Car donation is beneficial in so many ways. It helps to grant a wish for a child battling critical illnesses, and it also helps bring hope, strength, and joy back into a child’s life. But not only is car donation incredibly kind and generous, it is also eco-friendly and contributes to the green movement! When you donate a vehicle to Wheels For Wishes, benefiting Make-A-Wish, your vehicle will be picked up or towed away at no cost to you. Vehicles are then auctioned off for new owners to use or are recycled and reused.

Wheels For Wishes accepts vehicles whether they are running or not, so your unwanted vehicle can be completely transformed into something bigger and better, while also granting a wish for a local child in your community. Each and every part of your car can be put to better use, even the parts you never thought of as being recyclable or reusable! The lives of these five car parts can be extended longer than you ever thought possible!

It’s the middle of summer, which means road trips could be in your future – whether a few hours or a few days away. Gas prices are averaging about $3.50 nationally which means if you don’t want your vacation to put a huge dent in your budget, you should be looking for ways to add some MPGs to each tank of gas. Fortunately, there are some simple techniques you can try that can make your wallet less light at the end of the trip.

1. Properly inflate your tires. According to the Department of Energy, every pound per square inch (PSI) that your tires are underinflated, you lower your gas mileage by 0.3 percent. That may not sound like much, but consider this: Proper inflation can raise gas mileage by 3.3 percent, or savings of up to 11 cents per gallon. Not sure what to inflate your tires to? Check the sticker on the driver’s side door jamb or in the car’s owner’s manual. 

If you have a car that is old and run down and just isn’t worth the repairs, then you could save time and stress and donate it to Wheels For Wishes! Your car donation will help to grant the wish of a local child in your community. Why keep an old car that takes up space in your driveway if you don’t plan on using it? Instead, you can put it to good use and turn that old car into a wish come true for a local child.

However, if you have a car that you plan on driving for a while, there are some steps you need to take in the winter to make sure the car is “winterized” and safe for winter driving. Just like there are precautions you must take while driving during the summer months, there are some precautions you need to take in the winter as well.

The damage caused by the recent natural disaster to hit the east coast is already estimated to be in the billions. The number of cars damaged could easily reach tens of thousands from the Hurricane turned Tropical Storm.

We're here to help, here's what to do

If your vehicle was one of the victims to Sandy, here is some advice on what you may need to know and steps to take:

1. Check with Insurance:

If you are covered with comprehensive insurance, you will be insured in this event and be able to receive enough to replace your damaged vehicle. Be patient though because insurance companies will be getting slammed with all of the claims in the next few months, so it may take several months before you can start the process.

If you only have liability insurance, unfortunately you will not be covered. In this case, jump to #3. If you are covered, see #2:

Gas prices are slowly ticking back up, and if you are in a big city, prices are topping the $4.00 mark. Experts remark that as we inch closer to spring, we can expect an even steeper increase in fares. Though we cannot control the price at the pump, we can control how efficiently our vehicle uses gas.