Selling a dead or wrecked car in Wheeling

The 72-hour rule and the 7-day notice

Under Section 9.16.101, such a car, "or parts thereof," is a public nuisance, "whether attended or not." There are two exceptions: a car "enclosed within a building on private property," and one kept by a village-licensed business in the proper zone.

The nuisance chapter adds a second test. Section 5.46.010 lists "any inoperable vehicle, or vehicle which lacks current, legal registration parked on private property for more than seven days," with an exception for land zoned for repairing, wrecking or junking cars. That means a Wheeling car that still drives but has lapsed plates falls under it as well.

Removal comes next. Under Section 9.16.103, "upon proper notice and opportunity to be heard," the car's owner, or the owner or occupant of the property, must remove it "within seven days of posting of the notice of date or mailing." If the village does it instead, those people "shall be liable for the expenses incurred."

Snow and unpaid tickets

Section 9.10.103 is blunt: "It is unlawful to park any motor vehicle on any street within the village at any time within eight hours after a snow fall of two inches or more." Cars left out may be towed so plows can pass, and the towing fee must be paid before release. Signs warning of this are posted "on every street or highway entering the village."

Old fines can also cost you the car. Under Section 9.42.140, a car whose owner owes unpaid parking, standing, compliance or automated traffic fines can be booted or towed if they are not paid within fourteen days of the notice. A booted car is towed if release is not obtained within twenty-four hours. Once a car is impounded, the owner has thirty days to get it back before it "will be considered an abandoned vehicle." See tickets or registration hold.

Selling a car registered in Cook or Lake County

Wheeling sits in both counties, yet every Illinois title is issued by the Secretary of State, either in Springfield or at one of its facilities. The steps for you:

• On the title's assignment lines, put your signature, the date, both printed names and the odometer number. The state's seller list mentions no notary.
• Unbolt your plates before the tow hooks up; they belong to you.
• Write down where the Wheeling buyer lives and their name, and hold on to a bill of sale showing what was paid and when.
• The Notice of Sale (title stub or VSD 703) goes to the Secretary of State's records office in Springfield immediately.

Once that notice is filed, your role in Wheeling is done. The buyer then gets 20 days to retitle the car. A wrecked car is different if an insurer paid it as a total loss. Usually the insurer then owns it as salvage, and Illinois limits who may take a salvage certificate to licensed rebuilders, recyclers and scrap processors, plus salvage buyers from other states. Junking certificates carry no such limit. More in wrecked or totaled. Both counties are in the state emissions area.

Getting an offer

Got a dead car in Wheeling? Phone (877) 421-6008 or send our short offer form. We collect it wherever it rests, from a condo lot to a body shop. Neighbors: Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights and Northbrook. See Illinois for state rules.