A Colleyville couple has given away two cars and will give away a third in November. Dane and Cathy Bailey from Colleyville were impressed with how their California friends had given away approximately 10 reconditioned cars through their independent auto repair shop. The friends had taken donated vehicles, made them safe to drive, and then solicited applications for the cars from potential recipients who needed transportation. The Baileys own Auto Experts of Colleyville, located at 6800 Colleyville Boulevard, where they have been operating since 2013, initially servicing only Lexus and Toyota vehicles. They have expanded their offerings to serve not only imports, but also domestic vehicles, and are known as being “Outstanding every mile.”
They initially wanted to refurbish and donate a single vehicle, but this quickly evolved into two. Potential recipients are now submitting applications through October 17 for a third vehicle. “We wanted to elevate someone’s life,” said Dane Bailey. “There’s a real sense of freedom and purpose when you have the means to travel, and we are committed to solving a real need for someone.” He adds, “We see organizations address food and housing issues, and we appreciate all they do. Being in the transportation business, we frequently hear about people with potential jobs, but they don’t have the transportation to get to and from work. Public transportation works in a lot of cases, but not all cases.”
Driving home from a business meeting in Houston, the Baileys decided to move forward. First, they needed a name for the program. “It was obvious to have the word ‘Autos’ in the name,” says Cathy Bailey. “After all, it’s what we do. It’s our ‘What,’ The more we discussed the idea, the word ‘Love’ kept arising. We realized that word described our ‘Why.’ We want to do this out of love.”
Dane Bailey immediately went online and discovered that “Autosoflove.org” was available as a domain site. They knew they were on the right track. God was blessing their unselfish efforts.
Next came the commitment to quality. They decided that every donated car must be safe enough for them to want to put their two daughters inside it. Their two daughters play an inspirational role in Autos of Love because Dane and Cathy Bailey want them to recognize the joy in serving others, so they will be motivated to perform their own service in the future.
Jerry Maxey, their general manager, had previously worked at a service center that had participated in a similar program, so he took a leadership role in securing donated cars. He asked friends and customers if they would like to donate a car. Within a short time, he had secured two vehicles.
The first was a 2006 Lexus ES small sedan, and the second was a 2008 Lexus LS 460 large sedan. But there’s more. Each Autos of Love car recipient also receives an entire year’s free service and maintenance.
The Baileys recruited a selection committee to review all applications and determine the ideal recipient. The criteria were that the applicant must:
- Be a Tarrant County resident
- Have a valid Texas driver’s license
- Does not currently own a reliable vehicle
- Be able to pay for auto insurance
A Hand-up, not a Hand-out
“We added one more element,” adds Dane Bailey. “The recipient needed to put the car to the greatest use. There would be no benefit for the car to sit in a driveway because the new owner could not pay for gas and insurance. We made sure the recipient could pay to operate the car and uplift their life.”
The first car would serve as their proof-of-concept vehicle to confirm the process could work, so the Baileys footed the bill for all replacement parts and promotion. In addition to the repairs, they also hosted a catered reception to commemorate the donation of their first vehicle. The overall cost for the first vehicle’s refurbishment and celebration: Over $3,000. “We considered the amount to be well worth it,” reports Cathy Bailey. “We invited the recipient in under the pretense that we were interviewing her in person for her application. She was shocked to learn that she would be driving home in the new-to-her Lexus!”
The Autos of Love team heard inspiring comments from community leaders and vendors. Some people made donations while suppliers offered to donate parts or sell them at cost. Among the donated parts were a water pump, spark plugs, oil filters, and tires. Jerry Maxey has continued to persuade auto donors, and the new car that will be donated on November 13 will be a 2013 Toyota Prius. A supplier agreed to sell an engine at cost. Autos of Love has also recruited partners with powerful reputations and extensive impact, including the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce. “Two of our most important connections have been Jason Ridley and Kay Allen,” adds Cathy Bailey. “Each is a past chair of the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce, and they have introduced us to their personal and business networks – Jason through his company, Jason Ridley Insurance Agency, and Kay through ClearPoint Wealth Management.”
The community connections will lead Autos of Love to expand its reach. The Baileys have promoted their Autos of Love campaign through ads and public service announcements on Spectrum Reach, as well as messaging through the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce. If you want to nominate someone to receive the next Autos of Love vehicle, please submit your nomination by October 17 to www.autosoflove.org. If you would like to donate a car to a deserving recipient or donate to help underwrite the costs of the refurbishment, please visit the same website. There is no cost to apply or nominate a potential recipient.
About Autos of Love (www.autosoflove.org): Autos of Love was established by Dane and Cathy Bailey, the owners of Auto Experts of Colleyville, in the spring of 2024. Their independent service center has served the Colleyville area since 2013. Inspired by friends in California who created their own version of the program, the Bailey family leads a team of 13, plus their Client Liaison Specialist, their dog Sophie.
