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Vehicle legal question

Discussion in 'Questions and Answers' started by Seeking Answers, Mar 3, 2010.

  1. Seeking Answers

    Seeking Answers New Member

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    I did something really dumb back when I was younger. There was a 16/17 year old female in my neighborhood that lived with a single parent home but that parent was never around, pretty much leaving her on her own. To make a long story short, the teen needed a job...and to have a job she needed a car. Her friend had a car for sale cheap, it was a piece of junk but it ran...sort of. Anyways, I found out she was working at a strip club using her sister's ID making good money (not that it matters, but it didn't seem right leaving it out of the story).

    Anyway, she couldn't buy the car, get insurance, etc because she was a minor...so I was talked in to buying the car and insurance (with her money) and putting it all in my name. About a year later I moved away and lost contact with her, never thinking about it again until recently.

    Surely that car has been long dead and sold to a junkyard or something, but since I thought of this a few days ago I can't help but think there's a liability out there in my name and I have no idea what to do about it. I don't even remember what kind of car it was...just a grey subcompact and my name is solely on the title (or it was...maybe she filed for a lost title later on). This was in Ft. Lauderdale...what would be the easiest way to set my mind at ease over this issue?
     
  2. pennphinfan

    pennphinfan Stelin Canez Arcade Scorz

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    There are DMV databases that can easily be searched to find vehicle's registered to your name. I don't think any are online though. Most likely your best bet is to contact the Florida DMV and they can look to see what (if any) vehicles are registered to your name. I'm not sure if titles themselves are recorded in databases, but there should be record of it somewhere if it ever was official at all. As far as liability i'm sure you could find a way out with a good lawyer if something dreadful happened, being that you've had no contact etc etc, but I would start with the DMV.
     
  3. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Penny is right, call the Florida DMV, tell them you had a car registered in your name there and that a friend was using it. You moved away and left the car to the friend but want to check and make sure it was taken out of your name. They will have to verify your ID (which I hope they can do over the phone) and once they check they should be able to tell you what the car is and give you the vin number if its still registered to you. Write down the vin, year, make, and model.

    If the insurance was in your name you should be able to get the same info from them though. Just call your insurance company and ask for the details.

    I am almost certain its all been transferred into her name or you would have heard something by now. Either from the insurance company asking for money to keep insuring the car or from the DMV telling you that you need to renew your tags and registration.
     
  4. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    You should have gotten a bill for prop tax, no?
     
  5. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    The insurance was paid up front for a year and I moved away about seven months later. My parents did leave a forwarding address and it has been about 12 years now....I haven't heard a single word about it ever since.

    I am probably making a big deal out of nothing...like others said I am sure she either transferred the car into her name or it has been dead/wrecked for 10+ years (it was a clunker when she bought it). I will try calling the DVM tommorrow. Unfortunately she has a common last name or I would just track her down personally.
     
  6. RickyBobby

    RickyBobby VIP DIY

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    Nope, not in Florida, no property tax
     
  7. 54Fins

    54Fins "In Gase we trust"

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    over there
    Was this at all answered? I would like to know what happened.
    Sounds like the making of a movie... ; )
     
  8. Seeking Answers

    Seeking Answers New Member

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    I just returned from South Florida and discovered three things; none of which answer the original question.

    1) According to a police search, there is no vehicle registered in my name in the state of Florida

    2) Since it is not, the only way to find it is through the DMV since I do not know the make/model or the VIN, but that would raise several questions as to my irresponsibility. I technically committed a crime, even though I did not realise it at the time.

    3) The girl in question passed away from a drug overdose, and since it is not registered to me it is probably better left unknown.

    Thanks for all the suggestions, but it ended up there is no best answer to this story. I only posted again for everyone's curiosity...and if I see it on a Lifetime movie I will not be calling a lawyer.

    I still can't believe she's gone; it's heartbreaking. It's almost like she never stood a chance.
     

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