US Government auctions reveal serious abuse of vehicles
Publication:
Wednesday, 14 September, 2011 - 00:00
chiefofficersnet
The US Government seizes vehicles for a wide range of reasons: used in crime, as assets representing proceeds of crime (money laundering), smuggled vehicles, vehicles taken as payment for taxes are just some of the reasons. The vehicles are auctioned off. But the condition of the vehicles is surprising. A survey of a pending auction shows that many of them have been severely abused.
Take, for example, this five year old Hummer H3 that shows its mileage as less than 79,000..
It's up for auction at Mannheim Auctions in their government services division at Tucsom, Arizona, where tt is to be sold today with no reserve.
Like many of the cars for sale, it has a flat tyre. But a Hummer is indestructible, right?
That's why people buy it?
It's amazing what some people will do to a car that even an auctioneer describes as "rough."
It's been sitting at Mannheim since May but that's not the reason for its condition.
The following is extracted from the "condition report" that accompanies all the vehicles Mannheim sell for the government:
Windshield Star in Glass
Front Bumper Cover Gouged
Grille - Chrome Heavy Mult Scratches
Bonnet Multiple Chips 10 or More
Bonnet Heavy Mult Scratches 6 IN 10 or More
Bonnet Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
Roof Roof Mult Dents/No Paint Dmg GR 12 IN
Roof Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
Sun Roof Inop Repair Required
LF Fender Multiple Chips 10 or More
LF Fender Heavy Mult Scratches 9 IN 10 or More
LF Fender Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
LF Tyre Cut Replacement Required
LF Door Dent/No Paint Dmg 1" to 2"
LF Door Multiple Chips 10 or More
LF Door Heavy Mult Scratches GR 12 IN 10 or More
LF Door Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
L Running Board L Running Board Bent 2" to 3"
LR Door Chipped 6 LR Door Heavy Mult Scratches GR 12 IN 10 or More
LR Door Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
L Qtr Panel Chipped 5 L
Qtr Panel Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
Tailgate Heavy Mult Scratches 3 IN 4
Tailgate Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
Rear Metal Bumper Painted Heavy Mult Scratches GR 12 IN 10 or More
Rear Metal Bumper Painted Rear Metal Bumper Painted Dent/Paint Dmg 1" to 2"
Rear Metal Bumper Painted Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
Stereo Stereo Missing Replacement Required
RF Fender Multiple Chips 10 or More
RF Fender Heavy Mult Scratches 8 IN 10 or More
RF Fender Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
RF Tyre Cut RF Door Multiple Chips 10 or More
RF Door Heavy Mult Scratches 10 IN 10 or More
RF Door Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
RR Door Multiple Chips 10 or More
RR Door Heavy Mult Scratches GR 12 IN 10 or More
RR Door RR Door Prev Repair SANDING MARKS Substd Repair
RR Door Light Mult Scratches 10 or More R Qtr Panel Chipped 7 R Qtr Panel Light Mult Scratches 10 or More
Warning - Tyre Pressure On Unacceptable
Steering Wheel Steering Wheel Worn Replacement Required
LF Seat Cushion Worn Replacement Required
LF Seat Back Worn Replacement Required
LR Seat Cushion Missing Replacement Required
LR Seat Back Missing Replacement Required
RF Seat Cushion Worn Replacement Required RF Seat Back Worn Replacement Required
RR Seat Cushion Worn Replacement Required
RR Seat Back Worn Replacement Required
Rear Seat Centre Cushion Missing Replacement Required
Rear Seat Centre Back Missing Replacement Required
LF Carpet Stained Permanent LR Carpet Stained Permanent
RF Carpet Stained Permanent RR Carpet Stained Permanent
Headliner Stained Permanent
Engine Leak Repair Required
Oil Dirty Unacceptable
Power Steering Leak
Mannheim reckon that more than 50 man-hours are required to bring the car into a reasonable condition.
It's not the only one in a similar beaten up condition: in fact all of the vehicles sampled by ChiefOfficers.Net in today's auction were described as "rough."
Details are at http://www.manheimgovservices.com