These cars were in good shape when abandoned. It looks like someone stepped out of the vehicle, locked the door, and never returned. So, the cars could have been stolen, or, there are people who could have simply disappeared off the face of the earth. There are even some race cars that were left abandoned. If you’re interested in obtaining an abandoned car in the States, get the VIN number and visit your nearest DMV.
This is the best way to determine who the owner is. If it’s an out-of-state license plate, you’ll need to contact the DMV of that state. If it doesn’t belong to anyone, you may have found yourself a free car. Some cars will be in fairly good condition. However, you should never just assume that you can pick a car up off the road, or from the forest, no matter how long it’s been sitting abandoned.
How much does a replacement or reprogrammed ‘plug and play’ ECU / ECM cost?
Note: A high quality vin matched replacement ECU / ECU is typically $600 less than dealer installed parts.