unclaimed and abandoned cars whats everyone do with them?

[TowZone]

05-11-06: Talmon said,

The junk cars no one ever picks up, what does everyone here do with them, its a big problem here in TN, i get at least 4 or 5 a month at least, you get very little return on scraping them out when you figure your time and 2 tows, fuel prices, tire disposal. gas tank removal, I know some sell easy but what about a ford tempo or a ford aerostar van, or a dodge 600 or a pontiac 6000 you couldn't sell anything off of them, scrap prices finally went up to $6 a 100 for whole cars, its not very profitable, every time i load one up and drive 25 miles to the scrap yard i always miss a police call, that's another loss, there isn't a junk yard for 30 miles so that isn't an option either, the recycling yard is about to get shut down by the epa, then the closest would be 90 miles, one tower gives all of his away, any one have any suggestions. I appreciate this site a lot.

 

hookrite said,

They taste good with a little mustard people think we can eat them It is not funny anymore and getting worse I have towed 30 of them all ready this year Just do the paper work(for your state) and crush. It takes time and money but that's the BIZ. Good Luck

 

InTowMan said:

Wow...90 miles away???... Makes you wonder what that cost of a crusher is and doing it yourself. With all towers in the area having the same issue, there could very well be a business opportunity sitting there. You should investigate costs of the crusher and hauler. Put together a business plan and see if it might make sense for you. Based on the price of crushers listed, you could lease one for 48 months for about $4000.00 per month.
Dennis...

 

Schu said:

if you go on e-bay motors there are a few people who auction them off with a start bid of 100-150 and have it set as a local pickup or quote a rate for a tow to deliver it ...... you would be surprised at what sells on there.

 

ncoast said:

If done right theres money in scrap, I don't have the property to do it. But a guy I know scraps them, He pulls the tires and puts the wheels back on or saves the aluminum seperate there worth $8-10 per wheel for scrap. He drains the fluids, some place buys the oil and A/F only pennies per gal. but it gets rid of it, saves the gas. crushes the tank and puts it in the trunk.
Cuts the cats off there worth $30-100 depending on what they are, he may also pull calipers, alternators, starters, A/C comp. a guy from Buffalo comes every few weeks and buys his cores for cash. Then when he has about 200 cars stacked a crusher comes in from Youngstown, Oh. then he gets paid on the weight. He told me hes averaging between $400-600 per. car by the time hes done.
He told me the last batch cost him about $20,000 to buy and haul in. But that his gross was close to $125,000 and he may be bsing me some but not sure how much. He also told me hes looking at a tire shredder, because Pa. has approved shreded tires for back fill around new foundations and that theres some place that will buy them. but the machine cost a couple hundred grand.

 

Talmon said:

local chemical company is burning shredded tires in their coal fired power houses,they have new emmisions systems that allow them to do it,they say it burns extremely hot ,they were waiting for more studies from the block,brick companies who bought their ashes,i guess if you can sell cinders,there is a market for junking cars,i would like to find some buyers for the cores like you said,no one locally is buying anything but batteries for $1 each,the wheels and convertors,other cores, all of it is getting crushed,there isnt even a junkyard still in business within 20 miles of where i live,most of the ones in the country have crushed all of the old stuff when metal went up.i guess older cars values will go up ,i would hate to start to restore an old car now,a person would have a hard time finding parts.

 

Orcas Tow said:

I'm thinkin' I'll start towing them to the last R.O.'s driveway & let that be its final resting place, we have to pay $170 for the disposal of unredeemed junk cars, out of my pocket, this is no joke, what are they going to do, its their car................

Hello from sunny (when its not raining) Orcas Island

 

Towing247 said:

We run a repair shop along with the towing. All the scrap metal, rotors, gas tanks, engines, etc we pack in the cars and hual the to the crusher. The extra weight helps a little.

 

C&J Transport said:

Hey you might want to call the local FIRE & RESCUE and see if they need training cars out in the county's here they have training once a week. Can you say tax right off. Just a thought.

 

SFAUTORESCUE said:

The few junks that I have. I gave it to Myth Busters to blow up. Got 2 tows and scrap medel $$ out of that. Getting back to you. I would start with the local government to see what they can do to help your business out. Just break it down to them. 180 mile round trip at 3+$ for fuel, about 4hrs and countless $$$ lost.

 

Freds Towing said:

A lot of our scrap cars get donated. Our local fire departments (city and volunteer) ask for a couple vehicles every 2 months or so. Also we donate cars for Jaws of Life demos at our local fourth of july celebration for the city where our vehicles are on display with other rescue vehicles. Demolition Derbys are another great way to get rid of the vehicles. Worst case? Creative flower pot???!!

 

Towme8697 said:

I hate doing the paperwork but . . .
We've been getting 4 or 5 calls a week from companies want to buy converters? Makes us wonder if we've been selling the junk too cheap - but then the guy who takes our vehicles to crush picks them up.

 

goat47 said:

after paper work we keep them till we get about 100 then the crusher will come out and crush them on sight.

 

 

@hookrite @InTowMan @Orcas Tow