A lot of time in my little part of the world, a note on your car means a company that does cash for clunkers will give you say $300 for your used vehicle and then take it to the scrap yard for a small profit… The government uses codes people and send out an official letter informing you that you have 30 days to comply or pay $X fine…
Going into peoples yards poking around their cars around here might get you hurt, not a smart thing to do…
Back in the late 70’s early 80’s I used to haul cars for scrap, they were worth $200 - $350 each
I averaged 3 cars a week, I would leave notes on cars that looked like they had been sitting for a long time.
If you are interested in getting rid of this car I will haul it away for free. with my phone number
Or if they were home I’d knock on their door.
There are older cars that are popular enough to generate these sorts of notes. Park a reasonably clean '90’s Japanese pickup on a street and step back, because the note posters around here will bowl you over. Early '90’s Miatas will too. A good condition Camry or Maxima from that era will, also.
I suspect most code enforcement that tags cars parked on private property is brought in by angry neighbors.
I think I’m with davesmopar on this one. I’ve only threatened one guy once that after three times still wanted to inspect my roof.
One thing around here though is if there is still a good bit of time left on the license plates. Then they can grab the car for little cost and not transfer it but still sell it or use it on th3 road without insurance. No deal. Stay out of my yard.
After getting a couple on his 87 Mazda B2200 4wd truck my brother built a gate to hide the truck from prying eyes. Does get used when he needs a truck, every couple weeks on average. The neighbor’s or cars passing on the street can’t see it where it’s parked… He bought it 20+yrs ago when looking for a small truck but the market for Toyota’s was insane. Our Grandpa had a 1986 B2000 same extended cab but 2wd so he had a good idea what a good 80’s Mazda should be like.
To be honest, I would JUMP at the opportunity to buy a running, drivable 1994 Corolla (assuming it has a valid title and no liens, of course). So don’t automatically assume that all such offers are a scam. Many may be, but all are not.
It’s funny you mention that. I am aware of an early 1990s Dodge Shadow, which has been sitting, and never moved since at least 2008. It is parked at a house, which is visible from the freeway, outside of city limits. Every time I drive past there, I look to see if the car is still there, and it is. But I’m not going to trespass onto someone’s private land to attempt to speak to them, and ask if they’d sell the car. That seems like more risk than it’s worth.
Drive by the property and get the address. Your area probably has public real estate records that you can search using the address. In MD you enter the county then the address and hit enter. The property data is on the next page, including the owner’s name(s). Send them a letter expressing your interest in the car. You never have to get closer than the street. You can leave an email address and phone number in your note and they will contact you if interested.
Apparently, somebody has been trying to contact me about my car’s extended warranty…
The house buying ones are also popular here.
Everything I have is for sale. You just need to hit the magic number!
I don’t know if this is the same in other towns in NJ, but if you go to my town’s website, click on the icon for Property Tax, and then fill-in a street name, it gives you the name and address of every home owner on that street.
100%. It’s a total scam. Ignore them.
You’re chasing zebras again, @George_San_Jose1. If it’s the truck someone might be genuinely interested in it for himself. It might be to drive an old Ford pickup as is or maybe for a restomod project.
If it’s the Corolla it might be as you say for a young person’s first car. A long shot is for export to Latin America or Africa.
I have never seen one of these notes and don’t know anyone who has. I might call the number if I got one but would not give any information other than what kind of vehicle it was .
Of course George did not say what the vehicle was that had a post no notes it is not for sale. Which once again I wonder is he making up stuff because I doubt most of his stories anyway.
George, have you googled the phone number to see if it’s related to some business?
I’ve gotten a couple offers just waiting for a red light, waiting for the Verizon store to open.
Years ago I had a 1976 Chevy Impala, when they were huge! 350 V8 and all that. I had it in St Louis as an “airport car”. I was a pilot and I used this car when I was in town. One day I walk up and there’s this note. “I might be interested in your car.” He left a number.
Well, I drove the car another couple of years and then needed to get rid of it. So I called the # and it turns out he was still interested! He “raced” in those demolition derbies and needed the big rear wheel drive tanks to do the best he could! He met me at the TWA training center parking lot and we made the deal! I’m sure the car was sent to the junk yard within weeks!
I have had guys ask what I would take for my fun car at red lights and I would just simply say with a smile, you can’t afford it and then thank them for the complement… 
I have found notes on my cars many times, people ring my doorbell, sometimes they caught me in the garage.
Some people have told me they had one just like it but had to sell the car after they got married. I was friends with one guy for years, others I later saw at car shows.
100% total scam? Well maybe not everyone was sincere.
I drove by a guy that had a 1960 ford falcon station wagon in his driveway and he was standing there. From the paint it was unrestored but not falling apart. I was going to stop and talk to him but didn’t want to trespass. A couple days ago I would have so thanks for the warning.
Personally, I’m ok with folks interested in talking about my cars, as long as they are polite. The only time I had a bad experience with an actual person asking about my cars was during the initial phase of the Covid lock-down. They asked about my cars and I said I’d be happy to talk to them but they’d have to wear a mask. They went away acting like they were insulted by my mask comment , telling me as they left that they are not sick so why should they have to wear a mask.