I'm a repo man, so, I'll tell you what I know.
The dealer keeps a spare set of keys, that pair of keys they send people in the mail after they're done paying for the car is the 'repo set'.
That is not always the case, there are actually several ways to repo a car, they can pop the linkage on the vehicle without keys and this basically puts the car in neutral or they can use tire dollies if the vehicle is all wheel drive or left in 4 wheel drive. If the repo agent wants the vehicle they will get the vehicle regardless... best just not to tote the note because they will find the car, believe me my husband has been in the industry for years. Also most reposession companies will cut their own keys with a code from the finance company, only mom and pop dealerships usually keep a spare set.
find the keys
How will you start the car without keys
When the person misses too many payments.
can my car be repossesed from my locked back yard
Might be hard with the tow truck attached
hot wire it
Did you lose your car keys or are you looking to hijack a car? ;)
The best indicator is that you still owe on the car, and you have stopped making payments.
If you are late, depending on who you owe, you can get taken to a collection agency, charged fines and/or have your car repossesed. I actually know two people who couldn't do the payments, it may have been for a couple of months, and their cars were repossesed.
The car will not run without the keys in the car period.
Not legally. But if he had the keys then yes.
they take the car and sell it at an auction then send you a bill for the difference between what they sold the car for and how much you still owed on it.