If you’re an owner of a classic car or restore classic cars, be on the lookout for unscrupulous restoration companies. Here’s an example of a restoration gone wrong that ended up costing the owner millions of dollars.
According to an article from IndyStar, the ex-CEO of Angie’s list, Bill Oesterle, recently won a lawsuit against a former mechanic. In this case, Oesterle was restoring classic cars and decided to work with a boutique mechanic, which is someone who does work on older vehicles. This mechanic performed work on the vehicles and also helped him locate others to purchase. Well as it turns out, over the course of a couple of years, Oesterle was overcharged for service work on multiple rare vehicles, and some of the vehicles were misrepresented.
Oesterle paid $50,000 for what he thought was a very rare Austin Healey 100M sports car as a coveted factory model that just needed some assembly. Come to find out, the vehicle that was purchased was not the original factory model that the alleged mechanic had promised. The mechanic told Oesterle the color, and the cost for assembly at $10,000, but sent an invoice for $130,000. But that wasn’t even the worst. In another instance, Oesterle purchased another classic car for $16,000 and was told the work would be done in two years and cost $200,000. Four years later, the job still isn’t done, but Oeseterle was left with bills totaling over a million dollars.
If you’re going to hire someone to restore your vehicle, make sure to research the company or the person beforehand. Even if you did your due diligence in the beginning, due diligence is an ongoing process. If the numbers aren’t adding up, say something as soon as possible.
If you’re a mechanic, make sure you’re managing your restorations properly. The mechanic in this case will have to pay back $7.2 million because of treble damages. Treble damages mean that if you’ve caused damage through fraud, you have to pay back three times what you took in. Treble damage statutes are found in many states, but not all.
So make sure if you’re a mechanic that you’re managing your restorations properly, and if you’re a vehicle owner, make sure you get regular updates. Do your due diligence on the company not only in the beginning but throughout the restoration process.
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For as little as $159 for most processes, we will save you the headache and prepare all of the car title paperwork needed to get you a new title. Simply choose the title recovery method you’d like to use and we’ll get started!
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Order Vermont Title LoopholeOrder Deceased Owner Title TransferOrder Bonded Title ProcessOrder Abandoned Vehicle ProcessOrder Prior Owner ContactOrder Lien Release Request LetterPGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vYXBwLmFjdWl0eXNjaGVkdWxpbmcuY29tL3NjaGVkdWxlLnBocD9vd25lcj0xOTQ4ODEyNiZhcHBvaW50bWVudFR5cGU9MjMwNjY0MTAiIHRpdGxlPSJTY2hlZHVsZSBBcHBvaW50bWVudCIgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iODAwIiBmcmFtZUJvcmRlcj0iMCI+PC9pZnJhbWU+PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZW1iZWQuYWN1aXR5c2NoZWR1bGluZy5jb20vanMvZW1iZWQuanMiIHR5cGU9InRleHQvamF2YXNjcmlwdCI+PC9zY3JpcHQ+
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having lost the title for your motor vehicle, understanding who is eligible to apply for a duplicate title is crucial. Each state has its specific procedures, but the fundamental principle is consistent across the board – the current title owner is the only party legally entitled to apply for a duplicate or replacement title.
Let’s take a closer look at the application process, using the state of Utah as an example. Most states have similar forms for duplicate title applications. The key factor in this process is that the person signing and applying for the duplicate title must be the individual currently listed in the official title records.
Key Points:
Importance of Lien Release: The involvement of a lien holder is crucial, as the DMV needs confirmation that the loan has been paid off, even if it has been done in full. If the DMV is not informed, the lien holder’s name will not be removed from the title.
If your name does not appear in the title records, you are not eligible to apply for a duplicate title. However, there may be alternative title options available, and exploring these alternatives is essential. Check the DMV website for more information on the various title types and the eligibility criteria for each.
In summary, applying for a duplicate title is a privilege granted to the legal owner whose name is already on file with the government as the registered owner of the vehicle or lien holder. Understanding and adhering to these regulations ensures a smooth and valid duplicate title application process.
When using the Vermont registration process to obtain a title for an older vehicle, one of the top questions is how long does it take to get the title from the Vermont DMV?
For vehicles that are 15 years old or older, a non-resident of Vermont can use their bill of sale to apply for a registration, then use that registration as proof of ownership to transfer to a title certificate in their home state. In Vermont, this registration document is the equivalent of a title certificate for vehicles that are 15 years old or older.
This process only requires a valid bill of sale, you don’t need the prior title certificate or the prior owner. The bill of sale may be typed or handwritten.
Once the paperwork has been submitted properly and the taxes and fees have been paid, the average turnaround time for the Vermont DMV is 7-10 business days. Once you receive the registration document in the mail, that’s not the end of it, you’ll need to bring it directly to your state DMV to apply for a title certificate.
At your local DMV, you’ll complete a vehicle title application. You’ll likely also need proof of auto insurance at the time of application. In many states, titles can be issued on the same day at the DMV. Although, if your state DMV has major and minor branches, some minor branches can’t issue titles on the spot because they don’t keep the title certificates in stock. In this case, they’ll likely mail you the title certificate once it’s been printed.
Depending on your state, you may have to make an appointment or you may opt to mail in your application. It may take an additional 5-10 business days to receive your final title certificate from your home state.
It’s advised that if you’re using this process, you type your Vermont title application rather than handwriting it. The reason being is that the Vermont DMV uses an automated system to automatically scan documents as they come in, and handwritten documents may put a wrench in that automation. If a handwritten document is messy, or something is slightly off, the system will kick out the application and send it over for manual review. Even if the application is filled out correctly, the manual review can take 3-4 weeks, rather than 7-10 business days. They may end up rejecting your application, resulting in your having to start over, where an automated system could’ve alerted you of the rejection weeks in advance.
If you’re obtaining a Vermont registration to convert it to a title certificate in your state, don’t use the online registration process. This feature is provided by the Vermont DMV for residents of Vermont and it doesn’t issue a full registration, only a provisional registration. If you’re a non-resident of Vermont, submit your application via postal mail.
Many states are familiar with the Vermont registration process, but it’s important to be prepared in the event that your particular DMV is not. The Title Informational Bulletin provided by the Vermont DMV describes how the process works and explains that the registration document you have is the equivalent of a title certificate.
In summary, typically it should take about 7-10 business days to receive your Vermont registration document, as long as all of the information is correct and typed. Depending on your state’s DMV procedures, it may take an additional 5-10 business days or more to receive your final title certificate. Remember, this process only works for vehicles that are eligible for a title. If your vehicle is not assembled, salvage, parts-only, non-repairable, or newer than 15 years old, this process will not work. Depending on your vehicle, there may be other circumstances where this process will not work. However, if done correctly, the Vermont registration process is a valuable way to get a title for a vehicle that you own, but are simply missing the proper documentation.
It’s official! Vehicle titles are going digital. At the end of 2022, West Virginia became the first state to transition to digital vehicle titles and registrations.
With a digital vehicle title, gone are the days when you’re searching tirelessly for a document that you probably haven’t seen in years. You’ll be able to access and keep your vehicle title on your smartphone, like an airline ticket. It’s not a tangible document, so it won’t get lost amongst other important documents, and it’s accessed by a secured app. When you need to access your vehicle title to sell your car or trade it in, you can easily access your current title on your phone.
Since the vehicle title isn’t used regularly, printed titles often are misplaced, damaged, or stolen. With a digital title, the access is always there and kept secured behind a login so nothing can happen to your title when it’s not being used.
What do you think about the transition to digital vehicle titles?
Whether you sell used cars or you’re looking to buy one, be on the lookout for an uptick in odometer tampering. According to an article from Car and Driver, odometer fraud has increased in recent years thanks to new technology, it’s easier than ever to tamper with vehicle odometers. More and more used cars are now found to have had their odometer reading changed to falsely reflect lower mileage and a higher overall vehicle value. How can you tell if your car’s odometer has been tampered with?
Before buying a used car, whether for resale or private use, the very first thing to do is to run a vehicle history check using an NMVTIS-approved provider. The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a national database that stores all registered and titled vehicle history information. A vehicle history check through an NMVTIS provider will give you the full history of the vehicle, along with the odometer reading recorded at each transfer or from a prior sale. With this information, you can compare the mileage on the report to what is actually showing on the vehicle. If the mileage is too low on the car, compared to the history report, this indicates that the odometer has been tampered with.
For example, let’s say someone buys a car that has 180,000 miles but was last recorded in 2012 as having 90,000 miles. From 2012 to now, there was no mileage recorded because the vehicle wasn’t sold or advertised for sale. Some states require annual mileage reporting along with other regular inspections, but not all states require this, and bad actors will look for cars from these states specifically. Since there isn’t any official documentation to reflect the new odometer reading, this person rolls back the odometer to a bit more than what was last reported, say 95,000 miles. Then, they’ll sell the vehicle to someone else, reflecting the mileage as lower to increase the value of the vehicle. So the buyer ends up with a much higher mileage vehicle that is likely worth half of what they paid for it.
Back before digital odometers, the mileage was shown on a wheel and could literally be rolled back to reflect a lower mileage. This would end up leaving tiny scrapes on the odometer, which would give away that it had been tampered with. Nowadays, the mileage is electronically calculated, and with the right hacking knowledge, it’s a lot harder to spot.
So make sure you’re running a vehicle history check with the NMVTIS before buying a used car. We expect that over the next few years, odometer tampering will increase, but with these increases in activity will likely come changes in policy and new protections. In the meantime, check the VIN and compare the recorded mileage to avoid being victimized by odometer tampering.
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