The Cars 4 Causes Blog. Car Donation Program Nationwide.

Of the top 25 most stolen cars according to CCC Information Systems, a company that tracks theft and vehicle damage for the auto insurance industry, there is one car that makes the list six times. The study shows the Acura Integra model years from 1998 - 2001 as the most stolen and least recovered car of the twenty-five. This list was compiled from 350 property and casualty insurers in North America.

The reason the Acura is seen so frequently on the list is due to the swapability of many of the parts, and the engines themselves into other cars. The Acuras are being stolen, then the serial numbers ground off the engines. These popular double-overhead cam engines are then put into Hondas.

The reason? According to the Los Angeles Police Dept., it’s street racing. Illegal street racers run their cars hard until parts fail, then steal Acuras for the replacement parts. Acuras are easy to steal, and it is a cheaper way to repair their car compared to buying and installing a replacement engine. Street racing has become increasingly popular in metropolitan coastal cities in recent years. The trends towards certain makes and models being most-stolen has a direct correlation to the rise in popularity of car models used for street racing.

In addition, in Los Angeles, there is also a large market for older model Toyotas and Hondas because those makes tend to be more reliable and stay on the road longer than most, therefore are more desirable.

BMW’s 2001 M-series Roadster tops the list even though there were only 5,000 registered in the US at the time of the report’s release. This make and model made the list due to its popularity with car thieves. There was one stolen for every 200 on the road.

Surprisingly, large SUVs, mostly high-end luxury models also made the list despite high gas consumption, mostly due to the fact that these cars hold their value. The Cadillac Escalade, for example placed 23rd. It’s wheels and tires alone can be worth $10,000.on the street, while small cars that can be chopped up and sold for parts were the majority of cars stolen. Many of the older model SUVs did not have a computer chip anti-theft device installed at the factory which accounts for their popularity with thieves. Even a mid-1990’s model SUV can be worth in the tens of thousands on the underground markets.

The top 10 most stolen vehicles, least recovered list for 2006 according NICSB (the National Insurance Crime Bureau), was headed by 1995 Honda Civic.The 1990 Acura Integra placed 10th.

Tags: Acura Integra, Most Stolen Car

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

In World history there was an event that tested not only our global level of industrial capability, but our own capacity for human endurance. The year was 1908 and the event was The Great Automobile Race. Yes, before there were the Big 3 Automakers, even before there were trans-continental roads, the world’s auto makers and enthusiasts teamed up for a cross-country trek that pitted man and machine against Mother Nature and the elements.

17 men took part in 1908 and the teams consisted of drivers, mechanics, recording secretaries and even members of the world press. This was the first recorded event that had reporters “embedded” in the process to provide first-hand commentary.

France, Germany, Italy and the United States competed on a route that took them from New York to Paris via Russia and Japan. The race spanned 3 continents and 22,000 miles. It took 6 months for the three surviving teams from the U.S., Germany and Italy to finish the course.

The U.S. Team was declared the victor with Germany second. Germany was fined a total of 30 days for not following the planned route to Alaska, and for shipping their entry by rail car in the United States.

The American entry was a 1907 Thomas Model 35 “Flyer” which had a 4-cylinder motor with a 4-speed transmission and whose maximum speed was approximately 60mph. The car was 11′8″ long and weighed about 5,000 pounds.

This Great Race popularized the use of the Auto worldwide. Today we still view cars as a way of enabling commerce, personal freedom, and as symbols of our status in our community and in society.This race has been rerun on the same route since 1908, but the original was the ultimate test of endurance.

Why is the Great Race important today? The race in 1908 was a chance for us to show our American know-how and design ingenuity. We were competing to be relevant in the modern age of 1908. This need to bring our best, most efficient designs, and good ole fashion American inventiveness is even more urgent one hundred years later.

In affiliation with the annual LA Auto Show which rolls out the cars of the next season every year in CA, Design Challenge Motor Sports 2025 will be holding another Great Race, a revival of the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix.

Design Los Angeles has an annual conference that has become an integral part of the L.A. Auto Show. More than 500 designers attended last year’s event. The very best designs are being prototyped to run in 2025.The 2008 designs are full of surprises such as “green” or reused building materials, and the ability to run on biofuels.

Once again, the designers hope for a resurgence of interest in new car designs and to hopefully come upon and have the ability to prove the viability of their concepts to consumers.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the U.S. could come up with an eco-friendly affordable car that would help to solve our dependence on fossil fuels?

That is exactly what these designers are trying to accomplish. Look at the car designs from BMW, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Tags: L.A. Auto Show, The Great Race

There are so many “cars for this” and “cars for that” companies out there, it can be extremely confusing. Once you decide that it is time to donate your car, you then have to decide where to donate it.

You may have heard a radio advertisement saying you can win a free vacation, or get cash and a tax break from donating your vehicle. So many billboards, TV and radio ads citing help blind children, give your car to fight cancer, fight poverty, give to the kidney foundation, or alzheimer’s research, to find a cure for breast cancer; the list is seemingly endless.

Wow ! So many worthy causes, how do you choose? How do you pick a car donation charity that will make the most of your donation, and won’t leave you holding the bag for liability and hidden costs?

We have heard many stories about how in previous experiences, donors have received parking tickets, towing and impound fees, DMV costs etc. after they have donated their car and assumed they would never hear anything about it again. Except of course when they will receive their tax receipt only to find that once tax time rolls around, the donation program turns out to be unreachable, or simply vanishes.

These negative experiences color the potential donor’s decision about what vehicle donation program to use.

There are some people, however, that let their philanthropic hearts lead them, and we commend them for being brave enough to try it a second time. Here are some suggestions to assist you in making an informed choice.

How do you know which companies you can trust and which ones to steer clear of?

1. Do your homework!

Research. Go online. Check with your local charity registries. Talk to friends and family members about experiences they may have had donating their vehicles. Call the program you are interested in and go to their website, if they have one.

Find out all you can about how the process works, and if there are any hidden fees or costs. Make sure you understand all of the steps involved in making a vehicle donation.

2. Find out how much of the value of your car will actually go towards the cause that you want to support.

Make sure you understand the difference between gross and net payments. Ask how much of your charity dollar actually goes to the charity itself, and how much of your dollar will go to administrative costs and overhead.

Be wary if the administrative cost is too high. If the charity cites more than 20% to administrative costs, your donation might be better utilized elsewhere. Also, find out what they do with your car. Will it be salvaged? Given to a needy family? Will they auction your car “as is” or repair and sell it wholesale or retail?

The dispensation of the vehicle will determine the amount of potential tax benefit to the donor.

3. Contact your State Dept.of Motor Vehicles.

Find out how to assign your title to the vehicle, and what your responsibility is and how to release liability for your vehicle. It is important that you take responsibility and don’t simply assume that the donation program will take care of everything for you. Many organizations do not have staffing reserves in place to handle DMV paperwork and transfers of title.

4. Find out about how towing and paperwork is handled, and by whom.

Who will be making the arrangements to pick up the car? Will you need to be present to release the car? How will the DMV forms be handled? Will you be receiving a receipt for the donation? Is the tow driver an employee or a contractor of the donation program? This may be important if there is an accident or the vehicle is damaged in the towing process(many donated vehicles are uninsured). How would the donation program handle such an issue?

5. Tax Receipt
The organization you donate to must be a non-profit in order for you to get tax deduction for a charitable donation, and that company must provide you a receipt for that purpose. If they are not willing to prove their tax exempt status, or give you their Federal Tax ID number, that should be a red flag warning that they may not be a true non-profit and beware.

Make sure you are clear on the follow up to your donation regarding how much of a write off you will be able to claim for donating your car. IRS guidelines have changed within the past few years, and you should be informed as to how that works. Obviously, you want to maximize the potential tax benefit available, so finding out how the sale of your vehicle is handled is very important. Keep the organization updated with current contact information so that a tax receipt can be sent to you in a timely fashion.

It is very important that you make an educated and informed decision about where your donation will do the most good because after all, isn’t that why we give?

Tags: choosing a vehicle donation program

In Part one of our blog we talked about the steps of recycling a car. Today we will tell you about a few of the items that are made from recycled car parts.

New and innovative ideas are being brought forth constantly, and we are happy to say that there are currently many uses for your recycled auto parts, and with increases in technology and innovation, there are bound to be increasingly more as time goes on. The answers to many of our questions on how to sustain our environment, and combat climate change and global warming lie in finding new and innovative ways to re-use and recycle more existing materials and finding ways to reduce manufacturing of new materials. Recycling just one car saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone.

AN ABUNDANCE OF CAR TIRES
220 billion car tires are discarded each year in the U.S. More than 80% of these are pulled from the waste stream and recycled. In the State of California alone there is estimated to be 32 million scrap tires taking up landfill space. This is a concern as the tires become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry diseases such as West Nile Virus.

Caltrans is finding solutions to these problems by incorporating recycled rubber into pavement base aggregates that are built into new highways and roadways. Base layers currently contain 8% recycled rubber from auto tires. Up to 50% of Caltrans base aggregates for roads contain recycled rubber. This is an improvement to previously used materials. Due to the elastic nature of the material, the roads made with the partial rubber are stronger, provide more stability and reduce cracking according to a Caltrans 2006 report. This material is slightly more costly per ton, but will need less repair in the long term.

California State Parks Department is also looking at a recycled rubber crumb material to use as footing along State Park trails and footpaths in wilderness areas. Environmental impact reports are still being done due to concerns about run-off and contamination of underground water sources or ingestion by animals. In the construction industry, recycled car tires are being turned in to carpet pads for flooring.

Rubberized AC (asphalt/concrete) is being used for roads and building materials. This material has some drawbacks in that it is costlier to buy,(about $29) per ton than conventional AC (about $14 per ton), and road workers state that the mixture has a “gummier” consistency that makes it harder to work with when heated than the conventional mixture. On the positive side; it takes less rubberized AC to perform equally well and lasts longer than conventional asphalt concrete.

RECYCLED AUTO GLASS
Tiles are made from recycled auto glass. It is used in flooring, landscaping materials, counter tops and porcelain. Auto glass is traded overseas in the secondary commodities exchanges. Indonesia and Southeast Asia imports auto glass to be used for making art glass beads and jewelry. Every ton of recycled glass avoids using 1,330 pounds of sand, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone and 151 pounds of feldspar according to EarthWorks Group. Using recycled glass to make new glass cuts related air pollution by up to 20% (wmich.edu). Mining and transporting raw materials produces about 385 pounds of waste for every ton of glass that is made. If recycled glass is substituted for even half of the raw materials, the waste is cut by more than 80%! Recycling 1 ton of glass saves the equivalent of 10 gallons of oil. Most bottles and jars manufactured today contain at least 25% recycled glass. Glass never wears out and can be recycled forever.

RECYCLED CAR BATTERIES
Nearly 99 million wet cell lead-acid batteries are manufactured annually. New batteries currently contain up to 90% recycled batteries.Most places that sell automotive batteries will also accept them to recycle, 100% of the batteries turned in will be recycled. 60% of the world’s lead supply comes from recycled car batteries.

RECYCLED STEEL AND SCRAP IRON
More than 14 million tons of steel from end-of-life vehicles is recycled annually. That is the equivalent of 13.5 million automobiles! A 60-watt light bulb can be run for over a day on the amount of energy saved by recycling 1 pound of steel.

India and China are the biggest importers of scrap steel and iron in the world. The chances are good that your recycled car could end up on the other side of the world as construction materials or other manufactured products. According to AMM (American Metal Market), which trades scrap metal worldwide; the prices for scrap metal have risen from $72.50 per ton in June of 2001 to $515.00 per ton in June of 2008.

67% of all steel made in the U.S. is made with recovered steel. This process uses only a fraction of the energy required to produce steel by tradition methods. This allows the U.S. steel industry to be able to compete more effectively in the global marketplace. The amount of energy saved each year from steel recycling is equal to the electricity needs of 18,000,000 homes per year. That’s enough energy to last Los Angeles residents for eight years according to the Steel Recycling Institute.

RECYCLED CAR PARTS
Many of the parts from your car that the dismantler removes in the 2nd stage of the recycling process are re-sold through wholesale and retail outlets all over the world. This reduces the need for the manufacture of new parts and the savings are passed onto the consumer with lower pricing for the used or reconditioned parts.

In addition to the energy saving benefits to recycling, there is an added benefit to the economy. While traditional waste management creates relatively few jobs, the recycling industry  employs more than 2.5 percent of manufacturing workers. Nationwide recycling and remanufacturing activities account for approximately one million manufacturing jobs and more than $100 billion in revenue.

Tags: Recycled Auto Glass, Recycled Car Batteries, Recycled Car Parts, Recycled Steel, Scrap