Ever not want to sell a car as it belonged to a loved one?

[Goldmember1]

Hi there,

Approximately 5 years ago , a customer and a good friend of mine was getting rid of his old Rover 600 in favour of a new Honda Civic. I enquired about it and found out he was getting offered £500 for it from his local Honda dealer , so I agreed to buy it off him for a bit more for my dad , Robin ,as he walked with a stick and has always wanted to go back to the easiness of an automatic .
So my dad became the happy owner of an R reg Rover 620 SLi Auto in Nightflame Pearlescent with a massive ..... 23,000 miles on the clock

Through the years he loved that car , through it's highs ( going up and down to the local shops with his next-door neighbour , Ivor ( anyone that has seen the BBC's Still Game with Jack + Victor - that's them to a T ! , and lows ( constantly going through about car batteries ( thanks Halfords for your waranty system! ) and corroding exhaust parts ).
He washed it every other day , and was the only man I kno that cleaned and polished the engine bay as well!

Back in May dad was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer , and 2 weeks ago , it still makes me very sad to say dad passed away.

The reason for this post is I am finding it hard to decide what to do with his car.
It hadn't turned a wheel for months , but today , with a jump-start, it started and ran fine , down to the local MOT station and , with 24,000 miles on it now , it passed without any problems I am going to clean , T-Cut and polish it up to the standard dad had it to make him proud.
I still havent decided what to do with it yet . I just dont have the heart to sell it. I would have given it to Ivor , but he stopped driving last year , and I cant afford to keep it and dont have the space on my driveway. I guess something might make me decided soon. It's still taxed, MOT'd , and insured at my parent's house , so at least there's no urgency to get rid of it.

Anyway folks, sorry for the long speil , I just felt so strongly about this I had to post .. has anyone else had a similar situation?
Thanks in advance,
Steve

[Jasandjules]

It is still a part of your father, so I don't blame you for wanting to keep it. If you don't need to sell it, then why not.

As long as you are happy that it's not a painful reminder of your father but a pleasant one then I see nothing wrong with it.


And I am sorry for your loss.

[neil_bolton]

Yep, my granddad gifted me his Volvo 240GL Estate before he died having owned it from new.

We drove it to the Alps and back and lots more, and it was a great bit of kit.

Circumstances meant I had to sell it eventually, and I was genuinely genuinely devastated.

[anonymous-user]

Yep, "funnily" enough when my dad died of cancer. His car was not great but I still did not want to let it go. All to do with clinging onto something that is gone. IMO best to get rid otherwise it will be a constant reminder. Sorry to hear of your loss.

[wibbleone]

Yep - i hung onto my Dad's Saab after he died of a Brain Tumour - kept it for a year and then realised that I never really drove it (although it was great in the snow!!)

Sell the car and donate it Cancer Research, or go on holiday etc. - unless you need the car its just sitting there doing nothing - use the money for something positive

(sorry for you loss btw)

[Steve Evil]

Sorry for your loss and I can imagine that being difficult, I found it hard enough parting with some of my old cars and they've not got the same level of emotional attachment.

How about putting it on eBay and then donating any proceeds to a cancer charity?

[Y282]

sorry for your loss.

if you want to, keep it for a while. if ever you choose to sell it, you'll know the right timing or reason when it comes. above all though, ask yourself if your dad would want you to worry about it.

[CarbonBlackM5]

Yes been there.

My Dad had an AX 1.0 which I had from new in 1995 after crashing my banger. I had it for a few years until I got a company car then my Mum used it and finally by Dad. He didnt need a big car because he couldnt work due to his health.

The car always had the rear seats folded down so he could chuck his fishing gear in the back. It had around 70K on the clock and for a 1.0 went well because it had been thrashed all of its life . It was never washed inside or out but always started and never needed much doing to it.

When he died just over 5 years ago I sold it on ebay to a 17yr old. Should have kept it I suppose esp as it had been in the family for nearly 20 years but it had seen better days

[y2blade]

sorry for your loss

sell your Subaru and hang on to it

[S1_RS]

I'm in this position but double! My Dad had an '84 240GLT from new, he passed away in November last year. I persuaded my Mum not to give it to the doorknockers as I didn't want to see it end it's days on the banger circuit. Then in January of this year my Mum passed away as well, leaving me her '96 S70 also bought from new. I've taxed and insured the S70 and now use it as well as my V70 for daily duties but long term I'm not sure what to do with either of them.

[y2blade]

S1_RS said:

I'm in this position but double! My Dad had an '84 240GLT from new, he passed away in November last year. I persuaded my Mum not to give it to the doorknockers as I didn't want to see it end it's days on the banger circuit. Then in January of this year my Mum passed away as well, leaving me her '96 S70 also bought from new. I've taxed and insured the S70 and now use it as well as my V70 for daily duties but long term I'm not sure what to do with either of them.

bloodyhell

[Chicane-UK]

I think the suggestion of a sale and then donation to a charity based around what took your dad from you is an excellent one.. you're doing a good deed, the charity benefits, and you don't have to feel like you're profiteering from something left to you by your dad.

[trashbat]

Chicane-UK said:

I think the suggestion of a sale and then donation to a charity based around what took your dad from you is an excellent one.. you're doing a good deed, the charity benefits, and you don't have to feel like you're profiteering from something left to you by your dad.

I like this, but also sell to someone who will clearly cherish it - maybe post on the relevant owners' club or a local group if there is such a thing.

Sorry for your loss too.

[Smiler.]

Absolutely.



This was my dad's car. We kept it after he died suddenly in 1997.

Finally traded it in a 15 months ago as it had a nasty leak which resulted in water inside.

Otherwise it was sound, I was very sad to see it go.

[Parrot of Doom]

I had a similar experience at the start of this year, selling my dad's Disco (he'd recently died of cancer) for my mum.

Cleaning and polishing the car to get rid of it isn't a nice feeling.

[J4CKO]

My grandads Montego went to my uncle, then my cousin and then it died as well, I can see why its comforting, why you dont want to see it go but my grandad died in about 88 and realistically a B reg Montego was never really, in daily use going to make it to now, suspect the Rover is the same, probably best to just get rid as soon as possible and as was mentioned the charity donation would be a nice touch as would taking a part of the car, say a badge as a keepsake so you keep part of it. Try and sell it to someone a fair distance away so you dont need to see it around, some may feel it comforting but seeing your dads old motor being driven by someone else could be distressing, depends on the individual.

[Goldmember1]

Thank you everyone so far for your replies and sympathies.

Also , S1_RS , just want to say I'm sorry to hear of both your losses

I think selling it and giving the proceeds to the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice ( who looked after him and helped my mum, my wife and I through it all ) is 1 possibilty. We had a collection after hia funeral and have raised £200 so far.
If I had the space and kept it it wouldn't get used , ( as selling my car is not an option ) and would rather someone who wants the car for what it is ( one big wafty carpet-slipper with wooden dashboard and radio-cassette ) and who would look after it.

Thank you again for all your words.. PH does have some genuinely nice people

Steve

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

I had a rather larger problem when my poor Dad went back in 2005 - we had to decide what to do with his Double Decker London Bus (AEC RT for PH bus nerds..)

Amazingly when he bought it from London Transport back in 1969 (he bought it before I was born!) his good friend at the time bought a similar bus, but a London Country spec in green.

He lost contact with his friend over time, until one Thursday, when after 20 odd years he ran into him again at Bournemouth bus garage. My Dad kept his bus there, and the other chap had just moved to the area and happened to bring his in for an MOT the same day my Dad was there fiddling with his.

Four days later my Dad died. The other chap gave it a week, then called us to say he'd like the bus as he always admired it back in the day, and would then have the set!

Funny how life seems to have these co-incidences. If it wasn't for him I have no idea what we would have done with it!

As for Dad's car, I inherited that too. I then ran it for 6 years until it had starship mileage, and sold it on ebay a few months ago. As I'd run it as my own car for so long, it didn't feel too strange to sell it on.

ETA picture of the old, well, bus I suppose!

Edited by Ray Luxury-Yacht on Wednesday 27th July 17:05

Edited by Ray Luxury-Yacht on Wednesday 27th July 21:06

[andye30m3]

Last month sold my Dads E-type after around 15 years of holding on to it and only using it a few times a year.

Head knew it was the right thing to do but was sad to see it go, really helped that the guy who bought it was a really nice chap you I'm certain will look after it.

[AndrewW-G]

Fortunately the only time I’ve been in this position, was when a great aunt gave me her 28k from new, all receipts from the day she purchased it to a log of all its petrol consumption, 1957 Morris 1000. Barbie being a fun type told me to sell it, buy a sports car and have some fun.
OP, as per others, condolences on your loss.