[boomer28]

I purchased my e90 back in Early June and took delivery on June 25th.

The company I bought it from was a used car dealer that was part of some franchise/network and herin lies the issue:

It's been almost a month now and I haven't got the title. The sales guy I dealt with says that the parent company who handles all the financial/titling issues is the one I'm waiting on. Problem is that the temp tags they gave me expire on Friday and it it at least a 2 day process to register a car in my state.

Any ideas as to what my play is here? I'm a) concerned that the title hasn't come yet and b) my temp tag expires on Friday. I'm thinking they owe me a new tamp tag right?

[DenverJayhawk]

Call the dealer and tell them "what the hell?". Then call your state's title and reg. If you financed the car, it will usually take a little longer for the state to receive the paper work before you get the notice to come in and pay registration, etc.

[CUTony]

i ran into an issue where my temp tags were comin to almost bein expired while i was waiting for my plates (i was in a diff state than the one i was registering in) i kno DMV wont help at all. My next move was to go to the dealer bc he said theyd issue me new temps while i was waiting and since its their fault and considering the circumstances i think they should/will issue new temps

[simp0man]

Somewhere someone is driving around with your plates...

[tintivilus]

The procedure varies wildly from state to state. I was amazed to discover that in Illinois the title goes to the financer until the car's paid off.

[bimmerlex]

Just extend your temp tag. It takes now up to two months in some states to get the title.

[Barbera335]

Originally Posted by tintivilus

The procedure varies wildly from state to state. I was amazed to discover that in Illinois the title goes to the financer until the car's paid off.

California is the same way, no title until the car is paid for.

[jeffster]

Just out of curiosity, why would you guys be surprised by that? If you are financing, the car becomes collateral for the loan. If the title was sent to you (borrower), what recourse would the bank have if you defaulted?

When I paid my truck off, it still took a couple of weeks for my bank to release the title to me. When I bought the BMW, I traded in my wife's SUV which I had paid off a couple of weeks before but didn't have the title yet. Dealership just said bring it in when you get it, which I did like a month later, so it took about 6 weeks in total.

[solefald]

Originally Posted by tintivilus

I was amazed to discover that in Illinois the title goes to the financer until the car's paid off.

Is this your first car? Every time you lease/finance a car, you don't get a title until you pay it off. Having a title = Owning a car. And you don't own it until you pay in full.

[lauer87]

Title doesn't get transfered until the note is satisfied.

[tintivilus]

Originally Posted by solefald

Is this your first car? Every time you lease/finance a car, you don't get a title until you pay it off. Having a title = Owning a car. And you don't own it until you pay in full.

To be fair, it was the first car I'd financed. All my previous vehicles were private cash purchases... not to mention in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin titles just had a spot for lien information. When you financed a car, the title you received indicated that the financer had a lien on the vehicle. When the car was paid off, you got an updated title with the lienholder removed. You couldn't transfer a title with a lien attached.

I was surprised that anyone cared about the actual piece of paper anymore. Maybe it depended on who was doing the financing, but I'd never heard of holding the title until I moved to Illinois.

edit: hah, i'm not crazy. from http://www.dot.state.wi.us/drivers/v...title/lien.htm

Note: Unlike some other states, Wisconsin sends the original title to the vehicle owner. It is not sent to the lien holder or kept by DMV until the lien is paid.