The Cars 4 Causes Blog. Car Donation Program Nationwide.

We here at Cars 4 Causes® are seeing the effects of the current economic downturn, credit crunch, or recession, however you like to term it. While donations continue to come in, the back end of our business, especially regarding recycled cars is currently being impacted. Cars that we recycle comprise the smallest segment of our business, but definitely impact the bottom lines of the charities we serve.

One aspect is related to the price paid for scrap metal in America and overseas to markets in China and India. According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries,Inc. , the voice of the recycling industry, recycled scrap is utilized in manufacturing and currently accounts for approximately 40% of raw materials. Demand is increasing for scrap commodities in the United States and around the world. While many areas of the world economy are slowing down, other parts, such as energy, defense and aerospace remain strong.

The market trends were expected to continue for some time, and as long as demand exceeds supply, prices were expected remain strong. The current economic recession has caused the players in the commodities markets to change, many will no longer be able to continue as they have been in the past.

Our sources inform us that the price of scrap is falling. Brokers overseas are not buying in large part due to the credit crunch affecting the world economy. The end of October saw a dramatic drop in prices which had previously been strong due to the war in the Middle East, now falling due to the state of global markets. Many of these overseas markets are being adversely affected with buyers unable to meet their financial obligations. Having purchased these commodities on credit, they are unable to continue in the current economic climate. Slowing demand from manufacturers and builders is driving steel prices down and forcing producers globally to cut production.

The good news is that Cars 4 Causes® still has ways to direct cars to be recycled and get them off the road. Our affiliates are still picking up cars to be recycled at this time, and we are still able to get the highest average return in our industry for donated vehicles overall.

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated as changes occur. Keep Giving Everyone!

Tags: Scrap Metal Prices, Value of Recycled Cars

As we head into our busiest season and therefore into the holidays (again?), Halloween looms at the end of this month, and you know what that means! Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the bend.

Cars 4 Causes® gears up each fall and zooms along at breathtaking speed to the all-important year-end. What makes it so important? Our donations increase in the last quarter of each year, sometimes as much as 100% as donors finally make that long put-off decision to donate before the end of the tax year 2008.

We have been busy training new vehicle donation representatives and improving the customer-care skills of our staff so that all of our donors can have a fantastic donation experience. From the donation takers in the call center, to the tow department and DMV processing staff, our employees do their best to ensure that your donation experience is a pleasant one. From the feedback that we receive from our repeat and referral donors, I believe we are able to meet and exceed their expectations. We do not plan to rest on those repeats and referrals, though. We are constantly striving through internal audit,and additional training to improve even more. We don’t want to be merely a good vehicle donation charity, we want to be the best!

Once you make your decision to donate your car, we want you to have an experience that you will want to recommend to your friends, family and business associates. If you have questions or comments, we would love to hear from you. Help us to improve our service to you, our most important person in any season! Remember to make your vehicle donation by December 31st to receive your tax deductible receipt for 2008. Thank you for choosing Cars 4 Causes®.

Tags: Donate Your Car by December 31

We want to send our condolences to the families and friends of the victims from last Friday’s Metrolink train crash that killed 25 people. Among the victims was our friend, Dean Brower of Ventura, CA.

We have been collaborating with Dean and Kim Brower’s company Pulse Drumming on a local fundraising project to put music and the arts back into Ventura area schools. Pulse Drumming has been working to make their vision of sharing the arts through teaching music and dance to local children a reality. We were deeply saddened to hear of  Dean’s passing.

We send our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to Kim Brower and her family in this time of sorrow.

Tags: Dean Brower, Metrolink train crash, Pulse Drumming

Cars 4 Causes® Car Give-Away Program has made a huge difference in Linda’s family life.  Linda is caring for her six grandchildren and needed a way to transport all of them together.

The request for help came from Kaiser Permanente explaining that taking over the care of these children was a surprise and Linda didn’t have much time to prepare or make arrangements. She simply knew that her grandchildren needed her, so she accepted the task.

Cars 4 Causes® responded to this need with a 1998 Dodge Caravan which can accommodate everyone.

Linda picked up the mini van at Cars 4 Causes® on Tuesday accompanied by some of her grandchildren, who were happy and excited about the new car. Executive Director Pat Jessup revealed that she had a previous recipient lined up for the van, but it wasn’t the right match to meet her needs, “I got the call about Linda right after hanging up the phone with the other person, and thought, this van must be for her.”

We are so pleased to have been instrumental in making a difference to Linda and her family with this car donation.

Tags: Car Donation, Car Give-Away Program

Cars 4 Causes® has the most watched car on an eBay car auction!

Cars 4 Causes® has become known in the eBay® car auction world as a company that handles collectible cars and classic cars as well as some expensive and hard to find automobiles. One such example was brought to my attention Monday afternoon.

It was reported by eBay® Pulse that Cars 4 Causes® has the #1 most-watched car on eBay®!

Not the most expensive car by any means, but the unrestored 1964 Lotus Elan Roadster that is up for auction on our site; at the time of this writing had the most watchers of any current eBay® car auction. Each person hoping to be the final bidder when the auction ends Tuesday afternoon. The current bid is $7,000.00, and those in the know expect it to sell for up to twice that amount. The excitement grows as the auction counts down, and the bidding is fierce as all interested parties try to out-bid one another right down to the final seconds.

Cars 4 Causes® has developed a reputation worldwide for being an A+ seller, easy to do business with, smooth transactions, and vehicles are presented as described for the auction. We have sold 924 items with a 99.6% positive rating with the online service, and many buyers who comment say they will do business with us again, (and do)! This shows that Cars 4 Causes® has the knowledge and experience to describe and present the donated vehicles in a way that customers have come to trust and expect. Communication gets four-and-a-half stars out of a possible 5. Customers rave about our friendly and knowledgeable staff and the ease and quality of doing business with Cars 4 Causes®. You can see some our donated car for sale on eBay®.

Tags: car auction, donated cars for sale, ebay car auction