Police Department to Auction Off Impounded Vehicles

If you're looking for a cheap way to score auto parts, you might want to head over to Ace Service Center on Front Street.

The Scotch Plains Police Department is auctioning off three vehicles at the towing company on Tuesday: a 1994 GMC, a 2000 Ford and a 1991 Honda.

“These are basically the unwanteds,” said Lt. Brian Donnelly of the police department. "We impounded the vehicles, mostly unregistered, uninsured, and the owner never came to pick it up.”

Donnelly says that these vehicles are usually not in good working condition, so don’t expect to be able to get a decent spare car for the family.

“These aren’t cars that someone’s going to be able to show up and buy used for their daughter or something, these are beat up,” he said.

But, for those looking for inexpensive auto parts, auctions such as these can often yield desirable results.

“You have people looking around, some used car lots, auto body places, everybody’s kind of looking for a deal,” Donnelly said. “It’s almost like a garage sale, you look around and sometimes you find a good bargain.”

The minimum bid on the GMC and Ford is $2,820 each. The minimum bid on the Honda is $3,930.

The bid takes into account how much the car is worth, and any storage and towing fees that have been incurred by the towing company.

The vehicles can be examined starting at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at ACE Service Center, 1509 Front St., Scotch Plains. The auction begins at 9:30 a.m.

The vehicles are being sold “as is.” Purchases must be made by cash or certified check, with a 10 percent deposit given at the time of the auction. All balances must be paid by 4 p.m. the same day.