(1/20/07) Have you ever donated a car to charity, and, months later,
begun to receive letters and notices about owning fees you confidently
thought someone else would be responsible for? No???!!???
Well, next time you donate your car, do some homework before proceeding on.
I donated my Volvo to a cancer foundation last fall, and that is exactly what happened.
After the third notice (this one from a menacing collection agency),
finding out I owed some 2070 dollars for towing and storage fees that
someone else, obviously, incurred into, I fought back with more intensity
and determination. All throughout these notices I had called the organization,
and they had reassured me that they would take care of the matter
("oh, just fax us the notice, we'll take care of it"), or, ("oh yeah, it takes them
a long time sometimes to get things straight, just fax ahead...").
Then, this last time, they began to hang up on me and stopped returning my calls.
Here is where I decided to call the Channel 3 "Problem Solvers"
and explain the ordeal to them. Right away they sprang into action,
and soon enough the DMV (!!!) was calling with a request that I send in
a release of liability certificate, kindly faxed to me by DMV employee' Liz.
So that is what I did; then I sent a copy of the same to the collection agency,
and now I am eagerly waiting to know whether they will indeed lift this weight
from my shoulder and release me from all debts, threats to have my credit report screwed up,
and emotional discomfort that this donated car issue has caused me.
Let's be optimist and believe it all will be resolved, sweetly and smoothly.....
For purposes of clarity, the same cancer foundation has communicated to me
that the people I talked with all throughout this time, believing I was communicating with
the foundation's volunteers, actually worked for an agency that the
foundation G had put in charge of handling all the car donations.
Still, I believe that the foundation should be held accountable for what
happened, and I expect to help straightening things out.
Oh, and if you are wondering whether I had any receipt of the donation...
sure I did. But I threw everything away thinking "the car is gone,
what do I need any car-related papers for?" Well, now I know the answer to this question, don't I?
But I am confident all will get taken care of.
Please don't stop considering donating your car to a good cause.

UPDATE: Everything was successfully resolved.
Thank you, Channel 3 Problems Solvers.

In any case, here are two pictures of my next car..

• Bellezza Italiana:
  

Che Macchina!:

Ferrari is a brand synonymous with Italian elegance, finesse, power, and super car performance.
With a promise to continue the family heritage, a new two-door coupe,
the V12-powered Ferrari 599 GTB, fills the void created by the departure
of the 575M Maranello, a magnificent super car last produced for the 2004 model year.
And for its official pictorial debut the car is, of course, red (from the website Autobytel.com).