151 autos up for grabs at auction

A Corvette, Camaro and a fully-equipped ADA van are among the vehicles being auctioned off this weekend by the city of Santa Fe.

Most of the 151 cars up for grabs were confiscated as part of the Police Department’s vehicle forfeiture program targeting repeat drunken drivers.

Other vehicles up for sale include a Jeep Liberty and other SUVs, pickups and a Volkswagen Jetta. The city is auctioning off three ADA transportation vans with lifts and other features.

The Corvette and Chevrolet Camaro were previously used by the city as “props” in a drug and alcohol awareness program. The Corvette is a 1981 model, while the Camaro is a 1984.

The condition of the cars slated to be auctioned off varies, but 70-80 percent “are running and ready to go,” city Purchasing Officer Robert Rodarte said.

“We know the majority of them just need minor work, if any … I think the majority of vehicles are a really good deal,” Rodarte said.

He continued, “A lot of these vehicles when they were confiscated were running, so there’s a lot of value in that versus a vehicle you’re buying that may have been parked forever.”

The auction, which will be run by Texas-based Bentley’s Auctions, starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday on city property at 1142 Siler Road. A viewing session will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.

Of the 151 cars to be auctioned off, 125 are from the forfeiture program. The rest are city vehicles that municipal government can’t or won’t use any more.

City officials hope to make between $150,000-180,000, according to Rodarte. Revenue from the seized cars will be put back into the forfeiture program.

City statistics show that in 2012 the city seized 506 vehicles under the DWI forfeiture program. Another 38 cars were forfeited by their owners for various reasons. Around $194,192 was generated by the program last year.

People can pre-register for Saturday’s auction on the Bentley’s website at www.auctionsouthwest.com to avoid registration lines on Saturday and reserve the option to submit a bid online.

“It’s going to be quite interesting. Good activity. I can’t give you numbers, but it’ll be a full house,” Rodarte said.