bet questions will be asked.

This is technically true. But my DMV doesn't require a BOS. I think the reason why is that they don't give a shit about the other state not making their money, they just was the tax from the sale to go into their coffers, and they realize that anyone could forge a BOS and there would be no way to verify it.

[Tye 1on]

I just did a version of this with a dirt bike. Guy I bought it from hadn't titled it in his name yet, and was able to assign it to me. But the sense I got was that it was easy to do only because it was an Idaho title and i was registering it in Idaho, that if it was an out of state title it wouldn't have been that easy. If it was me i'd be in the county clerk's office with the photos of the title and get their solid opinion before putting any cash out there...

[Ted Striker]

Beer Drinker FTW.

All I can think of is Louisiana - Bayou country and how much Brackish water that things been submerged in.

My thought too. A former coworker bought a LA truck that "looked" good, but had many salt water induced issues down the road. But if your guy's good it shouldn't be a problem.

Re: title skipping. I've done it ID to WA and OR to WA without any trouble, but obviously every state is different.

Good luck with that thing, it's uber-cool.

ETA: good tip there from makers.

[Micol]

every out of state title i have taken to register required a physical VIN check by an officer outside of the courthouse. in one case where i did not want to drive motorcycle to them they sent an officer out to where I had it stored to perform the check ....I have had this happen in Lake and Summit counties. multiple times....

no BOS required tho as long as price is recorded on back of title

I forgot this maybe obvious tidbit of 411

the above is all a PITA as one truck I was picking up was 1400 miles away from owner not dealer so no temp plate
and one motorcycle I wanted to fly in , drive back approx 1800 miles same deal

There is no issuing of temp plate for out of state purchases even if you have the title from CO dmv either

so if you want to drive back you are SOL
although you said trailer it back so you are fine

[stfu&gbtw]

Sorry I missed this thread... Just got done registering a car purchased in KS. Only took 8 months. To be fair, not all of that was the County's fault, but a lot of it was. The dealer didn't give a shit about the paperwork since they weren't on the hook with the KS DOT... I refinanced the car pretty much immediately after I bought it, which would seem like a complicating factor, although it was actually the new bank that did all the heavy lifting brow beating the dealership into correcting and coughing up the paperwork, and arguing with the Clerk about nonsense like whether the bill of sale was legit even though it didn't look like the one they were expecting. I'd chalk some of that up to being in a rural area, except that I've registered cars in NJ before... I can't imagine where I'd be if I was chasing some individual seller around trying to get this shit sorted out. Post-traumatic advice would be to get copies of the paperwork approved by your county clerk before completing the sale.

[Bobby Stainless]

That's pathetic^

How have you driven the car, with no tags?

[stfu&gbtw]

That's pathetic^

How have you driven the car, with no tags?

No, just temp after temp after temp after temp after temp after temp after temp after temp... Possibly one more temp in there... Didn't mind the $7/month registration fee, but was bummed to learn they don't deduct the temp fees from the back taxes when the reg finally gets issued. And since we're in CO, land of the TABORZ!!!11, the "fee" (IT'S NOT A TAX!!!11) to pay through the upcoming 12 months was nearly $1800. I really can't complain about that part... My property taxes in 2017 are $394... But the process was a real ball breaker. The Clerk's office is only 5 miles away, but the road to it closes in the winter, so it's a 45 minute drive over there for the monthly game of "which piece of documentation won't they accept this time?" Walked away from each visit with careful notes about what document was missing, or considered unacceptable, and arrived at the next visit to learn that there was some OTHER document that was going to be an issue.

Who says government is inefficient?

[Dantheman]

I can't believe this hasn't been asked yet: What are your plans for that sexy beast?

[Cruiser]

Gonna sell my beater yj and use the pinz as a dd on nice days. I'm only about a dozen miles from work so it's an easy commute. Will take it (slowly) up to the hills for some camping and wheeling during the warmer months. Pick the kids up from school in it. Run around town with the top and doors off. You know, just use it as a toy.

No big upgrades planned for it as it sounds like it's in pretty decent unmolested condition.

Fuck I'm excited though. My buddy will be there to pick it up on Sunday morning. Fingers crossed...

[babybear]

just skimmed thru the last few posts but crazy to hear of all the issues stfu etc had

I've bought 3 cars out of state (my old vanagon also came from germany and didn't even have many issues there)

Maybe wyoming is just an easier state to deal with tho- but I just had to go to the police station and have them do the in person VIN inspection then, register, pay tax as usual and done and done
sounds like the dealerships/ salesmen were the shitheads in these situation tho huh

also that truck is awesome. we need to see how many maggots we can fit in there at some point

[Dantheman]

use the pinz as a dd on nice days. I'm only about a dozen miles from work so it's an easy commute.

Bravo sir, bravo.

[Ted Striker]

Daily driver, cool. There are a few guys here in Bellingham who have Unimogs as their DDs, but I think you're going to have them beat.

[Cruiser]

Well shit, the deal fell through in the 11th hour. Dude realized that he had it priced way below market value and pulled the plug. You know what they say about deals that are too good to be true...