Do you sell a gift car or just give it back?

So I've been struggling with this one for a while and I'd like to hear some different opinions.

I was given my Dad's barracuda about 2 years ago. He bought it when I left for college and took the family 5.0 mustang with me. That was in 1991. The whole time he had it, it never really ran right and I think it's only been driven less than 2-3K miles the whole time he had it. So I was asking him if he was ever going to do anything with it (mostly because I didn't want to have to worry about cleaning out his stuff if he died) He said just take it and wanted me to have it. Mind you, in the whole time he had it up till then, I had only driven it maybe 5 miles and that was so long ago that I only remembered that it was really slow and didn't run good at all.

So since I got it, I've done a lot of work to it. I've installed a better suspension, a new 318 I've warmed over with a cam and 4 barrel, rebuilt transmission, new complete cooling system, new dual exhaust, and redid the cooling system. So I've put a lot of work and time into it.

Here comes the problem......After all of that work, I really didn't like driving the car. It just didn't do anything for me. It doesn't have AC so driving it in Texas is limited and it's not like I have a huge sentimental attachment to the car.

I'd really rather sell it and get something that I would enjoy playing with but I'd think I may feel guilty selling a gift like that.

Am I being crazy? What are some thoughts?

Depends on your dad.

Ask dad if he wants it back?

Give him fair market value for his percentage of the car. He gave it to you and moved on, it would be a nice gesture to hand him some bills after the sale and say thanks.

In reply to pinchvalve:

Do you talk with your Dad, or just ask strangers on the internet for their opinions of what he will think?

Seriously, man. Talk with him.

Someone gifted me a Miata a couple years ago. It may be the answer but what a berkeleying useless car. I drove it for the summer and then gave it back. A nephew of the original owner flew out from the East coast and drove it home with his girlfriend so I guess it is his now.

So.... regift it for the money you have in it to someone who will enjoy it is what i'm saying. Me, for example. Yours has a back seat.

I'd say ask him if he would like it back as your interest is lost in it.

If he says, no, Fair market or drop it off in my Michigan driveway.

I'll take a 66 Cuda for the price you paid for it ;)

Is iy just the lack of ac? What about it exactly don't you like?

Thanks, I did talk to him and he seemed pretty non committal about it but it still been bugging me. We are not overly close honestly. I didn't include that because I wanted an honest opinion.

My dad had a 55 New Yorker that he loved to drive in the summer. But it didn't fit in his garage and he's not very mechanically inclined. So every spring I'd drive down to his place, clean up the car from sitting under a tree all winter, give it a tune up and oil change and generally get it working well for the summer ahead. I'd even take bits home and restore them then bring them back and install on my next trip.

Eventually he drove it less and less and it was just getting run down from sitting under that tree. I guess mom got fed up, or maybe he did but they discussed it and said I had always cared for the car so I should have it. Bear in mind, he bought this after I left home so it wasn't a sentimental attachment or anything. In fact we weren't on the best of terms at the time and he tried to sell it with no luck first and then just let me take it.

I enjoyed it for a couple of years but it really wasn't my thing. He didn't want it back so I sold it. He never said so but I always felt he kind of resented me selling it and I've always felt a little bad that I did.

Years after he wanted a vintage VW but didnt have much money so I bought what I could afford with his money and then put a lot of time, effort and my own money into making it right for him. He enjoyed it a few years then sold it on. It felt a bit like karmic balance but I still have little pangs of guilt when I think about that Chrysler.

I'd at least take it over and tell him you'd like him to drive it with you to get lunch. If he looks happy when he does, leave it with him. If he is still uninterested it's your blessing to sell it for whatever you can get for it. Bonus is you get a chance to be closer with your dad. The chance for that doesn't stay open forever.....

Sounds like you did all the work to get it into a sellable condition in the first place. On top of that, if he is noncommittal after mentioning a potential sale then I would move forward with it and maybe give him one last chance. Once sold, throw him some bills and move on with your life.

Vintage Air

pay it forward... and gift it to me?

i gave my FIL a car last year so he could save some gas from his 2500hd. he donated it a couple months ago, and it pissed me off. mostly because he never said anything until it was gone. if he gave it back or at least asked, i could have made a few bucks or swiped the new battery i put in before i gave it to him, as it was the kind of car the charity was probably going to scrap for $250. the stupid thing is he gets to write off whatever they get for it, so $250 in pocket is way better than whatever the income tax discount on $250 is.

Give it to a father and son who want to work on something together.

Matt B wrote: Sounds like you did all the work to get it into a sellable condition in the first place. On top of that, if he is noncommittal after mentioning a potential sale then I would move forward with it and maybe give him one last chance. Once sold, throw him some bills and move on with your life.

Pretty much what I was going to say, so I'll just needlessly quote his response.

Other siblings? What is his health like?

I'm inclined to say hold onto it IF it isn't costing you a fortune in maintenance and storage until he passes.

I would consult the rest of the family, if there is any. I know I worked my uncle over pretty hard to sell me his 66 Bonneville instead of giving it to one of his 7 kids, so there is a lot of pressure for me to not sell it.

What I'm doing is honoring my (vaguely implied) commitment and just making it what I want, but its so hard to do without a couple million dollars in spare cash. I can relate to your plight. Fortunately I still want my bonneville, but certainly not passionate about it like I used to be.

I just hope I can get it done before my uncle passes.

bmw88rider wrote: So I've been struggling with this one for a while and I'd like to hear some different opinions. I was given my Dad's barracuda about 2 years ago. He bought it when I left for college and took the family 5.0 mustang with me. That was in 1991. The whole time he had it, it never really ran right and I think it's only been driven less than 2-3K miles the whole time he had it. So I was asking him if he was ever going to do anything with it (mostly because I didn't want to have to worry about cleaning out his stuff if he died) He said just take it and wanted me to have it. Mind you, in the whole time he had it up till then, I had only driven it maybe 5 miles and that was so long ago that I only remembered that it was really slow and didn't run good at all. So since I got it, I've done a lot of work to it. I've installed a better suspension, a new 318 I've warmed over with a cam and 4 barrel, rebuilt transmission, new complete cooling system, new dual exhaust, and redid the cooling system. So I've put a lot of work and time into it. Here comes the problem......After all of that work, I really didn't like driving the car. It just didn't do anything for me. It doesn't have AC so driving it in Texas is limited and it's not like I have a huge sentimental attachment to the car. I'd really rather sell it and get something that I would enjoy playing with but I'd think I may feel guilty selling a gift like that. Am I being crazy? What are some thoughts?

We get very few opportunities to do something for our parents. This might be one of them.

I would ask if he was interested. He may be old enough that the "Sturm Und Drang" appeal of a muscle car has passed, but it's flattering to an old man to be asked.

Sounds like you would be getting the car back when he is done with it and sadly that will happen all to quickly.

I'd interpret non-committal to mean don't sell it.

If he didn't explicitly say sell it, he may have some attachment to it.

Basically not wanting to see it go and maybe disappointed that you didn't see the appeal in it that he did, but at the same time not wanting to have his feelings about a car prevent you from being happy.