Purchasing a used car can save you a fortune over buying a new one. Unfortunately, things can happen that prevent you from taking possession of the title. If you have purchased a car and haven't received the title, you won't be able to prove that you actually own the car legally, you won't be able to sell it, and you won't even be able to scrap it. If you haven't received the title for a used car that you have purchased, you can find a few options below that will help you.

Step 1 - Contact the Seller

Chances are, you have already contacted the seller at least once if you haven't received the title after several weeks. The best method of contacting the seller is to send a registered letter through the postal service. This letter should include a request for the title and should let him or her know that you will be contacting the magistrate if it isn't received soon. The registered letter is proof that the seller did receive the letter. You can provide the receipt to the court if the situation should escalate.

Step 2 – Go to the Magistrate

A trip to the local magistrate is your next step. There, you will file a complaint. You will need the receipt from the registered letter and the pink slip that you received when you purchased the car.

At this point, a case will be opened against the seller and a court date will be set. You and the seller will need to attend a hearing to tell both sides of the story. After the magistrate hears both arguments, he or she will order what is to come. In most cases, the magistrate will order that the seller goes to a Notary Public to have a copy of the title transferred to your name and delivered directly to you. If the seller doesn't have the title, he or she will have to send for a replacement from the state before it can be transferred into your name.

Your Final Option

If you have failed to gain possession of the title, you only have one option left – part out the car. In all actuality, you could make more than what you paid for the car by parting it out piece by piece. To speed up the process, talk with the local auto salvage yard to find out what parts they will buy off of you directly. Once the car has been stripped, it can be cut in half and hauled to a scrap yard without a title and you can receive payment for it.

Not having possession of the car title can make things frustrating. When you buy a used car, be sure to get the pink slip and work with a dealer, like Kar Connection, rather than a private owner to ensure that the title will be in your hands in no time.