Drama with the BMV- part I

I bought my car in 2006 from a private individual and I knew it had been wrecked and fixed. I'm still making payments on the car to this woman, who is known to be a bitch. But I needed a car, she and her hubby had one and I could afford the payments.

When I bought the car from them, we put my name and theirs on the title, which she held since I was paying for it- makes sense to me. I also knew it was wrecked and fixed, therefore it has a "salvage title" according to the BMV.

The bitchy woman was a pain in the ass when I was trying to plate my car when I lived in the Wild West. Finally that that state just issued me an emergency title that was good for one year and if she wouldn't send the title to the county the next year, the car would have to sit. (She didn't want to mail it to the Wild West because I guess she thought they would give it to me rather than mail it back.)

Now I'm here in Civilization and need to plate my car. So I went to the BMV who said I had to send a form to the Bitchy woman and have her send the title to them. I told them what happened last time and they thought maybe it was worth the try since it didn't have to leave the state. I thought it was worth a shot. But as the BMV lady dug a little deeper in the computer she found a copy of the title and thought I might not have to have the real thing. She starts clicking away and is positive and enthusiastic about me being titled and plated today.

Until the screen turns red and blanks out and then gives a huge "warning" message, red alert, Code Blue- we were at a halt and there was no plating to be done. Because somewhere along the way, the proper papers were never given to the BMV that support the salvage title. And the system red flagged it and now... well, let's say the choices aren't pretty at this point. I can

1) call the Bitchy woman and get copies of all the receipts that show the repair work was done. And a picture of the car after it was wrecked before it was fixed. And a letter from the mechanic who fixed it, stating it's road safe. And then I need to have a police officer sign a BMV form stating that the VIN number is accurate.

Now, option 1...yeah- so all the repair work was done about 4 years ago!!! Who in the world would have copies of the repair receipts- and I would have to call the Bitchy woman to see if she has the receipts. And the mechanic who did the work is DEAD now. So, option 1 has lots of problems.

2) I can NOT drive my car and let it sit and not ever be plated because according to the paperwork, my car is a piece of junk and can't be driven, so there it would have to sit. Forever.

Now, option 2... I need my car. Hello?!? And it's not a piece of junk. The only thing wrong is some discolored paint on a door and the power lock on the driver side doesn't work. I've driven that car across the country and back. I've been all over the Midwest and my home state. I've put over 50,000 miles on the car myself and it's all GOOD! My car is NOT junk!

I have to go back to the BMV tomorrow morning. Apparently they have an option 3.

I'm tired,
Maggie