Doc here,
imp:
Years ago, I lived on a 1500 AC Vineyard in Napa..
When I was done with Scrapers..I'd Cut them into 2 foot sections with an oxy Acetylene Torch, and use them for Berm backfill along the some 2 miles of narrow road it took to get from the highway to my 150 year old Sears/Roebuck "mail~Order home"....
It was Fun , and a good aggression release..(provided I didn't set the barn ablaze..)
Words of caution:
IF there is ANY hope the Vehicle can be hashed together, and driven..AT all..even the most REMOTE possibility..
AND you PLAN to Donate it..
MAKE sure you do he following before you Let the tow driver LEAVE with the car..
MAKE sure you have a WORKING scanner or Fax machine, or a GOOD digi camera with you..
When the driver does the paperwork, COPY the following..
- A SIGNED copy of the title..
- TWO (not one, you can get spares at DMV or print online) Copy's of a release of liability forms Signed by the driver, with the TIME indicated also..
- REMOVE the plates and VIN (if possible) as well as the registration Card (S) Place them in a folder and hand them to the driver..
- A Bill of sale (hand written or online from DMV) The first line stating:
____________________________________________
" I / We, release liability of this Vehicle to the Following Charitable Organization:___________On this Date:__________In the City Of:_____________, County Of:______________at : ______________AM/PM, and have no further interest in this Vehicle: (State Tag Number: ) ____________, Vehicle Identification Number:______________, and no longer have any interest, Own or control the operation of this Vehicle..
Signed: ________________ Representative of the organization (Tow driver)
Date:__________________
Time__________________AM/PM.
____________________________________________
THEN, Take a digi photo of the car loaded un the tow truck, as it is being hauled away..commit it to hardrive..
Call your Insurance Agent, EVEN if the Vehicle is uninsured!...and let him/her know you JUST donated the car, have him/Her note the time date..
KEEP 1 copy of the release of Liability Form, Mail the other THAT day to DMV, and give the one that comes with the title to the driver..
Along with that make a signed copy of the Bill of sale and Charity receipt, mail those with the RLF..to DMV.
Retain your copy's with your personal documents in a safe place..
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
My son Donated a CURRENTLY registered, semi running Opel Station wagon, to a "Drug Halfway house" organization that had a section of a "Pooled" wrecking yard (same tow service for ALL the charity's junkers..) ...
Turns out the druggies, got it running , stole it off the yard , and committed SEVERAL felony's with it in one night..(Robbery, Burglary, Hit and Run, Evading..) And at 3 AM, Two uniformed California Highway Patrol Officer's and a detective Showed up at our door..with a warrant for my son's arrest..
We explained the Vehicle was donated to the charity, showed the "Write off" receipt, and it did no good at all..He was arrested as a suspect of the crimes, Taken to County Jail, and held until after Booking (The Following day around noon..Larger County Jails May take up to 2 Working days to Book incoming suspects) until I could Bail him out..and he was So charged with those offenses until Court..AND then, HAD to prove his innocence.
I have heard of other nightmares like this also..so be advised..It could happen to you..
BESIDES that, It's the law in California, to send a RLF to DMV within 10 days of the sale of a motor vehicle or Vessel..so It may be entered in the system..
HAD that been done in my son's case, when the CHP ran the Vehicle plate in the system when they recovered it..It would come back, "Plate , Clear, Current, Release of Liability received on: XX XX XX to: Druggies International, ...and THAT would have taken him out of the loop (and suspect list..)
Some people believe these "Donated" Cars go to some nice sterile Garage someplace to be rebuilt or parted out..NOT TRUE! They are all heaped together in a junk yard somewhere (usually the same operator under several charity names) where ANYBODY has access to them..
May sound like a bunch of overkill..But even if nobody gets it running, and uses it in a crime spree..If the driver hits a parked car on the way to the yard and doesn't stop, and a wittiness gets the plate, guess Who is going to pay for it??
You can have all the paperwork copied while waiting for the driver to arrive..and all he need do is sign the copies..IF he hassles you, law say's HE must sigh the RLF and Bill of sale in just about every state.If he refuses..don't let him take the car...
CYA!!!
Doc
imp: