I live in Maryland, car was purchased there and the lien holder is also in Maryland. Dealership went out of business. I did not know this until I went to go pick up my tags. My temporary tags were about to expire. I went to the MVA and was told this person was under investigation. They gave me a letter on letterhead in case I was stopped by the police for driving with expired tags, good for 30 days. That expired and they gave me another one, but they are saying this is the last one, no more extensions and that I am on my own. I called the lender hoping they could do something, and they are working on the problem. I only have until Oct 16. I cannot pay on a car that I can't drive and told the lender this. Technically they own the car and I feel they should have never wrote the loan without having the title there for me to sign since Maryland has a two part title system. The title is signed by the purchaser (me), the lien holder keeps top copy and purchaser get duplicate stating "This is not a title", when the car is paid for the purchaser (me) gets the actual title, at least this is what I am being told. If this is true, "Where in this process should I have signed this duplicate title? Did the Lien holder jump the gun without verifying that the title was okay? Do I have any legal grounds to get out of the loan agreement if the car cannot be titled to me. Help, I am desperate!!

Actually, based just on what you've described I don't see where there should be a problem. If the lender wrote the loan for you to purchase the vehicle and you are in fact in possession of the vehicle then you should just be making payments to the lender in the usual manner. The fact that the dealer went out of business after the fact and is under investigation is water over the dam now. Everything is now between you and the lender and pretty much has been ever since you drove the car off the lot. I don't know how the system in Maryland works but as you described it my guess would be that you would've signed the duplicate title at the dealership when you signed all of the other papers relevant to the purchase. Either way, I'd just concentrate on working with the lender and make payment arrangements and have them give you a duplicate title or whatever type of document you'd use in Maryland so that you can get your permanent tags.

Hello b:

Before I can answer, you need to clarify a couple issues... For that, you're probably going to have to go back to the MVA.

I don't know what being "under investigation" has to do with YOUR purchase. IS the car stolen?? Did the dealer NOT get clear title from the person THEY got the car from?? Did you get ripped off?

Without clarity, you can't identify WHO the bad guy is, and who should have done something they didn't.

If you know that stuff, let me know. Otherwise, you're going to have to find out.

excon

Have you contacted the lender for them to supply paper work,

Have you taken your loan papers, and the bill of sale to go register the car.