Free car repairs.

Numerous churches, charities, and non-profits will be able to provide cheap or free car repairs for low-income families. Most of the repairs, as well as free estimates near you, are for people who need a car or truck for work, job training or school, or a medical appointment. Some mechanics or automobile garages will also do the work on a charity basis, or they volunteer to fix a car or truck if you have no money. Get information below on who to call and where to go for cheap or free car repair services near you as well as estimates.

National organizations for free car repairs

A leading non-profit organization to call in your county for low cost, cheap or free auto or car repairs is your local community action agency. These agencies are partly funded by the federal government, and many do operate resources that focus on employment, which will include transportation needs for the unemployed or jobseekers. Even if assistance with car repairs is not offered, they may instead provide bus passes or other support as well as places for free car repair estimates.

While each location will offer its own unique type and number of assistance programs, most of them do offer some type of transportation assistance program. Or if they do not directly offer the service, they may have referrals to who may provide estimates for free or cheap car repairs. Get transportation for a doctor’s appointment, job interview, or other emergency needs in a local town or county. Or apply for a grant or loan that can in effect pay for the repair or maintenance of your automobile. Click here for more information on transportation programs from community action agencies.

Another national agency that focuses on providing used cars or financing to low-income individuals, but that may be a good place to call to learn about about free auto repairs, is Working Cars for Working Families. The site is workingcarsforworkingfamilies.org. They partner with non-profits as well as cheap or free auto repair shops as well as mechanics in all states, so hopefully one will be near you. Learn more on Working Cars for Working Families.

The leading car donation charity is 1-800-Charity-Cars. You can donate your old automobile to them, and they will then screen individuals to find the best match for your car. While they do not directly provide for repairs, they may be able to refer the low-income or single parents or mothers to local repair shops or even churches that offer assistance. They also provide low-cost cars to those who need them.

If you need transportation to your job, or maybe even for an interview, Ways to Work may be able to help. They provide low interest loans so people can afford to buy a car on their own. The loans can also usually be used to pay for some type of employment related car repairs. So, while it is not a free service, the financing can in effect allow people to save possibly hundreds of dollars per year. Learn more on low cost Ways to Work auto loans.

Another charity that may be able to refer people to local programs is Lutheran Social Services. This is a nationwide network of human service organizations as well as churches. While the exact types of programs will vary by town, county, and state, some of the locations may be able to help with car repairs or offer referrals to free mechanics near you.

The non-profit organization also works with local churches and charities to help the less fortunate, and one service may be coordinating assistance for repairs to your automobile. They may also offer advice on where to get a donated car from. More on Lutheran Services assistance programs.

CARS for Christ has parishes, churches, and faith-based groups (including Christian charities) that provide free car repairs. The non-profit charity has a focus on helping teenagers, young mothers or fathers, and people starting off in life get or fix a car, including free repairs, oil changes, new tires and more. The charity operates nationwide. For information, call 800-542-9848 Or people looking for free truck or car repairs in the West or Central USA, dial 281-323-9102 or East Coast families can dial 770-800-3485

Local Salvation Army centers can usually provide information on regional transportation assistance or free car or truck repair programs for low-income households. While the specifics of each county will vary and resources are very limited, some locations can help fix the cars or trucks of people with no money. Services offered can range from cash to pay for a portion of your repairs, free bus tokens, gasoline vouchers, or the use of volunteer drivers.

Low-income households as well as the unemployed may also be given free car repairs from a mechanic near you. As some Salvation Army social service centers partner with the community on these types of resources. Oftentimes a case worker can provide information on programs or agencies that can contribute towards your automobile repair expense. More on Salvation Army.

Repairs from United Methodist Church ministries may be a possibility. Some churches of this faith-based organization coordinate resources among their local community, including using volunteer mechanics and car donation programs.

Depending on the church, some basic repairs may be done for free or some ministries may offer rides or even a new car. Typically, only labor is provided, and the individual needs to pay for any parts. Read about the car repair ministry from United Methodist Church.

Free car repair assistance programs from the government are provided as part of TANF. It is a form of cash assistance for families living in poverty, as auto repairs and access to transportation for a job are critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. Each state and their human and/or social services can help the poor, people with no money, or families in poverty get their car fixed for free using TANF. More on TANF cash assistance for car repairs.

The Car Ministry Program is a regional affiliation of churches as well as charities. Some of them donate used cars to qualified low-income families, while other ministries assist with repairs, provide free tires, and more. For more information, use the search the website menu bar below and search for free automobile repairs using a local town or county.

In addition to those locations listed above, one of the nation’s largest charity/church organizations (St. Vincent De Paul) may have information on or they have very small amounts of money to contribute for automobile repairs. There are some auto shop owners that may work with a local parish to volunteer their time to help repair a car at no cost to the client, provided the parts are paid for by the automobile owner.

Other groups such as Catholic Charities may also be able to assist by paying for or offer free car repairs to the working poor, low income, or single mothers. Click here for more information on car repairs and gasoline programs from churches.

A number of regional non-profit organizations and charities may also provide “new” used cars to qualified low-income families. Some of these locations may also have referrals to either local garages or programs that will repair your existing car for free or at a reduced rate. While the recipient will usually need to use the automobile for work related purposes, the terms of each agency will vary. Read more free cars.

Regional non-profits, churches, and charities that offer free car repairs near you

Other more regional charities that will offer repairs, provide referrals to cheap or free mechanics, or that may be able to donate a car to you include the following. Many churches also offer free car repairs, often using donations from the parish or helping the family find an auto mechanic to do the work. Each will have an application process, and the programs are limited in size, but they can serve as additional options.

Arizona

• Voluntary Vehicle Repair Program helps with car repairs, with a focus on emission reductions. Assistance is for Spanish speakers too. Get free car or truck repairs, estimates, emission controls and more. Call 520-628-5395.
• Another non-profit to try in AZ is Auto Repair Good Guys Foundation is based in Arizona, and they can either recommend a trustworthy garage for you, or help you repair your car, possibly by providing free labor. Or try free DIY car repairs. Call 866-747-1331

California

• SVDP of Oakland, Bay area and Contra Costa County has free auto repairs and cars too. assistance is part of the charitable the Auto Assistance program. Call (925) 439-5060.