McClatchy Washington Bureau

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In the middle of the night, the diesel rumble of Steve Mozingo and Brandon Taylor's trucks prompts excuses for why the car payment is past due and driveway pleas for more time.

And in the current economic slowdown, there are a lot more excuses for the two drivers from Lizard Lick Towing & Recovery. Repo men across the country are towing away a steadily growing number of cars and trucks from owners who have fallen behind or defaulted on their loans.

As many as 1.6 million cars and trucks may be repossessed nationally this year, the most in at least a decade, according to the Manheim wholesale vehicle auction service, which touts itself as the country's largest. Large banks have yet to report a large increase in car loan defaults, but the anecdotal evidence is growing among smaller lenders and repossession companies such as Mozingo and Taylor's employer.

Based in Wendell, Lizard Lick Towing & Recovery, named for the Wake County community, has gone from repossessing 20 to 30 vehicles a week last year to 50 a week now, according to owner Ron Shirley. In Benson, Don's Auto Sales issued about 25 repossession orders in 2007; in the first seven months of this year, Donald Young said he has already matched that.

"People are falling behind more, so there is a greater need for repossession," said Young, owner of Don's Auto Sales.

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