I have a line on a vehicle that was abandoned at a transmission shop.  They are going to file the paperwork so they can sell it.  I'm wondering if TX laws regulate what the shop can sell it for.  Can they sell it for the market value or are they limited to their financial interest (parts and labor they have in it)?
TIA!

Quoted: I have a line on a vehicle that was abandoned at a transmission shop.  They are going to file the paperwork so they can sell it.  I'm wondering if TX laws regulate what the shop can sell it for.  Can they sell it for the market value or are they limited to their financial interest (parts and labor they have in it)? TIA!

 They can sell it for as much as they can get for it.  Just be sure the title is clear and transferrable.


mm

Pretty much whatever thay want to ask.  It's theirs now.   As pointed out, be VERY careful about the title work.

Hmm, I have a question on a similar topic.

Say someone leaves a car in a public place, or some third party's private property for a while, no for sale signs no nothing.

Is there any timeframe that after which it could be considered abandoned and someone else could claim it?

Quoted: Hmm, I have a question on a similar topic. Say someone leaves a car in a public place, or some third party's private property for a while, no for sale signs no nothing. Is there any timeframe that after which it could be considered abandoned and someone else could claim it?

 There is, if it's left one someone's property.  I don't now about it being left on public property.

I want to say the timeframe is 30 days, and you do have to attempt to make contatc with the owner.  You'll have to have affadavits and keep records that you did try to contact them.  And then transferrign the title over is a PIA.  Had to do that once when someone abandoned a tractor.  2 years later, and after about $35 in repairs, the previous owner showed up and tried to get it back.


mm

Ever hear of a Mechanic's Lien?

Might want to check it out...  

A lot of times they just sell it for whatever they have in it for time and parts. I've bought a few engine blocks, heads etc this way from machine shops. People drop them off for machine work and then never come get em. I end paying less by a couple hundred dollars and can find good sets of heads and blocks from way back when that otherwise are pricey and the machine work is already done.

[quote/]Say someone leaves a car in a public place, or some third party's private property for a while, no for sale signs no nothing.


Assuming you mean a public roadway or something to that effect.
I don't know if a citizen could claim it or not. Here in Beaumont we just mark em for storage and after 96 hrs they are towed by a non preference wrecker. If they're a traffic problem then they get towed right then and it's between the vehicle owner and wrecker company from then on.

Quoted: Hmm, I have a question on a similar topic. Say someone leaves a car in a public place, or some third party's private property for a while, no for sale signs no nothing. Is there any timeframe that after which it could be considered abandoned and someone else could claim it?

The public has no right to claim the property. Under most circumstances the owner of the property can have an abandoned vehicle towed but there are some requirements that must be met. If the vehicle is towed by a wrecker company, then the wrecker company may have a claim against the vehicle owner for money owed for towing, storage, etc. That can come after 10 days and just like the private property owner, there are requirements such as sending registered letters to the registered owner/lein holder.

Under many circumstances, law enforcement officers have wide discretion in towing abandoned vehicles both by state law and by city ordinance. That can be for abandoned vehicles on public property or even private property and can be immediate in some instances. Other situations list times of 24 and 48 hours according to where it is and what condition the vehicle is in.  Most of the questions in this area are found in Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683. Abandoned Motor Vehicles.