[Firefox0119]

I need help deciding what action, if any, I should take. I'm trying to write this as balanced as I can because I am pretty PO'd right now.

Dilemma: I am very upset with how a title clerk has handled (or rather NOT handled) getting a title for a Jeep that I bought in September. What I can't decide is whether I should contact her to let her know that I'm upset and demand some action from her...or contact her boss to file a complaint on her and hope that he will put a rush on my issue because I called...or just swallow my anger until the situation is resolved and then do something...or get over it and not do anything regarding this title clerk. Afterall, she is not someone that I HAVE to deal with in any way.

Sorry for the book...but its complicated! lol

What happened: July 07, someone brought this jeep into Dealer1 as a trade in. Dealer1 sent vehicle to Auction. Dealer2 bought it from Auction. I bought it from Dealer2 in the beginning of September 07.
Dealer2's title clerk realizes that they don't have a title for the Jeep and contacts Auction. Auction contacts Dealer1. Dealer1 tells Auction it is going to be 2 months before we can get a title done. Auction passes that info on to Dealer2 and Dealer2 tells me this on Oct 21, 07. I contact the Oregon DMV (I am in CO but the title clerk at Dealer 2 that I am dealing with said that the vehicle was titled in Oregon last) on 11/15 to see if they have anything in their computers but the last title work they did on the vehicle was in 2002. I call Dealer2's title clerk and tell her what I found out from Oregon DMV and she continues trying to work through the proper channels to get my title for me. The title clerk at Dealer1 is not returning calls to Auction and Auction has strict instructions to not let Dealer2 know who she is. Title clerk at Dealer2 tells me this when I ask her if she could just cut out the middleman and talk to the title clerk at Dealer1 directly, or if I could have that information. That kind of ticks me off.

SO finally today I get tired of this circus I have going on here. I've been driving the vehicle for almost 4 months and I still dont have a title! My temp tag is going to expire on 12/31 and the dealer will issue me a new one but this is rediculous. SO I call a branch from the chain of dealerships that I know brought my Jeep to Auction, hoping that they can look my vehicle up in the computer by its VIN number. Jackpot. I spoke with a very nice title clerk who found out where my Jeep came from and sympathized with my plight. She offered to call the title clerk involved and then give me a call back. I was appalled to hear her change in tone when she called me back. She said she spoke with the title clerk at Dealer1 and basically had been told to tell me that they're working on it, be patient. She was able to give me a couple details like that they were working with an out of state dmv for a duplicate title. When I heard that I told the nice title clerk that I knew the vehicle was from Oregon, had been on the phone with the dmv myself and that there was nothing in the computer as far as a duplicate request goes. I asked her if I could have the gal's name or what location she was at and she said that the title clerk had specifically asked her not to give me that information. Poor gal was feeling bad for me and wasn't sure what to do...so she asked if she could call me back after speaking with her supervisor...which of course I had no problem with. She called me back and gave me the contact information for the title clerk at Dealer1.

I was all up in arms and ready to call her immediately and jump down her throat...and then I thought about it and figured I better calm down a little. Debated calling her boss, debated calling her directly...and then I decided to call Oregon DMV one more time just to be sure they didn't have something new. THEY DID. They said that they printed a title on 12/20 and it should be en-route to the registered owner. However, they cannot tell me who that is since it is not me. They did tell me that it wasn't a business...which freaks me out a little more because that means that the title is probably going to the previous owner for a lien sign-off and heaven only knows if they have a correct address or not. At any rate, the title may or may not be headed my way, at least someone requested something and something is moving...so I dont have as MUCH to be upset with her about now...however I am still plenty upset that she has been basically blowing us all off and even told one of her coworkers to tell me to just be patient. I'm sorry but my patience was gone about 2 months ago.

What should I do?

[Firefox0119]

blah, I kinda want to just call the supervisor and get it over with. I think its poor business of her to be stonewalling her customers...and if I were her boss I'd want to know about it.

[Firefox0119]

Talked to my dad and he brought up a good point. He said that I should wait until the 31st and then open a can of whup @$$. Reason being, that on October 31st I was told that it could be up to 2 months to get that title for me. Even though the dealership I brought it from has a shorter timeframe than me...technically...I was told 2 months from October 31st. Even though that is rediculous and I am about 99% sure that they can't possibly have the title to me by then...dad said to have some patience.

I think I will agree with him...mostly. The only thing I will do is pass on the contact information to the title clerk at dealer2 who has been trying to help me out with getting this and tell her what I found out today. Since they have more of a bone to pick with this lady than I do...they had the Jeep for a month before I even bought it. So that clerk at dealer1 better be doing all she can to expedite my title.

Anyone else have thoughts? Just happy voting away? lol

[Trouble Maker]

Following typical Jeep forum protocol you should burn all their houses down.

[abnormal]

Call supervisor now! Be nice and see what the holdup is. See if its the dmvs fault or the dealers. If they dont resolve the issue at that moment on the phone you contact the party who is at fault and make them resolve it.

[ytodd]

In the time it took you to write all that you could have done all the options you listed.

[Firefox0119]

Pretty sure I found out today who is at fault...the title clerk at the first dealership who didn't want her identity revealed. I've been in touch with the Oregon dmv (I am in CO) and up until this last time I called (today) they didn't even have record of a request, so it is not their fault. The auction house didn't have power to do anything and the title clerk at the first place wouldn't call them back, the people I bought it from were trying to get things from the Auction house. SO basically I just went over their heads to try and figure out what the heck is going on.

I keep going back to that if I were her supervisor I think I'd want to know about this. I'd probably get fired if I were to make a mistake and then stop returning phone calls to the pertinent parties and telling everyone (including coworkers) to tell the customers to just be patient...MONTHS after they were promised something. I wouldn't be nearly as mad if she had said "ok here's the thing, I made a mistake but here is what is happening now and here is what will happen after that and we will get you that title as soon as possible, it is my #1 priority" At least she'd be owning up to the fact that the responsibility is hers and she screwed up. OR if it is someone else's fault and something happened that I'm not aware of...then they should man (woman?) up and apologize and move forward.

Trust me troublemaker...I thought about it I'm guessing your screenname is less of a name and more of a mantra?

[Firefox0119]

Originally Posted by ytodd

In the time it took you to write all that you could have done all the options you listed.

Na, I had most of it written up in an email already and I type really fast Besides the fact that I don't know what to do means that I don't necessarily WANT to do any/all of it. If you look at the time frame this has been going on for months. I would have just called the lady if I hadn't gotten the new information from the Oregon dmv.

[fastredjeep]

Sounds like a colossal goat ****.

To me it seems as though it is dealer 1, auction and dealer 2 all being secretive and **** about some stupid title. To auction it, they should have had the title, and to sell it to you, dealer 2 should have had the title. Dealer 1 is ultimately responsible however for being a bunch of scheisters and not making sure the vehicle came with the title. Same with auction and dealer 2.

[Firefox0119]

Yep thats pretty much it in a nutshell tbh dealer2 is just a podunk little place and their title clerk only works part time, so yes the guy shouldn't have bought it without a title and he shouldn't have left it up to their part time title clerk to find their mistake when the buyer (me!) called looking for the paperwork. BUT it is ultimately dealer1's mistake first, then auction, then dealer2....and we all know that poo rolls downhill and here I am at the bottom.

[jneal]

I had something similar happen a few years ago on my explorer.

I found out a couple of thing in Georgia that might help you out.

1> Used vehicles are regulated here by a used dealer commsision. They have the authority to impose fines on a dealership.
2> all dealerships must be licensed by this board
3> The dealership selling you the car MUST have the title in hand BEFORE selling you a used car. this isnt the case in real life as you know.
4> The dealership selling you the car is responsible for providing you with a title.
5> there is a complaint process to the board if you have an issue
6> I got QUICK response after filing a complaint. I had been after a title for 6 months.
7> it is illegal for a dealership to provide "additional" temp tags.

again this is only in GA. but some may apply to you. Check to see if you have a used car dealer board in your state and give them a ring.

[JWitt333]

this happened to us all the time when I worked at a dealership. since has been past 30 days you might want to file a lost title claim with your with your local tax office or DMV. let them take care of it and it will go faster.

[boondocksaint]

Originally Posted by Trouble Maker

Following typical Jeep forum protocol you should burn all their houses down.

i got to the second sentence in the dilemma, and immediately came up with that conclusion....saved me a lot of reading...

[Prot]

I would bring the Jeep back and get my money back and buy another Jeep elsewhere. There plenty of JK's around. Don't buy "they are very scarce and in such high demand we can sell it to you for whatever we feel like" nonsense.

[1000000to1]

I would use the situation to get money out of the dealership, tell them you want something for your troubles. If that don't work aproach him after hours when no one is around and slam his head into the wall (just kidding sort of).