Dumped Citroen Xantia in Twickenham :(

pantherd90 · Post by **pantherd90** » 12 Apr 2005, 05:22

Ah it saddens me.. Was walking around Whitton recently (not far from Twickenham rugby ground) and spotted a white N reg Citroen Xantia LX (Estate!) with alloys and good condition exterior and interior standing dumped (had notice from the council on it..) on the pavement.
Didn't look long as it was late at night and didn't want any trouble, but doors were unlocked and it had a notice saying it would be collected by the council soon and be crushed.. What really annoys me is all I can see wrong with it is the right side wing mirror is smashed out and possibly a hydraulic problem (no doubt engine troubles as well), however a lot of the parts seem fine, I was very very tempted to take some bits. Full set of good condition lights, alloys, wheels, etc that I'm sure could be sold on Ebay in bits and fetch hundreds of pounds.. Interior infrared sensor and panel and right side speaker both in A* condition and both parts that I need and am paying a breaker £15 + £8 postage for.
Unfortunately it's in a residential area and I don't have the guts to take any parts, but if anyone is in the area and needs a part and doesn't mind the risk, I really recommend you go and check it out, it seems such a damn shame that the thing is just going to be crushed..
What do the councils do with all these dumped cars? I know a lot of them are crushed if not all, but surely it would make a lot more sense to sell as much of them as you can before crushing, my council encourages recycling, why must all these cars and indeed other waste items and things the council fall across go to waste, I'm sure some people want them. As I said, there are pleanty of parts on that Xantia that could sell for up to £100 on Ebay. If a council were just to offer parts from cars they get, on online auction sites or similar place for small sums, they could earn a fortune and at the same time they'd be saving the environment and doing a useful public service..
Ah well.. rant over.. Would be interested to know what happens to all these cars and what the laws are on them/If there is any way I can obtain parts from any dumped ones (legal...) . As I said before, if anyone lives near Twickenham and is desperate for parts that might just be available on this N reg Xantia, then check it out, it seems a shame to let it go for scrap metal.

Richard Gallagher · Post by **Richard Gallagher** » 12 Apr 2005, 11:02

Dumped cars normally end up in a breakers yard before crushing.
Why not make some local enquiries?

Homer · Post by **Homer** » 12 Apr 2005, 12:47

I would be tempted to turn up with a trailer and a flourescent jacket, swear a lot and tow it off. Anyone watching would just think you were from the council.
If the registered owner could be traced then the council would have been in touch with them to get it removed wouldn't they?

Paulmi16 · Post by **Paulmi16** » 12 Apr 2005, 13:14

Ring the council and find out if you can have it. If you tell them the you want to recycle the parts, you never know, you be lucky.
Paul.

ITMA · Post by **ITMA** » 12 Apr 2005, 13:20

Might nip up the road tonight and have a look. You have to be careful when helping yourself because it is technically theft; a friend needed a couple of screws for the carburettor on his van (a few years ago), saw an obviously abandonded and stripped van in a layby and was arrested while inside it with screwdriver in hand by the police and charged with theft. To contrast this, a few weeks later I watched a guy loading a crashed classic car belonging to a neighbour on to a recovery lorry. The neighbour came screaming out of his front door and and wanted to know what the guy thought he was doing - the car had been damaged slightly over the weekend and was waiting for a new wing to arrive. The recovery driver obviously thought he would help himself and the authorities would have probably said he was cleaning up the environment!

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 12 Apr 2005, 13:28

I have corresponded in the past with someone who successfully claimed rights to an abandoned XM, though in this case he was dealing exclusively with the police and DVLA. This might be a better starting-point than speaking to LBRuT council (or is it Hounslow in Whitton?). I strongly suspect in any case that the "disposal services" are contracted out by the council to a local breakers (that is, if there are any local breakers: most of the breakers I used to use when living in that part of the world seem to have sold on their land for housing developments).
)

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 12 Apr 2005, 13:49

The problem with looting dumped cars is that usually the bit you really want is the bit that takes ages to get off and attracts attention to you!!!
There's nothing to stop you grabbing bits that you can yank off quickly though, easy access, 2 or 3 screws, even though you may not need it at the moment.
I have enough BX head and tail lights to last a lifetime pulled from abandoned cars- they come out quickly and quietly.......[}:)]
I just wish I could find a dumped one with a grey drivers side sun-visor, the scrappies haven't had any BX's of late.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 12 Apr 2005, 14:40

I haven't seen a BX for a little while on or off the road. I used to occasionally see a couple on my drive in to work, one a shiny black GTI.
If you want some of the bits off that Xantia, why don't you ask the council if you can dispose of it for them. They might say yes, then you could get the bits you want and get a local scrappy to dispose of the corpse after you're finished assuming you don't want to keep the whole car.

CommY · Post by **CommY** » 12 Apr 2005, 16:53

BXBodger I think I can help with the D/S Visor if you are interested in paying the postage

Gregg1100 · Post by **Gregg1100** » 12 Apr 2005, 23:25

Hi All.
There are 2 Bx`s in a scrappy near Langdons transport yard, on A38 south of Bridgwater. From the M5, they look great.
Also a 1955-57 Austin A40/A50 there too.
Greg

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 12 Apr 2005, 23:40

Might it have been stolen? Maybe some poor b***** is looking for his pride & joy.

Johnno · Post by **Johnno** » 13 Apr 2005, 15:04

I have to agree with the original sentiment - a great number of useful parts are lost with the crushed cars. I suspect the problem is twofold. The local authorities would argue that they don't have the time or space to allow for the gradual disposal that parts supply would mean. And there may be a legal problem. The car still belongs to someone and, odd though it is, they may be able to crush it for being unlicensed, but not actually sell or otherwise dispose of it. Probably designed to ensure that no scams are run by the council employees. Some years ago I saw a lovely Sunbeam Rapier go to the crusher (this was before the allowance of free tax for older vehicles). Body looked straight as a die, too.
Interestingly, I believe the city authorities in New York were petitioned several years ago by classic car clubs to allow them to rescue parts from abandoned Yank Tanks before disposal. Notices are regularly issued and I think the enthusiasts now have something like ten days before crushing commences.
Where is this Xantia? My brother-in-law needs a near side wing mirror for his N reg, and I live in Teddington...

pantherd90 · Post by **pantherd90** » 13 Apr 2005, 17:20

Alas, for once the council has been quite quick and did their job well, car was gone when I walked round the next evening, you're welcome to ask around breakers or go on Ebay if you need parts, that's what I've Done..

Homer · Post by **Homer** » 13 Apr 2005, 18:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JohnD

Might it have been stolen? Maybe some poor b***** is looking for his pride & joy.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
If it had been registered properly then the owner would already have been informed.
More likely it's not registered or registered in false details. And has been dumped.
If you apply for a new V5 then the DVLA will write to the registered keeper (if any) in an attempt to confirm legal transfer. If they don't get a reply within a reasonable time they will assume the details are wrong or the RK doesn't care.

dnsey · Post by **dnsey** » 13 Apr 2005, 19:38

Someone whith more legal knowledge will probably correct me, but I was under the impression that it was legal to take away anything which could reasonably be considered to have been abandoned by its owner.
Came across this on a TV programme (I think) dealing with renovating old items for household decoration, etc. - they implied that it was OK to take stuff from skips and such.
Anyone know for certain?