When most people prepare to say goodbye to an old car, they often decide to trade it in for a newer model, pass it on to a relative, or dismantle it for parts.
However, a bizarre trend has taken hold in Massachusetts, as old cars are being abandoned at Boston’s Logan International Airport.
And vehicles left in the airport’s lot for over a year have been turned over to JJ Kane Auctions for interested buyers to bid on.
According to the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), 71 cars were put up for sale at auction this week.
A representative with JJ Kane Auctions told the Daily Mail that all of the vehicles were sold by Thursday.
The cars were cleared off Massachusetts Port Authority property to make way for parking spaces and transported to a lot in Shrewsbury, a town outside of Worcester, owned by JJ Kane.
There were no starting bids, and the selling price was determined by those participating in the auction.
The vehicles were sold as is and without titles with owners needing to fix any issues the motors had.
An auction was held last week for cars that had been abandoned at Boston Logan International Airport (pictured) over the last year
The auction included 71 cars. A 2020 Kia Telluride SUV featured in the auction
Auctioneers are still dumbfounded as to why and how so many vehicles were left at the airport.
Jarret Charpentier, an account manager for JJ Kane, told local news outlet the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, that the team often ‘hypothesizes’ the backstory of the vehicles they auction.
‘Everyone wants to know the story. Who left a nice 2020 Kia with slashed tires at the airport?’ he said, adding that it was ‘fun’ to speculate.
‘There are some that should have gone to the scrapyard and there’s some very nice vehicles,’ Charpentier said.
Some of the vehicles appear to have been abandoned out of laziness, but others mysteriously still have objects belonging to their owners.
A 2014 Toyota Corolla was left with a photo inside of a child in front of a birthday cake and a gift bag in the backseat.
A 2000 Buick LeSabre included an eerie note inside that read: ‘This vehicle was stolen from the parking lot of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter in Bangor, Maine, in March 2023.’
The auction has taken place for years. In 2017, 65 vehicles were sold, 63 were sold in 2021, and 95 were sold in 2022, according to a representative at Massport.
It’s unclear why so many people have ditched their cars, but one note in a 2000 Buick LeSabre confessed that the vehicle had been stolen
The cars are sold without a title, so bidders must be prepared to register the vehicle
Buyers received a Bill of Sale, which they can take to the Registry of Motor Vehicles to obtain a title.
Massachusetts law requires all motor vehicles to be titled within 10 days of purchase.
Although some cars are sold for parts, there were vehicles as new as a 2020 Kia Telluride SUV that received a bid of $15,500.