

GM stopped taking orders for the Malibu in February. To please Wall Street and concentrate on the highest-profit margin trucks, SUVs, and crossovers, GM, Ford, and FCA have killed nearly all their sedan models. Abandoning them was an idiotic move to please Wall Street that’s now haunting the Big Three US automakers. More details on the auction are in the airport's newsletter.There’s demand for cars, often lower priced. Proceeds from the 11th annual auction will go to the Allegheny County Airport Authority's Charitable Foundation, which supports aviation scholarships, workforce development and the Art in The Airport program. More: Ghostly tours set for Old Economy, Ambridge "I don't think we've ever had anything leftover." "It goes until everything is gone," Neistein said.
#Abandoned car market full
Payment, inclusive of any taxes and fees, must be made in full at the auction. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted. The Pittsburgh chapter of the Lions Club receives unclaimed prescription eyeglasses that are recycled for use by individuals in need.įor successful auction bidders, there will be a 15 percent buyer’s premium with 5 percent waived for cash or check purchases. The airport authority gives away most unclaimed clothing to Circles of Greater Pittsburgh, which helps people living in poverty. And we really wish people would go back for that stuff, right?"Ĭlothes and eyeglasses don't go to the auction. But yeah, it's your wedding ring from the most important day of your life and now it's gone. I assume all these people are doing it by accident, not because they're up to shenanigans. I suppose some people take them off before they wash their hands in the bathroom and they were rushed, and they forget it. "Wedding rings is the one that's always baffled me," Neistein said. Unusual items this year include a crock pot, a home security surveillance system still in its box, flippers and goggles, golf clubs, fishing equipment and a Yamaha flute. Though there are always surprises, like several years ago when someone lost a prosthetic eye.

A lot of belts, too, when people remove them at the TSA line's metal detector and then forget them in the rush to their gate.įorgotten sunglasses, books, hats and umbrellas are foregone conclusions in these hurried days with brief layover times. Keys, jewelry and laptops are three of the most commonly lost objects.
#Abandoned car market password
Cellphones aren't easy, because a keylock password usually is needed. "Basically, if you can describe it, it's yours."įor something like a wallet, with a person's ID inside, airport workers try to directly contact the owner immediately. "So, if you came back to me and say, 'I left my wedding room in this bathroom near Gate 27 on Saturday' we can see if anyone found that ring," Neistein said. "So, when these cars are auctioned off, we deduct storage and parking fees, and the remainder of the money goes to the state."Ĭarry-on items left on airplanes and inside the terminal get turned into the lost and found after 30 days and recorded in a digital database indicating when and where each was found. That ensures whoever buys the car isn't responsible for any outstanding purchasing fees. If an owner ultimately isn't reached, the state officially declares the vehicle abandoned and removes any purchase liens. If those attempts fail, the matter is turned over to the vehicle's leasing agency and the state's Department of Motor Vehicles, which try to contact the owner, a process taking more months. "After that, our airport staff tries to get in touch with the owner," Neistein said. Vehicles sitting unclaimed for 45 days in the airport's lots are considered abandoned, then towed and stored on airport property. Still, a $1,000 car might be perfect for a family looking to buy a low-cost vehicle for their college-bound kid. "Maybe you fly to Myrtle Beach and enjoy it so much and you decide to stay," Neistein said. Or maybe people travel to other places and decide not to come back to Pittsburgh. So, ― and I'm just throwing a number out here ― if the market says your car is worth $1,000, and you leave it here and your trip takes longer than you expected and we say, 'Well, you owe us $1,500 in parking fees,' it's not really worth it, right?" "One of the prevailing ones is ― with all due respect ― none of these are really nice, new, expensive cars. "Your guesses are as good as mine," Neistein said.

Airport officials only can theorize why anyone would leave behind an unclaimed car.
