Anyone ever donate a car to charity?!

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Haakzilla

Haakzilla

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...I would love to hear if any of you have ever done this. Many charities around the USA offer car donation programs, but I have never followed through from A to Z yet. Please share your experience if you have.

To find the nearest car donation charity, please check out --> Donate Your Car Help .com
 
The repair place said my old car was done for, but they could give it to the Fire Dept. and save me title change fees. The firemen bang on it or set it on fire or something. So I left it there.
 
mags has a brand new car he'd like to donate.

It's what jesus would do.
 
I donated a car to the National Kidney Foundation about 12 years ago. They came to my house with flatbed truck, loaded it up, and hauled it away. A couple months later, I was driving to work and saw my old car driving down the freeway beside me, so I can only assume they were able to sell it and get something for it.
 
Most of the legit Charities will provide you with a reciept that you may write off your taxes. It is now based upon the sale price ofthe vehicle. Most will market through an auto auction, where there is a clear paper trail.

Less legit guys will operate on the surface much the same way, but remarket as a retail business. They use the "charity" as a means to aquire "free" inventory.

Father Joe, VOA or KOA are all on the level, and they have been the ones localy that I have delt with.
 
I have heard that the IRS really scrutinizes donated cars. Generally they're garbage cars not worth $200 and people write off the full Kelley price for a verhicle in mint condition and low miles... So if you do, just be sure to donate it for a fair market value.
 
BLAZER PROPHET said:
I have heard that the IRS really scrutinizes donated cars. Generally they're garbage cars not worth $200 and people write off the full Kelley price for a verhicle in mint condition and low miles... So if you do, just be sure to donate it for a fair market value.
Click to expand...

That is the way it used to happen, and that is why legit charities will first sell it through an auction, and then send you a reciept to write off based upon the selling price. It is a proven paper trail the establishes the value of that vehicle.
 
This has been soooooo abused. I donated many things to woman's shelters and churches. I always told them to write the receipt for fair market value, usually low balling myself. When I donate, I do it for the cause, not the tax benefit.
 
PtldPlatypus said:
I donated a car to the National Kidney Foundation about 12 years ago. They came to my house with flatbed truck, loaded it up, and hauled it away. A couple months later, I was driving to work and saw my old car driving down the freeway beside me, so I can only assume they were able to sell it and get something for it.
Click to expand...

...they didn't provide you with a receipt of sale for your records?
 
DaLincolnJones said:
Most of the legit Charities will provide you with a reciept that you may write off your taxes. It is now based upon the sale price ofthe vehicle. Most will market through an auto auction, where there is a clear paper trail.

Less legit guys will operate on the surface much the same way, but remarket as a retail business. They use the "charity" as a means to aquire "free" inventory.

Father Joe, VOA or KOA are all on the level, and they have been the ones localy that I have delt with.
Click to expand...

...it seems like there are A LOT of less legit guys out there too, sadly!

Do you have the website links for the three you listed "on the level"? I will definitely add them to DonateYourCarHelp.com
 
jlprk said:
The repair place said my old car was done for, but they could give it to the Fire Dept. and save me title change fees. The firemen bang on it or set it on fire or something. So I left it there.
Click to expand...

...or they fixed it and sold it for a profit -- nice donation, sucker!
 
magnifier661 said:
This has been soooooo abused. I donated many things to woman's shelters and churches. I always told them to write the receipt for fair market value, usually low balling myself. When I donate, I do it for the cause, not the tax benefit.
Click to expand...

...bravo, that's the way it should be!
 
When I was at UofO, I left my car parked at my sisters too long and she got pissed and gave my car to her gardener. Does that count?
 
HAAK72 said:
...they didn't provide you with a receipt of sale for your records?
Click to expand...

No, this was before the rules for such donations were tightened up.
 
I dontaed a POS toyota carolla to Goodwill about 500 miles away from it giving up the ghost.
 
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