like the title says...
i live in Illinois

i want to buy this car (its a 2004), the owner is still paying it off. I am getting a loan to pay for the car. how do i go about this? who do i pay? owner or lien holder? if someone can explain the whole process, that would be great!!

thanks

I'm no banker, but You would probably give your money to whoever gave you the loan for the car, ie., bank, credit union, friend. Now, the lein is a different story because I know leins are placed directly on materialistic belongings. Would that transfer into money if you were to start paying for the car? I don't know. I would get in contact with your bank and find out how that works. You don't want a lein on any record of yours. Maybe someone else knows exactly how this works.

if the lien holder is a bank you would go to the bank with him and pay the bank to get the lien released and have the seller sign a transfer of title at the same time. if he has the pink and someone has a lien on the car that is different. you will have to have the lien holder release his lien at the courthouse.