One of Those Days

[billroper]

It appears that the reason that we can't find the title for the old van is that we never had the title. When we bought the van, we financed it briefly and then paid it off for a variety of arcane reasons. In theory, then, there should be a letter of satisfaction of the lien somewhere.

The operative word is somewhere.

And, of course, the original lien holder no longer exists.

Oh, boy.

Comments

[archangelbeth]

If they never reported it stolen, perhaps a record of maintenance and repairs could at least give you some sort of "finders-keepers" claim?

Good luck!

[billroper]

I got hold of the successor company and they are sending a release of lien, so that should let me untie this.

[archangelbeth]

Hooray!

Arghhh

[persis.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you've tried this, but, have you gone to the registry and ordered a duplicate? That works here in MA... if it has been paid off, the registry has all that info, and can order and send to you, a duplicate title. Of course, it take some time, but eventually it arrives in the mail.

Re: Arghhh

[billroper]

Well, the problem is that I just queried the title with the Secretary of State and it still shows the old lienholder, Daimler Chrysler Financial. And they don't exist any more.

Re: Arghhh

[billroper]

I talked to the successor company and they have enough records to send me a release of lien. Yay!

[madfilkentist]

Hopefully you have some kind of paperwork, checks, credit card records, receipts, whatever you used to pay it off. But I can imagine this dragging on for a year before the state will let you sell the van ... during which time, of course, you still have to pay registration fees and park it legally.

[billroper]

I got hold of the successor company and I'm getting a release of lien faxed to my bank in the next day or two. (They have a fax machine and I don't...)

This is a relief.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Wow.... wotta hassle. Let us know how you resolve this.

K.

[billroper]

It looks like a solution exists. The old lienholder was Chrysler Financial and Ally has all of their records, so they can issue the release of lien, which I should get in a day or two.

*phew*

[kevinnickerson.livejournal.com]

It's entirely likely that IL != MI in these matters, but you get a title in MI even on financed vehicles. It just has a lein holder marked on the back.