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Mechanics & Body Shops: Monetize Your Abandoned Customer Cars

Category: Customer Updated: 2026 Read Time: ~3 min

How auto repair shops can legally dispose of abandoned vehicles and mechanic's liens in Wisconsin. Turn your storage problem into revenue.

The “Ghost” Customer

You run a repair shop. According to the books, you are profitable. According to your parking lot, you are a storage facility.

A customer brings in a 2011 Altima for a transmission swap ($3,500). You diagnose it. You call them. They never answer. The car sits. And sits. And sits. It is taking up a bay or a parking spot that generates revenue.

{businessInfo.name} partners with dozens of Milwaukee shops to solve this problem legally and profitably.


In Wisconsin, you cannot simply sell a customer’s car because you are annoyed. You must follow the Mechanic’s Lien process.

  1. Storage Fees: You legally accrue storage fees daily once notice is given.
  2. Notification: You must send certified mail to the registered owner (and lien holder) notifying them of the debt.
  3. Foreclosure: If they do not pay within the statutory period, you can foreclose on the lien.
  4. Ownership: The state awards you ownership of the vehicle to satisfy the debt.

Once you have that paperwork, WE can buy the car from you.


Reducing the Headache (Abandonment)

Sometimes, the customer wants to abandon it. “Hey, I can’t afford the $2,000 repair. Just keep it.”

Do not just say “Okay.” Get them to sign the Title over to your shop immediately. Or, have them sign a Bill of Sale to {businessInfo.name} directly.

  • Benefit: We pay you the “Junk Price,” which you can apply to their diagnostic fee/outstanding balance.

Why Partner With Us?

1. We Buy “Surgery Gone Wrong” Cars

You took the engine out. You realized the block was cracked. The customer bailed. Now you have a shell in Bay 3 and an engine on a pallet.

  • ** We buy both.** We will send a flatbed for the shell and a truck to hand-load the engine. We clear your bay so you can get a paying car in there.

2. Catalytic Converter Harvesting

If you are a legitimate shop, you know the value of cats.

  • We pay Top Tier grading prices for OEM converters. We don’t guess. We verify the serial numbers.

3. Immediate Pickups

We know that in a shop, space = money. If you call us at 9 AM saying “Get this thing out of here,” we treat it as an emergency dispatch.


Shop Cleanup Services

Do you have a “bone yard” behind the shop? old hoods, rotors, subframes? While we primarily buy whole cars, for our partner shops, we can arrange scrap metal bin service or bulk cleanup of automotive scrap.

Summary

Don’t let abandoned cars choke your workflow. Whether it’s a Mechanic’s Lien or a customer surrender, {businessInfo.name} is your liquidation partner. We have the tow trucks, the cash, and the patience to handle the weird stuff.