Just picked up a black/black '98 GT

Well, I live in Japan so I'm not really able to head over to the dealership...

The state said in the letter I got said that the title I signed was from 2/08 (though it had the dealer's name on it as well from the trade or whatever), but that the newer title they were looking for was from 4/08, and they gave me the title number for the one they are looking for, I guess from the national database.

The car is a two-owner, clean vehicle, as shown by the pics. Nothing looks tweaked underneath, etc. It was also sold in 2008 at the same dealer I bought it from, for what that matters.

To my understanding a dealer, by law, can't sell a vehicle without a clean title (I also did ask if the title was clean before I bought it, as I always do out of habit and it was, or at least the one I signed was). Perhaps I'm mistaken on that, but I'm pretty sure dealers can't sell salvaged/rebuilt cars; the damage disclosure statements would in theory prevent them from bringing the car in on trade in the first place as far as I know, or at the worst those statements would prevent them from selling to me since they have to sign them when they sell them to me also assuring that the car hasn't been rebuilt/totaled/etc. No?

As for the financial aspect, so far I'm not out any money other than the grand total of $8,950 that I paid for the car and all license/registration/plate fees, so nothing is lost there thus far. Thing is, in theory, this IS the smartest buy financially...I owe less than $7k on it (I know, a loan on such an old car but hey $9k is $9k and I just got married so there went my cash), with a short 3 year loan with a super easy payment...planning on having it paid off in a year. Going home to the States in September, will need a car for the wife (she will get the nice C-class) and then a house. Won't really be a way around having at least one payment when we get a house, which is why I went with a cheap car for myself this time around, since we need two. Figured I'd get this paid off quickly and then get her a car and get into a house with just one payment, which wouldn't be too bad.

I COULD get an S-197 and just be done with it and afford it without any problems really, but I don't really WANT to spend $20k on my car knowing wifey needs a car too, and I don't want her in some old crap box with high miles, etc. when we are looking to qualify for a mortgage. I dunno, right now this is the best financial option. Sure there are other SN-95s to be had, but I'm a picky SOB and it was nice to find this one close to my dad's so it could be easily delivered, etc. So far all indications I have of this car are of a completely flawless ride, paint n' all, so it's hard to look at any others--you guys know how it is--it's kind of "this SN-95 or no SN-95". If this falls through, then I give up on trying to buy SN-95s and will just have to look forward and say enough is enough with old cars with higher miles and just get the newer car with low miles. I told myself I'd do that when I sold my last car, that I was done with higher mileage cars that were older, but I thought I'd take my chances one more time just because of where I'm at, looking ahead the next 2-3 years. But I guess if this one falls through I have to just assume that's just someone's way of telling me stop screwing with old cars.

That said, if it proves that this car is rebuilt, it's going right back. I WILL NOT deal with a car with a title issue, no way.

I do think it's just an honest mistake, the salesman forwarded my email about it to the sales manager asking him to advise how to handle/proceed with this, but I'm not sure.

The way I see it, is that if there happens to be an issue with the title, then they owe me a refund (as said, it may be in my dad's driveway and may be insured and financed in my name with plates and registration in my name but it still isn't my/the bank's car) and would have to take action against the guy who traded it in.

If that were the case though, what would become of the registration of the vehicle being plated now in Minnesota in my name? Could that be voided? I just wouldn't want anyone coming back at me if the car had to be returned and something happened to it (accident/stolen/whatever) while it was registered in my name. Generally AFAIK if something happens it's the ass of the person who's name is on the title, so I think I'd be in the clear there, but I'm still not sure how this would play out, of if my registration could be voided.

EDIT: nope, everything's hunky dorey here, though I know a guy who lost everything who lived 3.5 km from the ***ushima reactor.

EDIT 2: lol @ the filter

Well, the office manager emailed me to let me know she got the title from the previous owner. It's actually newer than the one MN is requesting, and thankfully it's clear so I guess we are fine.

Luckily I don't need to sign it, they said that's just for the odometer statement but the car is old enough that it's exempt, so they can just send it in to MN, though they were willing to send it to me here to look it over if I wanted. She also checked with Iowa to verify that this is the most recent title on file, which it is so MN should accept it.

So I guess we are fine, and I guess I'll stop looking at S-197 cars, lol.

Hey, the dealer scanned in a copy of the title for me to take a look at, but I'm not sure what I should or shouldn't be looking for, because I don't know if titles explicitly say if they are clear or not.

I can't find anything wrong with this one, aside from the fact that maybe the dealer should've checked disclosures 1 and 2 under the "first reassignment by licensed dealer" section on the back, and also it looks peculiar that there the inquiry at the bottom shows a security interest (a title loan of all) but the title itself says that has been canceled?

What do you guys think?

View attachment 193452

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(Obviously I've erased personal info from the title).

Thoughts? I think it's ok but I'm not sure.

They sent me one when I was considering the vehicle, but they sent it to me as a .xps file, which macs can't read; I did find a .xps viewer called NixPS, but it was only a free trial and it expired. I tried to look at the Carfax again, so I tried to uninstall/redownload it, using a different email, but no dice...it must log IPs or something, because it knew I'd had it before.

So far it's the only .xps viewer I've found for Mac that works.

When I did look at it, everything was clear there.

EDIT: Everything is A-OK with the title now, no issues, and the transaction is complete. Title is being processed in my name, registration is in my name.

Yeah the dealer sucked, they refunded me an extra $100 for their stupidity when all was said and done. The transaction is 100% complete and the car is titled and registered in my name, plated, insured, and sitting in the old man's driveway. Old man says it drives like it's literally brand new.

FTR the dealer has another car now, a white '96 GT stripper (248a, aka GTS) with 53k and yellowed out headlights, automatic, even with manual windows and locks with 53k on it and they are asking $9k. It's clean, but the yellowed out headlights tell the story that it's been sitting outside in the sun most of it's life...hard to assess the paint.

Only plans are to lower it with some spacers out back and throw a nice X/flows on it and tint it. Bought some nice logo floormats and matching trunk mat. Other than that nothing, as it's my DD. I like the stock wheels. Just bought a porter cable and all the pads, etc., and buying more detailing stuff for now. I'll probably do exhaust/lowering next summer.

Thanks man, it's probably a long ways off but I'll keep it in mind.