Charming Devil
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Rhode Island
I live in NYC, so I don't need my old car, which was registered in my state. It was a 2001 car.
I sold it to some guy off craigslist for 600 dollars. Unfortunately, I had left the title for the car with my paperwork back in NY. The buyer was willing to buy the car without the title. We looked at the RI DMV site, and got conflicting information from different parts of the site. Some said if the car was 2001 or newer, the buyer would need the title, while some said the car would not need a title if the car was older than ten years old as long as you had the Bill of Sale and the previous registration, so I let him take both of those when he left. Unfortunately, it turned out that the car DOES need a title. So I told the buyer that I would apply for a duplicate title and sign it over to him if he paid the fee for it (50 bucks).
Now when I sold the car I had a bill of sale printed out. However, the buyer did not want to sign it because he thought that he'd have to title the car in the name of whoever was in the BOS, and he wanted to title the car in the name of his wife if it was cheaper for insurance. So I said, okay, just take a copy of the blank bill of sale (has my info, my signature, the date, the vehicle info, date of sale everything but the buyer information filled out), give me a call, and we'll meet up at the DMV to get the title and knock everything out. So the buyer has in his possession the blank BOS, the old registration in my name, and the car (my plates are off it of course.)
Now, since then, the guy hasn't been answering my calls or my emails. It seems weird, because I already have the money, and he needs the completed BOS more than I do for registration and title transfer purchases. I am beginning to wonder, though why he wouldn't want either of those. And if he never does return my calls or emails, could I ever be held liable for the stuff that happens to the car? If so, is there a way to get my name completely off the car without the cooperation of the buyer?
I live in NYC, so I don't need my old car, which was registered in my state. It was a 2001 car.
I sold it to some guy off craigslist for 600 dollars. Unfortunately, I had left the title for the car with my paperwork back in NY. The buyer was willing to buy the car without the title. We looked at the RI DMV site, and got conflicting information from different parts of the site. Some said if the car was 2001 or newer, the buyer would need the title, while some said the car would not need a title if the car was older than ten years old as long as you had the Bill of Sale and the previous registration, so I let him take both of those when he left. Unfortunately, it turned out that the car DOES need a title. So I told the buyer that I would apply for a duplicate title and sign it over to him if he paid the fee for it (50 bucks).
Now when I sold the car I had a bill of sale printed out. However, the buyer did not want to sign it because he thought that he'd have to title the car in the name of whoever was in the BOS, and he wanted to title the car in the name of his wife if it was cheaper for insurance. So I said, okay, just take a copy of the blank bill of sale (has my info, my signature, the date, the vehicle info, date of sale everything but the buyer information filled out), give me a call, and we'll meet up at the DMV to get the title and knock everything out. So the buyer has in his possession the blank BOS, the old registration in my name, and the car (my plates are off it of course.)
Now, since then, the guy hasn't been answering my calls or my emails. It seems weird, because I already have the money, and he needs the completed BOS more than I do for registration and title transfer purchases. I am beginning to wonder, though why he wouldn't want either of those. And if he never does return my calls or emails, could I ever be held liable for the stuff that happens to the car? If so, is there a way to get my name completely off the car without the cooperation of the buyer?