I have been surfing Craig's list for a car and I noticed that a lot of the ads say, no title, parts car only. Ok I understand that if you do not have the title you cannot register it to drive it on the road. But if you lost the title can't you get a copy of it somewhere? Some look like pretty good cars at a cheap price because of the lack of a title. I am thinking that these no title cars for sale are maybe stolen or something. Otherwise why not just get a copy of the title so you can get more for the car? Maybe I am naive here but i do not quite understand.

Have the cops do a vin search.  Contact the previous owner for title info.  Sometimes the PO will get a new title issued by hte DMV for a small fee.

It used to be fairly easy to get a replacement title and even easier to get a salvage title.  But in the last 20 years or so they've really tightened it up.  Nowadays, depending on which state you live in, it can be anywhere from a middling pain in the ass, to nearly fucking impossible.

Title should be "Cars for sale with outstanding liens".  LOL

Those cars will either have liens on the title, they're stolen or someone is on the title and refuses to sign off.  



A clever man might buy one of those and might buy another car of the same make, model and year at a junk yard or totaled from an insurance company with a title.  Then, with no felonious intent, the vin plates might possibly swap themselves in the night.

Watch out for the hidden VINs located all over the car.

Who's going to look that deep? "I had no idea"

Depending on year make model of the vechicle, you can plug a scanner into the cars computer and it will show the Vechicle Identification Number. There is a part number or Vin located on nearly every part of a Vechicle, unless parts were replaced that relate to that vechicles Vin. Helps eliminate cars being stripped down and sold as parts. Even though this task is nearly impossible, when they do find stolen parts/cars it helps them identify if they are indeed stolen or not

IBSSASUASBALCIEACITLR

In Before Some Smart Ass Shows Up and Says Buying a Legal Car is Easier and Cheaper in the Long Run.  

You know the same kind of guy that says it's easier and cheaper not to drink and drive, or cheaper not to try to find out if your hooker is a cop.