These 5 Charities Can Help Lower The Cost Of Car Repairs

Car repairs are no joke, especially when it comes to what they can do to your finances. One repair can quickly drain your savings, if you have savings, that is. A lot of Americans are getting by paycheck to paycheck and can be hit especially hard when their cars break down. A recent survey taken by the Federal Reserve revealed that 37% of Americans wouldn't or couldn't pay $400 in cash (or its equivalent) for an emergency expense. When questioned further, most said they would take out loans or go into debt. Another 7% said they would sell something, while 12% said they couldn't pay it all.

Having a working car can make a huge difference in people's lives. The Journal of Rural Health published a 2006 study of western North Carolina households, which revealed that folks who had driver's licenses went to roughly twice as many health care visits as people without a license. A 2019 study published by the Journal of Planning Education and Research found that, over the previous 50 years, households without cars had lost income.

Fortunately, there are organizations all over the country that will help people with low incomes with expensive car repairs. For example, Lift Garage in Minnesota and Second Chances Garage in Maryland will fix vehicles at a steep discount. Working Wheels in North Carolina provides repairs for 10% of the normal cost. The State of Arizona will help pay to fix your car to pass emissions testing. And some United Way chapters will help pay for car repairs in general.

The Lift Garage in Minnesota was started by Cathy Heying. Described on the Lift Garage website as a "longtime social worker," Cathy saw firsthand how being without a working car can make it even harder for families with limited resources to make ends meet and to take care of basic needs. Some of her clients even lost their jobs after their cars broke down, because they couldn't afford to fix their vehicles and get to work. Other clients felt so desperate that they kept driving cars that had become unsafe, even with brake problems. That is, unfortunately, typical across the country, as car ownership is getting too expensive for many Americans.

The Lift Garage opened up shop in 2013 in order to serve customers with low incomes. It's a nonprofit operation that offers affordable car repairs along with a few free services. To qualify, a customer's household income needs to be less than 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. The garage charges $25 per hour and a 7.5% markup on parts.

The garage offers a full range of repairs at that discounted rate, but it also offers some services without charge. For example, inspections are free, which includes inspections of used cars customers are thinking about buying. Customers get free rides to wherever they need to go while their cars are being fixed. The Lift Garage will even send a mobile mechanic out to inspect a car when you can't get it to the shop

Working Wheels offers car repairs at a generous discount to drivers with low incomes across Western North Carolina. Qualifying folks can get their car fixed at 10% of the cost, with their out-of-pocket cost capped at $100. Not only does the organization help people to get their cars fixed, it will also help those without a car to buy one. Qualified participants can buy a donated car for just $628 through Working Wheels' vehicle purchase program, which is a lot less than you would spend on even the cheapest reliable used car.

Working Wheels works through its network of mechanics to offer these repair services, so a customer can't just roll into a shop to participate. In order to qualify for either the discounted repairs or assistance with purchasing a vehicle, the applicant needs to already be working with one of Working Wheels' partner charities or agencies. They also need to be employed, a student, a caregiver, disabled, or over 60 years of age.

The organization says it's made a difference in a number of people's lives. The Working Wheels website claims that 83% of its participants report increased household income, 98% can more easily access healthcare, and that 100% say that their quality of life has improved. According to a 2025 survey the organization conducted, one in six participants would have lost their jobs without the discounted repair service, one in two would have been left with no transportation, and one in five wouldn't have been able to get necessary healthcare.

Second Chances Garage is located in Frederick County, Maryland and fixes customers' vehicles at about half the price it would cost at other shops in the area. The range of repairs it offers is limited, and the repairs it doesn't perform are listed on the website. There is a $25 fee to check the car out, but that fee will be discounted if the customer decides to go ahead with the repairs within 30 days. To qualify, you must already be receiving assistance from another agency, and your household income must be lower than specific thresholds. You also have to meet certain citizenship or residency requirements, live in Frederick County, and have a valid Maryland driver's license.

Like other organizations, Second Chances Garage also offers donated used cars to customers with lower incomes at steeply discounted prices. To qualify, a participant has to be working with one of the garage's partner agencies, be employed, and fulfill a whole host of other criteria. Applicants need to submit a cashier's check or money order for $1,000 ($590 for the program fee and $410 for tax and title) with their application.

The garage does have some happy customers. One program participant recently re-donated the car she got through the program in 2020. She also bought one of the donated cars on the organization's lot (Second Chances Garage sells some of the donated cars outright to fund the program).

Laws can be pretty cold, especially laws about emissions tests. In most states, it doesn't matter whether you can afford a newer car or to fix an older one so that it passes. The law is the law. But Arizona wants to help you fix your car if it fails emissions testing. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality's Voluntary Vehicle Repair Program (VVRP) will pay up to $900 to help you make whatever repairs need to be made so that your car can pass. You will have to pay a $100 deductible, and you are responsible for repair charges above $1,000. If you decide not to move forward with repairs after the mechanic checks your car out, you will have to pay $75 for the evaluation.

There are several requirements set out by law. If you own multiple cars, you can only use the program for one of them. The car has to have been registered in Arizona within the past year and must be running. It also has to have recently failed an emissions test. You only have 60 days after failing to apply, and then, you only have 60 days to perform the repairs after being accepted. You can only get the assistance if you use a participating shop.

There's no national program for car repair assistance listed on the United Way corporate website. But check with your local chapter, because some regional offices do offer this kind of help. One example is the United Way of Greater Stark County in Canton, Ohio, which has perhaps the most generous repair assistance we've seen so far. It will pay up to $2,000 toward car repairs. That can be pretty helpful, considering vehicle repairs have gotten so expensive that 20% of cars in accidents are declared totaled.

Of course, there are requirements and qualifications to get this assistance. For example, to be eligible for assistance, you need to have at least one minor at home with you or be paying child support for one, as well as have household income that totals less than 200% of the federal poverty level. You also need to be a resident of Stark County and able to provide 4 to 6 weeks of paystubs to prove that you have a job.

We've only covered a handful of organizations that help with the expense of car repairs. Search for charities and organizations in your area if you could use some help paying a repair bill. Some organizations don't advertise car repair assistance specifically but may pay for emergency expenses that include fixing your vehicle.