With Crescent Wheels, donating a car in New Orleans means we come to you—anywhere in Greater New Orleans—and pickup is truly free. Whether you’re in Lakeview, the Marigny, Algiers Point, Gentilly, Mid-City, or out in Metairie or Kenner, a local towing partner brings a flatbed or hook-and-chain truck to your vehicle at no cost to you. The towing expense is covered later from the charity’s sale proceeds and is never billed back.
Here’s how it works: you call us or submit the online form, we confirm a pickup window that fits your schedule, and you leave the signed Louisiana title and keys with the vehicle. On pickup day, a local tow operator comes to your home, apartment, or storage lot—your car can be running or not, parked on the street or in a driveway. In denser areas like the French Quarter, the CBD, or Uptown, scheduling often depends on traffic and access; in more outlying parts of Jefferson, St. Bernard, or St. Tammany Parish, timing depends on routing. In most of Greater New Orleans, the truck arrives within a few business days.
How to schedule your free local pickup
1. Tell us about your vehicle and location
Call Crescent Wheels or use our secure online form to share your car’s basics—year, make, model, condition—and where it’s parked in Greater New Orleans. Let us know if it’s in a driveway in Gentilly, a garage in Metairie, or street-parked in the Bywater, so we can match you with the right local towing partner and truck type.
2. Choose a convenient pickup window
We’ll work with you to pick a pickup window that fits your schedule, usually within a few business days. Morning, afternoon, or early evening slots may be available depending on your area—Uptown and Mid-City often book quickly, while rural addresses may need a slightly wider window for routing.
3. Prepare your title, keys, and access
Before pickup day, sign your Louisiana title as the seller, remove personal items, and place the title and keys somewhere the driver can access—like with a front-desk concierge, under a floor mat, or taped inside a windowed envelope, as we instruct. Make sure gates are unlocked and the vehicle isn’t blocked in by other cars.
4. You don’t have to be home at pickup
As long as we’ve arranged where the title and keys will be, you don’t need to be there when the tow truck arrives. The driver will load the car, complete the tow paperwork, and leave any agreed documentation or notice behind if requested. It’s common for busy donors in the CBD or Warehouse District to donate this way.
5. We tow it away free and send your tax receipt
A local flatbed or hook-and-chain operator will safely tow your car at no cost to you. The towing fee is covered from the eventual sale, never billed to you. After the vehicle is sold, you’ll receive a tax receipt—typically for at least $500, with IRS Form 1098-C issued when required—supporting Heritage for the Blind.
Local pickup gotchas
Tight French Quarter or narrow Uptown streets
Tip: Some New Orleans streets are too tight or heavily parked for a full-size flatbed to maneuver easily. If your vehicle is in the French Quarter, Marigny, or a narrow Uptown block, tell us in advance so we can plan truck size or ask you to move it to a nearby corner or lot if possible.
Gates, parking garages, and security codes
Tip: In buildings around the CBD, Warehouse District, or Lakeview, tow drivers often need entry codes or garage clearance information. Share gate codes, garage height limits, and instructions for security or front desks ahead of time so the driver can get to your car without delays or rescheduling.
Very rural or flood-prone access outside the core metro
Tip: Addresses farther out—like parts of Plaquemines, St. Bernard, or rural St. Tammany—may require more routing time and a different tow setup, especially if roads are unpaved or flood-prone. Let us know about any access issues, soft ground, or seasonal flooding so we can schedule the right truck and realistic timing.
Dead batteries, flats, or locked wheels
Tip: We accept vehicles that won’t start, but it helps to warn us if the wheels don’t roll, the steering is locked, or tires are completely flat. This lets us send equipment that can safely load your car without needing a return visit or last-minute reschedule.
If at-home pickup is tricky
If at-home pickup is tricky—maybe your car is in a tight French Quarter garage, a low-clearance lot near Tulane, or an HOA that limits tow trucks—we can usually find another local solution. In some cases, we’ll coordinate a nearby meeting spot in a wider street or public lot, such as near City Park, a larger supermarket parking lot in Metairie, or a shopping center in Gretna. If the vehicle is at a repair shop or impound lot, we can often pick it up directly from there with your authorization. Our team will walk you through the options so you can still donate without hassle.
New Orleans pickup coverage
Crescent Wheels serves the full Greater New Orleans area, including New Orleans East, Gentilly, Lakeview, Uptown, Carrollton, the Garden District, the Westbank (Algiers, Gretna, Harvey), plus Metairie, Kenner, Chalmette, and many parts of St. Tammany. Urban pickups often happen a bit faster due to more frequent routes, while more rural Louisiana addresses may need an extra day or two. For Louisiana titles, you’ll sign the vehicle over to the charity; in most cases you should remove your license plates and can return or report them per Louisiana OMV guidance. We’ll remind you of these simple steps when you schedule.