Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:44:44 -0700
Reply-To: Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject: Re: Is this for real?
In-Reply-To: <4d1b79350907201514v45fdae1dwf802a289908c5@mail.gmail.com>
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There are a lot of ways that could happen that don't involve any
skullduggery on the part of the authorities. If they impounded them, for
whatever reason (say as evidence, or even just SOP), and nobody paid to
release them they would eventually be liened and sold- just as it would if
say it was impounded after a DUI.
If they were the property of other people that were using the guy for a
mechanic it would suck for them, but I guess that's what you get for putting
yourself in that position.
In CA there's a process for notifying the last registered owner before the
vehicle is released for the lien sale (involving proof of mailings, etc),
and I believe a 45-day waiting period, so they would have had their chance
to reclaim them.
How much it would have cost (at $45/day for impound + towing, etc) is
another issue. I've seen a lot of cases where it was cheaper to replace the
vehicle than pay the fines/fees.
Cya,
Robert
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jim Felder
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 3:14 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Is this for real?
I see an ebay at for a pretty trashed looking westy in Escondido, CA
(it's 220454932586 if you just have to). Here's what the description
says:
"This car was impounded by the police, paperwork applied to the DMV
and is ready to be sold . Clear title on hand. PLEASE SERIOUS BUYERS
ONLY. The title is clean and there are no storage fees of any kind
for the new owner.
You are looking at a 1982 DIESEL van. please look at the pictures
and feel free to ask me any questions you may have. I will call this
van a project van. This van was impounded from a house along with 3
other vans just like it and 4 other volkswagens. They were running an
illegal mechanic shop out of the house. All the paper work is straight
and has a clean title. The van has a dead battery but starts and
sounds good when you jump start it. there is a few minor dents here
and there (nothing major) I didn't drive it on the road because the
brake fluid container is broken so there's no brakes. I drove it in
first gear around the yard and it moved forward and in reverse. all
tires have really good thread but don't know how old they are. all the
glass is there and all the doors open. The sliding door only opens
from the inside. ZERO rust visible.
This van will make an excellent project for any volkswagen lover or
will be an excelent part donor."
OK, they were running an illegal mechanic shop out of the house. So
that gives the town/state the right to confiscate all the Vanagons and
other VWs and sell them on ebay?
Not around here.
Jim
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