There is a 87 300TD that appears to be broken down or abandoned in my neck of the woods. It's been in the same spot for at least a week (not in front of a house) and is collecting quite a few flyers, dirt, etc. I have the feeling it is broken down and the owner either hasn't had the time/money to repair it or has left it (I doubt it, but a guy can hope can't he?).

I called the local police but they sadly informed me that abandoned vehicles that are collected by the city police are taken to an impound yard, then eventually sold at auction. There is no such thing as "claiming" a vehicle, if the owner were to truly abandon it, or a "waiting list" as I was hoping there would be.

Anyone ever go through this process, perhaps tracking down the owner through a license/vin search? What's it like?

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

That is a state to state thing. You should be able to spend some $$$ and track down the PO

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1987 300D Sturmmachine
1991 300D Nearly Perfect
2000 VW eurovan FOR SALE
1985 300D car, sold and missed.
OBK #42

PM me the VIN and you can contact the owner - maybe a pre-city collection can be made

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BENZ THERE DONE THAT
12 VW Bora TDI
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)
***I dont subscribe to threads to much email******

What were there, 1850 or so '87 W124 TDs made for the US? This one makes 5 that I know of in the Austin area.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I don't know how it works in Texas but in Arizona if the car is abandoned on private property you can apply for an abandoned vehicle title.

On public property the vehicle is impounded and becomes public property. As odd as that sounds it is how it works.

You pay a $10 fee, the local police come out and do a stolen vehicle check and the Department of Motor Vehicles does a registration check. If they find a current owner they send a notice to them informing them of the abandonment status. They inform you and you have the option of filing a mechanic's lien on the vehicle. If they don't respond within 90 days you are issued an "abandonment" title.

However, if the vehicle mysteriously "rolls" onto private property and the owner notices it missing, they can charge you with auto theft and the local police comes out, impounds the car, fits you with wrist bangles and gives you a chaffuered ride to the public holding station of their choice.

Be sure the car IS abandoned!

Yup

(does that include the repairable one with frontend damage at the shop/wrecker in the north?)

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Well yeah, what kind of guy to you think I am?

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

I'm not accusing you of anything or even making implications.

I just went through this scenario last year. A friend of mine bought some property and discovered an abandoned 'Benz in a shed. He was going to scrap it but remembered I liked them. He dropped it off at my house and I went through the abandoned vehicle trip. The officer who came out to do the inspection informed me of the possibility of the stolen car problem. I was sweating for a couple of months until the owner search went through. I'll never do that again.

You mean that 1/308th of the US W124 300TD population is here?

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Pull up with a flat bed, winch it on, and its yours!


I'd try to contact the owner and see if they will sell it to you.

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2005 Chevy Silverado, white on black.

"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it."
— John Adams

just talked to the owner, it's broke and for sale. he didn't name a price, but it either has a blown head gasket or warped head so it better be cheap.

hope I can get it.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

$100!

The car is sitting on the side of the road and about to be impounded in a very expensive manner by the city. The currant owner doesn't have much room. If he had any money it would have been towed long ago.

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2005 Chevy Silverado, white on black.

"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it."
— John Adams

That's clever...it's also called auto theft.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

In most states, you CAN claim an abandoned vehicle but only if it's on your property. So the side of the highway doesn't count.

If he doesn't even have the cash to have his car towed, offer him $100 for it and I'm sure he'll take it. He doesn't have any other options.

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'97 E300 Diesel (daily driver)
'87 Porsche 911 (track car)
'02 Porsche 911 (weekend toy)

I have been told that if someone crashes their vehicle on to your property, and does damage to your property, you can somehow "hold" the vehicle until they pay for the damage. This includes the contents of the car. Not sure how that would work but I suspect it has to involve a police impound to be legal.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles