Ghost of Chryslers Past

If you ever sell a car (especially for a really low price), I highly recommend that you get the title transferred at the same time that you complete the sale - or immediately afterward.

Why?

Well, about a year ago, I sold a couple of cars that had transmission problems. Because of the repair issues and the fact that I didn't want to be bothered with them anymore, I practically GAVE them away.

Even still, the buyer haggled a little. Oh well. It happens.

I had enough sense to write up a quick little bill-of-sale (for whatever it's worth), but I didn't think to have the title transferred at the same time. I figured I'd leave that in the hands of the new owner.

Bad idea.

According to my insurance company, if a you sell a car and the new owner never officially transfers ownership/registers the vehicle, you could still be held responsible for the vehicle. If the new owner runs over someone, that someone could decide to sue YOU... assume s/he survives the assault.

Well, it seems that at least one of the vehicles wasn't immediately registered, since I received a notice that it was parked on the side of a local road and would be towed with x-amount of time. Of course, this message was forwarded through the U.S. Postal Service, so I didn't get it for a couple of weeks.

I called the buyer and he said they'd already moved the car. I asked him to go ahead and register it so I wouldn't have to deal with that kind of thing, anymore. Apparently he never did (in fact, I think he sold one of the cars) because yesterday, I received a letter saying that the car was parked... in some Florida town, illegally, and subsequently towed.

Towing and storage fees had already reached closed to $400, by this point, although this is the first I'm hearing of it. (I really think they delay notification so they can make more money on storage fees n whatnot.) The letter also said that an auction would take place at the beginning of November (presumably in the event that I do not pay for and pick up the vehicle).

Good.

I'd LOVE for someone to win the auction and officially transfer ownership to themselves. Maybe I won't have to worry about these Ghosts of Chryslers Past coming back to haunt in the years to-come.