On Tuesday, we shared the story of a local bike shop that created its own, Portland-style version of the Obama Administration’s Cash for Clunkers program. In a nutshell, Southeast Portland’s Joe Bike will accept an old, clunker bike, donate it to charity, and then give customers a discount on purchase of a new bike.
Now, Joe Bike owner Joe Doebele has extended the program to include car donations.
Doebele has worked out a special a deal with the American Lung Association and car-sharing company Zipcar. Here’s how it works:
Donate your old car to the American Lung Association. The ALA will tow your car (running or not) for free, and you’ll also get the tax deduction.
Then, bring the receipt into Joe Bike and they’ll give you a 10% discount on any bike they sell. In addition to the bike discount, Joe Bike will also give you a unique coupon code for a Zipcar membership. With a bike purchase, you’ll be able to become a Zipcar member for $25 (instead of $75), your annual renewal fee will be just $25 (instead of $50) and you’ll get $150 driving credit.
It’s kind of a nifty little program. In one fell swoop, you can trade in your old car, help out the ALA, get a tax deduction, a discount on a new bike, and a discount on Zipcar.
More info at Joe Bike’s website.