Purchasing a car from a private seller. Nightmare.

Are you trying to get out of the purchase ore will you keep it? If you want to keep it, go transfer the title and see if it's a problem. No point in guessing. I am in PA and bought my Duster with a third party out of state name on title . Transferred with no problem. I did that IMMEDIATELY, before spending a dime fixing the car in case there was a problem.