Too complicated. There are plenty of cars for sale out there with no lien on them.

 

If anything I would want to at least see the car in person.

 

Per the Secretary of State webpage:
Your original title must be lost, stolen or mutilated to apply for a duplicate title.

 

Ok, tell em it's stolen.

 

Drive over to where he lives, go with him to his bank, write him a check to get the lien off. Give him the rest of the cash(check, u will have records) as he signs the tiltle and gives u the lein card. Drive home in ure evo with the title in ure name and the liencard. Thats the way my roomate did it. Worked out great.

 

every bank handles it differently.

 

i had this exact same problem. called his bank, and called my bank. worked out a deal for the money to be wired over to his bank and his bank wired over lien release stuff and whatnot to ensure the car was mine. then just drove there and picked it up.

 

I just did something very similar.

My bank called the dealer**** where the lien was being held and verified the remaining balance, cut a check and mailed it directly to them. Then cut a separate check to the seller. The seller had the title but was notarized with an outstanding lien. The seller and myself filled out the appropriate information and upon the dealer**** receiving the check will send out a letter of lien payment so that I can register the vehicle at the SoS.

Not exactly the way my first Evo purchase went, but oh well.

 

too complicated? do you have any experience with it? I have bought and sold a lot of cars over the past few years, i sold my evo when i still lived in hawaii that i had a lien on. We met at his bank, called my loan officer which was 4200 miles away, they did a wire transfer and my bank sent a faxed copy of the title immediately along with a lien release for the car. The bank overnighted the original title w/release and he had it in hand the next afternoon. One of the smoothest sales of a vehicle i have ever done.
Do everything through your bank or at his, its not a difficult process, you might be there a couple hours tops.