Irritated with jerks (and myself)

[BoldlyGoing]

Story time...
My dad found an old YJ about 40 minutes from me in a rural Atlanta suburb (Dad lives about 3 hrs further from me). Asks me to pick it up for him. Wires me money, and I go do the deal.
Seller was a good guy, older man, just selling a jeep he got in a trade. Hands me the signed title, signs the bill of sale, we shake hands, and off I go. Jeep is great, no issues.

I drive it down to my Dad’s place and he goes to register it. Only then did we realize that he never transferred the title in to his name- it’s signed over, but he never registered it to himself. I didn’t catch it since both the previous owner and he are both named Thomas, just different last names.
State of AL requires a bill of sale from the titled owner.

I don’t have any doubts that everything is on the up and up, but the seller is an older guy and not what you’d call “technically savvy”. I’ve been waiting for a week for him to get his neighbor (guy on the title) to sign a bill of sale for him to send back to me so I can then send that on to my Dad for registration.

Really don’t want to drive all the way over there just to get an old man to sign a silly piece of paper (I mean honestly, the title is signed, the bill of sale is a bit redundant at this point on such an old vehicle).


Anyways, just a rant- annoyed with the guy but mostly annoyed with myself. I checked everything else on the title just never occurred to me to cerify the names since I was talking to Tom and “Tom” was on the title.

 

[StG58]

Shit happens sometimes. Go easy on all involved (including yourself).

 

[mrblaine]

Story time...
My dad found an old YJ about 40 minutes from me in a rural Atlanta suburb (Dad lives about 3 hrs further from me). Asks me to pick it up for him. Wires me money, and I go do the deal.
Seller was a good guy, older man, just selling a jeep he got in a trade. Hands me the signed title, signs the bill of sale, we shake hands, and off I go. Jeep is great, no issues.

I drive it down to my Dad’s place and he goes to register it. Only then did we realize that he never transferred the title in to his name- it’s signed over, but he never registered it to himself. I didn’t catch it since both the previous owner and he are both named Thomas, just different last names.
State of AL requires a bill of sale from the titled owner.

I don’t have any doubts that everything is on the up and up, but the seller is an older guy and not what you’d call “technically savvy”. I’ve been waiting for a week for him to get his neighbor (guy on the title) to sign a bill of sale for him to send back to me so I can then send that on to my Dad for registration.

Really don’t want to drive all the way over there just to get an old man to sign a silly piece of paper (I mean honestly, the title is signed, the bill of sale is a bit redundant at this point on such an old vehicle).


Anyways, just a rant- annoyed with the guy but mostly annoyed with myself. I checked everything else on the title just never occurred to me to cerify the names since I was talking to Tom and “Tom” was on the title.

Just so you know, it's only a forgery if the offended party complains. Found that out when an ex in law stole some company checks and forged them. The bank did not care as long as we didn't.

 

[Chris]

I've been in this situation before where I bought a vehicle from a guy who never registered it to himself, but had the title signed over to him by the previous owner. Oregon just requires a bill of sale from the guy who had the title signed over to him. In one case (this has happened multiple times to me) I couldn't get ahold of the guy so I just forged his signature, went to register it, and DMV didn't know any better.

Like Blaine said, it's not forgery unless the offended party complains. Just sign his signature for him and you'll be just fine. I've done it on multiple occasions in this exact same situation. Sometimes it's easier than trying to get ahold of the original seller or driving a big distance just for a signature.

 

[BoldlyGoing]

At this point, that may be exactly what I do.

Now the guy isn’t picking up the phone.

 

[Chris]

At this point, that may be exactly what I do.

Now the guy isn’t picking up the phone.

Do it. No one will lose sleep over it. I've actually don't this at least 5 times throughout the period of my life and all the countless numbers of vehicles I've owned. As long as the vehicle isn't stolen or anything, there's nothing to worry about.

 

[cliffish]

like the saying goes when you want new Jeep parts,.....It is easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

 

[Chris]

like the saying goes when you want new Jeep parts,.....It is easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

That's what I always say... But these guys give me crap and say, "that's what divorced men say".

Haha! My wife gets plenty of stuff for herself, so we're even as far as I'm concerned. Plus, it's not like I'm spending the money she makes.

 

[cliffish]

as for the divorced ...."to love is grand and to divorce is a hundred grand"....probably much more nowadays, luckily I have not hit that reset button in my life.

As far as Jeep parts and the wife....We paid the house off, kids college is pretty much taken care of (at least a state school tuition) so I think I can splurge a little ( although I still cheap out on parts)

 

[Shwane]

Not to hijack, but If someone has 2 cj's same year. One is titled and one is not. Could said person move the vin over to the one to be restored from the titled parts jeep?

Asking for a friend.......

 

[Chris]

Not to hijack, but If someone has 2 cj's same year. One is titled and one is not. Could said person move the vin over to the one to be restored from the titled parts jeep?

Asking for a friend.......

Yes, I've done this before, but not with a Jeep. I wouldn't go telling anyone at the DMV about it, but you can indeed do it as long as you have the VIN numbers and the title to match.

 

[Shwane]

Nice. Just as I suspected.

 

[Shwane]

Uh, I mean just as my friend suspected.

 

[StG58]

Be aware that the VIN is / may be stamped in other places than just on the VIN tag. Sometimes the authorities do check for that if the circumstances warrant.

 

[Shwane]

Be aware that the VIN is / may be stamped in other places than just on the VIN tag. Sometimes the authorities do check for that if the circumstances warrant.

Roger that

 

[bobthetj03]

It'll be riveted to the dash, usually on the driver side. Should be able to look thru the windshield from the outside to see it.

 

[Shwane]

It'll be a local jeep, something to fart around town in. All the local PD drive jeeps, so I'm hoping I don't catch much flack when the cam in the LS3 comes chopping down main street lol

 

[mrblaine]

Be aware that the VIN is / may be stamped in other places than just on the VIN tag. Sometimes the authorities do check for that if the circumstances warrant.

It is but in the case of the TJ as an example, the 4 places it is commonly located, only one is important and that's the one on the dash. The one stamped into the frame, the grill tag and the seat tag are all commonly lost, swapped, and replaced when tubs and frames are swapped around.

I have a buddy in LE and questioned him intently about this. He said as long as the dash tag matches the door tag, they aren't likely to dig much further and the frame stamping is easily explained if it is missing or partially missing.

We don't even get any grief from the smog folks with PCM's that have different VIN's in them, which I find odd but never complain about.

 

[lowranger]

Be aware that the VIN is / may be stamped in other places than just on the VIN tag. Sometimes the authorities do check for that if the circumstances warrant.

That is true.....there is usually another vin on the frame, sometimes hidden and hard to find.

 

[Squatch]

In one case (this has happened multiple times to me) I couldn't get ahold of the guy so I just forged his signature, went to register it, and DMV didn't know any better.

In one of my many trips to the DMV, I found myself needing a Bill of Sale filled out and signed by the seller. The gal behind the counter placed the appropriate form on the counter, along with a pen, and said "I've got to go use the bathroom. Do you think you can come up with a Bill of Sale by the time I get back?" Ya just gotta love folks who are willing to work with ya!