Selling a venicle

When people sell their vehicle it is common practice for the owner to sign the vehicle over to the new owner on the back of the original facture. So the cars registration slip will still show the first owner. So when it is time (January/February) for new tags the new owners will go to the car registration place, show ID and have the registration changed over to themselves. Is that correct? In the time between the selling and the new registration in January how would the authorities trace the ownership of a vehicle?

Incorrect. At the time of purchase, it is best practice for the buyer and seller to go together to the vehicle registration office and do the title transfer. It is also good practice to pay the money to seller at that time IF there are no outstanding fines and unpaid annual renewal fees due.

Yet so many people do it without going to a vehicle registration office. Why? Cost? Once when I sold one we got together with the buyer at a lawyer's office and did it-nothing more-no registration office. Maybe the buyer then goes to a registration office. I've heard that in some states in the US they do the same as here-just sign it over on the back of the original bill of purchase.

True, Ezzie.  If the seller will not go to the recaudadora with you, do not buy his car.  He has a reason that he does not want to go.

But many transfer without going to the recaudadora (at least not right away). How does that work out?

Often not well for the buyer. RVG is right.

Trailrunner wrote:Often not well for the buyer. RVG is right.

It apparently worked out well for the lady who bought my other vehicle without us going to the recaudadura and a lawyer handled it! I can't ask the lady who bought that car as it might be too difficult for her to answer.

Cypress, do whatever you want! You asked, we responded.

I would guess that a lawyer was used because the participants had no Spanish. A power of attorney was probably signed, and the lawyer did everything at the recaudadora, and the lady now owns the car quite legally.

Oops!

Have you ever noticed how terrified an expat, with no Spanish, can be of a simple clerk behind a counter? They are sometimes just incapable of handling smiles and sign language, fearing that they will be "taken to the cleaners", arrested, deported and forced to walk to the border in chains. I only mean those who refer to it as, "the boarder", and who can't manage to find the recaudadora's sign, without a 'facilitator'.

RVGRINGO wrote:Have you ever noticed how terrified an expat, with no Spanish, can be of a simple clerk behind a counter?  They are sometimes just incapable of handling smiles and sign language, fearing that they will be "taken to the cleaners", arrested, deported and forced to walk to the border in chains.  I only mean those who refer to it as, "the boarder", and who can't manage to find the recaudadora's sign, without a 'facilitator'.

Little bit of exaggeration there, RV?

I was going to use hyperbole, but didn't want to confuse anyone.

ferret wrote:And I think you would have guessed correctly RV. A lawyer is a good way to do it but not necessary. The car is in your name and with the attached responsibility UNTIL it properly changes hands at the Registry Office. Why anyone would WAIT to do this is beyond understanding.

Why wait? Because the new owners are busy out of the country. I now have it set up (by a lawyer) to be resolved when they return.

RVGRINGO wrote:I would guess that a lawyer was used because the participants had no Spanish. A power of attorney was probably signed, and the lawyer did everything at the recaudadora, and the lady now owns the car quite legally.  

That could well be true.

The vehicle will be based in Jocotepec but I guess it doesn't matter if it gets registered in Chapala or Jocotepec.

It does not matter, as both are in Jalisco.