How do I get rid of a car on my property?

If you can get it out to the street, you can call the city and complain about it being an abandoned vehicle. If it remains on your property, it is your responsibility to have it towed/junked.

I was going to say call Goodwill - I donated a car to them several years ago - HOWEVER, that would only work if you had ownership of the car in your name and could transfer title to Goodwill.

Maybe one of the towing companies could come take it off your hands?

If it can be declared an "abandoned junk motor vehicle," it's not your problem anymore.

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4513.63

You may want to contact a free legal aid person or perhaps the local bar association to find an attorney whom you can ask a couple of questions about your situation without being charged or for very little cash. Explain the situation--you agreed to stow the car, it's been 8 years, owner stopped responding to message, you don't have title, key, or current plates, etc, and now you want the thing gone because the friendship is essentially terminated.

Try to find out if there is a simple, low-or-no cost procedure for getting the car declared legally your property due to the circumstances/virtual abandonment on your land; then, you may dispose of it as you wish. At the very least, you could sell it for scrap parts and make some money from your storage generosity.

You'll also have all the paperwork in order in case your "friend" comes back and demands the car. He sounds like just the kind of flake/user who would sue you for selling "his" car. Just have your ducks in a row in case you have to go in front of a small claims judge.

Good find, brainswell. My only concern is that apophistoledo willingly agreed to store the car (albeit in vague terms of the amount of time, being misled by the car's owner). If apophistoledo acknowledges to the city that he agreed to store it, they might not let him off the hook for towing fees, since it could be argued that he was complicit in the abandonment.

Even if the car is locked and in park, it only takes a few strong dudes to lift it off the ground enough to get the non-drive wheels rolling (assuming the parking brake is not on). I remember in high school pranking a friend by lifting his car from the curb (with the help of a few co-conspirators) and placing it on his front lawn. The four of us kind of zig-zag moved it 3-4 feet at a time (front end, back end, front end, back end) until the act of punkery was achieved.

Oh, and then there is the "chain it to a pickup with a V-8 and dragging it" method. Not as pretty, but just as effective, especially if you spread something on the driveway to reduce friction, like gravel.

And if you choose the less-than-legal methods above, be sure to clean off some of the accumulated years of dust, which might punch holes in the "lookee here, an abandoned car just showed up" story.

:-)

sell it to someone in the lemons race. They will take it apart so that no one can ever tell where it was from: http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/

What is the make, year, and model?

Just ebay each part till it's all gone...

Send a registered letter to the owner and tell him he has until a certain date to remove the vehicle, or you will have it towed. That way, you can show that you exhausted all your options to have the owner remove it from your property in case the owner wants to sue you later when you get rid of it.

Many lawyers will give you a free consultation for the first 15-30 minutes. I would get advise from a lawyer, just to cover my ass, before I do anything. It could be a case that is simpler than you think.

Contact me and I'll remove it. Problem solved. What year, make and model is it?

I need a new car! Get a clear title on it and let's make a deal!

I'd find a way to move it to the street, and then I'd call the cops about it a few days later. Jimmy the lock if you can't open it otherwise; moving the car in Neutral is a lot easier.

Drag it to the nearest fire hydrant.

If you don't care about it, like I and several others said, plenty of people will take it off your hands.

If you are worried about it, I believe you need to get the V.I.N., contact the motor vehicle department. The procedure includes sending a letter to the registered owner of record. Once a certain time has passed, you can apply for a duplicate title in your name. That's a slightly lengthy time period and a little cost involved, but at least you can say, "I tried".

Either way, there are options. Don't feel like it'll be stuck there forever as it has been. lol

What the hell kind of friend is this person!?? To leave a car for 8yrs in someones garage?? I would be tempted to tow it some place and torch it!

If you can get it started I suggest you take it out and drive it like you stole it.

Of course, if you want to avoid future legal problems including criminal charges, you'll want to consult with an attorney who will likely suggest a plan similar to the plan HockeyFan suggested. You see, when you agreed to allow the car to be stored on your property, you assumed a certain amount of liability for the well being of the car. That being the case, I'd CYA were I in your position.

And hey, who knows? Maybe you can sue the SOB for storage fees one way or another.

You know, this is a real good time for TheAssHoleLawyer to jump in...

You see, when you agreed to allow the car to be stored on your property, you assumed a certain amount of liability for the well being of the car.

So drag it into the street. No more agreement. Nothing to prove.

We had a friend who tried something like that with some personal property. She treated our garage like a storage unit, and then didn't respond to our communications since she owed us money. So we just got rid of the stuff. She eventually came back and tried to say she'd sue for our "illegal" dispensation of her property, but she didn't get anywhere with that, since it was "he-said she-said". Abandoned property can simply be dispensed with. A car is slightly different, since there's a title involved, but then you just drag it into the street, wait, and then call the cops.

I have another situation like before, with a pile of personal property being stored here by a person who now refuses to make contact since he owes me money. I can just seize the property and do with it whatever I like (except to compromise his personal information). Landed property rights trump personal property rights.

For those who think I'm an ass, I'm in contact with the man's family and will be dispensing with the property through them. I'm not a heartless fiend. But I do know my rights.

I sent the guy a message last night indicating that if I did not have a firm removal date by 10am Monday morning I will be starting the process of seizing the car as abandoned. Figure if a threat doesn't get a reaction then I will indeed be following the advice of people on here. If a lawyer advises me to, or the DMV requires a registered letter be sent then I guess I will have to go that route. But the temptation to go a less savory route is calling to me.

As an FYI, it is I believe a 1987 full size suburban, could be as late as an '89 but I don't recall right off.

And RockChick, the idea has crossed my mind. Torch the garage and the car with it (maybe leave my old business records in the garage at the same time too).

Jeezus--you stored a Suburban for this guy--free--for 8 years?!?!?!

Call the pope, you might be in line for sainthood! :)

I agree that 8 years is really far too long. Apophis, in all candor, maybe you're a little bit too gullible. O_o

Good luck with your efforts anyway. Keep us updated. This story does sound like useful information.

Full sized suburban? I'm definately interested. I'll yank that puppy out of there and remove it a.s.a.p.

Heh - my earlier advice about lifting/dragging the vehicle might not apply with a Suburban: you could be looking at 6000 pounds or so. That would be a lot of beefy fellers.

As others have suggested, part it out. Options are Craig's List where you can make a few bucks, or there is FreeCycle. You won't make anything of course, but Freecyclers will strip that thing faster than a dead cow in a prianha infested river.

"...strip that thing faster than a dead cow in a prianha infested river." Great line, holland.

...strip that thing faster than a dead cow in a piranha infested river.

Nice one!

So you allowed a 'friend' to store a Suburban, the largest road whale made in the good old US of A, inside your garage for eight years? Eight?

Here's a tip. Seize the beast legally, then cut a deal with HockeyFan to tow the thing away and part it out. If it's got four wheel drive the transfer case will be worth a few bucks. Ditto with the glass and seats. Then, depending on the mileage and shape, the engine and transmission are valuable.

Ask HockeyFan to give you an invoice for towing, then sue the idiot for towing and storage.

Eight years. I don't believe it.