Car left at airport

ebv8 · 10-10-2013, 03:47 PM

picked up some friends from the airport last week and found an XH ute parked up and covered in dust with various dates marked in the dust dating back a year or so
car has company logos and a phone number linked to a business, not sure if i should call it up and see if they will give it away

the ute would be worth $2000 at least but i guess the owner would have to sign it over and the airport would have to release it as its probably got $1000's worth of parking fees attached so probably not worth it

ebv8 · 10-10-2013, 03:53 PM

just looked up fees
if the car was left there 365 days the fee will be about $7700...
you never know they might just want it taken away for free?

xxx000 · 10-10-2013, 04:04 PM

there are regular auctions of cars left at airport car parks

as you state fees on it already would make it too expensive to get any other way

Trevor 57 · 10-10-2013, 04:15 PM

People from overseas buy them cheap and drive them around while they are here then abandon them at airports when they fly home, it happens all over the world

ebv8 · 10-10-2013, 04:37 PM

this is a company car though

DBourne · 10-10-2013, 04:46 PM

Could of been stolen from their premises..

wrongwaynorris · 11-10-2013, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

People from overseas buy them cheap and drive them around while they are here then abandon them at airports when they fly home, it happens all over the world

We did this in Texas back in the 90's , it was cheaper for us to buy a cheap car than rent one . In the days before we left we had signs on the car FREE to anyone who wants it , on the way to the airport every set of lights we pulled up at we asked people around us if they wanted a free car . We got a LOT of bemused looks and no doubt a lot of people saying to themselves goddamn weird Aussies ( Ossies ) . When we got to Peoria we rang several car yards in Dallas and told them there was a free car in the airport carpark and all they had to do was pay the parking fee , most laughed at us . Hey we tried .

Trevor 57 · 11-10-2013, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebv8

this is a company car though

Just coz it has stickers on it doesn't mean the company still owns it

xxx000 · 11-10-2013, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

Just coz it has stickers on it doesn't mean the company still owns it

exactly

BLUEYBA · 11-10-2013, 07:30 AM

whats the harm in asking the question to the airport. They just might surprise you and say take it away. if they don't and want some crazy cost for parking charges then don't worry. I think they would rather take something than nothing.

xxx000 · 11-10-2013, 08:02 AM

there's a legal process that has to occur, they can't just say yeah take that car that was left here ages ago, the potential legal issues are enormous for them if they chose to circumvent that process

as i stated prev there are regular auctions of abandoned cars from airport carparks

SPArKy_Dave · 12-10-2013, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxx000

as i stated prev there are regular auctions of abandoned cars from airport carparks

Never seen one advertised anywhere..... link?

Morexbs · 12-10-2013, 01:00 PM

xxx000 is correct.
There is a legal process that has to be followed.If the car park operator deems the vehicle to be abandoned they can start the disposal process.The first thing they do is a PPSR check to see if there is any finance owing on the car and,if so,they notify the finance company to see if they want the car.If the car park fees are less than what the car is worth the finance company will pick the car up.If the finance company doesn't want the car they will either remove the encumbrance to allow the car to be disposed of or do nothing and the car will just sit there.Most cars that get abandoned at airport car parks that are actually worth anything will be under finance.The rest will be $100 shtheaps that a backpacker would even touch.
In Melbourne the cars end up at Pickles Tullamarine in the salvage auction.Depending on the car park's policy and the efficiency of their staff a car could sit there for years before it finally gets sold.
As for the car park accepting "something rather than nothing" for the car,it won't happen.If you're the owner and want the car back,you either pay the fees or walk home.Most of these car parks now have number plate recognition technology so the old lost ticket trick doesn't work any more.If you're not the owner the only way to get it will be to buy it at auction or steal it.

2011G6E · 12-10-2013, 01:10 PM

I remember seeing somewhere the number of cars abandoned at various large airports around the world...at big ones like LAX or JFK in the United States it was in the hundreds a month.

They say at airports like Brisbane and Sydney that backpackers are one of the biggest culprits...if they buy a cheap car or camper and are going back home they just dump it in the parking areas and leave it there.

Dusty1 · 13-10-2013, 09:51 PM

I've been to Flinders Island. Down there, the airport carpark is the opposite, filled with cars that people have either bought or shipped over. They simply leave them in the carpark when they fly out, and they are there when they fly back in for holidays.

The mechanic down there will also take the keys from the 'hiding spot' and service/repair it and return it to the carpark so it is nice and fresh for your arrival.