Denver Impound (Craig: crimes, how much, neighborhoods)

[sunbelt57]

Anyone ever bid on any vehicles at the impound? The next auction is this coming Wed. I saw on the website a '97 Toyota 4runner with 200K miles. I just want it for the engine and other parts. Someone told me: "good luck with that". Folks like to get those Toyotas and take em down to South America. I was thinking I wouldn't bid over $500 for it.

[Mike from back east]

Should this be in the Denver forum or is this situation common across much of the country and this thread might be better if moved to automotive forum?

[sunbelt57]

I can go ahead and ask there, but since I was planning on going to the Denver one, then maybe someone could give me advice specific to the Denver auction only.

[Mike from back east]

Okay. I see a couple on Craigslist but they're priced at $2.5k to $6k for a running vehicle; none on ebay.

We've a few 'car guys' in this forum, hopefully they can speak up....

[sunbelt57]

https://www.denvergov.org/content/de...e-auction.html


Here's the link to the site. You can download a pdf for the upcoming auction that shows all the vehicles to be auctioned, along with the pdf's for the 2 previous auctions only with the prices they were sold at. The prices don't seem to have any rhyme or reason. Some as high as $4K and some as low as ~$200. I guess it depends on whether they have the keys for them.

[TCHP]

Its a big gamble as most of these were abandoned(ie blown up and left for dead) or used in the commission of crimes (had the pee driven out of them). Occasionally they are impounded as the result of a raid or forfeiture and have no damage. Pre-sale inspection is usually limited to 20-30 minutes before bidding with no access to the inside of the vehicle and no ability to start vehicle, and no assurance anything on/in/attached to the vehicle is functional, and may not even come with keys. Once purchased, they usually must be trailered out or towed by a license tow operator off the grounds, no flat towing allowed, and have to be out before close of business that day. Titles can also be an issue. Not sure if they come bonded or if you will have to bond them. If you can solidly stick to a bidding limit, have the ability to get them out cheaply, have a place to store them, ability to make them work again, or time to part them out, and do not have HOAs to contend with while doing that work, it can be a reasonable way to score cars.

In all honesty, if all you want is an engine, you would do better to find a local salvage yard that may have them already pulled, compression tested, and come with a small warranty period.

[sunsprit]

Given my choices in the Denver area marketplace for a serviceable used engine, I'd avoid the impound auction.

Why? virtually everything there is sold on a "tow-away" basis, and titling can be real hassle. Keys are another problem area, even though you may only want to part out the engine.

TCHP has it nailed … buy a local boneyard engine that's been tested and has a warranty.

The guys I deal with even offer a labor guaranty (for a modest upcharge) so if you need to pull their supplied engine, you'll get paid flat-rate time to do so. I've never bought that guaranty … and have never needed it, either. Every engine I've bought from them over the last 2 decades has been as represented, good oil pressure, good running and no oil burning. 22R Toy engines are a pretty durable and very common engine. So the likelihood of getting a decent one from a boneyard is pretty good. YMMV.

[sunbelt57]

thus ended my career as an auto-flipper

[TCHP]

Wanna flip cars, befriend your neighborhood trash haulers. These guys cover hundreds of miles in alleys and remote neighborhoods every day. They know where every dead vehicle, partly done project , and dilapidated granny mobile under a tarp is located on their route and for a bunch of those vehicles, probably know who is selling and for how much.

Flips and deals can still be found on Craigslist. Know your products, abilities, and markets. If you’re good, you can double your money.

[sunbelt57]

I know a guy once that drove around looking for cars sitting with weeds growd up around it. He would stop and knock on the door. I'm not that forward.