Call a notary or the DMV and see how much of a problem the title is in your state. PA is extremely strict on title issues. In PA, both parties have to be present, no if's, and's or but's. If you know a notary real well, he may circumvent the requirements, but thay usually have to really know and trust you. On the other hand, I bought a car in Ohio, and the seller only had a signed title, and there was no problem with me buying it. So the requirements differ greatly between states.