How to Buy Cars That Are Donated to Charity
Buying a car that has been donated to charity has many benefits. First of all, you are helping out those in need. Also, if the car is auctioned off, you may save money by winning the car with a competitive bid. Depending on the circumstances, you may also be eligible for a tax deduction. When the money from a charitable car sale is passed directly to a family in need, you can deduct the fair market value of the vehicle.
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Instructions
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Purchase the donated car directly from a charitable organization. DonateACar.com (see Resources) has a list of organizations that accept donated cars. You can search by state to find the closest charity. Contact a charity to find out what vehicles it is selling.
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Find a program that gives the money made from the sale directly to a family in need. Opportunity Cars (see Resources) can help you find a program in your area that sells donated cars and gives the money directly to a needy family. Enter your ZIP code to find dealers of these donated cars.
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Attend a donated-cars auction. Instead of handling the selling of donated cars themselves, many charities will enlist the help of an auction firm. Interstate Auto Auctions (see Resources) holds donated-car auctions where the vehicle is sold to the highest bidder with no minimum starting bid.
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Tips & Warnings
You will likely need to pay by cash, bank check or credit card. Each state has different title transfer laws.
Although you can find donated vehicles online, make arrangements to see the car before buying it to make sure it's not a scam and to inspect the condition.
