I was looking into the bonded title late Friday, and am going to follow up more on it tomorrow. It is effectively an insurance policy to cover your risk exposure in the case that there is actually someone out there with a legitimate clear title, so that they can recover their property or its value.
So my question is, if such a title holder DID appear, how would the State verify the legitimacy of his claim to the title? Presumably his name would have to be on record somewhere as the last clear title holder.
So that leads me to the question, how can I find out who that person is, and then take steps to have them transfer the title (or the ability to claim the title) to me?
Anyway, I'm planning on going to the tax assessor/collector tomorrow, but so far my research is telling me that it's going to be REALLY difficult to get a clear title in my name. This is so discouraging...
Obtaining a title history is apparently quite challenging for various reasons.
However, a request for motor vehicle information can be made under certain circumstances to the Texas Department of Transportation. Lots of privacy issues involved: Request for Texas Motor Vehicle Information
You might also try one of the private title searches. I'm not sure how much information you'll get. Might be worth a try though. Keep us posted on how it goes and what you find. Vehicle History Reports
Thanks for the information, Todd. I'll see what the County has to say about it tomorrow.
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BTW I for one would be suspicious about a trailer or any vehicle for that matter without a title?
Yup, me too. I realize that titles can get lost over a period of 50 years, but the last two owners have only had a Bill of Sale, and I don't believe either one of them ever made an effort to register. The real risk I see is not that this is a stolen vehicle and that a rightful owner will someday make a claim against it, but rather that it is a salvaged vehicle, which means there are even MORE major hoops to jump through in order to get a proper title and registration.
As you've already pointed out, it's illegal in Texas to operate a salvage vehicle on the public motorways.
Legal bills can definitely add to the cost and time-until-you-can-camp valuation of a trailer. From what I can tell there are plenty of trailers out there with clear titles. On the other hand you might find one that warrants doing the necessary title researches and registrations. These vintage models definitely involve lots of labors and pesos, Amigo. Better find one you love!
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Todd
“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome...savvy?”
Legal bills can definitely add to the cost and time-until-you-can-camp valuation of a trailer. From what I can tell there are plenty of trailers out there with clear titles.
I'd agree in general, but when you're looking for something as specific as I am, the pond gets quite a bit smaller. Even so, there's always another one...
First call to the tax assessor/collector's office still leaves a lot of ambiguity.
The person I talked to asked if the trailer was less than 4000 lbs gross (since it's a 50s Overlander, it is indeed less than 4000 lbs). When I replied that it was less than 4,000 lbs, she told me that these trailers are rarely titled in Texas. In order to register it, I would still need to submit the Form 130U Application for a Texas Title, and then pay all of the appropriate fees (and of course sales tax at 6.25% of the purchase price).
But this doesn't sound right to me, I know other Airstream owners in Texas carry titles on their TTs, so I'm still going to have to stop by the office and hopefully talk to someone further back behind the front desk.
On a related subject - does anyone know how I can do a title search in Texas? I'm curious how many owners my trailer has had....
Ken J.
Ken, just saw this comment. If I come across the answer to this during my research, I'll gladly fill you in. I believe Todd posted some links that might help you do this in the state of Texas.
Since the trailer I'm looking at ('58 Overlander similar to yours, the one we traded a couple of PMs about a few weeks ago) was once in New Mexico, if you know anything about how to do a title search in NM that might help me out eventually as well.
For what it is worth, I have titled trailers(utility) with no titles on numerous occasions, different animal I know. I am not sure how this applies, nor do the tax man representatives it seems. Go to the top, explain the situation. It is doable. This isn't the first time someone has done this.
I've hit a brick wall with this title search stuff - not like it used to be where they would give you the info - as I understand it the only way to do a title search is to hire an attorney and even then you need a good reason - I think researching my 58 is a GREAT reason - but I guess they don't
Don't they understand how important Airstream history is??
Maybe you could make up something, like you found out there could be another title holder and you want to cover your risk exposure by proactively searching?
swhite-- yes, it seems to me that the person I talked to is under the impression that this one would be like a utility trailer since it is under 4K lbs. It doesn't seem right to me, but you make a good point that this CAN'T be THAT unusual, and certainly there are provisions for doing so.
For what this is worth, I bought a 58 AS that the PO couldn't find a title for. I got a Bill of Sale (notarized) from him stating where he got the trailer and when, took it to the Oklahoma DMV, got the necessary forms from them, they sent the forms in for me, got more forms back for the title, the DMV worker came to the house to verify the VIN #, sent her verification in and got a clear Oklahoma title in about 2 weeks total. Some states won't even take a title to register a vintage trailer. Seems like Texas may be making this harder than most states. Perhaps you can register this trailer in another state and bring it back into Texas with a clear title and then register it. Texas seems just too complicated. Having to worry about a previous owner trying to get your trailer away from you never crossed my mind when registering my 58. I think Oklahoma did a search of stolen property before issuing my title, but of course not many 58 AS turn up on that.
__________________ Judy and Bob
At Home in Oklahoma
For what this is worth, I bought a 58 AS that the PO couldn't find a title for. I got a Bill of Sale (notarized) from him stating where he got the trailer and when, took it to the Oklahoma DMV, got the necessary forms from them, they sent the forms in for me, got more forms back for the title, the DMV worker came to the house to verify the VIN #, sent her verification in and got a clear Oklahoma title in about 2 weeks total. Some states won't even take a title to register a vintage trailer. Seems like Texas may be making this harder than most states. Perhaps you can register this trailer in another state and bring it back into Texas with a clear title and then register it. Texas seems just too complicated. Having to worry about a previous owner trying to get your trailer away from you never crossed my mind when registering my 58. I think Oklahoma did a search of stolen property before issuing my title, but of course not many 58 AS turn up on that.
Yes, from what I've heard Texas does make it much harder than other states.
Only reason I brought up the potential liability is that THAT would be my risk exposure if I were to buy it. There are really two potential risks that it seems the state of Texas chooses to assign to the buyer:
1) Another PO has a clear title and could potentially assert a claim on that vehicle.
2) The vehicle has been salvaged at some point, which would make it illegal to operate on Texas public motorways.
By making the current buyer jump through hoops, the state of Texas seems to be trying to ensure that the buyer has performed the leg-work to ensure that neither of these two cases can occur, or at least that the current buyer has purchased appropriate insurance in the form of a bonded title to remediate a previous owner should that owner elect to assert a claim to the title.
In practice, as you have pointed out, neither of these two cases seems very likely. Chances are, it's just a 50-year-old trailer and somebody lost the title at some point. Heck, my boat is a mere 15 years old and I have no idea where the title is. Of course, if I wanted to sell it, I'd probably just apply for the state to re-issue the title, since I'm the only owner of record this boat has ever had...
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