For many of us, parking our car is just another daily task, as routine as brushing our teeth or brewing a morning cuppa. But what happens when a simple act of parking turns into a costly oversight? One driver in Brisbane learned the hard way that neglecting to move a vehicle can lead to an eye-watering parking fee, and it’s a cautionary tale for all motorists.
Imagine leaving your car in a shopping centre car park and forgetting about it for over two years. That’s exactly what happened with a Nissan Maxima at the Uptown shopping centre in Brisbane. The vehicle, now a dusty relic of its former self, has been a stationary fixture since mid-2022. With the car park’s daily rate of $68, the total bill has now reached a staggering $65,000. But, as the saying goes, ‘you can’t get blood from a stone’, and it’s a fee that will likely never be collected.
The process of removing an abandoned vehicle is not as simple as one might think. It involves a series of legal steps and can only commence six months after the car’s registration has expired. The Uptown shopping centre spokesperson has indicated that they are nearing the end of this lengthy process, with the primary goal of freeing up the space for their customers.
This issue isn’t unique to the Uptown shopping centre. Across Australia, car parks are becoming the final resting places for vehicles that owners have left behind. Brisbane Airport, for example, is no stranger to this phenomenon, with around 50 cars reported abandoned in its car parks in 2024 alone. These vehicles are often left by tourists who complete their travels around Queensland, park at the airport, and then fly overseas, never to return.
But it’s not just inexpensive cars that get left behind. In a more high-profile case, former Liverpool footballer Jermaine Pennant once abandoned a Porsche Cayenne GT, valued at nearly $300,000, at a Spanish train station in his haste to return to England for a contract signing. It took six months and the help of his former translator to retrieve the luxury vehicle, with Pennant later admitting he had no idea what became of it.
So, what can we learn from these costly mistakes? Firstly, always remember where you’ve parked your car! It may sound obvious, but as life gets busy, it’s easy to overlook the basics. Secondly, if you’re planning to leave the country or won’t be using your car for an extended period, make arrangements for its storage or sale. Don’t leave it in a paid parking spot, as the fees can quickly add up to more than the car’s worth.
Have you or someone you know ever forgotten about a parked car for an extended period? What steps did you take to resolve the situation? Share your stories and tips in the comments below, and let’s help each other avoid these costly parking pitfalls!
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