Waiting, waiting, waiting

How long do you think it should take to get the title for your new car processed and a tag issued?  I've been driving for over 40 years and bought numerous cars in Kentucky and Tennessee.  When I last bought a car from an individual owner I went to the courthouse and it took 15 minutes.  When in the past I've bought cars from dealers it never took more than a week.  It's been over three weeks and no title yet from my local Honda dealer for my new Crosstour.  Until that title is processed I don't legally own the darned thing, although they were speedy in cashing my check the next day, I noticed.

I bought the car on the 21nd of August and we signed the papers to transfer the tag from my old car.  Two days later the dealer called me and said that since they were running a little behind on processing the title paperwork (WHAT processing?  We signed all the papers, all they have to do is take it to the clerk's office and get it filed - the work is now the county clerk's business) they wanted to make out a temporary tag for my new car, in case I was pulled over for something.  In that instance if the tag was checked it would still say it belonged to a red Subaru, not a gray Honda, and they wanted to keep everything clear.  I think it also covers their butt, since the pending paper is in their hands.......

So I put the temporary tag on the car and left the permanent tag in the garage until the new title and registration are processed.  Now, 24 days later, still no paperwork. I called the dealership office and was informed that they were a little behind (a little?), the girl who does it is out sick, yadda yadda yadda, excuses galore, and I would get the title before the temporary tag runs out - which, by the way, is the 29th of September.  I would hope to goodness it wouldn't take two more weeks!

I didn't argue with the girl, although I surely felt like it.  In the first place, if they are overloaded with work, how about overtime, or temp employees, or shifting the duties of existing employees to get the work done?  (They had about 50 salesmen standing around.)  How about telling the customer upfront what the expected timeframe will be (although that would just make them mad - it made me mad.)  And does this reflect on how the whole dealership runs - would you have to wait for warranty service, or parts, or other customer assistance?  Are they that backlogged on everything?  Do they even care?  I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about them if they are this unresponsive about processing the title on a new car.

My husband commented if it takes very much longer we should involve our lawyer.  I'd love to scare the pants off the dealership with legal threats.