Thread: Charlie's new car

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Charlie is in conn. and looking at a 76 trans am. From what he is telling me it is set up to race. The navy federal credit union requires a title for a loan to get the car. The guy seeling it to him says that in Conn. you do not need a title for a antique car. That does not seem right to me but i told Charlie that i would ask you guys. Is this conn. law? and what should charlie be looking at given the climate there. I am concerned because i know that there are some people who take advantage of military personnel. thanks guys for the help.

Barb, I don't know how they do things is Conn but as for me, "No title - - No sale" - - - I wouldn't think you needed a title for a "race" car but an"antique" is completely different -- - - especially if you are going to get license and insurance eventually - - - - keep us in the loop and best to Charlie on his search !

meller

Barb,
Here's the requirement, best I can find quickly - http://www.ct.gov/dmv/lib/dmv/regulations/166.pdf Looks to me like at a minimum Charlie is going to have to submit a surety bond to get a new title, and he may well have trouble with paragraph (a)5 which states that the vehicle is basically stock, conforming to original status of the vehicle. For a 1976 vehicle there is no good reason that the owner should not have a title, unless he took a salvage vehicle and "fixed" it to race, etc, etc. There are shyster car dealers that swarm around the gates of the military bases, and they are best avoided. In Texas I saw sawdust put in differentials, transmissions filled 100% with STP to quiet them down, and the worst was a joker that wrapped the main and rod journals of an engine with leather, bolted it back down and sold it as "rebuilt". I wouldn't consider buying a car from a used car lot anywhere near a military base unless it was a project car that was going to be torn down. I fear Charlie's about to be taken to the cleaners here.

There just isn't no way I'd buy a car without a title with the intent of legally licensing and insuring it!!!! I'd be for getting the VIN off the car and running a check on it through DMV and see if it's stolen or has some old lien against it!!!! There's a reason a car that new doesn't have a title, and I doubt if it's a good one!

thanks guys. i will pass this on to charlie. those were my worries exactly. i will keep everyone informed with what happens.

Barb, tell that young man to run away from that deal as fast as he can, not only will he have a problem getting it legal in any state but he will also have a major hassle getting it on base. He would be much better off saving his money and finding a decent ride closer to home where at least you and your husband can look the car over.

Being I was young once I can see where Charlie is coming from..Nice fast car, BUT no title and he will have to drive it on base sometime he would do better to buy a nice RED Toyota. Honestly I know he'll bock but what will he do with a hot rod when hes deployed and we both know that is going to happen. No title would be a big turn off for a first car to much hassel and if its a race car how bad is it been beaten?
Sorry I went on about this but I just got a bad feeling about that car right off.

I'd also feel queasy about this deal. To many "cons", not enough "pros" in this deal.

just talked to charlie and read him everything that was posted here. I got him to think again about the car. he is not going to buy it unless the guy can produce a title. thank you all for your help. sometimes it takes people that charlie respects other than his mom to open his eyes. thanks again.

Yes but mom knew where to get backing

Barb,
Charlie is at a very vulnerable point, but he needs to think long term. Once he finishes his school he's looking at joining a ship's company and deploying, likely for an extended period of time. Anything he buys now is going to have to be stored while he is deployed. If he doesn't make other arrangements, any car that he buys is going to be sitting in a parking lot near the port with minimal security. Same for other things that he cannot take with him on the sub, he's going to have to find a home for anything he own's when he gets orders to a ship's company. While it is tempting to buy a car, that is probably not the smartest approach, given his needs and short term future. Charlie would be a lot better off to keep his material possessions minimized, and keep it pared back for now.

thanks charlie fisher. roger charlie's dad has been trying to tell him that since he joined the navy. but charlie being young and my son is on the hard headed side.

Originally Posted by jyardgirl

thanks charlie fisher. roger charlie's dad has been trying to tell him that since he joined the navy. but charlie being young and my son is on the hard headed side.

Yeah, about all you can do is ask him, "What are you going to do with _____ when you deploy for a year?" It's a real question that is easy to ignore, but it's still a real question that he'll have to deal with.

Thank him for his service to our country and am glad that he has seen the light. I don't mind buying a car without a title because I have done it twice. The process is pretty simple to get a new title but my titles were for a 40 and a 55 and there is no reason for the 76 not to have a title. I also know that there are some states that do not require titles for old cars, but a 76 does not qualify as "old".

i just talked to him. he has decided against the trans am. I told him again to think about waiting until he had a permanent duty station to think about getting a car. he told me that if he did not have a car to work on he thinks that he will go crazy. it is his way of meditation. I told him that i fully understand and to just be smart about what car he decides on. that when he ships out next year to just get a car carrier to bring it home and i will look after it until he gets back. he said that he knew i would say that.