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Mercedes scrapping in Sindelfingen: owner plans to sue city!
A Mercedes owner is suing the city of Sindelfingen after his vehicle was scrapped without warning.
Mercedes scrapping in Sindelfingen: owner plans to sue city!
Andreas Weber, the owner of a 25-year-old Mercedes SL 280, is stunned by the city of Sindelfingen's decision to tow his vehicle and ultimately scrap it. In September 2024, the car was removed from Talstrasse in Maichingen while Weber himself was on vacation. It wasn't until April 2025 that he found out that his beloved vehicle would finally be scrapped, which he said made him feel like he was in a "fake movie." As a result, he plans to sue the city for damages, as the Stuttgarter Nachrichten reports.
The vehicle was parked in a public parking lot when the city enforcement service felt the need to tow the Mercedes due to an oil leak. This oil has been identified as an environmental and safety risk. At the time it was towed, the car had a British license plate, which made it difficult to identify Weber as the owner. According to auto motor und sport, after the towing, Weber received an invoice for around 1,000 euros for the parking costs at the towing company.
Legal aspects of towing
Towing vehicles is subject to strict legal requirements in Germany. Participants have rights and obligations according to the road traffic regulations (StVO) and the German Civil Code (BGB). In general, vehicle owners must be informed if their car is being towed. This can be done by the public order office or the police. In this case, however, Weber was only confronted with the consequences without being informed of the towing in advance.
A report prepared in January 2025 determined that the car no longer had any economic residual value. This contributed to the city's decision to scrap the vehicle. The legal framework for towing is clear: costs for legal towing are usually borne by the vehicle owner, unless the procedure was unlawful.
Future of legal disputes
It remains to be seen whether Andreas Weber will be able to enforce his legal claims. Such cases can be complicated and often require legal assistance to avoid undue costs. It is unclear whether Weber will take legal action against the city, since, according to its own administration, the city has to pay for the towing and follow-up costs.
The situation raises questions about how similar cases will be handled in the future and what measures can be taken to better protect the rights of vehicle owners. It remains exciting to see whether and in what form Andreas Weber will actually assert his claims.