I would drive the car until it falls apart and not remind anyone else of its existence.

If the title was (is) in two names, likely they would have been joint tenants, in which case the car legally belongs to the father. Even if they held the title some other way, the father probably inherited the car. So, the father would be the legal owner, 95% likely. If he's in Costa Rica for good, he probably doesn't care about the car, and Mr. Stone's idea sounds perfectly fair as an exchange for the free rent, payments made, etc.

If you want to actually be legal, you could file for a lien sale on the car. The DMV very likely would grant it. Go to any local DMV, and request the documents.

Technically speaking, the car would still be owned by the father either because the pink slip is in the father’s name as well or since the bf died, the father, who is co-named in the pink slip, probably inherited all or part of the car. To make matters wholly legal, you can either file for a lien sale on the car and ask assistance from the DMV or send the pink slip to the father and request that he execute a deed of absolute sale in your name. Otherwise, since no one is actually claiming, you can just use it until the car becomes valueless.

We understand your situation and we believe that your case should be given a more thorough evaluation in order to be sure that you get the maximum relief, granted your situation. Accordingly, we would be willing to discuss your case and give you a free consultation to make sure that you are aware of all the important facts surrounding your case, as well as all your legal options to pursue your claim. Feel free to call us at (310) 826-6300. You may also visit our website at the quick http://www.mesrianilaw.com for our firm’s background information.