Can You Donate a Used Car That is Not Drivable?

You can definitely donate a used car that is not drivable. In fact, you can donate a used car to any charity organization. If you want to donate a used car and claim for tax deductions the only precaution that you need to take is to find a charity organization that is approved as per 501(c)(3). However, you should not donate a used car if it could actually end up incurring losses for the charity organization. You should donate a used car in as good a condition as possible. 

There are some charity organizations that allow you to donate a used car even when it is not drivable. When you donate a used car to such a charity you can actually request for free pickup or towing service. When you are filling the form before you donate a used car, you should mention that it is not in a drivable condition and hence you would need a towing service. A towing agent hired by the charity will call you soon after you fill the form to donate a used car, fix up an appointment convenient for both and then pick the car up after handing you a temporary acknowledgement for the car donation. 

When you want to donate a used car, but are not sure what is the price that it can fetch, special used car representatives working with the charity can help you out. They can ensure that you get maximum tax benefits after you donate a used car. You should donate a used car to charity organizations which have access to public auction centers, service stations or contacts with used car dealers. This is because some cars can be directly auctioned in retail or wholesale lots while some cars need to go through some repair and washing before it could be sold. When you donate a used car, you should ensure that you save as much as possible for the charity by cleaning it and repairing it yourself to get the maximum tax benefits possible. 

You can donate a used car even when it is in a bad condition to charity organizations that can sell the car to salvage or junk dealers. When you donate a used car in such a condition, the charity will lose money if it tries to repair it and auction it. But, after you donate a used car it can certainly get some value out of it by selling it off to salvage dealers who then resell the usable and spare parts.