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I'm sure you've heard the ads a million times "Donate your car! We'll take it running or not!"
Well that's a bunch of hooey.
They rejected my car because it's resale value "would be less than the cost of towing it."
It needs a battery and a dent knocked out of it and it would be good as new.
I guess what really Ticks me off is all the time I spent researching charities to make sure I wasn't giving to one that would steal the money or use it to advance an agenda. Do I bother wasting my time doing that all over just to be rejected again? Do I sell it to a used car lot or sell it as scrap? I'm not sure how to do either of those things.
Maybe I should leave it beside the road with the keys in it....
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I gave away my old junker to Purple Heart... it was in FAR worse condition than yours. Weird that your charity wouldn't take it.
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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I know! Since I was trying to donate it to the American Cancer Society, I'll donate it to a Smoker's Rights group instead!
That'll Learn 'em!
Tell me about Purple Heart, Telp. Did you research them and get their financial details? Do they have a political agenda of ANY kind?
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Sell (or give) it to someone who needs that "junker". There are a lot of people who ain't all hoity toity about what a car is. That would be an act of charity in itself. If ya want, you can always donate the cash to charity. Just make sure that the registration is changed immediately.
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pixiest, I checked out the ACS "Cars for a Cure" website and apparently they sell the cars that are donated and use the proceeds as cash.
In other words, they only care if the car has net value, not whether it is working/good transportation or not.
Lots of other charities would turn a working car into economic opportunity for a family. I would suggest ones that work on helping women transition from shelters to economic stability or maybe one that helps out families in crisis.
These are probably going to be local affairs, so you might need to check in your local community to see what kind of programs are available.
In googling this, I see a lot of places just auction the cars to raise cash. If you felt strongly that the car would represent good transportation for someone who needs a freebie, you'll probably have to work harder to find a charity that works that way.
Or send your car to Cuba or South America. They keep stuff running there FOREVER!
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Love the family's and women's shelter ideas, Bob_Scopatz. Wish I'da thought of searching for something similar.
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If you just want to get rid of it, find your local freecycle group and give it to someone in need. Every car I have seen on the list here has gone really quickly.
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
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IIRC, Dag mentioned the Campbell story last time I told mine, but -- I promise! -- this really did happen to me. The record is still on my credit report.
In shorthand form:
The $843+ Tow
1. Was driving 1988ish gold Chevy Cavalier with a sunroof, on its last legs.
2. Started getting massive headaches and turning cherry-red after driving it. Fellow med students accurately diagnosed carbon monoxide poisoning.
3. Since I had no money and needed car to get to out-of-town VA for training, I spent 8 months driving with the windows down (exhaust was dumping into the passenger area). Over a Midwestern winter.
4. Finally Spring comes, and with that a new student loan. Whew! Decide to ditch Cavalier and buy friend's old car instead.
5. Call tow company. In lieu of a $25 tow fee, the guy that comes out asks if he can have the car for his daughter.
6. Being friendly/cheap/helpful, I say "Sure!" But I explain the exhaust problem carefully (he's a mechanic, and he says 'twould be no problem to fix), and I'm even savvy enough to get him to put it in writing that he understands the exhaust problem. Yay! A win for everyone!
7. During the 5 or so moves in the next 7 years, I lose the "receipt." Forget all about it, even.
8. Then I get tracked down by a collection company for an $843 bill. Turns out the guy eventually duped the car at the Illinois fairgrounds (still registered under my name) -- likely becuse he couldn't fix it -- from which it was eventually towed and stored. The bill was all mine.
9. Not so yay. But I sucked it up and paid it. And expensive lesson, but could've been worse.
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(I'm also offestting the amount I shelled out to learn this lesson firsthand by the potential of averting financial disaster for others to whom I tell the story. It's a good deal. By the time I found out my screwed-over status, I was in a good job and could find a way to pay it. Others might not be. So, it all works out okay. )
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But I sucked it up and paid it. And expensive lesson, but could've been worse.
