Claiming an abandoned 2000 in NYS

[Lalna_Rocks]

Recently some friends of mine came across an abandoned 2000 on an abandoned private property, a few years ago the house on the property was torn down hell, the shed the car was in got hit with a tree that missed the car by 1 foot, in New York. The laws to claiming an abandoned car are convoluted as to how a person would claim the car as their own. I do have to see the town supervisor in a few days and I am also asking them how we could claim the 2000 as our own, don't worry I am not going to tell him where it is. Has anyone here had to go through this before and would be willing to give us some advice so we can have the car as our own and not have it taken away by the cops?

[dbrick]

Tough one. I think finders keepers only applies to boats abandoned at sea. If it was abandoned on YOUR property, then you would have a claim. I think it has to start with the land owner.

[notoptoy]

Simple question, have you done the basic research to try to track down an owner or relative? Contact the DMV with the serial number and you may be able to put together a trail.

[jrusso07]

In NY,I am unaware of any method that allows you could to claim the vehicle as yours without the registered owner transferring it to you. Perhaps a copy of the registration is hiding in the car somewhere or there are documents of some sort with the owners name on them in the car...like insurance cards or a membership card?

As a much younger person, I was foolish enough to buy a Ford Pinto without a reg for $100 and could not get it transferred to me. And foolish enough to by a Ford Pinto....

[C.Costine]

Recently some friends of mine came across an abandoned 2000 on an abandoned private property, a few years ago the house on the property was torn down hell, the shed the car was in got hit with a tree that missed the car by 1 foot, in New York. The laws to claiming an abandoned car are convoluted as to how a person would claim the car as their own. I do have to see the town supervisor in a few days and I am also asking them how we could claim the 2000 as our own, don't worry I am not going to tell him where it is. Has anyone here had to go through this before and would be willing to give us some advice so we can have the car as our own and not have it taken away by the cops?

Here in NH that sort of thing is handled under a salvage title. Last I knew it involved reporting everything known to the DMV and advertising in local publications as "found".

[19692000survivor]

It should be as easier to find out who owns the property itself.
Next question for the property owner would be if they would be willing to sell the car or just let you haul it off (for scrap) offer a couple of hundred dollars for it . Chances are by your description the property owner owes back taxes by your description and the city already has it.
Either way you need the vin # to make sure its not stolen before hauling it home only to loose it later.
What year is it? Is it in tact or ?
Rick

[Lalna_Rocks]

It should be as easier to find out who owns the property itself.
Next question for the property owner would be if they would be willing to sell the car or just let you haul it off (for scrap) offer a couple of hundred dollars for it . Chances are by your description the property owner owes back taxes by your description and the city already has it.
Either way you need the vin # to make sure its not stolen before hauling it home only to loose it later.
What year is it? Is it in tact or ?
Rick

I do not know what year it is but the car is intact and has some body rust most notably on the rear and hood. The keys were also supposedly left in the car. I also read up on NYS abandoned car laws and the car must fit the following criteria in order to be scrapped and never get a title again (DMV-37):
1. The Car must have a wholesale value of less than$1,250
2. And is 10 years or older
3. And has been abandoned for at least a month

Now the issue the state is going to have with scrapping the 2000, is that it is not worth less than $1,250 as a stripped down project version, in a similar if not slightly worse condition, was sold on BringATrailer for $3,800 very recently, more like 2 days ago.(https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1969- ... oadster-8/)

Another thing to note is that the original owner may have died on the property and their family never got the car as no one checked the shed it was stored in. That would also explain why the house was torn down as no one sold it after the original owner may have died.

[2mAn]

Let them determine the value of the car. If it looks rundown enough you could be fine. Bring a Trailer could be argued isnt a valid assessment of value because it was an auction.

I know some states will issue a title after 3 years of "claiming ownership" essentially giving the PO the opportunity to claim the car in that time frame. I would continue to do research and work with a single person at the local DMV office. Show that you are trying to do whatever you can to legally claim the vehicle and always work with the same person so the information stays consistent

[GeoffM]

I would look at it this way: It's not abandoned if it's on private property. I'd pursue the property owner as mentioned.

[redroadster]

Yes as some already said , here the property owner can submit a request to title the vehicle in his /her name , As I believe they would have to do that then sell it to you .
I went through this with a old boat &motor in 12 .
The license dept ,stated the previous owner had to title it in this state 1st, then I could own it , legally

But you can go thru muni . court and the judge can award it to you , it cost s $$$ ,my sellers would not title in their name , even if I payed the fees , I told them about the courts being involved , changed their minds (2 brothers) in an instant.

[C.Costine]

After thinking about this a little more, you found someone's private property while trespassing on private property. You are making a very big assumption that it is abandoned. It may be already sold and just awaiting the transporter. What you are trying to do is to legalize a theft, and make it look like good fortune.

[AC77]

Yeah, seems sketchy.

[dbrick]

After thinking about this a little more, you found someone's private property while trespassing on private property. You are making a very big assumption that it is abandoned. It may be already sold and just awaiting the transporter. What you are trying to do is to legalize a theft, and make it look like good fortune.

Have to agree with that one. If you don't own the building, then you have no claim on what's in it. If the car was abandoned on the property, after whatever required time elapses, property owner usually owns it. If the property was then sold with the car on it, then car goes with it.

Defiantly stay away from my house and Carl's, whole damn fleet of lawn tractors, minibikes, trikes, golf carts, go-karts and boat trailers just waiting to be "rescued"!

Assuming you do own the property,
I think the DMV 37 thing you quoted allows a property owner to scrap an old junk car,essentially taking possession to dispose of it without obtaining legal title, but I doubt he could get title and fix it up and drive it.
For a newer car with higher value, I'm sure there is another set of rules to obtain clear title.

[theunz]

Somebody owns that property and anything that's on it. Whether it's the original property owner, a bank which has repossessed, or a government entity which has seized the property for any number of reasons. As mentioned previously, seek out the current owner or administrator of said property and deal with them.