I represent a vo-tech school in central PA. We have a auto mechanic program that is in bad need of DONATED vehicles year 2000 and newer for our students to learn on. We have contacted our local dealers with no response. Anyone wish to help out?
Is this a private vocational tech program or a public one like those at community colleges?
If your vo-tech school is a private for-profit business, I don’t think it is appropriate for you to solicit donations here.
If your vo-tech is a public not-for-profit or non-profit organization, I am sure many would like to help, particularly Tom and Ray (Click and Clack). Perhaps you should e-mail Tom and Ray.
Just for conversation sake, I did send this to Click and Clack. One of their people responded and suggested that I post the request here in this forum. No, we are not private, we are a public vo-tech not for profit, good point, thanks for asking.
Contact your local law enforcement. They confiscate vehicles when they’re used during the act of a crime and then later sold at auction. They may be willing to donate vehicles for your purpose.
Tester
good idea, thanks.
Wrecking yards usually want to sell, but ask about donations anyway.
Or the double donation route ; ask an organization to whom people donate their vehicles. ( most donees don’t think of the auto repair class when donating ) they may have too many, or have vehicles they would prefer not to invest in repairs to be useable.
If someone donates a car or truck to you do they get to deduct an estimated value since you use the vehicle, or do you provide a sales receipt?
If it is a private individual, we estimate a fair value price for donation tax reasons. We also agree never to sale the vehicle or repair and resale the vehicle. It is strictly a learning tool for our students.
I have a 1998 Regal, but that’s too old for you. I’m also not ready to donate it yet. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh aren’t too far away. How could you advertise in those metropolitan areas for cars? It would help if you were willing to pick them up. I guess you’re near Harrisburg; it’s just a couple of hours to Baltimore.
No answer on your donation question, but here’s model used by the auto mechanics school I attended to get cars to work on.
We advertised we would fix cars for the price of parts only (we bought the parts). All labor was free. We guaranteed if we did a repair incorrectly, that we would take the car back and do it again, until we got it right.
That model worked well. We ended up getting lots of requests to fix cars and trucks. That gave the school the luxury to select the problems they thought would be good for us to work on.
The model had a big unforseen benefit. As we fixed the cars, we knew there was a real owner who cared about how well we fixed it. I remember that motivating me and my fellow students to be very careful with all repairs.
Thanks for the reply, we do that now too.