I'm only trying to help you avoid some of the hassles that I have faced when I did EVERYTHING by the book and still had problems. Best of luck!

 

+1 on what Mark is saying. I'm an attorney and I just handled the purchase of an encumbered local Harley for my brother in law in Holland. It's way too much work.

Tell the seller to clear the lien, and then you'll buy it. Otherwise, I'd give this deal a miss. It's hard enough to do an import without having a lien to clear off.

JMO.

 

Good advise Rinty.

C4S...so let's say you follow your plan and he leaves the car at your place. How will you drive it to the border with no plates or registration? What will you tell the border guard entering the States when they ask the "purpose of your trip"? Or when they run the plate on the vehicle and it comes up as not registered to you and the owner is not with you? You can't just show them the bill of sale because it will prove that you brought the car into Canada illiegally and are driving it illigally without proper registration...

I've been taken to the interogation room and it isn't a fun place to be with two armed Canadian Border Guards

 

.... Do not forget to have a letter issued on the manufacturers letterhead that all campaigns/recalls issued against the particular VIN have been executed - prior to crossing the border!

 

I contacted the seller’s lender (Bank lien holder) directly to inquire what the payoff was. I asked for a copy of the liened title be either e-mailed or faxed to me for my review. He suggested I wire transfer the payoff amount to the Bank and the difference to the seller.
The Bank sent me the clear title soon after receiving the wire transfer and the seller's check clearing.
This arrangement made both the seller and me confident nothing would go wrong with the transaction.
This might sound a little complicated, but it was actually quite easy.

 

Wires clear through the federal funds system instantaneously. Once the wire is received the funds are as good as cash and the bank can release title to you.

 

I was told by another RL'er that a recall clear letter from the Dealership on thier letterhead should suffice.

 

Guys, ALL great advise....I will use it all.....yours too Mark.

 

Use an escrow account.

 

I am trying to do the whole transaction thru a local dealership. Pay a fee for the administration, have them activate the DTRLs, print the recall letter, and deal with the lien.

The most important part of this is that I will have the security of dealing with a company and not a private party with a lien and some other complications.

wish me luck!

 

Cant find a dealer willing to do it....anyone have a good enough relationship with a dealer that would ask for a favor?