Donation plan — status as of October 29, 2026

Ford Expedition Donation

The 2006 Ford Expedition's brake line failed, and the dealer's repair estimate came in at $8,000–$10,000 — so the truck is being donated instead of repaired. The donation organization has not been picked yet: the options below are under review the weekend of October 31–November 1, with the donation to happen before the Virginia inspection expires in December.

A. The truck and the decision

Vehicle: 2006 Ford Expedition ("the truck")
What went wrong: Brake line failed — a slow leak from the metal brake line under the driver side at a connection, with the warning light on. The dealer also found a number of other faults and investigated a possible front differential leak.
Dealer: Jerry's Ford Leesburg — 860 Trailview Blvd SE, Leesburg, VA 20175
Service advisor: Murray Lam — direct (571) 416-6432; (703) 777-0000 Ext. 402; fax (703) 771-3294; MLamb@JerrysAuto.com; www.JerrysFord.com
Repair estimate: $8,000–$10,000 for all repairs (October 29, 2026)
Decision: Donate (decided October 29, 2026); the truck was brought home from the dealer
Already settled: Oil change already done. Transmission drain-and-fill dropped from the plan (October 28). The October 30 Virginia Tire task was deleted.
Virginia inspection: Expires December 2026 — donate before then
Organization: Not picked yet — under review the weekend of October 31–November 1

B. Donation options

All four accept non-running vehicles with free towing.

Kars4Kids — used once before. Any condition, including junk. Free pickup, usually within 24–48 hours; you need not be home (leave keys and the signed title). Proceeds go to children's and youth programs (Kars4Kids and sister charity Oorah). Hotel voucher. A donation received by December 31, 2026 counts for the 2026 tax year even if pickup slips into 2027. 877-527-7454. How to donate your car.
Cars for Veterans — 501(c)(3). Free nationwide pickup, running or not. Net proceeds (after towing and processing) go to veteran programs. Asks whether the vehicle rolls, steers, and brakes. (888) 579-5544, carsforveterans.org. Note: Vehicles For Veterans is a separate, similar outfit (proceeds include the Gary Sinise Foundation).
Habitat Cars for Homes — 84–87% of gross sale revenue goes to Habitat for Humanity housing. Free towing, but the vehicle must be whole with four inflated tires, and Habitat may decline if towing and processing exceed the vehicle's value. Needs a lien-free title, VIN, and mileage. 1-877-277-4344, carsforhomes@habitat.org.
Goodwill — online portal routes to the local affiliate. Proceeds go to job training and employment programs. Free pickup, running or not. Tax receipt within 30 days after sale. 866-233-8586, goodwillcardonation.org.

C. Before pickup

Clean out the truck (task due Sunday, November 1): everything personal — glove box, console, under the seats, door pockets, cargo area — plus the E-ZPass transponder (and remove the vehicle from the toll account) and any garage opener.
Find the title and confirm it is lien-free. At pickup, complete the title's Section A: sign it, enter the recipient name and address the charity gives you, add the odometer reading, and write "charitable gift" as the sale price. Hand the title to the recipient and confirm they complete it with their name, address, and signature.
Gather all keys and fobs.
Photograph the truck, the odometer, and the VIN plate; keep the Jerry's Ford estimate paperwork with the tax records.
Tell the pickup crew the brakes don't work, so they bring a flatbed and winch.

D. After pickup — same day

Source: Virginia DMV, Selling/Donating a Vehicle.

Pull the license plates before the truck leaves.
Plates: transfer them to another vehicle, return them to any DMV customer service center for recycling, or destroy and dispose of them yourself. DMV's Online Plate Surrender is fastest, but it forfeits any registration refund, and a surrendered plate can't be reused or transferred later.
If six or more months remain on the registration, you may qualify for a partial refund: complete Form FMS 210 and mail it with the plates to the address on the form (and tell DMV the plates are inactive), or return the form and plates to a customer service center or DMV Select.
Notify Virginia DMV that you donated the vehicle — this is required, and it is the step that takes the vehicle off your record. File it online, by phone, or in person, ideally the same day as pickup. Don't rely on the charity to file it for you.
Notify the insurer only after the plates and DMV steps are done. DMV warns that if the insurer cancels coverage while its records still show the truck registered to you, DMV may suspend your license and registration privileges.
Notify the Loudoun County Commissioner of the Revenue at 703-777-0260 to remove the truck from the personal-property tax rolls, with the donation receipt and DMV notice as proof; confirm with the Town of Leesburg Finance Department (the town levies its own vehicle tax, $1.00 per $100 assessed for 2026). Donating before January 1 keeps it off the 2027 bill; ask whether a November donation earns a prorated adjustment for the rest of 2026 (Loudoun prorates motor vehicles).
Keep the donation receipt and any 1098-C. The deduction is the sale price if over $500 (1098-C) or fair market value up to $500 if less — and only helps if itemizing; worth a word with Frank Stitely.
Note: donating is a deduction, not cash toward the replacement car.

Status as of October 29, 2026. Organization pick pending; this page will be updated when the organization is chosen and the pickup is scheduled.