Question from novice buyer on 1st purchase...

[Guest]

Agreed to puchase an antique truck from 1500 miles away. Truck's title is in a deceased person's name. The wife of the deceasded has agreed to convert the title in her name. Transporter (supposed to be lic & ins) will fax me the order/agreement which will be COD. <P>The seller and I haven't discussed specifics of how this transaction will take place but I'm open for suggestions or better than that - steps to take to complete the sell appropriately for the best interest of both parties.

[Guest]

FIRST thing you'd durn well better do, BEFORE you send em ANY money, is take ALL the documents they FAX/copy to you over to your State's Motor Vehicle Bureau, and see how much trouble, if any, it will be to get all this stuff "legal".<P>Just to give you an idea, California has had a law for several years, that if you are NOT keeping your REGISTRATION (as distinguished from OWNERSHIP) "current" each year, you MUST still, each year, send em a few bucks for each year's CERTIFICATE OF NON OPERATION. If you fail to do that, TREMENDOUS fines keep accelerating each year, so that in a few years of non-REGISTRATION (again, as distinguished from OWNERSHIP) the fines go into the THOUSANDS of dollars.<P>I don't know how many other jurisdictions can be as dangerous to long-unregistered cars, but there ARE pitfalls...find out BEFORE you buy !<P>Good Luck !<P>Pete Hartmann<BR>Big Springs, AZ

[critterpainter]

Pete:<BR> Actually it has gotten a little better here in CA. You only pay a $10. "non-op" fee the year you decide not to register a vehicle, and it is good until you are ready to put the car back on the road again. <BR>Bill

[Idle Swede]

Critterpainter,<BR>If Mr. Hartmann says the fines can go up to thousands of dollars, you better agree with him or there will be a 4.000 word response from him as to why you are wrong

[R W Burgess]

I think they're picking on you again, Peter

[DaveBerg]

Getting good title is by far the most important thing that you need to be concerned with. Depending on the lawas of the state you are purchasing the vehicle from and your state, the title transfer may be permitted several ways. The simplest ways being as you suggested, ie, clear title in the wifes name or perhaps using the current title with a copy of the death certificate, etc as may be required by the seller's state AND your state. It is probable that in your locale there is a messenger service or notary shoppe that does title work (call various car dealers and ask who they use) they should be able to guide you to the smoothest easiest way. Just remember when it comes to titles, your title can never be any better than the person who last had it. Take your time and do it right!