Free 2005 750D

[Auzeras 28]

So at my work carpark there's an abandoned 750D - Last odo reading late 2013, rego expired early 2014. Dust and cobwebs creeping all over. Carpark is massive so very rare to see cobwebs, even on cars parked up for a few months. It's been 4 months since I noticed it looked like it had been stationary awhile and it certainly hasn't moved since, although given the reg and odo dates I'd say it's been there for at least two years.

I kinda want to claim it, heck who wouldn't want to give a 750 a good home? Only problem is I'm pretty sure that as it's parked on private property the owner of the land gets first dibs.

Anyone claimed an abandoned car (legally) before

I'm guessing file a police report, pay the salvage cost & you're done, would the fact it's on semi-private land change anything? Yes I have contemplated just towing it out no questions asked but I have a funny feeling the only car ride I'd be getting would be in a commodore with disco lights

[*Glenn* 854]

Only the owner of the land the car is parked on can legally get it removed...or the owner. You can't touch it or move it without creating an offence for yourself

[skidz 197]

dead body in the trunk?

[tcbaurpower 5]

Maybe some old gezza forgot where he parked it?

If you ask round you may get it cheap or free anyway. Good luck.

[Auzeras 28]

I'll see what happens, at the end of the day I might just end up claiming his parking spot so even if I don't get the car I'll get a space closer to the terminal.

If there are a few corpses in there I should thing that will help my case in the case of sale, I can just see it at turners "One mint 2005 750D, boot lightly soiled"

Certainly is one of the weirder things I've come across, one of the other guys at JQ has noticed it since he started in march 2015 so it's been there 12mts

[polley 916]

Is it by the airport?

[Olaf 3317]

I'll see what happens, at the end of the day I might just end up claiming his parking spot so even if I don't get the car I'll get a space closer to the terminal.

If there are a few corpses in there I should thing that will help my case in the case of sale, I can just see it at turners "One mint 2005 750D, boot lightly soiled"

Certainly is one of the weirder things I've come across, one of the other guys at JQ has noticed it since he started in march 2015 so it's been there 12mts

you'll find it's being watched by the drug squad. you'll be bailed up/jailed up before you know it. incommunicado and fearing for your life in a holding facility.

[KwS 2425]

Sounds familiar, http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/76315304/Abandoned-car-at-Wellington-Airport-linked-to-Colombian-jewellery-thefts

Wouldnt touch it.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

my E36 compact that is my race car was along those lines. my work moved into a new facility, and there was my compact and also a car trailer parked out the back had been there for years. I approached the landlord and after a bit of communication brought both the car and the trailer for $100.

never had any further issues with the car,

but the trailer i tidied up and sold, and then the previous owner filed a police report that I had stolen it, I explained to the police it was on the property i was leasing for 4 months and we needed the space so the landlord disposed of it (disposed who to is irrelevant in this case). The old owner approached the police after many more months of vacating the property. I got his contact number after the police decided it was a matter for a tribunal court and not their jurisdiction. and so I told him that I would be invoicing him for storage space for the 4 months if we went any further. One way or another the problem disappeared.

The main thing I am trying to say, is make sure that you PURCHASE the car, even for $1, from your work or the property owner etc. That way you have another line of defence if it goes sour, and you cannot be done for theft. You may loose the vehicle as with any other stolen goods you inadvertently buy, but the seller would be the one that has sold it to you with potentially no authority to do so.

Edited March 11, 2016 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[polley 916]

my E36 compact that is my race car was along those lines. my work moved into a new facility, and there was my compact and also a car trailer parked out the back had been there for years. I approached the landlord and after a bit of communication brought both the car and the trailer for $100.

never had any further issues with the car,

but the trailer i tidied up and sold, and then the previous owner filed a police report that I had stolen it, I explained to the police it was on the property i was leasing for 4 months and we needed the space so the landlord disposed of it (disposed who to is irrelevant in this case). The old owner approached the police after many more months of vacating the property. I got his contact number after the police decided it was a matter for a tribunal court and not their jurisdiction. and so I told him that I would be invoicing him for storage space for the 4 months if we went any further. One way or another the problem disappeared.

The main thing I am trying to say, is make sure that you PURCHASE the car, even for $1, from your work or the property owner etc. That way you have another line of defence if it goes sour, and you cannot be done for theft. You may loose the vehicle as with any other stolen goods you inadvertently buy, but the seller would be the one that has sold it to you with potentially no authority to do so.

So you pretty much received stolen goods. Good luck to you when the owner sees you towing it around town or whatever. May a big black dog called karma come f**k you in the ass one day.

Edited March 11, 2016 by polley

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

So you pretty much received stolen goods. Good luck to you when the owner sees you towing it around town or whatever. May a big black dog called karma come f**k you in the ass one day.

No, the police decided they were not stolen and obtained legitimately. There is a bit more to the story, but the key notes are above.

Also, have a look here on abandoned property. The BMW was deregisters and didn't run, fading paint etc and the trailer very rusty scrap value far far less than the cost of storing etc.

https://tenancy.govt.nz/ending-a-tenancy/abandoned-premises-and-goods/abandoned-goods/#id_263236-2-the-landlord-must-decide-whether-to-store-dispose-of-or-sell-the-goods

[Olaf 3317]

yep, there's a clear process for landlords disposing of abandoned goods. it's a bit of a f%#king hassle to be fair; it was suggested to me by some very experienced landlords, on finding a bunch of random sh*t abandoned at my house when moving back in.... was to take the entire lot to the tip, and if anyone ever asked about it the answer was "the house was clear when I took posession as noted on the bond report; I know nothing about the property you mention".

The process involves posting notices, charges for storage, and disposal after x weeks. All that for abandoned sh#t.

Lazy f#cking tennants, there's stack of brown-smelling karma for them - and their back passages - too. Leaving their sh&t behind - can't they fill rubbish bags, clean up after themselves, take a trailer to the tip? /rant.

[Auzeras 28]

Well interesting update, after a few emails with police they confirmed it was abandoned..

Going to get in touch with AAL and see if they're happy for me to cover the paperwork/recovery costs at which point I have successfully obtained a 750... that's been sitting for two years and I have no keys. This will probably be less fun than imagined.

[KwS 2425]

I presume if its anything like Merc, once the car is in your name you should be able to order a key direct from BMW (pre-cut and coded)?

If its abandoned, i guess its deregistered too?

Edited March 31, 2016 by KwS

[Auzeras 28]

I presume if its anything like Merc, once the car is in your name you should be able to order a key direct from BMW (pre-cut and coded)?

If its abandoned, i guess its deregistered too?

Thanks on the heads up with the keys, never thought about that. Yeah dereg, was just reading through the paperwork on getting it re registered. How can you prove that you're the person entitled to register the vehicle if you haven't bought it off someone? I guess they must have a form for that. Provide a bunch of ID, fill it out and good to go?

If I do end up with it it's going to be interesting to see how much of a write off it is, the fact someone abandoned a 7 series with a two near bald tyres leads me to suspect it wasn't a loved vehicle. Here's to hoping it is in good nick but for whatever reason it was easier to leave it behind than sell it!

EDIT - Further good news, a search with the securities register revealed no finance owing. I'll go into the local BMW dealer on my day off tomorrow and see what they can do regarding a key as well as checking with the AA about what's needed to register it.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Auzeras

[Olaf 3317]

like Andy said earlier in the thread, make sure you pay the carpark owner for the vehicle, just a nominal sum will do. If your receipt included 'abandoned car' in the description, that could help you later. Once you own it and have a receipt stating this, then you'll have something to work with - in terms of getting keys, a locksmith, a tow, insurance, rego etc etc. The advice of a lawyer here may save you pain/money later.

[qube 3570]

very excited about this! any photos to help the imagination??

[Auzeras 28]

The advice of a lawyer here may save you pain/money later.

A good point, may look into it depending how the last notes from the police go. Once it's fully confirmed as abandoned in their investigation there's no going back for the "owner" should they decide to come forward for some odd reason later. The vehicle is dereg and then I legally become the new owner. If there's any grey areas I'll get some proper advice.

Going to pop into the dealership and see if they have any service history on it & esquire about the keys, I still reckon it's a total lemon otherwise it wouldn't have been left behind soooo no celebrating until it's reged in my name and driving down the highway. It's had at least 3x plate changes in it's history.

very excited about this! any photos to help the imagination??

Next time I'm at work, although on the outside not much to really see, just an ordinary 2005 750D

I'm still disappointed it wasn't stuffed to the brim with coke and hookers (well, ya never know - I haven't opened it yet!)

[kiwi535 538]

this will be an interesting tale.Is a 750d a 3 litre triple turbo diesel?.Sure will be interesting why some one just walks away from what would have been a seriously expensive car.

[Breaker 980]

this will be an interesting tale.Is a 750d a 3 litre triple turbo diesel?.Sure will be interesting why some one just walks away from what would have been a seriously expensive car.

If this is 2005 then it'll be a E65 likely a V8 diesel though but I thought they only went to 745Ds might be rebadged 730 or who knows what the hell it is, look forward to seeing more.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Breaker

[KwS 2425]

Be interesting to see the datacard, do you know what the old rego is (and care to share)?

[Michael. 2313]

Sounds like such a headache

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

make sure the plates match the VIN before you order keys, in case the car has been plated and tagged. keys are not cheap and not refundable if they don't work. Bear in mind its also possibly got a flat battery so remote may not work will have to use key hole

Edited April 2, 2016 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[Auzeras 28]

I won't share the plate till I have anything finalised, not because I don't trust you guys but it's a public forum and it would totally suck to have it swiped from under me

Badge on the back says it's a 750D however carjam/motorweb report it being a 4.8 litre petrol, could be a mistake on the site or the previous owner may have bough a new badge. It there a way to check the VIN without unlocking the car? I plan on ensuring that all the identification matches up before taking it on, as most of you will be wondering there aren't many good reasons to leave behind a 7 series. So far it all seems fairly legit with regards to the plate being inactive from a WOF/REGO point at the same time the car was presumed to be abandoned so it would appear that the plate was correctly/legally attached to that vehicle & it wasn't stolen and given a new plate. So that's good.

I don't know much about the E65's having spent 5 years of my life messing about exclusively on E32/E34's - I even had to google where the battery was on an E65 - on that note do you have to use an AGM battery or can you substitute a normal flooded cell without letting out some magic smoke? I would be beyond amazed if the installed one had any charge. Assumption is it's well dead (possibly along with the entire car!!)

Plans for tomorrow (provided I don't get called into work) - Visit BMW to inquire about keys & service history, confirm details with police & notify them of my intention to remove the vehicle/finalise any last details prior to doing that. I'll

Sounds like such a headache

If it's anything like my last two 7 series - heck yeah! Can't wait to find out all the electrical screw ups.

Honestly I expect the whole thing to be a lemon & have no expectations of a totally awesome (semi) free car but I'm prepared to spend $500 or so bucks on a gamble. Worst case scenario is a parts car which can recover at least $1k - so far known faults include missing part of a wing mirror and two bald tyres. Interior looks okay but is getting sun damaged from being out all day. 166km's at last registration so it's possible that the engine/trans is in need of some major work or completely shot. The sort of owner who leaves a BMW behind doesn't strike me as the sort of responsible caring type who gets it serviced reguarly.

[Auzeras 28]

This might explain a bit of what happened though - looks like it had a fairly sedate life, then sat for a year. I'm assuming some old bloke bought it origionally and subsequently passed away. It was then sold/obtained by a family member and driven nearly 20k km's every 6 months which is a pretty impressive amount of driving. After that it ends up in a carpark.

Given that I'm expecting minimal maintenance "drive it till it dies" attitude of the previous owner, also does kinda explain why it would end up like that. Especially if someone inherited it.