On average, 20 vehicles are abandoned each month, with numbers steadily rising.
Leaving an unregistered or unwarranted vehicle in a public place is illegal. Offenders risk getting ticketed up to $400, as well as additional towing and storage fees.
Illegally dumped vehicles can also generate a larger set of problems by attracting vandals and subsequent damage.
"Every effort is made to find the car owner before we can flag the vehicle as abandoned," says Graeme Gillespie, Palmerston North City Council's Head of Environmental Protection Services. "This is extremely time consuming and costly.
"We want people to do the right thing. Be responsible and dispose of your vehicle through the appropriate channels."
For more information about how we deal with abandoned vehicles, see environmental regulations.