Dealer wants physical car back for title registration?

stimpy77stimpy77 Member Posts: 2
edited April 2015 in General
Does a dealership have to have the car physically present to process a vehicle title registration?

I live in Phoenix, Arizona, and bought a used car back in January from a used car dealership that is turning out to be a genuine nightmare of a dealership to work with. To start with they made a lot of verbal promises to fix the car up with a new hybrid battery and an oil change, but they did nothing, I already spent $850 on new brakes and oil change after they were supposed to have done their work. Their buyer financing bank is also a really shady bank with some horrific reports. I've already bought this car, everything's signed, and I can't seem to get out of the purchase and reverse it. I was hoping to just drive away and hope for the best as I make payments, but the problem is that the dealership still has not processed the title registration. After 45 days I found myself driving illegally with an expired temporary license, so I went over there demanding a plate, and they just made an extension with the DMV and put the extension paper on the window. So now I'm stuck in limbo in this extension with about 10 days left in this extension, and they just called me today telling me they need the car so they can finish the title registration. They offered to pick it up from my workplace and everything. Do they really need the car?

If there is no requirement for a dealership to have the car in their possession when registering a title over to the bank, I'm certain that they only "need" they car so they can install GPS on it so that it can be repo'd. Also the guy kept saying "because of power of attorney". What the heck does that mean? Is he saying that he as the dealership has power of attorney for the bank, and he can demand the car back at any time?

I asked them to make an offer to buy the car back, but they offered 50% of what I bought it for. I'm so furious and so screwed, I'm tempted to just leave it in their lot and tell the bank I'm withdrawing from this loan and letting them repossess what they already have. I realize that this would screw up my credit, but I'm honestly pondering whether to let my credit stay screwed than deal with these horrible people anymore.

I don't know what to do.

Comments

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You may want to file a complaint with the AZ AG's office and tell the dealer you're waiting to hear back from them.
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 255,617
    Contact your local media outlets as well .. nothing like the threat of negative publicity to light a fire under the dealership.

    Keep us posted.

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