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When you choose to donate a car to a charity, do you ever wonder what becomes of that car? What happens to the car once you commit to donating it? How is it used? Is it sold for parts or to an auction? These are the many questions you should know the answers to before donating your car to a charity. If you would rather your car be used for a good purpose rather than just being dismantled and recycled, you should check with the individual charity before donating your car.
The first thing that happens to a donated car is the charity arranges to have it picked up. You should go through the car and remove any personal items. You may also want to clean it up and remove any trash from the car. Depending on the charity, the car may not have to be in running condition. Generally, the charity will arrange to have a local towing company pick up your car from your residence. The car will then be shipped to the location selected by the charity. This location may be the actual charity headquarters, or a more local auction site. It may even be sent to a mechanic to inspect the car. Many charities have their own mechanics who volunteer their time and services. This saves you the time and money of having to have the car repaired yourself. These mechanics will inspect the cars and make any necessary repairs. This will allow the charity to sell the car to auction for a better price or to use it for the charity’s services. These steps all depend on the charity and what their rules are for donated vehicles.
Once your car has been picked up and no longer belongs you, there are a few different things that can happen to it. Some charities chose to re-sell cars at auctions. After their mechanics have looked over the car and made any necessary repairs, the car is taken to a local auction and sold to the highest bidder. Most vehicles will be sold to either a licensed car dealer or a licensed vehicle recycler. The buyer could be a dealer who will then turn around and re-sell the car again on a car lot. If it is sold to a vehicle recycler, your car will end up being dismantled. All of the components such as plastic, metal, and paper will be removed from the car and sent to the respective recycling station. The shell of the car will be recycled at a steel recycling facility. As much of the car materials will be recycled as possible.
Some charities choose not to re-sell the donated vehicles they receive. These charities will still have their mechanics inspect and repair the cars. The cars will then be put to use by the charities themselves in a variety of services. Some charities use the donated vehicles to bring patients to and from doctor appointments, therapy sessions or hospitals. This helps the patients not have to worry about driving themselves, or have to find someone who can take them. This service can be used by elderly patients, children, restricted or handicapped patients, and even for people who simply can not afford their own transportation. Some charities catering to children may use the vehicle to transport children to and from hospitals, doctors, camps, or other kinds of outings supported by the charity. Other charities, like charities committed to helping animals, may use the vehicles for transporting animals to a veterinarian, new homes, or shelters. They vehicles may also be used for veterinarian services. Some charities even use the donated vehicles for their own services, such as buying and transporting supplies, or for their volunteer workers to use while working for the charity. These services also depend on the charity you donated your vehicle to and what kind of services they offer.
If you have a specific goal in mind for your donated car, you will need to talk to the charities in your area. Before donating your car, speak with charities on where your car will end up or what services it will be used for.