fantabulous

ok so i buy this hatch from this guy. i live in Va. he originally bought this car when he was stationed out in Cali. he was still making payments on this car so the bank held the title. took the car, gave him money. 2 weeks go by, he made final payment for the car. bank sends him a document. he goes to dmv to tell them hes selling the car. virginia dmv says they cant accept the document. he said California uses paperless titles or something. what the hell is that? now he said someone at his bank in Cali went to submit paperwork at the dmv to obtain the rea vehicle title, and dmv will mail it to him for him to sign the title over to me. then he is supposed to overnite it to me. he said it would take about 2 weeks. i dont really understand this whole paperless title thing in california. can anyone from cali tell me how this works? and the guy swears hes not trying to scam me. i need some opinions.
thanks

jdm169

can't tell you for sure if it exists or not but i live in cali and have bought and sold a few cars and have never heard of it

Luserkid

My mom just signed a car over to my brother, and his title came in the mail today. Looks/feels/smells like a paper to me.

f1z1c

In cali you only get a paper "pink slip" title when you are transferring ownership.
The seller has to file a request for title for the transfer that comes printed with the buyers name. Buyer must sign and file in order to get a registration of any kind.
It has to be taken care of immediately or the new owner could get slapped with fines. Once you own the vehicle, the Cali DMV does not give you a "title", just proofs of registration which you have to keep inside your glove box as well as keeping yearly stickers on your plates (tags).
In your case, the seller was the bank, who was transferring title [ownership] to the other guy before he could transfer ownership to you. It takes two weeks, they only ask for vin, adresses and true mileages.

fantabulous

im gonna be regisitering the car in VA now. would i get fined since this is almost taking like a month for this paperwork gets done? wait, so in Cali, dmv holds on to all the vehicle titles then? sorry if these questions sound dumb. im just trying to understand how this works in Cali.
thanks

fantabulous

i think that his bank sent him was that request for title transfer thing. that was what the virginia dmv wouldnt accept. you can only register a vehicle with the actual vehicle title in VA.

Luserkid

I think the DMV keeps a COPY and you get the real thing. And incase if you need another one you could probably file another one but i never heard of it and dont know what processes you have to go through to get another pink slip.

john666

never heard of paperless title. usally if u lose ur title u go to the dmv pay like 12 bucks or something and they mail you a new title. maybe im wrong but ive alwayz had a pink paper

murtnabila

there is a such thing as a paperless title in cali. I believe it's the time between buying a car and registering it in your name and being the owner and waiting for dmv to mail you the title so you have the "pink slip" in your posession. Just guessing on what it is, but FOR SURE in cali there is paperless title, details on it I really don't know just guessing using some common sense.

OpTiX619

if it turns out to be a scam, just hide the car, part it out, then sell the parts.. you'll get way more then what you paid... that was my plan when i felt like i was involved in some shady deal...

but it sounds true.. ca dmv is wierd. pink slip is just used to change ownership...

dan

fantabulous

thanks guys. this info was helpful. Ca is kinda weird about cars. and if this guy does scam me, im gonna sue the **** out of him. i got all his info plus his parents info. and i also have a legal bill of sale, which in Va, requires him to forward the title to me. if he does not provide me with the title, it can count as fraud. in this case since its a car, i think its a felony. oh well, this situation is just pissing me off.