Making Sure The Lien is Clean On Your Next Vehicle

A clean title is one term a consumer should look for when shopping for a used vehicle. It shows that a vehicle is ready for resale, with no concerns about lapses in ownership or prior condition. What about a “clean lien”? Isn’t that the same thing?

A lien is tied to a title through the lender financing the vehicle; the vehicle is collateral for the loan. That means the vehicle’s owner is still liable for the payment. Before you purchase a used vehicle, you have to make sure that there is no lien on it. That could cause hassles when it comes to titling it.

There are two types of liens – voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary states that it has a current loan with a lender – banks, credit unions, or a manufacturer. An involuntary one is not that common. It means that a lien has been filed by a repair shop, a tax authority, or a lawsuit. They are usually hidden from the consumer, but they are still shown on the motor vehicle records, no matter how many times they have changed hands.

Any liens on a vehicle will show up on a record from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles or another state’s equivalent. Titles may be on paper or available electronically. You should have access to it prior to the purchase of that used vehicle.

What if the lien has been missed? That could either delay or abort the purchase transaction. The worst-case scenario is that you would have to assume the lien towards paying off the debt on a used vehicle. You really want to avoid that.

How do you make sure that the title is clean on the vehicle you are looking at? If you have the vehicle identification number, you can plug that into the Ohio BMV Title Search database. If that comes up with nothing, you can try the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System or a report from CARFAX or AutoCheck.

If you want to read more about dealing with liens, check out this article on the iSeeCars website.

Another sure way to know whether there are any liens on the vehicle you are looking at is to check our used inventory of cars, trucks, and SUVs at Barry’s Chevrolet. Our Finance and Insurance staff have access to the information you need to determine whether a used vehicle has a clean title.

Your used vehicle purchase experience should be stress-free, honest, and upfront. If you have any questions, contact us at Barry’s Chevrolet. We are here to assist you with your next vehicle purchase.