Selling an Unregistered Salvaged Car

[Xxjessikaxx]

I bought a car from a salvaged company in Sacramento, CA and was going to work on it over the summer, however I was forced to delay on that project. As time progressed, summer turned to fall and then winter, and finally I decided to sell the car. The car was never registered with the CA DMV. Towards the end of 2011, I found a buyer on craigslist.com and I sold the car to him. Now I am getting threatening phone calls how he is "going to sue me" because I do not want to give him the original receipt from when I bought the car in Sacramento. I did, however, give him a Bill of Sale that I printed from the DMV website that says the car is sold "as is," I explained the him how I got it, and so on. I also gave him copied paperworks of the documents I got from the salvaged company, but he wants again, the originals. I feel those originals are meant for me since they have my credit card information on them, and I will need them for tax return.

Now I dont really have a question other than, does that guy have the right to "sue me?"

From what I have been reading on the internet, it seems I sold the car legally with no problem and the buyer received all the necessary paperworks needed to register the car. I also talked to several other individuals and they have informed me that he can not do anything to me (legally) since I followed the DMV guidebook on selling an used car.

[jk]

what kind of title did you give the buyer? Is the buyer aware it is not streetable as it is?

he has no right to any original anything from your purchase.

and, as always;

since just about anybody can sue just about anybody for just about anything, yes, he can sue you. The real question would be: does he have a valid suit or can be win.

[Xxjessikaxx]

I gave him a copy of the title I received from the salvage company. When I bought the car I took it to the DMV however it needed to be smogged, and since (at the time) I was going to hallow out the car and put in a new engine I thought I'd smog it later, but later never came.

I gave him a copy of all the paperwork I had on the car from the salvage company to the DMV telling me to smog it, to the time when I took it to a shop to do a full inspection. Everything.

[Who'sThatGuy]

From what I have been reading on the internet, it seems I sold the car legally with no problem and the buyer received all the necessary paperworks needed to register the car.

You read wrong, you sold this vehicle illegally. It's called "Title Jumping".

The State of CA just needs to catch on. How the state can find out is if the salvage yard sent in a "release of liability". The state is going to contact you asking how did this vehicle get from the salvage yard to buyer B without buyer A paying the taxes on the vehicle.

Or buyer B can just notify the state about the title jumping.

I also talked to several other individuals and they have informed me that he can not do anything to me (legally) since I followed the DMV guidebook on selling an used car.

You followed the guide book to sell a vehicle that was titled and registered in the sellers name. You needed to follow the guide book on selling a vehicle via title jumping.

And if the vehicle has a "salvage title', did you make the buyer aware of the salvage title?

Did you sell the car as a "parts car" or a "vehicle". If you sold it as a vehicle, you need to have a smog certificate before selling the vehicle. Otherwise the buyer could sue you in court for the cost to get the vehicle in compliance. (California Vehicle Code Section 4000.1 (d)(1))