Selling a car - Title question

[Area3Citizen]

Sorry to bother you LE officers but I have a question regarding selling a car with an issue pertaining to the Illinois Title for the car:

If you sell a car, you leave it up to the buyer to do a title transfer. What if the buyer doesn't? Is there anything to protect the seller if the buyer does something and the car is still linked to me? To my knowledge once I sell the car, I remove my plates, my city sticker, alert my insurance that the car is no longer mine, and throw the title to the buyer. Must I do more?

Thanks.

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I am selling my car for cheap. I am concerned that I may get some prospective buyers who have ill intentions which could turn around and bite me in the you know what if I don't fully unlink myself from the car.

[RDM1Y]

Sorry to bother you LE officers but I have a question regarding selling a car with an issue pertaining to the Illinois Title for the car:

If you sell a car, you leave it up to the buyer to do a title transfer. What if the buyer doesn't? Is there anything to protect the seller if the buyer does something and the car is still linked to me? To my knowledge once I sell the car, I remove my plates, my city sticker, alert my insurance that the car is no longer mine, and throw the title to the buyer. Must I do more?

Thanks.

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I am selling my car for cheap. I am concerned that I may get some prospective buyers who have ill intentions which could turn around and bite me in the you know what if I don't fully unlink myself from the car.

PM me with some info on the car, i.e. asking price, year, make, model... I am looking for a cheap car at the moment.

[L-1]

I can't speak for your state, but in California we have a form called Notice of Transfer. Once you sell a car you fill this form out and send it to the Department of Motor Vehicles, notifying them that you are no longer the owner. This takes you off the hook in cause the buyer never bothers to reregister the car. I am going to guess (hope) that your state has the same procedure.

FWIW, The last time I did a private party sale with a stranger, I completed the transaction and money transfer at the registration window of the DMV, to ensure the vehicle was re-registered on the spot.

[Jail Guard7160]

Does it have a large trunk? With no leaks? If so PM me.

I need to dispose of something?

Do i sound guilty?

I'am cleaning out my tool shed

When i sold my car i had the buyer sign a bill of sale.

Here is a sample Bill of sale

BILL OF SALE


8th Aug 2008

No warranty's, or returns of any kind.
1970 Ford Pinto
Sold to Juan Valdez
Seller Mike Jones

Will you use the car to transport drugs, amigos or commit any other illegal activity? Yes or No If yes you told me NO

[gundog]

The best thing to do is take the buyer and the title to a currency exchange and transfer it there.

[cmr164]

When I shipped overseas back in '74, I left the signed title and car keys on the front seat of the unlocked 5 cylinder '63 Impala. (OK it had 8 but mostly only 5 worked at a time)

[Illinois Edmond]

The best thing to do is take the buyer and the title to a currency exchange and transfer it there.

That's what I always did. Have them register it there and pay all the fees as well.

I also write up a bill of sale stating that the car is as is, there is no warranty written or implied. The sale is final.

You definitely have to CYA.

[MorseAve1134]

When I shipped overseas back in '74, I left the signed title and car keys on the front seat of the unlocked 5 cylinder '63 Impala. (OK it had 8 but mostly only 5 worked at a time)

Haha, what branch were you? I bet you made some kids day..or it got towed and chopped, lol.

[Area3Citizen]

If the buyer is not willing to do the transfer right when he hands me the money for whatever reason, is a signed & dated Bill of Sale enough protection for the seller?

[L-1]

If the buyer is not willing to do the transfer right when he hands me the money for whatever reason, is a signed & dated Bill of Sale enough protection for the seller?

It might provide some protection after a protracted legal fight.

I did an internet search and found two things. Apparently the Illinois Secretary of State has a form you can fill out and send in to have your name taken off the title.

Second, the Illinois Secretary of State Police (never heard of them) publishes a pamphlet that can be found at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/pu...os_dop1417.pdf It say that removing your license plates before you sell the carr will prevent liability on your part if the new owner gets in an accident.

I would do both. But to be honest, I would be leary of selling to someone who was unwilling to meet you at the office of whatever state agency does the transfer and have it done on the spot at the time of sale. To me that says something is wrong and they want to leave you on the hook for their misdeeds. Is is really worth it to sell to someone like that?

[0311Grunt]

What kind of car is it again? Is it a big truck? Lot of gang bangers buy big suv's and trucks and make them their raming cars. If they guy looks like a banger, don't sell it to him.

[ChiTownDet]

What kind of car is it again? Is it a big truck? Lot of gang bangers buy big suv's and trucks and make them their raming cars. If they guy looks like a banger, don't sell it to him.

Nothing like a Blue/Silver Suburban with heavy wall pipe & steel plate welded to the front end..

[Area3Citizen]

Thanks L-1 for the info. I will adhere to those guidelines.

0311, it's just a sedan. And while I would feel leery selling it to someone I'm pretty sure is in a gang, the urge to get rid of this financial burden of a car is overflowing. Maybe I'm just being overly precautious but I want to make sure I protect myself as I don't really know how often bad deals occur which turn around and hold a seller liable in the event of illegal activity or a crash.

[ISPCAPT]

When you sell the car you complete the title transfer on the back. Don't just sign it and give it to the new owners. Not completing the full transfer info is considered an "open title" and is a violation of law.
Remove the license plates when you sell it. The plates stay with you, not the new owner.
It's not all that unusual to find someone who has bought a car but has not sent in the title to transfer it. However, without them sending in the title to transfer to the new owner's name they can't get plates for it. If they stick plates on it from another vehicle then they would be in violation.

Second, the Illinois Secretary of State Police (never heard of them)

The SOS Police have been around since about 1917. Their authorized manpower is about 150 sworn but I think they're currently at about 100 sworn. They have full police power anywhere in the state. They are also the only state agency that operates a bomb squad. The Secretary of State is a separate constitutional officer (like the governor, treasurer, attorney general, etc) and is responsible for, among a lot of other things, the issuing of driver's licenses, titles, and vehicle registrations.