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You own a vehicle that’s somewhat out of date. The odometer shows a six-figure mileage count, the carpets are dingy, and the paint has faded on its exterior. In other words, it looks tired.
Disposal Options
You start to think about how to get rid of a car. You can leave it at the junkyard. However, it’s helped you and your family for years. Instead, another avenue of thought emerges — donate your vehicle.
Six out of 10 individuals donate to charitable organizations each year. This includes giving away their cars. Plenty of organizations in your area, like Tow Kars, help you donate your car to charity. In turn, you receive a tax write-off for the car’s value. What you get depends on its current state. If it’s in better shape, then its value will be higher.
To ensure this, here are some ways to increase the value of your car.
Remove Trash
Sometimes, items that get put into your vehicle stay there for its lifetime. Old baby or pet toys, discarded food, and drink containers, or broken car parts find their ways into the corners of your vehicle. Though you notice them on occasion, they never reach the garbage can.
Make sure you toss them before you donate. A car that’s full of trash will not be valued as high. On top of this, the charity may get concerned the rest of the vehicle is in the same state.
Get It Serviced
There are owners who eventually give up servicing their vehicles. It might be due to the fact there are too many things to repair. Lack of funds is another potential reason for a reduction in maintenance. The longer you let this go the quicker your car loses value.
Before you decide to donate, take your car to your local repair shop for an oil change and brake inspection. Together, those regular maintenance items shouldn’t cost more than a few hundred dollars. If you don’t have that much, focus on the brakes. A working set avoids the donation organization replacing the pads and discs.
Give Your Vehicle A Check-Up
On top of the brakes and oil, have the repair shop run a complete check-up on the powertrain and drivetrain. The former is made up of the engine and the components that make it run. The latter is made up of the tires and the equipment that makes them move and stay on the road.
Even if you don’t have the funds for the repairs, a list of problems is helpful to the donation agency. It avoids them from inspecting the vehicle on their own. In turn, while the powertrain and drivetrain might be good or fair, they can still up to its value thanks to previously provided information.
Clean The Vehicle
When you offer a vehicle for a donation that’s dirty inside and out the organization that determines its value may immediately take off points. If the vehicle is still drivable, then it might go to another charitable organization. They’ll end up spending unnecessary time cleaning it up.
Give the exterior a good washdown before donation. Vacuum the rugs, mats, and dusty dashboard. Try to get into those nooks and crannies that have accumulated a layer of debris over the years. Though you don’t need to detail it, a thorough cleaning definitely helps.
These are only a few steps to help raise the value of your vehicle for donation. Nevertheless, they can do wonders to make your car look and feel better than it has in years. As a result, you’ll be able to get rid of your car with a sense of pride.
