My dad sold my car

[hannah2758]

When I was 17, I purchased a vehicle, but it was put under my father's name. I fully paid for the car including insurance and repair costs. Once I turned 18, I got my own insurance (was under my parents before) and was going to switch the title to my name, but my dad said there was no need to. Fast forward, I was on vacation when my dad paid a towing company to take my car to the scrapyard. I had no idea about it and would never agree to it. The towing company didn't even tow my car to the scrapyard. Instead it's sitting in a different mechanic's lot right now, and it's for sale for WAY more than it's even worth.

My question is what steps I would have to take to get my car back, and if it would even BE possible to get it back without paying the outrageous price the mechanic is asking for it. I live in Minnesota.

 

[drruthless]

Why is there air?

When I was 17, I purchased a vehicle, but it was put under my father's name. I fully paid for the car including insurance and repair costs. Once I turned 18, I got my own insurance (was under my parents before) and was going to switch the title to my name, but my dad said there was no need to. Fast forward, I was on vacation when my dad paid a towing company to take my car to the scrapyard. I had no idea about it and would never agree to it. The towing company didn't even tow my car to the scrapyard. Instead it's sitting in a different mechanic's lot right now, and it's for sale for WAY more than it's even worth.

My question is what steps I would have to take to get my car back, and if it would even BE possible to get it back without paying the outrageous price the mechanic is asking for it. I live in Minnesota.

At the risk of over stating the to obvious...oblivious,
Step one would be for you to stop doing whatever it was that gave your father reason to sell your car.

..__________________________
~ Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted.

 

[LdiJ]

Legally the car was in your father's name. Therefore he had every right to sell it. The best you could do would be to sue your dad for the blue book value of the car. Are you honestly prepared to do that?

 

[adjusterjack]

My question is what steps I would have to take to get my car back,

Buy it.

and if it would even BE possible to get it back without paying the outrageous price the mechanic is asking for it.

No.

What did you do to get your Dad so ticked off at you?

 

[xylene]

While everyone is wondering what you did, I'm wondering is your father always an abusive prick?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

There is clearly more to the story. I can't imagine anyone would pay for a tow to scrap the car if it was running. This could be a case of a broken down car sitting in Dad's yard and he was tired of it being there.

But maybe I'm just so chocked full of holiday spirit.

 

[xylene]

Why would a vehicle which was repaired and insured at the OP's expense and is now for sale at a car lot be presumed an inoperative junker?

 

[Zigner]

While everyone is wondering what you did, I'm wondering is your father always an abusive prick?

I dunno...maybe kiddo stole dad's coin collection that was worth $50k. Or, perhaps kiddo took the time to absolutely and utterly destroy the room in which he was staying.

I'm just pointing out that we don't have the whole story. (Yes, I'm late to the game in pointing it out...)

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Why would a vehicle which was repaired and insured at the OP's expense and is now for sale at a car lot be presumed an inoperative junker?

Why would we presume anything? Because the OP didn't tell us the whole story.

But here is a scenario that explains it. Junker left at father's house. Father got tired of it and called a tow truck. Tow truck guy decided it could be fixed and took it to his or someone else's shop and fixed it and is now selling it.

 

[LdiJ]

Why would we presume anything? Because the OP didn't tell us the whole story.

But here is a scenario that explains it. Junker left at father's house. Father got tired of it and called a tow truck. Tow truck guy decided it could be fixed and took it to his or someone else's shop and fixed it and is now selling it.

This is the most likely scenario since dad PAID the tow truck driver to take it to the scrap yard.

 

[quincy]

When I was 17, I purchased a vehicle, but it was put under my father's name. I fully paid for the car including insurance and repair costs. Once I turned 18, I got my own insurance (was under my parents before) and was going to switch the title to my name, but my dad said there was no need to. Fast forward, I was on vacation when my dad paid a towing company to take my car to the scrapyard. I had no idea about it and would never agree to it. The towing company didn't even tow my car to the scrapyard. Instead it's sitting in a different mechanic's lot right now, and it's for sale for WAY more than it's even worth.

My question is what steps I would have to take to get my car back, and if it would even BE possible to get it back without paying the outrageous price the mechanic is asking for it. I live in Minnesota.

How much time elapsed in your "fast forward?" Days? Months? Years?

 

[Sufou]

When I was 17, I purchased a vehicle, but it was put under my father's name. I fully paid for the car including insurance and repair costs. Once I turned 18, I got my own insurance (was under my parents before) and was going to switch the title to my name, but my dad said there was no need to. Fast forward, I was on vacation when my dad paid a towing company to take my car to the scrapyard. I had no idea about it and would never agree to it. The towing company didn't even tow my car to the scrapyard. Instead it's sitting in a different mechanic's lot right now, and it's for sale for WAY more than it's even worth.

My question is what steps I would have to take to get my car back, and if it would even BE possible to get it back without paying the outrageous price the mechanic is asking for it. I live in Minnesota.

Why was the Title in your Father's name? why did your dad even do that?

 

[adjusterjack]

Why was the Title in your Father's name? why did your dad even do that?

Two possibilities that I can think of. Both might apply but 2 is more likely.

1 - Nobody would sell a car to a minor because a minor is allowed to void his contracts.

2 - Having a car in his own name would require a separate insurance policy at a much higher cost. Adding the car to Dad's policy would require Dad to own it.

 

[LdiJ]

Two possibilities that I can think of. Both might apply but 2 is more likely.

1 - Nobody would sell a car to a minor because a minor is allowed to void his contracts.

2 - Having a car in his own name would require a separate insurance policy at a much higher cost. Adding the car to Dad's policy would require Dad to own it.

My daughter's first car was in my name, for both of the reasons you listed.

 

[Ohiogal]

My daughter's first car was in my name, for both of the reasons you listed.

Then it wasn't her car. Cars belong to the person on title.