How to get rid of a once nice car, now sitting by the woods.

March 27, 2009 6:42 PM

What should I do to get a car that's been sitting for 2 years out of my life, without feeling like I've wasted it?

I have a 1993 Volvo. A couple of years ago I left it at my in-laws house because I did not need it in the city. I sort of let it go to seed. I know--lame. It's been sitting outside for a couple of years.

I now want to get rid of it, but I don't want to just give it away. It doesn't run, but it was at one time a real nice car. Do you think anyone like a Volvo body shop will want it for parts? Whatever happens to it, it's going to have to be towed away by someone. It could, in theory, be tuned up to running condition.

Should I:
a) Donate it and just write it off.
b) Call one of those "We pay cash for junk cars!" places. Does anyone have experience there?
c) List it on Craigslist and show it, which will take a little time and effort but possibly yield some cash?

Thank you for your help. This is my first question here. I am not trying to sell this car here! I just need a little guidance.

posted by bobbyno to travel & transportation (16 comments total)

Donate it to Goodwill! We did this with my Saturn station wagon and because it was running, we got the full tax value. We plan to do that in a few days with our old Volvo 960, since we've bought a newer V70 and haven't had any luck selling the old one (high miles) on Craigslist or Autotrader.

It's really nice to think that, if they can get it running, a family can use your car. They mentioned this in the receipt they sent us for the Saturn - that the car had been passed on. We haven't had any problems with title or anything either - something I would be worried about with a smaller charity. If they can't give it to a family... at least the charity, which I have read as having low overhead/admin can sell it and use the proceeds.
posted by lucydriving at 6:49 PM on March 27

Look on Craigslist to see what similar ones are worth, knock off a few hundred dollars, then post it on Craigslist, carefully describing why you're selling.
posted by Slinga at 6:52 PM on March 27

see if your local fire department can take it off your hands.

there's a fire department in my community looking for cars to do jaws of life training, and they'll pick up the cars for free.
posted by gursky at 7:07 PM on March 27

Based on my experience getting rid of a Honda that had not been used for 10 months, many charities don't want to accept a donation of a car that has not been run for more than six months, because the cost of processing the donation and auctioning the vehicle usually exceeds the income from it.

I'd suggest two alternate courses of action:

(1) Pay what you need to get it running, then sell or donate it.

(2) Call a junkyard^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H automobile salvage company and ask what they would give you for it.

The fact that once upon a time it was a nice car isn't really relevant, except insofar as it still has high-quality useable components. My 1991 Honda Accord was a nice car when I got it (in 1999), but by the time I got rid of it in 2005, it was unfortunately no longer a nice car.
posted by brianogilvie at 7:13 PM on March 27

Where are you located? I see plenty of early Volvos around here that are still nice cars - and in fact, I still own a '91. There's probably a certain contingent of people who would love to take it off your hands. Clean it up a bit and try Craigslist first, as mentioned.

As for Goodwill - the OP said he doesn't want to just give it away. Furthermore, working on Volvos is somewhat of a specialized art, and can get expensive.

Please, please, PLEASE don't junk it, if the body is in good condition.
posted by HopperFan at 8:26 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]

previously. Specifically, I'll 2nd fire department. I stand by my original answer.
posted by spinturtle at 8:51 PM on March 27

In February I paid a sizable fraction of my car's purchase price to put a factory-new engine in it after the old one blew up. I should get at least another 10 years on it (the problem this time was I cracked the radiator and ran it hot one day, which fuxxored the compression).

Engines can be replaced; you can get a rebuilt one for $3,000 or less I guess.
posted by mrt at 9:53 PM on March 27

Call one of those "We pay cash for junk cars!" places. Does anyone have experience there?

Ya, my friend did that with his 280Z. The charity sold it for $100, so that's what his tax writeoff was. The tires were worth more than that.
posted by mrt at 9:55 PM on March 27

Don't give it do a charity without getting it working. WTF are they supposed to do with it?
posted by delmoi at 10:09 PM on March 27

I've been in areas with charities that will take not-running cars because they are hooked up with community colleges' car-mechanic classes or other programs for people looking to learn new skills.

That aside, not clear about the general state of the car independent of it not running, but far from uncommon that it takes little time and money to sort out a car that's been sitting for a couple years... or longer.

Safe to assume the battery's a goner. From memory (and there's plenty of info about this on the Internet), a cheap little can of gasoline stabilizer is recommended, along with adding some fresh gas from an I-ran-out can. I can't recall how it's done, but there's a pretty easy way to turn the engine over without it firing so oil gets around in it without it running.

Assuming it fires up, best to get the oil changed straight away and fill the tank.
posted by ambient2 at 10:37 PM on March 27

Offer it on the Brickboard classifieds. That whole site, with very active forums, is dedicated to old Volvos. You could even post a forum thread there about its value.
posted by jon1270 at 2:01 AM on March 28 [1 favorite]

Seconding Brickboard, there will be someone happy to take it off your hands. A properly tuned Volvo engine can go for many, many more years. If it was running when you first left it at your in-laws, then a new battery and an oil change should get it moving, and anyone with basic mechanical skills will know that and seize the opportunity. If it is a 240, it will be especially welcome since 1993 was the last year that Volvo manufactured the 240's, and amongst Volvo fanatics it is arguably the most beloved design.
(And if the horn works, then you are one up on me cause my 240's horn's been broken for like 5 years. Ditto on the a/c. Hm. Where do you live again?)
posted by 8dot3 at 7:17 AM on March 28

list it, volvo lovers will jump at it... we've a 1990 240 that has 300k miles and runs like a top...
posted by HuronBob at 1:40 PM on March 28

Should I:
a) Donate it and just write it off.

Hopperfan, this is why I mentioned Goodwill...
posted by lucydriving at 7:43 PM on March 28

Oh, whoops, lucydriving, mea culpa. I read the bit about "I don't want to just give it away" and must have missed the first item on the list. Those two items seem like a contradiction, anyway.

Thirding Brickboard, too.
posted by HopperFan at 9:34 PM on March 28

Another cry to let a volvo lover buy your car. I have an '87 240 wagon that I adore, which incidentally had been sitting for about 7 months before I bought it.

They're easy to work on - if it worked before sitting, it could probably be brought back to life. If you have the time, a manual, and the inclination, a few hours of work could make you a few hundred bucks. Also, it's not uncommon for Volvo enthusiasts to keep a parts car.

I agree that you'd make more off a sale than a tax write off. I donated a car once and got $0 write off, boo.

The fact that i kind of want your car means that there's a market for it :) So uh, where is the car again?
posted by degrees_of_freedom at 8:30 AM on March 29