buying a used car: getting the title for as little as possible

[seattle smitty]

I'm getting another temporary vehicle (very slowly working on a '81 720, which will probably be a keeper).  This one is a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan, in fairly good shape.  It would be a keeper if it wasn't so new, with efi and a computer, highly over-complicated, which I detest. But maybe it will hold up long enough for me to get the 720 going.  

The current owners are giving me the car (in trade for my having done a bunch of welding and re-wiring on their horse trailer. In trying to keep the cost of the title transfer down, how should they fill out the bill of sale?  If they write zero dollars (gift), how does the DMV calculate the value of the car?  Naturally I want to get it for "low-book," which is about $250, not letting the license agency see the car, but showing them a bill of sale with such expressions as "non-running," "old tires," "engine-check light flashing," "A/C non-working," and any other creative stuff I can think of.  Does anyone have advice on doing this?
 
I'm in King County, and will have to get emissions-checked (another reason to have old cars).  Anybody done this recently?  Last time i did, years ago, it cost $16 per sniff, and if you didn't pass on the second try, IIRC, you had to have a licensed shop work on it, another PITA.

[datzenmike]

Try...

 

As is

Parts car

Non running

Gift.... sometimes you can use this one time. You can gift to a family member. Say it's your step father

 

[bananahamuck]

If it was me i would go into a neighboring DOL ( one you don't intend using in case they say something crazy)  and run it by them what a gifted vehicle would run you before anything...

 

 If they write gift on bill of sale. you will only have to pay like $35. and if tags are current.  you wont have to purchase new ones or plates....  Was just gifted a 98 ford 1/2 ton a few months ago, and total was about $38.(?)  Make sure you don't have to be a relative to be gifted a car,  cuz that i don't know..

 

If it says gift on title anywhere it means it has been gifted before and it is no longer eligible to be gifted..

 

 

If they write anything under about $250. on bill of sale,, and vehicle is currently licensed,, they (license place) will most likely look up Blue book value and charge that,. no matter what you say is wrong with it.... You will also have to replace the current plates, and buy new tags,  even if tags are current.  On a $200. vehicle,  taxes, fees, tags. and plates,.  runs just under $200. in thurston county where i live...  i know King county tax rates are higher but about that price

 

I don't have any idea on emissions as we don't have to do that down here 

 

 

 

Your results may vary

 

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Edited December 6, 2018 by bananahamuck
the clap hurts everyone

[seattle smitty]

Taxes, fees, tags, and plates just under $200 for a $200 vehicle??!!  When I got my most recent beater for $250, I think all of that was about $90, IIRC  .  .  .  .   Well, I guess I'll find out next week, including about the gift aspect.  Thanks! 

[angliagt]

 

                        I've had a couple of cars given to me.I'd give the owner $1,

so that I could be honest when I said that I paid $1 for it.I'd also get a

bill of sale stating that.When I went to CA DMV,they charged me the lowest fees.

                            If you say that it was free,that's when DMV gets out the "Gold Book",

& bases the fees on that.It's usually a LOT more than you'd ever pay for it.