abandoned vehicle

[jruss]

I have an abandoned ford bronco II siting in my driveway. The tenant fled last month, vacated the property, skipping out on $4000 worth of rent. Guess he couldn't find his keys after packing his suitcase.
Can I get the title of the vehicle changed into my name at the DMV so I can sell it to recoup some costs? Can I take the VIN down to my local F#rd stealership and get a key cut? Or should I drag the thing around town park it illegally, get a parking citation, move it again, another citation, accruing citations against the guy on his record.
Any other creative forms of revenge are welcome here. Anybody want to buy a Bronco?

 

[Brett]

Burn it to the ground!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RockMonkey]

This looks like a good place to start:

http://www.landlord2landlord.com/newsletterdetail.aspx?newsid=102

 

[gijohn40]

do the right thing and get a lien on it and then after awhile sell it... I'm sure you can get some of the money back... the stealerships only have a key index for the past 10 years so unless the vehicle is a newer one your pretty much going to have to have a locksmith cut you a new key...

 

[ChestonScout]

I deal with abandoned cars quite a bit being in the foreclosure business. GENERALLY what we have to do is call the police. THey come out, get the VIN, mark a wheel then it has to sit for 2-3 weeks. They try to contact the owner. If it is still there in your 2-3 weeks then you have the right to try to tranfer the title. A lot of times you have to sit on it another month afterwards. It is a pain in the butt and every city and officer does it a little different but it sounds like you should try.

Good luck man!

 

[Bart]

IF you sell it my son needs a tranny out of one.

 

[Rusted]

My experience with it was kind of a pain. The tenants left a burnt S10 blazer in the driveway and they disappeared. The police said that it was not their problem and they would not move it, they checked and it was not reported as stolen. The tow companies told me that they would tow it, but they would require my visa card to do it, and they would charge me X amount per day to store it (even though it was not my car). The salvage yards could not take it without title. Getting a title was a pain and a long process.

It was hard to get rid of it the proper way, and sounded impossible to get any value out of it. So what I did was drag it out to the street (it never had license plates) and out of my way, within a few days it had a ticket on it, and about a week later the city hauled it off.

 

[JoeT]

Push it out on the street, report it abandoned.

 

[hambone]

most scrap metal places will take it with out a title if it is all cut into smaller parts so bust out the sawsall

 

[soda blaster]

Just file a mechanics lean on it and foreclose it. I would also do a people search on the internet to find the guy who stiffed you get him to sign the papers and get a judgment him.

 

[Kiel]

A bronco 2 is worth like 200 bucks Thats if its nice. Most of the guys I know will just call a private impound lot and they will tow it for free. Let them deal with it, unless it's worth it to you

 

[spaggyroe]

So what I did was drag it out to the street (it never had license plates) and out of my way, within a few days it had a ticket on it, and about a week later the city hauled it off.

That's what I'd do with it too.
You shouldn't have to be responsible for some deadbeats lack of responsibility.

 

[Medsker]

IF you sell it my son needs a tranny out of one.

If you are going to drag it out in the street you ought to sell the tranny first

 

[Bart]

If you are going to drag it out in the street you ought to sell the tranny first

Agreed. In fact we could drag it away for you. Just being helpful.

 

[UPNO4]

Sounds to me like Bart may have done it before

 

[BroncoMama]

Agreed. In fact we could drag it away for you. Just being helpful.

What a friend!!

 

[jruss]

I like the input here. I'll let you know if I need a tow/drag. I'm tempted to get a key made and go for a little joy ride. It looks like it might actually operate.

 

[PolarXJ]

You can actually claim it. It does take time and of course paper work.

Here are some of the documents that you need.

 

[Bart]

Sounds to me like Bart may have done it before

Nope, just being a good neighbor.

 

[PolarXJ]

Oh, it can't have a lien on it either. Unless you get them to sign it over to you.