Recovering an abandoned vehicle

[green71]

Hey gang,

Have any of you had any experience with claiming an abandoned vehicle? I recently found a 914 sitting in a vacant lot. From the looks of it, I'd say the car owner & lot owner are not the same person. It looks like it was pushed there & left for good; I'd guess it's been there a couple of months: smashed windshield, flat tire, dusty/dirty, leaves & crud inside the engine compartment. It also looks like it's being systematically stripped. Conspicuously missing:

Driver's side exterior door handle
Fog lights (wires are dangling out)
Interior light (wires are dangling out)
Door panels
Window cranks
Driver's side interior door handle
Dash knobs/switches

Anyway, this car would make a great parts car for my own 914. It might even be worth restoring as a driver as it has very little rust. I'd like to get my hands on it.

Have any of you sought to claim an abandoned vehicle before? What hoops did you have to jump? Any info would be great.

Thanks,

Mark

[tracer]

Am not real sure, get the vin number and license plate if it is still there and head down to the local DMV. They will be able to tell you what hoops to jump in.

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Thanks,

Brian
'74 1.8L in resto

[green71]

Brian,

I thought so, too. I called the DMV with the VIN (there are no license plates) but they wouldn't release any info to me. The Right to Privacy Act (which I support) doomed this effort.

Mark

[JP Noonan]

Most states have a "mechanics lein" law. What it states is that if you paint someones house, fix their car, etc. you can but a lein agaist their physical property to the amount that is owed. On cars this usally means that the mechanic spent time and money on the parts and labour then the owner can't or won't pay $xxx. So the mechanic can hold the car until he is paided. He can also charge a storage fee... As the parts+labor+storage approach the estimated value of the car he can sell the car. IF he gets more than is legally owned him he must turn over the remainder to the owner.

In your case talk to a local garage or tow yard, see what the laws are. Most cities have zoning laws against vehicles with no tags. It may be a mess but have the city tow the car and then buy it from the towing company.

If you don't own the property and haven't paided for storage or towing of the car you probably can't put a lein on it. I would caution against "snaging" the car and taking it home then charging storage because if the car was stolen you will get arrested.

I'm not a lawyer, and wasn't a very good student either, so maybe talk to a traffic law firm. Free advice is worth what you pay for.

[green71]

A trip to the Land Records Division today revealed that the lot the car sits on belongs to the city. I went back to the location to compare the plat with the streets/lots, and it seems that the car is parked on a vacant lot where the plat indicates a street. A local resident confirmed this. Interestingly, in the middle of the grassy lot there's a street sign: DEAD END.

He also told me that the car appeared about a week ago & that they think it was stolen. Whatever the case, I believe my next move will be to call the police & have it towed. Even if the owner wants it back, it does look like it's being stripped. A $75 towing fee is less expensive than new lenses all the way around!

I'll also tell the police that if the owner doesn't want it, I do.

I'll keep ya posted,

Mark

[green71]

Erk.

Well, I called the authorities. They said they'd go check it out, wait 48hrs & then have it towed by the next wrecking yard or towing company on their rotation list.

The towing company will then attempt to find the owner. If within a certain time period the towing company hasn't found the owner or if the owner doesn't want the vehicle, the towing company keeps the car. At their option, they may auction the car or part it out. The police said there is no specific procedure by which a "finder" may be a "keeper."

Anyway, I'll call the police in a couple of days to find out where the car wound up. I'll contact the wrecker and make my pitch for the car if no owner is forthcoming. Meanwhile, a friend of mine MIGHT be able to run the VIN at the DMV to locate the owner. If so, I may try to contact the owner & make an offer, bypassing the police and wrecker altogether.

Things ain't lookin' too good, but all I can do is try!

Thanks,

Mark

[green71]

Final chapter:

On a joy ride last night I drove by the empty lot & the abandoned 914 was gone.

Called the authorities this morning. They said their patrol car hadn't even been out to see it yet. They hadn't towed it.

My guess is either the owner came back to collect it from where it quit, or it was (re)stolen.

These cars are heartbreakers. *sniff*

Mark