Do you really own your car?

Do you really own your car? (Originally posted at MartialTalk 11-07-2008)

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Found something interesting.

I've always thought that I owned my cars. Seems that I was wrong.

I bought em, and eventually got a "Certificate of Title" from the state.

I'm now reading that this "Certificate of Title" only lets me operate the car, not actually own it.

Here's a bits on it.

Quote:

The certificate of title is a piece of paper that only represents the title of the car. Each car that is manufactured has an MCO, or “manufacturer’s certificate of origin,” that is the true title for the car. Because most cars are purchased on a payment plan, the dealer sends the MCO to the state agency that controls the registration of vehicles. The MCO is microfilmed and then shredded to make it much more difficult for you to obtain the actual title.

Supposedly, this MSO or “manufacturer’s certificate of origin” is the true title to the vehicle. You don't get that, the state does.

Quote:

you dont OWN your car if you live in the U.S A. you own the RIGHT to posess and drive it you pay for that right each and every year above and beyond the purchase price the MSO you seek is purposely not issued and even if it is you will have to surrender it to the state in which you register the vehicle in essence GIVING UP ownership to the state

A rather LONG! read of 8 months worth or exchanges between someone and the Missouri Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Bureau on this matter seems to indicate that you do not need to register, license, etc your car until you apply for a title and surrender the MSO to the state.

A shorter bit is at http://www.hiddenmysteries.org/consp...ps/titles.html

Quote:

Tennessee Department of Revenue Operations Supervisor, Denise Rottero, told Judge Greer how Tennessee's (and EVERY OTHER STATE'S) auto registration process works. The process begins with the "surrender" of the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) by the auto dealer to the Department of Revenue in exchange for a Certificate of Title. Asked if a Manufacturer's Statement of Origin is proof of ownership, legal title to the automobile, Ms. Rottero said, "Yes". "Are you telling me that ownership of an automobile must be surrendered to the State before it can be registered?" she was asked. "Surrender title, yes'" Rottero said. The certificate of title to your automobile is NOT title, it's merely evidence that title exists. Your car's legal TITLE is the MSO, which the dealer surrendered to the State. Ms. Rottero said the MSO is put on microfilm for permanent keeping, the original is destroyed. After the trial, spectators expressed shock that their personal automobiles were actually owned by the state.

I'm finding more on this, but curious on what others think.