Disposing of an old vehicle

[Scutter01]

So, I have a car sitting in my driveway that I need to get rid of. Last year, I had some engine trouble and it was going to cost more to repair it than the car is worth. While I was getting that worked out, I went ahead and just bought a new car. In the meantime, I still have this old car that I need to get rid of. I doubt that I can sell it. The car is in otherwise good shape (even has a new radiator and relatively new tires!), it's just this one thing that needs to be fixed to make it drivable.

My question is this: What's the best way to get rid of it? Tow it to a junkyard? Call one of those "We''ll buy your car and we'll even pick it up!" places? Donate it to charity? Obviously, I'd like to get some money for it, but I know that it's not realistic to expect much, if anything, under the circumstances.

 

[hoosierglock40]

depends..what kind of car are you talking about?

 

[ViperJock]

Donate it to charity. Take the tax break. Win/Win

 

[eldirector]

I think the going salvage rate is about $300 per ton at a junkyard. You have to get it there, though.

You may get that much as a tax write-off if you donate it. Most charities will come pick it up, too.

 

[Scutter01]

depends..what kind of car are you talking about?

It's a 2008 Kia with around 100k miles. It was actually a pretty decent car and never gave me any problems. Until the problem that killed it, of course. I think Kia really cleaned up their act following years of selling crap. It was more reliable than most of the previous cars I'd owned.

Donate it to charity. Take the tax break. Win/Win

The problem is that the tax break is only what the charity is able to sell the car for, not what you think the car is worth. If they only get $50 for it, then it's a $50 tax break, which translates to about 15 cents in my pocket. If I could just sell it outright for $50, I'd be $49.85 ahead.

 

[ViperJock]

It's a 2008 Kia with around 100k miles. It was actually a pretty decent car and never gave me any problems. Until the problem that killed it, of course. I think Kia really cleaned up their act following years of selling crap. It was more reliable than most of the previous cars I'd owned.



The problem is that the tax break is only what the charity is able to sell the car for, not what you think the car is worth. If they only get $50 for it, then it's a $50 tax break, which translates to about 15 cents in my pocket. If I could just sell it outright for $50, I'd be $49.85 ahead.

Ah gotcha. In that case sell it to a tactical training class to use as a prop?

 

[shibumiseeker]

Short of donating it since you've explained your position on that, there are ALWAYS scrappers who will give you a hundred or hundred fifty for a junk car. But if the tires are in decent shape, pull the wheels and sell them separate, you can usually get another hundred to hundred fifty for those.

 

[1775usmarine]

You could always post on here for say a month or so someone may come along and buy. That is if it isn't an eyesore.

 

[Scutter01]

Short of donating it since you've explained your position on that, there are ALWAYS scrappers who will give you a hundred or hundred fifty for a junk car. But if the tires are in decent shape, pull the wheels and sell them separate, you can usually get another hundred to hundred fifty for those.

Oh, I don't have a problem donating it. I'm just looking for the best option here.

 

[indykid]

I had one years ago that literally blew up in my driveway. Called Good Will and they came out and took it away. No cost to me, slight tax deduction too.

 

[Slider]

Put it on craigslist. You would be surprised what people will buy. A home mechanic might be able to fix it himself cheap and make a few dollars on it too. jusy my . I sold a non running truck on craigslist in just a few days. Made more than i thought I ever would on it.

 

[Scutter01]

I had one years ago that literally blew up in my driveway. Called Good Will and they came out and took it away. No cost to me, slight tax deduction too.

I think it's what I'm going to end up doing. It's the least desirable outcome financially, I think, but I won't have to pay a tow truck so at least I won't lose money.

 

[Mr. Habib]

You might try calling some local vocational schools. They are always looking for projects for their students.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Have you even considered an add on CL?

Of course - that'd mean having folks come to your house to look at the car... Not sure I'd want to do that.

 

[CHCRandy]

Heck, if you got a title for it I know a guy who may buy it from you, depending on where you are located. He may only give you $100 but he will come and pick it up.

 

[Scutter01]

Have you even considered an add on CL?

Of course - that'd mean having folks come to your house to look at the car... Not sure I'd want to do that.

Yeah, not a huge fan of CL for exactly that reason.

Heck, if you got a title for it I know a guy who may buy it from you, depending on where you are located. He may only give you $100 but he will come and pick it up.

I do have the title for it. That raises an interesting question, though. I've never sold a car in Indiana in a private sale. What's the process?

 

[Ericpwp]

Sign the back. I hope. That's what I did.

I think they changed the tax write-off amount for car donation. Look it up before donating. It use to be that you got blue book value, and they changed it to the price it goes at auction. I remember something along those lines.

I also had a junkyard pick up a car from me. They gave me $415 for it.

 

[indyblue]

It's a 2008 Kia with around 100k miles. It was actually a pretty decent car and never gave me any problems. Until the problem that killed it, of course. I think Kia really cleaned up their act following years of selling crap. It was more reliable than most of the previous cars I'd owned.



The problem is that the tax break is only what the charity is able to sell the car for, not what you think the car is worth. If they only get $50 for it, then it's a $50 tax break, which translates to about 15 cents in my pocket. If I could just sell it outright for $50, I'd be $49.85 ahead.

If you donate to https://www.goodwillindy.org/mod/donate/auto, you get a minimum $500 deduction. I just got rid rid of my 1994 Acura Integra that I used as a bad weather commuter from 1997 until last fall when the exhaust downpipe rotted out and was quoted $1K to replace the whole system.

They came out with a flatbed, backed into my drive way, and off it went. I was later emailed a receipt for the $500 donation.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Look in the local paper under buying used cars. They will pay a little cash and haul it off for you

 

[Scutter01]

Sign the back. I hope. That's what I did.

In Michigan (at least, way back when I lived there), the buyer and the seller had to go to the DMV to transfer the title and pay the sales tax on the $1 sale price (wink wink).