selling cars - vent

[gardenmom5]

this is a vent - s.m.h. thunk.

we have four drivers.  

2ds bought a new car (so he has two cars), so he has to sell his old one (the sooner the better.).  it's a good car, the biggest issue with it is there are a lot of 2004 camrys on the used market, so how to make it stand out from the crowd?  he's taken pictures, it's clean, etc. - he just hasnt' listed it.  fine. he's had more than a week - I will list it... I want it done...  so - one used car in front of my house.

I have plans to buy a new car this summer (time has been a problem), so I'll have to sell mine too.  - that's two cars for sale in front of our house....    supposedly - as soon as I find a car I like within dh's budget, I can go buy it, but dh really would rather be done with his mother's estate first.  - that will then be a second car in front of my house to sell.

now - mil has passed on, dh wants to cancel her insurance and get rid of her car.  (sil has been driving mil around.  sil can't afford to pay for the insurance herself, so her keeping it really isn't an option.)  according to the websites, it's worth enough to actually sell it as opposed to just donating it.  oh, newsflash - the TITLE IS LOST!!!!!!!  you can't sell a car without it.  (it takes 2 - 3 months to replace a lost title.)  dh brought me home the registration from the glove box... it's from 2015. blink. blink. blink. (it has current tabs)  while sil will blame mil for going through the glove box and getting rid of stuff (she's notorious for doing that just to irk people) - sil herself isn't that responsible.  after all - you don't keep the title in your car!  - but neither sil can't find it. (until last winter, mil was living with other sil.)

so IF they find the title (not holding my breath), and IF sil can actually clean all her crap out of it and bring it over here (NOT holding my breath) - I will have THREE CARS for sale in front of my house!  I feel like I should open a used car lot.  or people will think I'm running a scam, (they're called "curbstoners")    arrrggghhhh. thunk.  

dh did say he'd just park it at sil's apartment until such time as there is a title  and it can be listed for sale - "you realize she'll drive it don't you?" …  dh thinks taking the keys will stop her.  bless his heart...

I want a commission.

 

[mom2scouts]

Oh my! The neighbors are going to wonder what's going on at your place. LOL

[Suzanne in ABQ]

How about, once the paperwork is all in order, you just take all three cars down and trade them in toward your new car?

 

[BusyMom5]

Apply for the lost title now, then you'll have to get it probate if it's not TOD.  I think you are looking at 3 to 5 months before all if that is straightened out enough yo sell it.  Do not cancel the insurance until it's sold- not worth it.  Any way to just give if to the SIL as part of her inheritance?  If so, get the new title and sign it over to her.  Go with her to M aje sure she pays the license and registration and at least starts out with insurance.   

 

Hoping the Camry sells quickly!  

[gardenmom5]

20 minutes ago, BusyMom5 said:

Apply for the lost title now, then you'll have to get it probate if it's not TOD.  I think you are looking at 3 to 5 months before all if that is straightened out enough yo sell it.  Do not cancel the insurance until it's sold- not worth it.  Any way to just give if to the SIL as part of her inheritance?  If so, get the new title and sign it over to her.  Go with her to M aje sure she pays the license and registration and at least starts out with insurance.   

 

Hoping the Camry sells quickly!  

I'm putting dh in charge of the title.  he has the DC, and should have documentation that he's executor as well since it's actually in mil's name.  according to our DMV - it can take 2 - 3 months.  but who knows?

sil can't afford to pay for the insurance - she can't afford a car period.  her kids paid for her condo.   

the insurance is paid by mil's estate - it can't be closed out with active car insurance.    it's questionable if the insurance could even be  cancelled before it's sold/donated.

[Tap]

Any chance there is an outstanding loan on the car? In Washington, the bank holds the title until it is paid off. (I know not all states do this.) Maybe contact her bank and make sure they don't have the title. Even if it was paid off, they could have forgot to send it to her.  (We personally use multiple banks, but it seems like lots of older folks like to keep everything at one bank/credit union, even if it costs them more). 

[katilac]

I'll stop complaining about the one car we have to sell! I mean, not forever, but for a few minutes. 

The storage places around here rent parking spaces, that might be an option for the one without a title. 

[gardenmom5]

45 minutes ago, Tap said:

Any chance there is an outstanding loan on the car? In Washington, the bank holds the title until it is paid off. (I know not all states do this.) Maybe contact her bank and make sure they don't have the title. Even if it was paid off, they could have forgot to send it to her.  (We personally use multiple banks, but it seems like lots of older folks like to keep everything at one bank/credit union, even if it costs them more). 

no loan.  she had to have had the title when moving to Washington in order to register it.

35 minutes ago, katilac said:

I'll stop complaining about the one car we have to sell! I mean, not forever, but for a few minutes. 

The storage places around here rent parking spaces, that might be an option for the one without a title. 

if I have to - I'll store it at younger sil's.  she has the off-street space - she's on 3 1/2 acres.   (if she doesn't like it - she can find the title...…. mil lived with her for 10 years.)

I'm concerned about how the car would run if it just sits for months on end.

 

but - I got 2ds's car listed!  (craigslist *charges*!).  I may just trade in my car when I do buy another one (I plan on buying one a few years old. someone else can pay to drive it off the lot.).

[katilac]

1 hour ago, gardenmom5 said:

I'm concerned about how the car would run if it just sits for months on end.

Valid concern, it should definitely not sit for months on end, and I remember now you said dh wanted to drop the insurance. You might check the safety and legality of driving it around that 3 1/2 acres of private property. It's not like getting it on the highway but better than nothing. Around here, a lot of of people have unregistered, uninsured vehicles that only get driven on private property (camps). They have to be towed to the mechanic as needed because they can't be driven on the road.