“What if I sell my car for cash to a Killeen, Texas, car buyer, and the buyer doesn’t request proof I own the vehicle? Should I move forward with the sale?”
The question is relatively uncommon, because a Killeen, Texas, car buyer almost always requests proof of ownership. Nevertheless, there are occasionally situations in which a buyer doesn’t request any of the following proofs of vehicle ownership, all of which are acceptable for transferring ownership from buyer to seller:
- Vehicle owner’s title
- Auction sales receipt
- Mechanic’s lien
- Storage lot lien
- Repossession affidavit
So, there are plenty of documents a junkyard could accept for transfer of ownership. This leads to another question: Why would the buyer say I can sell my car for cash without producing ownership documents?
Establishing Proof of Ownership
To be clear, whether you sell a junker or a used vehicle that still operates, Texas requires you to present a valid proof of vehicle ownership that can be transferred to the buyer. Otherwise, the sale is legally invalid. With that fact out of the way, let’s look at a couple of reasons why a Killeen, Texas, car buyer may not ask for proof you own the vehicle you’re selling.
1. Mom and Pop Junkyard Businesses
Some mom and pop junkyards, which are commonly operated by a few individuals, who are often family, frequently don’t have a registered junk yard business. Consequently, they set their own rules for buying junk vehicles. If they registered ownership of vehicles they buy, it could put them in a tax situation in which they must pay a significant amount for assets.
Mom and pop junkyards often experience low revenue ― and the income they receive may not be enough to cover yearly taxes. This is one reason why some of the outfits don’t want a record of ownership in place. It’s an underhanded way to help them preserve revenue.
2. Vehicles Sent Directly to Recyclers
Some junk car buyers aren’t in the business of selling secondhand parts from salvage vehicles. The vehicles they acquire are quickly sent to an auto recycler, where they are crushed into non-existence and formed into new products.
Like professionally operated junkyards, professional car recyclers require proof of ownership for vehicles they buy. However, just as you’ll find junkyards that don’t require proof of ownership, you may also find recyclers that let the law slide in favor of revenue.
However, while crushing a car may put the vehicle out of existence, it doesn’t eradicate proof of ownership. Someone will still be registered as the car’s owner ― and if the vehicle is no longer in your possession, you don’t want the trail of ownership leading back to you.
About Wench-a-Part
We are a professionally operated junkyard that buys end-of-life vehicles and used cars that still drive. Regardless of the type of vehicle you sell us, we ask that you produce and transfer proof of ownership to us. Doing so ensures we purchase the vehicle legally, and it officially disconnects you from situations that may involve the car after you liquidate it.
If you have vehicle you’d like to sell to us in Killeen, please call our location nearest to you, or reach us through our contact form. We look forward to seeing your vehicle and making a competitive cash offer, if we presently need the vehicle in stock.
