Abandoned Vehicle Process

[mhippensteel]

As the towing division director for AASP-PA, I would like to hear from the PA Salvors.  What would you liked to see changed with the abandoned vehicle process?  What can be eliminated and what can be added to make the process simpler and more efficient.  Please keep the comments to the point.  Let's be professional about this please.  I know as a licensed PA Salvor, I have my own opinions but I would like to hear from others.  

 

Mike Hippensteel

Hippensteel Auto Inc.

Towing Division Director, AASP-PA 

[ESC]

I think being able to submit and track status updates online would be a great step going forward.

 

The changes made last year helped out for sure.

 

I know last year things seemed to move along fast, now we are back to slow response times and the whole process taking longer.  The faster I can process and move these junkers along the better.  So finding a way to get things rolling faster would be great.  Having to wait 3-4 week just for the initial paperwork back, just to start the 30 days seems silly.

 

Also having to pay for an advertisement in the local print paper these days seems silly.  When we hold an auction, the fees for the paper make it an added hassle.  Ive never once had someone see that small print add way in the back of the paper and show up to claim their car.  Those ads cost us over $50 each time.

[mhippensteel]

I think being able to submit and track status updates online would be a great step going forward. I agree.  I think submitting the applications by mail is antiquated.  

 

The changes made last year helped out for sure.  Agreed/

 

I know last year things seemed to move along fast, now we are back to slow response times and the whole process taking longer.  The faster I can process and move these junkers along the better.  So finding a way to get things rolling faster would be great.  Having to wait 3-4 week just for the initial paperwork back, just to start the 30 days seems silly.  Agree.

 

Also having to pay for an advertisement in the local print paper these days seems silly.  When we hold an auction, the fees for the paper make it an added hassle.  Ive never once had someone see that small print add way in the back of the paper and show up to claim their car.  Those ads cost us over $50 each time.  This is what I would like to see changed.  The whole process of valuation of vehicles.  Police officers CANNOT offer a valuation of a vehicle.  They have no knowledge on the subject.  If a car has value, the owner will reclaim their vehicle.  The entire auction process is an unfair cost to the salvor.  I've been a salvor for over 15 years and NEVER have I had someone show up to an auction of a vehicle that has "value".  

[ESC]

3 hours ago, mhippensteel said:

I think being able to submit and track status updates online would be a great step going forward. I agree.  I think submitting the applications by mail is antiquated.  

 

The changes made last year helped out for sure.  Agreed/

 

I know last year things seemed to move along fast, now we are back to slow response times and the whole process taking longer.  The faster I can process and move these junkers along the better.  So finding a way to get things rolling faster would be great.  Having to wait 3-4 week just for the initial paperwork back, just to start the 30 days seems silly.  Agree.

 

Also having to pay for an advertisement in the local print paper these days seems silly.  When we hold an auction, the fees for the paper make it an added hassle.  Ive never once had someone see that small print add way in the back of the paper and show up to claim their car.  Those ads cost us over $50 each time.  This is what I would like to see changed.  The whole process of valuation of vehicles.  Police officers CANNOT offer a valuation of a vehicle.  They have no knowledge on the subject.  If a car has value, the owner will reclaim their vehicle.  The entire auction process is an unfair cost to the salvor.  I've been a salvor for over 15 years and NEVER have I had someone show up to an auction of a vehicle that has "value".  

In our 30 years in business, we have had someone show up for the auction a handful of times.  Typically guys in the car business that know what they are looking for.   We don't ever get many with any real value, as you said, the valuable cars get picked up.   Once in a while we get lucky and hit a home run.   I'd say maybe we have had 5-6 "valuable" cars over time that ended up left here.... and typically it was because the lien holder didn't want to pay the storage, etc.

 

And Police making the judgement on the value of a car is a horrible decision.... As you said, many of them have no knowledge at all to what a car is worth.