I've had my car for over a year and I still don't have the title!
The story, in a nutshell, is that I bought my car in November '07 from a dealer and they said not to worry about the DMV - they will take care of it, and I should get my license plates and title in a couple weeks. Around January '08, I called the dealer to see what was going on, and they said they did everything they needed to do. I then went into the DMV to see where my registration was. The DMV told me that the dealer needed to submit some paperwork, and hadn't done that. They then suggested that I get the papers from the dealer and it could all be done here. I tried contacting the dealer several times, through phone and e-mail, and they never answered. I sat on it for a couple months because, surprise, I hate dealing with the DMV, and I had just gone through something similar with my last car. I went back into the DMV, told them the dealer isn't cooperating, and they told me there was nothing they can do - I had to get the dealer to submit whatever forms they needed to submit. I tried contacting the dealer again, several times, to no avail. Then I went back to the DMV after I was pulled over for no license plates, and asked what needed to be done. If I remember correctly (for some reason my mind is fuzzy on this) they suggested starting the process of getting a new title, or rebuilding the title. Either way, I agreed, and pulled around behind the building and got a VIN verification. Nothing else happened. I went back, again, now having two tickets for no plates, and the guy behind the computer wouldn't help - he just said DMV couldn't do anything. I brought up the VIN verification (couldn't find the paper, but they should have that on record, right?) and he wouldn't even check on it. I pressed him, and he got his supervisor, who told me to call DMV Investigations. I called, and they said they wouldn't do anything until I filed a complaint, but my problem might not be investigated anyway. I figure i'll try, don't see any luck there.
I talked to my roommate's mother, who apparently worked for the DMV for 15 years or so. She said Investigations probably wouldn't investigate on the first complaint, but the DMV they should be able to take care of this in the office with no problem. However, she hasn't worked there for 8 years or so, and things may have changed.
Before anyone asks, I drove the car for this long because it was my only way of getting to work. My shifts at work start between 4 and 6 in the morning, and public transit doesn't run that early. I can't get a ride from anyone I know because all of my friends party hard and are in no condition to drive, or they don't have a license at all. Most of the people at work don't haev a license, either.
I had a bike but it was stolen shortly after I bought it. It takes two and a half hours to walk. I'm buying another bike today, but I don't have the money to keep buying them. As it is, i'm digging into rent money.
Considering i'm getting a different answer from a different person every time I go into the DMV (part of the reason I went in so many times - to try and get someone who knows what they're doing), I thought i'd try here. Does anyone have any insight on this? Maybe tell me the shortcut straight to the answer, or the secret password that makes them work with me, or at least the gun that puts the biggest hole in DMV workers? Either one works.
