How to donate your old car to charity

When your old car has reached the end of the road, the prospect of getting rid of it can feel daunting.

But one hassle-free and heart-warming option is to donate it to a good cause via Charity Car. 

The scheme has over 50 registered charity partners including Water Aid, the World Wildlife Fund and the National Autistic Society. Charity Car can collect your unwanted vehicle free of charge, deal with all the legal paperwork and donate the value of your recycled car or the profit raised at auction to the charity of your choice.

'We are really pleased to be partnered with Charity Car,' says Oxfam spokesperson Natacha Terrot. 

'The public's car donations which they have handled for us have raised over £30,000. These much-needed funds help us fight poverty throughout the world, whether that's providing emergency aid to areas affected by natural disasters or famine, or creating lasting change through providing healthcare and education.'

Six ways to help charity without donating money

How to donate your car

Motorists who have an old car they would like to donate can arrange everything online at Charity Car.. 

The first step is to choose a charity, then enter the registration number of the vehicle and the postcode they would like the car collected from into the website. This can be the owner's home or the garage, which is ideal if the car has failed its MOT and can't legally be driven on the road. Charity Car can collect any car which is accessible, even if it isn't roadworthy or doesn't have road tax or insurance. 

The donation amount raised by an old car can vary depending on the make, its size and location. Charity Car will assess the best route to maximise the value of the donation. 

If the vehicle needs to be scrapped this is carried out at one of their nationwide network of fully licensed scrap car recycling centres, where it will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. 

Vehicles that can be restored to the road are auctioned off and all the paperwork related to transfer of ownership handled by Charity Car.

Eight steps to safely scrap your car

A convenient choice

Charity Car. can be a convenient choice for people who have decided to give up their car or who have a family vehicle that's no longer needed.

'We bought an old Peugeot 206 for our daughter to learn to drive in,' says Jackie Price from Gloucestershire.

'Once she'd passed we wanted to buy her a newer car but I wasn't sure about what to do with the old one. I've always had relatively new or company cars myself so I didn't know anything about selling or scrapping an older vehicle.' 

But then Jackie read about Charity Car in a magazine. 'The website was so easy to use and the collection was very prompt and efficient. Getting the car onto the recovery truck and sorting out the paperwork was handled in a matter of minutes. The car raised £60 which we donated via Charity Car to The Cotswolds Dogs and Cats Home, a wonderful local charity. We've got two rescue dogs ourselves, so the thought of our unwanted car providing food and care for the animals there is very rewarding.'

There are lots of ways to get rid of your old car. If you really need the cash and can’t donate, why not look into selling your car on eBay?

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