# Anyone have experience with charitable automotive donations? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204 "2004-07-09T01:45:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/21 "2004-07-09T19:09:34Z")
I’d counsel against the Salvation Army, unless you don’t mind that they are allowed to break Federal Government rules and laws on discrimination in employment without let. Other than that, look through your local paper and charity lists, there might be one that tickles your fancy. The main routine is generally signing over the title, calling up for a pickup, faxing in paper work, then handing over keys and paperwork when the tow truck comes. We did this last year and used the blue book value to calculate the write off for our taxes. We got a letter a few months after stating that the car had been sold at auction for XXXX$. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/22 "2004-07-09T19:59:19Z")
You may want to call your local Habitat for Humanity, too. I almost donated my car there. (The gal who was going to come and take it kinda’ flaked.) ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/23 "2004-07-09T21:13:14Z")
What exactly is this charity going to do with your POS car that is illegal to drive? it depends on how the donation is specified and your local laws, but an old boss had a junker donated to a charity he was running on the side. Turns out it was illegal to sell it because it was donated. So he’s got this POS car that the organization cannot legally get rid of as a car. They just drove it until it broke and then sold it as scrap. Sell it, and donate the money. ---
**Author:** ![Padmaraga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Padmaraga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padmaraga)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/24 "2004-07-09T22:14:16Z")
We donated a car to Volunteers of America. They made it very easy - we didn’t have to do anything except make the phone call. I’ve seen solicitations from local Humane Societies and local PBS stations, among other businesses, for car donations. I even saw one in our church bulletin last week. They would turn around and give the car to a needy poor family, and you’d get the receipt for a donation to a non-profit. ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/25 "2004-07-09T22:31:00Z")
Deal only with legitimate charities you call directly. I’ve donated three cars to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society. They sent someone out to pick them up - a tow truck in the case of the one that was undriveable. They will be able to explain what they accept and how it’s handled. ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/26 "2004-07-09T22:38:49Z")
When my daughter had cancer, we were given a car by an organization. I can’t rememberthe name now. :smack: I have it in my records somewhere. Later that year, our family had a Make-A-Wish trip. We were a family of 7 and they paid for it all. Just keep them in mind too. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/27 "2004-07-10T02:46:34Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Check with local volunteer firehouses, too. My husband is a volunteer firefighter, and they take old POS cars (you get a receipt for tax purposes) and use them for training. Meaning they set it on fire and use the Jaws of Life on it. Repeatedly. > The training is invaluable. I’m surprised you folks can still do that. We were advised to stop any live car burns a few years ago, and also make sure that we weren’t allowing fluids to contaminate the soil. [/hijack] Back to the OP-I called the Salvation Army, and they were rather snooty about the age of the donation and driveability. You bet-I’m going to spend money to get a vehicle inspected, insured, and registered, so I can drive it to your donation spot. What was that about winged monkeys and my butt? I’ve donated the car to Car Talk-Click and Clack, the Tappett Brothers, and designated my local NPR station as the receiving charity. Info is available on their website at [www.cartalk.com](http://www.cartalk.com) ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/28 "2004-07-10T02:49:30Z")
I’m a pro-gay rights atheist. But I have no problem helping out the Salvation Army (I actually believe that _Do Unto Others_ crap). FWIW, I had some interesting dialog with the Baltimore office in 1993 – I’m pretty sure the dude who answered the phone was illiterate – he spoke forcefully of how I would ‘have to call back’. When I did, the supervisor (a Mrs. H\_\_\_\_\_) was cordial and efficient. But when I told her I couldn’t leave a message earlier, she sounded like she was ready to tear a new asshole in the guy I’d spoken with. (If I believed in God, I would have said a prayer for the poor fool). Bottom line: they’re trying to get people on their feet. I have a pile of junk in my driveway they might be able to use. First things first. (Off my soap box). > [@Mynn](#): > > I’d counsel against the Salvation Army, unless you don’t mind that they are allowed to break Federal Government rules and laws on discrimination in employment without let. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/29 "2004-07-10T03:29:13Z")
I have no experience in automotive donations. I do, however, have experience in merging threads. Which I have done. Lynn For the Straight Dope ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/30 "2004-07-10T05:10:24Z")
A few years ago, my 15 year old Camry finally died. I called the [North Shore Animal League](http://member.nsalamerica.org/site/PageServer) about donating it, but given the condition of the car, they said they couldn’t take it. I called several other organizations, and they said the same thing. So I had the junkman come take it away. Even though the organizations wouldn’t take it, they were very nice and helpful, and I’d certainly try it again if I had another car to get rid of. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204/31 "2004-07-10T11:22:40Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > I’m surprised you folks can still do that. We were advised to stop any live car burns a few years ago, and also make sure that we weren’t allowing fluids to contaminate the soil. [/hijack] Yep, they still do. They have to drain all the fluids first. My husband also went to a house burning a few weeks ago, at a house that was to be demolished. Several area companies were involved, and it was quite impressive. They set it on fire one room at a time, and each company took turns putting fires out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-with-charitable-automotive-donations/254204.md?page=1)