Siezed car dealership, no title

What is the name of your state? Florida

To start this off, I purchased a car in IL in July 24, 2007, I then moved to FL on August 30th. In October I get a call from the finance company asking if the title to the car was sent to me, it wasn't. I was then informed that the car dealership that I bought the car from had been seized by the FBI. I had made car payments until November and then refused to make any more since I can't register the car and don't know if I even get to keep it (it could be siezed). I have filled out and sent the complaint forms and vin identification forms to the Secretary of State Police, which they have had since the beginning of November and I heard back from them 2 weeks ago, requesting proof of payment from the finance company, and was informed that the original lien holder (the bank the car dealership received loans from) was in possession of the title.
My question is, what are my rights as a consumer in this situation? I can't register the car for the state I live in and no one seems to know when or if the title will be released. In addition, I can't get another car because my income does not support two car loans and I, of course, cannot use the current vehicle as a trade in. I have been dealing with this issue for months now and I am tired of dealing with it.

skye1994 said:

what are my rights as a consumer in this situation?

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Very simple. Absent an agreement with the lender or title holder, you have to pay the amount you agreed to when you signed the financing papers.

I can't register the car for the state I live in

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Why not?? You should have a copy of the original title with a lien held by the lender.

No title or copy of title

The finance company does not have the title or copy of the title. Because I bought the car in IL the state I was living in at the time and then moved to Florida, a new title has to be made, which can't be done because the lender does not have the original or copy to send to the state to get the new title. The lender did not even know that the car is still registered to the previous owner that sold the car to the dealership. I found this out when I had to have the vin identification form filled out by a police officer. He ran the vin to find out who the car was registered to, previous owner-car rental place.

A couple of questions to add to my first post

Is there a time limit attached to being able to produce the title to be able to register the car? If the car is siezed during the course of the court case against the car dealership, am I still liable for the car loan? I ask this because I have been told that I am still responsible for the car loan even if the car gets seized and I have been told that the contract for the car loan is not complete because I cannot claim ownership of the car.


Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

Rather than to continue playing '100 questions'... what did the lender and/or FBI say when you asked them what you should do.

no answers from either group

The FBI pawned me off to the Secretary of State Police and Attorney Generals office because my case isn't federal. I called Secretary of State Police and was sent complaint forms, which I filled out and sent back to them certified/return receipt at the beginning of Nov. Did not hear from them again until 3 weeks ago when an investigator called me at home and had me tell the finance company to fax him proof of payment for the vehicle (which I did). Have not heard anything since then from Secretary of State.
I called the Attorney Generals office and was told I needed to call the Secretary of State police. I spoke to the attorney in charge of the case against the dealership and was told that if me or my finance company hadn't already received the title then more than likely my car would be siezed (I didn't get a hold of AG until January because the number was always busy everytime I called it).
The finance company doesn't know what to tell me except to demand payment, which I have refused to make under advice from others, whether it is the correct advice I don't know, but I don't like the fact of making car payments on a car that a. could be seized in a court case or b. can't drive because I can't register it. Supposedly the finance company upper management is on the case, from what I understand they were just informed of my situation, and have their attorneys on it trying to get the title released from the original lien holder. I am not for sure what is happening now since everytime I call the finance company they say their is nothing new in my case, they don't know when they will get the title (if ever), and at one point in time they were told that my car was already siezed.

Thank you for answering my posts.

finally found IL law on titles

I finally found out what IL consumer law is regarding title and registration. IL law says that the dealer has 20 days to send the title and registration to the Secretary of State police. After that I have know idea what is supposed to happen.

Can anyone help out?

Thank you