Transferring a Mx. car question.

Our neighbor left for NOB permanently and had "sold" her car to some people. I think one is Mx. They gave a deposit but havent come back.

The departing lady gave my wife, (close friends), all the papers on the car including the insurance policy that is good until May, 2017.

I looked at them and don't see where the current owner (lady who left) signed off anyplace.

If the buyer shows back up, I don't think it's a wise idea for my wife to just hand the buyer all the papers and keys and that's it.I sort of recall from years back, the seller has to go to motor vehicles with the new owner.

I'm also wondering if the buyer doesn't show in a "reasonable" time, what can/should be done?

I came in late in the game here.

Thanks.

The seller does not need to go motor vehicles as long as the seller has given the buyer all the paper work and filled in the back of one of the documents (Not sure the name of the document) The seller basically writes out a bill of sale to transfer the vehicle on the back of this document.

The document the seller writes on is the vehicle title.

Telso wrote:The seller does not need to go motor vehicles as long as the seller has given the buyer all the paper work and filled in the back of one of the documents (Not sure the name of the document)  The seller basically writes out a bill of sale to transfer the vehicle on the back of this document.  

Could be. But one of the reasons a seller might go with the buyer to transfer ownership at DMV (I know that's not correct, but you know) is to make sure the buyer actually does get ownership transferred to his/her name. You don't want a car running around out there in your name with who knows who driving it.

When I buy a vehicle here I bring the seller along with me to the DMV to ensure that all fines have been paid and that the paperwork is in order. I have purchased three vehicles here and every time there is some minor issue that requires the sellers intervention. I don't give the seller a dime until the vehicle has been transferred into my name.

When I sold one of my vehicles I did exactly what addtocart said for those exact reasons. Since some Mexicans don't bother paying the yearly registration fee or getting insurance so they have no need to care whether the vehicle is in their name or not. If it remains in your name you will be responsible for whatever carnage the vehicle gets involved in.

The seller signs the back of the factura, which acts as the title transfer. The recaudadora then prepares the new tarjeta de circulacion for the buyer and the buyer gets all the paperwork to keep, and it is important to keep all of it; from the original factura through the current tarjeta, with everything in between....a complete paper trail of the car since it was new.