USA car import and the car title

[Grahamgl]

I am in the process of buying a TR from a person I do not know. He presently lives in Phoenix Arizona. When asked, he sent me a picture of the car's title, it is dated 1999 and was issued in Alaska. When I checked the details shown on it and information given to me by the seller there appears to be a small difference in the the "O" is missing from the title, the VIN plate shows an"O", from pictures of the car there is an A type overdrive fitted.

I wonder if our American members can offer me advice on if the title being 18 years old would still be valid and, how easy/expensive to obtain an Arizona title and if US Customs would hold up the export of the car due to the missind "O" on the title.

Finally can anyone offer advice on Escrow providers?

Thanks

Graham

[Geko]

why don't you post these pics ...?

Edited February 9, 2017 by Geko

[Don H.]

Titles are done on a state-by-state basis and the rules will vary a bit. Alaska seems odd -- that's a bit of a red flag to me, although I can't say exactly why.

 

Is the Alaska title in the name of the current seller? If not, this could get tricky. If it's what's called a "salvage title" that's also a red flag and likely to be tricky.

 

There's normally space on the title for the seller/title holder to sign it over to a new owner, who can then apply for title in their name. It's normally twenty bucks or so and a half hour in line to get a new title. Easily done if the stuff is all in order to start. If it's the same owner and just changing states, that's easily done too, but I'm not sure it would be required for export.

 

The title being old is no issue at all (for cars in service over here, that is -- dunno about how HMRC would look upon it). My car wasn't road-licensed from 1982-2010 and when I took my old title into the license bureau in my state they didn't bat an eye.

 

I'd take the position that the overdrive O isn't part of the chassis number if anyone asked. I'd say that's why Standard-Triumph left some space between the commission number and the O suffix. The car could have an "L", too, depending on what model. Most of these cars predate the 1981 17-digit current VIN standard by decades, and all kinds of vehicle identification numbering systems were used in the previous period. That argument would almost certainly work in person, in the states where I've lived (as always YMMV).

 

I don't think US customs cares much at all about what you export. The challenge is more likely to be incoming to the UK.

 

No idea about escrow.

Is the Alaska title in the name of the seller? If not, this could get tricky. If it's what's called a "salvage title" that's also a red flag and likely to be tricky.

 

There's normally space on the title for the seller/title holder to sign it over to a new owner, who can then apply for title in their name. It's normally twenty bucks or so and a half hour in line to get a new title. Easily done if the stuff is all in order to start.

[Grahamgl]

Geko,

Would do but I do not know how to copy a picture from Dropbox into here.

 

Don,

The seller at some time in the past lived in Alaska and moved to Arizona. He is moving back to Alaska again which is why the car is for sale.The title is in his name. I want to be sure that the title and vin plate agree as my potential carriers have told me that if they do not the US Customs will prevent the export of the car. Meanwhile having paid for the car I envisage major difficulties. I have asked the seller for a picture of the vin plate which will, hopefully, resolve the matter or confirm problems for me. As you say Don, if the vin and title disagree then it would be best if the seller obtained a change in the title to show the correct vin.

 

Graham

 

[stuart]

Graham why not ask them yourself. https://www.azdot.gov/mvd/

They are usually very helpful.

Stuart.