Scrap yard or Donation?

travlnusa · #1 01/16/08, 08:02 AM

I have a Ford Windstar with 250,000 miles on it. It is time for it to go away.

The front end is shot!!! Ball joints, tie rods, sway bars, etc all need to be replaced. It is just unsafe to drive anymore.

Where am I better off sending it?

Has anyone donated a car with the the new "cash value" tax deduction? If so, how does that work?

Has anyone sold off a car to a scrap yard as of late. If so, what are the ranges they tend to pay.

I know that one part of the country may be 100% off from where I am, but your ideas will give me a direction to head to.

seedspreader · #2 01/16/08, 08:13 AM

If it's as bad as you say, it's final destination will be the scrap yard no matter what.

You're looking between 125 - 200 taking it to a scrap yard.

Is you "write off value" going to affect your bottom line taxes greater than that? If not, take it to a scrap yard. Some one may be able to pull parts off of it.

Jim S. · #3 01/16/08, 08:16 AM

It'll bring $300 here for scrap. Here, there are people who will come to your house and pick it up and give you $100 for it.

Alternately, you could try selling the engine and tranny to someone for parts or to rebuild, then scrapping the rest. You'd probably make more that way, but it's a bit more work, too.

travlnusa · #4 01/16/08, 08:32 AM

Off to the scrap yard it will be going.

Thanks for the feedback. Always nice being able to look at issues with other members eyes.

Thanks again.

goatkid · #5 01/16/08, 08:35 AM

You're best off sending it to a scrap yard. I work in a thrift store. We appreciate cars that are running well, but would not accept a vehicle that needs major repairs.

seedspreader · #6 01/16/08, 09:18 AM

Let us know what they give you for it.

**clovis** · #7 01/16/08, 09:32 AM

Before you do anything, look up scrap catalytic converter on ebay.

Some of them are bringing crazy prices!!!!! I would cut the converter off, which is pretty easy on most cars, and list it as a 99 cent auction.

I would also check out what is selling parts wise on ebay for Windstars. Tail lights and the like could sell very well!!!

They might give you less once you cut the converter off, but it would still be very profitable for you to do so.

As for donating it...it is going to wind up at the yard anyway, and you cannot claim any more as a tax deduction than what the charity sold it for.

Clove

seedspreader · #8 01/16/08, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clovis

and you cannot claim any more as a tax deduction than what the charity sold it for.

Actually that's incorrect.

It's YOUR responsibility to assign a price to the donation. The charity isn't allowed to, regardless of what they sell it for.

In fact if you ask the charity to give you a receipt they will only gie you a receipt with a description of the car and not a value on it.

comfortablynumb · #9 01/16/08, 10:47 AM

on the ebay subject.... check out the going price for the tail light buckets, the headlight units, the interiror electrical switches.... all the little used parts you can take off and resell, like the cat con.

you might find an afternoon stripping partss off it for ebay will get you a few extra 100 bucks.

the electronics that run the engine may be worth a small fortune used... the computer, THE DISTRIBUTOR UNIT! the EFI fuel components.... stuff like that.

probably all you can stuff in 2 garbage cans will give you a nice pile to resell on ebay.

even the side emblems off the fenders.... the INSTERMENT CLUSTER out of the dash....
lots of stuff might be easy to sell.
then remove the gas tanks and the tires, drain the oil, and thee crussher will give you top $$ for it.

watcher · #10 01/16/08, 11:17 AM

How about another suggestion? If you are a little handy you can sell the still good parts on Ebay then when you are though sell the rest for scrap? You should be able to sell the seats, doors, wheels (with or w/o tires) even the radiator and grill and get a lot more for it than you would selling it for scrap or as a donation.

Little Quacker in OR · #11 01/16/08, 12:47 PM

I don't know about your area, but here many people donate their old, useless autos to the community college. They come and pick them up and use them to teach auto repair/ body work to the students.

You might inquire in your area to see if this is an option. IT's a nice thing to do and you get the write off.

LQ

Coco · #12 01/16/08, 12:50 PM

Call Rawhide boys ranch in WI to see what they have to say, they take cars, the boys fix them and they sell them, what they sell them for is what you can write off on your taxes. It's a win win for both parties. I will try to find the phone # for you.

michiganfarmer · #13 01/16/08, 12:53 PM

if it runs, I would replace all the front end parts, and keep it. That will be cheaper than buying a different car.

Coco · #14 01/16/08, 12:54 PM

here is the link for Rawhide http://www.rawhide.org/

ricky · #15 01/16/08, 02:26 PM

to me if she runs and rolls it would be a better value to just keep it on your property to pull brush, junk, fire wood or to store other junk run it in the yard till it dont roll any more. may have 4 or 5 years left off rd.

silentcrow · #16 01/16/08, 03:29 PM

Don't forget about the aluminum in the tranny, tho I dunno if it's worth the work.

blufford · #17 01/16/08, 06:05 PM

auction it off on ebay, buyer picks up.

Here is a link for some that have over 200,000 miles for sale.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/Cars-Tru...1QQ_pcatsZ6000

travlnusa · #18 01/16/08, 07:08 PM

WOW,

I never considered E Bay. That is the way to go. I have a pile of stuff I have always planned on selling on E Bay "someday". I see the time has come to get going.

I have looked at keeping it as a "knock around the farm truck", but I have an old Nissan Pathfinder for that Job.

I will not replace the parts and keep using it because I was VERY LUCKY and bought a newer car for less than the cost of of the repairs needed.

**clovis** · #19 01/16/08, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seedspreader

Actually that's incorrect.

It's YOUR responsibility to assign a price to the donation. The charity isn't allowed to, regardless of what they sell it for.

In fact if you ask the charity to give you a receipt they will only gie you a receipt with a description of the car and not a value on it.

I thought the IRS changed the law about the donation value amount.

The way I understand it was that lots of organizations were really upping the values, often in conjuction with the donor.

So what keeps me from donating my 95 Chevy S-10 with 165K to Goodwill, and saying it is worth $25,000?

Something to look into if one were to donate a car.

Clove

**clovis** · #20 01/16/08, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travlnusa

WOW,

I never considered E Bay. That is the way to go. I have a pile of stuff I have always planned on selling on E Bay "someday". I see the time has come to get going.

My suggestion is to offer Buy It Now on most of your items from the van, especially if they are critical to keeping someone else's van going.

For instance, the alternator, glass or an aluminum rim might be needed by someone immediately to get their van running again. These items would definately be "BIN" items if I were listing. If I owned a Windstar, and needed an alternator, I am not going to be waiting for a 7 day auction to end to purchase one. I would need one immediately.

On the other hand, you might do alright listing nonessential items like carpet, fenders, floor mats, as auctions.

A friend of mine has an 01 Gran Prix, and hit a curb, ruining the rim and tire. The JY wanted $275 for a used one. While there were about 10 auctions running for the rim for his Pontiac, he went with a rim listed as BIN for $119 plus shipping. He had his car back on the road 2 days later.

I personally would list every van part as a Buy It Now. People don't want to wait, and in most cases, can't wait for an auction to end.

And don't forget the carpet if it isn't too destroyed....this often sells well because no one ever lists it!

Clove
(My current Ebay feedback is 680)