As I mentioned in the last blog, the expertise of the car donation field lies in the handling of donated vehicles. Anyone can get a car towed to a wholesale or salvage auction and have it sold. But those of us in this field who work closely with charities know that we can make a [...]
The majority of donated vehicles across the nation go straight to wholesale and salvage auction. For some of these vehicles, this is the most profitable route, but here’s the important thing to know: wholesale auctions are not the best route for all donated vehicles.
Some vehicles are just too good for a wholesale auction. They’re typically [...]
When we discuss car donations, the Grassley Bill and the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) Vehicle Report of 2003 are a part of the discussion whether we mention them out loud or not. Both have had a major impact on public perception of our industry and on tax laws.
The U.S. General Accounting Office Report, which [...]
Change always begins with the first step taken, and that’s what my next several blogs are all about: taking the first step to making essential changes in the car donation industry.
Why? Because it’s time. It’s been over five years since the November, 2003, federal General Accounting Office (GAO) Report on Vehicle Donations focused on possible [...]
The public is aware that Toys R Us and other large corporations diligently protect their names against copy-cats and ID theft. The reason’s obvious: copycats and thieves cash in on the brand recognition, good name and national marketing done by these large corporations.
ID thieves try to steal the good name of well-known charities in the [...]
Every donated vehicle has a story, and this one had a pretty good ending. I’m not complaining, considering the market.
A month ago I told the beginning of the story of a 2005 Ford E350 Sportsmobile 4×4 6.0L Turbo Diesel, long body, Sportsmobile conversion that was donated to charity.
This van in a good market could sell [...]
You don’t expect much of a donation from an old car that’s been garaged for a lifetime and neglected for even longer, but this one brought in a cool $8,000.
It’s shabby, but it’s a 1964 Lotus Elan, a California black license plate car. Its condition? Even a generous appraisal would call it poor. It wasn’t [...]
Here’s how to get the most from every car donation to your charity: tell your car donors to sell their vehicles themselves, and then donate 100 percent of the proceeds to your charity.
Radical idea? Especially coming from someone who runs a car donation consulting firm? I’ve been told that it is. I’ve also told donors [...]
Here’s how to get rid of even your most devoted car donor: under-value his car donation.
That’s right: Sell that vehicle he or she donated to charity for less than it is worth.
His tax deduction will plummet along with his donated cars’ sale price. He’ll wonder why you didn’t care enough about his gift to give [...]
Junk cars – those old cars sitting in someone’s backyard – though not drivable, still have value for non-profit organizations. Charities, not being automotive professionals, sometimes turn their noses up at these low-end donations. “What’s the value of a car that can’t move?” they ask me.
I have a good answer. They can be recycled. [...]
Sometimes we find gems and classic cars in amongst the vehicles donated to charities and handled by Charity Development. Often, by screening them out and selling them through retail channels, we add significant dollars to the amount we raise for a charity.Here’s our latest example of a “save” from the auction block.
It was a 2005 [...]
Car donations have the potential to be a win-win-win situation, a win for the donors, a win for the charity they donate to, and a win for the community. Sometimes they are exactly this. But too often, the value of a car donation is dissipated on its road to charity.
And this is what I want [...]