It looks like my car may be beyond fixing. Alas.
If my car is too expensive to fix, or cannot be fixed, we are going to try to be a one car family for awhile. But before I get into all of that, I have a question.
What does one do with a car that does not run, if you're not planning to trade it in for a new car? My car won't start AT ALL, and the car people have no idea why. They say that if the next few things don't work, they want some insane amount of money to take apart the engine. Since my car has 225,000 miles on it, it will not be worth the price that they want. If we don't get it fixed, and don't trade it, what can we do with it? Will car places buy a non-working car? Do I sell it in the paper? Do I take it to a junk yard? This has been my only car. I've had it since high school. My husband has had his car since high school, so we're really at a loss. Readers, please help us!
10 comments:
You can call some salvage yards and see if they'd be interested - they'll come and get it and pay you a very little for it (like $50 or $100 last experience I had with this a decade or two ago). Here in Wichita there's some on north Broadway (up toward Valley Center) but I'm sure there are plenty of others to choose from. Hope this helps! Maybe someone else will have a better idea.
Some charities will come collect the car from you for free - that will save you paying for towing/collection from someone else.
My parents had my first car hauled away by the liver foundation. Charities usually either sell the car themselves or sell its parts.
First, I want to second what the others say. Several charities here even advertise they will tow away your car and you can get a charitable deduction for it.
Second, I came across your blog from a comment you made on Vegan Ruthie's blog. I'm not your age ;) but I also am an omni, who eat a lot of veggie/vegan food. I also try to be frugal. I plan on visiting often.
Barbara
http://frugal-pdx-living.blogspot.com/
Thanks, everyone. If it is indeed dead (we find out Monday) then we will likely donate it. I'm kind of sad- as I mentioned, I've had this car since high school, so there are a lot of memories associated with it. But that's okay- it is just a thing, and we will get by.
I believe there is a new tax law that has changed the old practice of being able to write off the book value on your taxes as a charitible deduction. My understanding is that your tax deduction is limited to what the charity actually is able to sell your car for (I'm no tax expert so may be wrong about this, but do be sure to check into it before planning to donate and then deduct blue book value).
From the IRS website:
"Donors may claim a deduction of the vehicle's fair market value under the following circumstances:
The charity makes a significant intervening use of the vehicle, such as using it to deliver meals on wheels.
The charity makes a material improvement to the vehicle, i.e., major repairs that significantly increase its value and not mere painting or cleaning.
The charity donates or sells the vehicle to a needy individual at a significantly below-market price, if the transfer furthers the charitable purpose of helping a poor person in need of a means of transportation."
Contributing it is a generous idea, though, whether there is a tax advantage or not!
Look in your local pennysaver (or whatever the local freebie paper is by you). I bet you'll see dozens of ads for charities that want cars. And I believe they'll pick them up!
You can have it donated but chances are you wont get more than $500.00 with the high mileage and age on it. And remember for tax reasons you must itemize EVERYTHING if your total is over $500.00, which include the shoes, hair bows, or old plates you may have donated over the past year you have to decide if that is worth it to you or not. A Junk yard is another option my husbands aunt recently sold hers for $25.00 and was thrilled with the amount they gave her. Also depending on what state you live in..we live in Texas it is completely legal to push your car into the road and leave it there as the state will gladly come pick it up and save you the headache. If you do consider buying a pre-owned or a new car dealerships often will offer to bring it in, this is what my father in law did. He struck a deal with the dealership and they gave him $500.oo trade-in. There are many options.
You might also consider parting it out on craigslist or ebay before you let the junkyard have it. Even with 200k miles on it, there are sure to be many useful (and some fairly new) parts:
door handles, windows, mirrors, battery, tires and rims, doors, seats, lights, recently replaced alternator/transmission/etc...do you have a garage or somewhere to hide/store it once it becomes an eyesore?
Once it's really junk, you can probably find someone who will haul it away for free so that *they* can get paid for the scrap metal.
I have no suggestions to add on where to send your car; I just wanted to give you a thumbs up on keeping the car for so long. I'd say you got your money's worth on that car!
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