when buying a car from private party, how to find out if there is a loan on the title

[miro_gt]

ok so here's the situation:

I went to see a car that I'm willing to buy and the guy has the title on it. He has bought the car from dealership as pre-owned with a loan from third party (I would assume) and he's got the title. However, the title is named to that institution and there's a stamp on it saying something (I forgot what exactly). So he's got other documents (letters) saying that the loan on the car has been paid off, and now he's trying to sell the car. Well the car is actually owned by his son that is currently out of US, so his son has signed the title on the back of it so that it's ready for sale.

All that is good, but how can I verify all that ?

- my concern is that if I buy the car, is there any chance that at later time that third party institution would come after me if the loan has not actually been paid off ?

- how could I be sure that the signature at the back of the title is actually his sons, and would that matter at all ?

- since he's got the title, does it mean that the loan has been paid ? I would assume that if you get a loan to buy a car then the title stays with the institution that has given you the loan until you pay it all off.

- do you all think that I should go to the tag office and ask them if it would be of any problem issuing me a title after I give them the current one, before I pay the money to the guy ?

I guess I'm kind of concerned about this cause the car is not cheap, and I would try to be the man and pay it all cash and be done with it. All the info came from carfax after I saw the papers that he has for the car.

thanks.

[Elbow]

Hmmm I'm not too sure on some of it.

The part about the signature though you can't do much about. The title is in his son's name right? The title is already signed?

Either that's fine or there are ten other bad things I could think of. lol

I never buy a car unless the seller shows me an ID matching the title and signs it with me. Too many issues can come up.

[revenge]

one other way to find out look at the title where it says lien holder if there is look middle ways back up if the lien holder has written off on it then your good............and the part about the guy being out of the us if the title is signed oh well your good to go lol just as long as the signature even matches the name on the title......hope that i have been some help. good luck on your car..

[Elbow]

one other way to find out look at the title where it says lien holder if there is look middle ways back up if the lien holder has written off on it then your good............and the part about the guy being out of the us if the title is signed oh well your good to go lol just as long as the signature even matches the name on the title......hope that i have been some help. good luck on your car..

Yeah because you can't forge a signature.

If you buy a car that is reported stolen later or something, even if you have a BOS and a signed title all names matching, the police WILL take the car back.

[miro_gt]

thanks all for the replies.

I went to the tag office with the guy and showed them the title and asked if there would be any problems, and they said that it should be fine. Kind of looked like all they care is that the title and tag fees are paid ..

I dont think that the car will be reported as stolen as there's add in craigslist for it, so I saved the page, just to have it I guess.

hope the luck is with me, as I'm about to go broke after this is ..... lol