So, I was having a conversation with my father and he didn't really know the answer to this question but, what is the general system when buying a used car from an individual seller?

Do you just swap title for cash and then I take the title to wherever and get it put in my name?
If you live in a different state than PA, do you need to come to the title renaming?
If it is in 2 different states do I need to pay 2 different taxes?

A run through of the process that someone here has gone through would be great, I'm just slightly in the dark and want to be fully prepared with the time comes to buy my evo!

Thanks in advance.
- Kyle

Mods: If this is in the wrong section, feel free to move it and correct me

 

If you buy a car in PA, go to Notary. They'll do all the paperwork and get the title transferred into your name. You pay the taxes on the agreed selling price. In yester years, you used to be able to fudge the selling price down lower so the taxes you paid were less. I believe they use blue books now so that you can't cheat.

Should be the same with out of state. Go to his local Notary and they should transfer the title back to PA for you.

As to paying taxes in other states, you only pay the taxes in the state that the car is going to be registered. So for you it would be PA.

 

Oh Okay, thanks for the help metalsaber

 

Oh and if you buy out of state, make sure to get to a pa notary to get a new plate and registration. I can't remember how long you have on the temp plate the out of state notary is good for.

 

I think it's like a week tops.

So I gotta go to the Notary in say, NY, get the title changed then go back home and register it with PA, where I will pay the tax on the book value.

 

why are you doing anything with a notary?

its all done at DMV.

give cash, get title, go to dmv in your state and register in your name/get plates, go back put plates on your car, drive away and wait forever for title to come from state.

taxes are paid in the state you register the car in.

 

PA thing.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I'm assuming call my insurance company and get it insured on the spot and a temp? Or do I have to get a temp before I go there?

 

seriously? that sucks. so why do you have dmv? lol

ive registered cars in ~7 states and everything was always done in DMV. i guessi bought a pa car but i never registered one there.

 

I'd suggest calling the DMV in both states and asking. Rules change and are not always the same office to office. Also, call you insurance company and see what they need. Write things down during these conversations.

 

Sorry to hijack this thread but I'm also sort of in the same boat. I'm trying to sell my GG 9 se but I still owe money on the car. How do I go on with selling the car. Do I get the money from the buyer and pay the remaining balance on the car and give him a bill of sale and keys and wait till I get the title to sign over. I'm lost with how to go with selling my car.

 

call whoever has the loan on the car. but typically you have to take the money from the buyer, and take it to whoever had the lien on the title so they will release it to you.

 

^ thanks for the info. Very much appreciated

BTW I also have the Cobb exhaust. Best sounding exhaust . Not too loud but screams at WOT. Nice choice on exhaust.

 

Actually it's much easier. Plus no crappy dmv workers to deal with.

 

To the OP heres some info since I live right outside of Pittsburgh.

When I went and bought my Evo in Buffalo NY, I took the money in the form of a Certified Check to the seller, went to a NY DMV and requested a out of state transfer tag (which are only good for 2 days!) The NY DMV in return wants proof of insurance on a full letter head so either make sure you have that before hand or call right then and there and have it faxed to the NY DMV office your standing in. After you get your car put your temp tag in the back window drive your way home get back I advise going to the Notory as soon as possible! And in personal experience with notory's with some you can fudge the selling price as long as you can get your seller to write you a seperate bill of sale stating a lower price, for example I bought my 8 MR for 21k and the seller gave me a seprate bill of sale stating i bought it for 15 grand. The only thing that happens at the notory is yes they will most likely check NADA or Blue Book Value and when they ask how you purchased it for such a low price you tell them it needs work and that the parts are reletively expensive. They in return have you sign a form stating that the bill of sale you provided them is accurate and that both you and the notory understand that it is below book value and you maybe audited for it in the future (never happens) and if your getting a new plate you'll have your temp registation in the back window forever and a new tag, but the easier way is transfer an old plate whatever your choices are man good luck