MO dropped the ball BIG TIME on my title. I need advice.

00siandrew · Post by **00siandrew** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:48 pm

So I bought a Honda S2000 about a month ago from an old friend of mine. Some of you have seen my posts in member's rides maybe. The car is not perfect, it needs a little work but overall it is a solid vehicle. It drives well, runs great, and my dad just did the safety and emissions on it and said everything underneath the car looks great.

So here's the problem I just ran into...

Like I said I bought the car from a friend who bought it over 2 years ago. He bought the car with a clean MO state title, never wrecked it himself (other than crushing in that fender a bit), then sold it to me with a clean MO state title. Today I go to license the car and they find out that it is in fact supposed to have a salvage title. Come to find out, back in May of 2001 when the car was licensed in the state of Georgia it was wrecked and given a salvage title. Somehow, Missouri failed to notice this and registered the vehicle with a clean and clear title. My friend just had the plates renewed in July of 2010 so even that recently did everything check out in MO's DMV computers.

So now I have a car that I bought with a clean and clear title only to find out a month later it is in fact a salvaged vehicle, so now has a salvage title. I have made my appointment with troop C to inspect the car. If they pass it and let me license it I do not care, it will be forgotten. I will have the car for a long time and if I ever want to sell it, I didn't pay much for it so I won't be losing much.

My question is, if they decide not to pass it am I in any position to sue the state? I'm going to call a lawyer but am curious if anyone has seen/heard of a similar thing happening. I am against bogus lawsuits but feel that MO did not do the right thing, are just now realizing the mistake, and I am going to get stuck paying for it. Therefore I feel I'd be justified, just don't know if I'd have any shot.

Any help or input would be greatly appreciated.

Phate · Post by **Phate** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:57 pm

Dang, I have no idea. Hope it all works out for you though.

andyjt · Post by **andyjt** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:07 pm

Troop C checks vins/numbers to make sure the identification numbers are all correct. They also check for stolen parts. Etc.

I took a car to troop c with no convertor and a screw driver ignition. You'll be fine.

Gunmetal Si · Post by **Gunmetal Si** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

andyjt;268376 wrote:troop c checks vins/numbers to make sure the identification numbers are all correct. They also check for stolen parts. Etc.

i took a car to troop c with no convertor and a screw driver ignition. You'll be fine.

like

Fenian · Post by **Fenian** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:27 am

It's called title washing. There are a lot of states that will allow you to have a salvage
titled car from another state inspected and obtain a clean title in the new state. IMO you dont have a case with the state, possibly the person who retitled it, but even that is doubtful. If they concealed that fact from your friend and not you, I dont know that you would standing to sue. Caveat emptor.

00siandrew · Post by **00siandrew** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:36 pm

Fenian;268401 wrote:It's called title washing. There are a lot of states that will allow you to have a salvage
titled car from another state inspected and obtain a clean title in the new state. IMO you dont have a case with the state, possibly the person who retitled it, but even that is doubtful. If they concealed that fact from your friend and not you, I dont know that you would standing to sue. Caveat emptor.

Thank you for this. I need to look into this title washing thing. So I guess even if a title is made clean after being salvaged it can still be "re-salvaged" in the future? Because from what it sounds like it was clean, then a salvage, then clean, and now a salvage again. Makes no sense.

00siandrew · Post by **00siandrew** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:34 pm

Well I just did a carfax on it. I should have done it before buying the car I know but did not know of this title washing junk. I'm the fourth owner and it was the first owner who had the title washed in May of 2001 when the car was only a year old. He/She then moved to Florida where the car was registered with a clean title. Ever since then it's had a clean title, that is until yesterday when Missouri somehow picked up on this. So in reality no one "dropped the ball", Georgia just let this guy scam 3 future buyers. I sure whish I knew what exactly happened to my car.

RyanA · Post by **RyanA** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:25 am

YOur car should not have a salvage title then. It should be Prior Salvage. IF it is Prior Salvage, you do not have to get a 551 inspection. You go and license the car like a regular car. If your friend had a Missouri title and he was legally driving it on the road, it has a prior salvage title. You can not plate a Salvage title vehicle in Missouri; it has to have the 551 inspection first.

Cliffs notes: If your friend had the car legally tagged in Missouri, you have a prior salvage title car. Nothing to worry about, go license it like a regular clean title car.

00siandrew · Post by **00siandrew** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:55 am

RyanA;268599 wrote:YOur car should not have a salvage title then. It should be Prior Salvage. IF it is Prior Salvage, you do not have to get a 551 inspection. You go and license the car like a regular car. If your friend had a Missouri title and he was legally driving it on the road, it has a prior salvage title. You can not plate a Salvage title vehicle in Missouri; it has to have the 551 inspection first.

Cliffs notes: If your friend had the car legally tagged in Missouri, you have a prior salvage title car. Nothing to worry about, go license it like a regular clean title car.

I already tried, Ryan...they will not let me. What your saying makes sense but they are making me go have it inspected. I did a carfax and found out it was given a salvage title in 2001 in Georgia, titlewashed, then registered in Florida a short time later and was given a clean title there too. Then in 2002 it came to Missouri and was missed their as well, and titled, licensed, and re licensed all for 9 years until I got the car. Apparently it's because Missouri just now updated their computers to see what other states have done so they just now see it should have a salvage title.

My question is, does a prior salvage title say "prior salvage" on the title? Because my title had nothing on it indicating this.

crxlilmikey · Post by **crxlilmikey** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:29 am

yep the title will say prior on it and i have been a vic of that washing bs to with my old 92 civic hatch it was totaled out 3 times and had a clean title on it when i got it