Ask the f-list: Virginia vehicle donations?

[geekchick]

The HOA is planning on towing my old Protege on Sunday unless it's inspected and the tags are renewed by then; seeing as how the car doesn't actually start at the moment, I don't think that's going to happen. Sadly, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the best approach is either to donate it or scrap it because the cost of a storage unit plus whatever it's going to cost to get it repaired is going to be more than the car is worth at this point. Does anyone have experience donating a non-running car? Would you recommend any particular organization? I don't need the write-off since I don't itemize, but it was my first car of my own and I'd prefer it go to someone who could use the money from parting it out or whatever. *sniff* For that matter, if any of y'all think you want a 1996 Protege for parts or a project (it needs serious engine work at a minimum), let me know and you're welcome to it.

Comments

[easy-living.livejournal.com]

Several years ago, we donated an elderly non-running Geo Prizm to Melwood. As I remember it, they showed up when they said they would, towed it from our driveway and left the paperwork in our mailbox. All completely painless, except for the nuisance value of having to return the plates to the MVA.

The only issue you might have with donation is whether you can arrange to have a charity pick it up before the HOA tows it. Would the HOA be amenable to leaving it there an extra couple of days if you told them that arrangememnts had been made to donate it?

[geekchick]

The timing is the thing that I'm concerned about. They slapped a warning on the car sometime during the day yesterday, which doesn't leave me much time to make arrangements. I am not sure if the HOA is amenable to letting it sit any longer, and I'm not sure if I could even get an answer from them before Sunday. In the worst case, I can call someone to junk it and probably get it removed tomorrow or Sunday morning.

[easy-living.livejournal.com]

Well, Melwood has a phone number for vehicle donations - might be worth giving them (or whoever you choose) a call and seeing if they could pick it up tomorrow.

Here's the Melwood info - phonelines are open till 7pm tonight.

Simply call our toll free number 1-877-MELWOOD (1-877-635-9663) with the year, make and model of your vehicle, the general condition, the vehicle identification number, and with title and lien in hand. We will handle the rest.

[geekchick]

I called them after I posted the previous comment; they don't pick up on the weekends at all, and it usually takes 2-5 business days.