Here’s the scenario.
Dad passed away in 2016. His car is sitting in our driveway, rotting away.
Junkyard informed us that there is a lien on the car.
Called the company that sold the car to dad.
They said they have no record of this car.
They told us we need to get a lawyer.
I just wanna get rid of this car.
My idea: call a towing company to take it.
Will that come back to haunt me?
Is this a good idea to get rid of late dad’s car?
byu/runeechan inpersonalfinance
Posted by runeechan
6 Comments
Roll it into the street and call the non emergency line to report an abandoned vehicle
I wouldn’t want to let it slide. It’s very likely that Dad borrowed from the bank or credit union or whatever, it eventually got paid off and somehow the lien release just never got sent. Is the junkyard willing to show you the info on the lien? It should show a contact…
Does make me wonder if any of the places that want you to donate your car to ‘charity’ (yes, I hear some of these organizations are basically scams, OP doesn’t care…) have any experience/skill at fixing issues like this.
Do you have a title? If you don’t then request a duplicate. That will prove if there is a lien. Lien’s expire. Odds are the lien is expired.
The car was registered in your dad’s name. When he passed, sorry for your loss, it would have been counted as property that went to someone else, according to his will. The car should belong to someone.
If he still owed money on the car then the loan holder would have the title. But if that debt expired with your father and they never came to take the car then it is essentially abandoned and belongs to no one. You will probably have to get the car retitled with the DMV before you can sell/transfer it.
Or, (do not recommend) you can just drive it to the shady part of town and leave the keys on the seat.
Check with the DMV to see if there is a lien holder on the title. Contact them if there is.
You can donate cars to NPR radio station or your states nonprofit radio station and they might be able to deal with the lien for you