Van Title Question

[SEIndSAM]

Knowing the wide background of INGO members, I thought someone may know the answer to a question I have.

Here's the question. Can you sell a van to a salvage yard without a title?

My wife has a mid-90's Dodge van that she bought during her first marriage. Both the loan and the title are in both hers and her ex husbands name. She paid off the loan balance before we were married in 07, but the west Coast based credit union that held the note refuses to send her the title because her ex owes them money on a different loan.

We was able to get the title switched to an Indiana title, so we have been able to legally plate it and drive it, and it's not worth much so we have just been driving it that way. But now that the minivan has 200k miles on it, it's becoming undependable.

Since I can't sell it or trade it without a title, I'm thinking my only option would be to sell it for parts to a salvage yard. That brings me to my question, can you sell a paid-off van to a junk yard without a title?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I'm no expert, so I'm not sure on any further advice, but good luck finding a salvage yard that will take it without a title. They have to assume the worst, that it's stolen and that is why you don't have the title. You could probably try to explain the situation to them, prove you legally own it (registrations etc) and prove that the loan on the van is paid off, and they may take it then. Otherwise your only option may be to part it out and sell it yourself.

 

[BarryJaxon]

Most of`em will tell you-no title no buy,atleast around here.(Madison Co.)

 

[eldirector]

See if the ex would agree to get it re-titled in just your wife's name. That, or have a lawyer send the bank a nasty-gram on your behalf about releasing the title (that note is paid in full, I can't imagine they can legally hold the title). Q: does the van's title read so-and-so AND...... or so-and-so OR.....?

My neighbor "disposes" of untitled cars regularly. The wrecking yards won't take them w/o a title (law or not), so he chops them up and heads to the metal scrapper.

 

[woowoo2]

The metal scrappers in Louisville will take it.
Recently there was a guy stealing church vans (big, more money) and selling them for scrap.

One of the scrapyard owners turned him in because the vans were in such good shape.

 

[SEIndSAM]

See if the ex would agree to get it re-titled in just your wife's name. That, or have a lawyer send the bank a nasty-gram on your behalf about releasing the title (that note is paid in full, I can't imagine they can legally hold the title). Q: does the van's title read so-and-so AND...... or so-and-so OR.....?

My neighbor "disposes" of untitled cars regularly. The wrecking yards won't take them w/o a title (law or not), so he chops them up and heads to the metal scrapper.

Thanks for the replies, I was afraid of that.

The ex is no help, he's a P.O.S. and have already had an Attn. send them a letter when I had one working on something else. It's not legal what the credit union is doing, but their response was "sue me". It would cost more to do that than the van is worth.
My wife even told her ex that we was going to let my teen age daughter drive the van with his name on the title, but he still wouldn't do anything. The ex will not contact the credit union because he is in default to them for a ton of cash and he knows they are looking for him.

Well, I guess it will become a driveway ornament until I can figure something out or try to part it out myself.

 

[Ronald]

You could probably put it on craigslist. Explain your situation and sell it as a whole, for parts only. Be upfront and honest and make sure to fill out a bill of sale for the buyer. Still, I doubt you'd get much for it, though.

 

[eldirector]

It's not legal what the credit union is doing, but their response was "sue me". It would cost more to do that than the van is worth.

You shouldn't have to sue them. Call the Indiana Attorney General's office. It isn't a civil matter if it is illegal.

Or call Dave Ramsey's show. He's pretty good at this sort of thing.