So my disabled car was towed

[pyonir]

i called the company that towed it and they said in order for me to transfer the title over to them and them to take possession of the car, i have to pay the $107 for the storage fees of seven days. but if i don't go there and deal with it, they take possession of the vehicle anyway after 60 days (when they apply for a abandonment title or whatever it is called).

so my question is, if anyone can help me, if i just forget about it and let them take possession of the car (the engine is blown out, and i don't want anything out of it) am i liable for anything? I will have to pay a $50 fee from the DMV for the transfer of ownership or disposal anyway, so why should i also pay 107 to these guys if they are going to take possession of the car.

Anyone know if i am liable for anything if i just let them get a possession title after 60 days? (ask questions if you aren't clear by my confusing post).

TIA ATOT'ers!

 

[Ameesh]

why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off.

 

[pyonir]

<< why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off. >>


i would have to pay to get it out of the towing impound first. i'm not going to pay $107 to donate my car.

 

[Lucky]

<< why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off. >>





not all charities accepting non-running cars.

 

[N8Magic]

<<

<< why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off. >>


i would have to pay to get it out of the towing impound first. i'm not going to pay $107 to donate my car. >>



It's tax deductable! If they give you full book value for your car, you'll likely get more than $107.00 back from the government.

Then you don't have to worry about it either.

 

[Ameesh]

<<

<< why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off. >>





not all charities accepting non-running cars. >>



duh! but by your very statemnt you seem to acknowledge some do.

 

[Ameesh]

<<

<< why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off. >>


i would have to pay to get it out of the towing impound first. i'm not going to pay $107 to donate my car. >>



the write off will proabbaly be worth more then $107.



and how sis you let some random company tow your car away?

 

[Lucky]

<<

<<

<< why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off. >>





not all charities accepting non-running cars. >>



duh! but by your very statemnt you seem to acknowledge some do. >>




uh yeah, if they have a full time mechanic workign for them.

 

[bozo1]

Well, I did just that once. They did whatever they had to do to take possession of the abandoned vehicle and stuff then turned around and sued me for the storage fees and the fees that had to pay to transfer the title. I ended up having to pay anyway.

 

[pyonir]

<< Then you don't have to worry about it either. >>


you guys aren't answering my question. i don't want to donate it. i wouldn't have to worry about setting up a time when a charity would pick up my car. i work 9-6 m-f so i can't exaclty take time off to go do this. i won't have to worry about getting in touch with a charity and all that if i just leave it there and forget it.

all i want to know is if i am lible for anything if i just leave the car there.

 

[pyonir]

<< and how sis you let some random company tow your car away? >>


ummm if you leave your car on the side of the road for a day they tow it. the towing companies have contracts for different roadways here in AZ. i didn't "let", they "did".

 

[pyonir]

<< Well, I did just that once. They did whatever they had to do to take possession of the abandoned vehicle and stuff then turned around and sued me for the storage fees and the fees that had to pay to transfer the title. I ended up having to pay anyway. >>


that is what i wanted to know. i wonder if that is common or what. how much did you end up paying? and how long was the car left there?

 

[bozo1]

<< all i want to know is if i am lible for anything if i just leave the car there. >>


Yes you all. It's up to them if you want to pursue you further.

 

[bozo1]

This was like 13 years ago but I think it ended up being around $450. They ended up not charging me for the tow (thanks alot I guess) but charged me like $50 for the title transfer and the rest in storage fees. I think they had it for 4-6 weeks before they took ownership.

About 4 months later I got the notice from civil court that I was being sued so I just sent them a check and they dropped it.

 

[Thegonagle]

<< why wouldnt you donate it to some charity, they talk cars and give you a write off. >>

Because it died on the side of the road and it was impounded.

Just let them have it. It sounds like this car is worthless except to a junkyard anyway. They aren't likely to come after you. After they recieve their abandonment title, they can sell the car for scrap or at auction. That is how the yard recovers their losses from towing and storage. In other words, they will make money either way.

EDIT: It may be different for different places. I can get rid of a car at will by just letting my city take it and not picking it up. I've done it before.

 

[pyonir]

<< This was like 13 years ago but I think it ended up being around $450. They ended up not charging me for the tow (thanks alot I guess) but charged me like $50 for the title transfer and the rest in storage fees. I think they had it for 4-6 weeks before they took ownership.

About 4 months later I got the notice from civil court that I was being sued so I just sent them a check and they dropped it. >>


yeah they aren't going to charge for the tow. the city pays for that. that $50 is the abondon vehicle registration fee and title, so that gets paid to the state (so i suppose the state gets the money back for contracting the towing company). i didn't think they would sue, but i guess i can happen. i might as well pay the damn money and take my plates home. :|

Thanks a lot bozo1!

 

[pyonir]

<< They aren't likely to come after you. >>


LIKELY. that is the key word. i am going into law enforcement and i don't want anything to hang over my head like this....

 

[Thegonagle]

Call them and ask what will happen if you don't pick it up. Tell them you don't have a dime, up to five times if necessary. If they ask you to sign over the title, give it to them, they're making you a deal.

 

[SuperTool]

does the writeoff matter if you don't get above your standard deduction?
Supposedly I can write off my college loan interest, but since my itemized deductions are lower than my standard deductions, it doesn't help me at all.

 

[pyonir]

anyone else have experiences?

 

[slag]

Personally, if it were me, I'd raise hell. Did you authorize them to tow the car? Did they look up the car owner at city hall and call you before they towed it? I can see if the car was left there a week or so, but if it was 48 hours or less, I'd be very very pissed.

They took your property. how would they feel if you walked up to their tow truck and started taking things off it. After all, its on the road and just sitting there...

 

[db]

IF you do taxes on the long form where you do deductions, the true value to you would be whatever the tax rate is that you pay.
So if the car in it's current condition is worth $500 and your tax rate is 15% you'll get $75 in your pocket that you would have paid to Uncle Sam.