I inherited a car

[awakenedsoul]

My mom died last month and my dad is giving me her car. It's a beautiful red VW Beetle with leather seats. She took excellent care of it, and it still looks brand new. (I think it's about 15 years old.) It only has 30,000 miles on it!

As many of you know, I've been going car free for the past year. I'm really excited about this bug, though. (I had a black convertible bug when I was 19. I loved it.) It's going to be inexpensive to insure and register, since it's older. I had been looking at used cars, and cars like this are rare.

Have you ever inherited a car?

[pinkytoe]

Sorry about your mom. Sounds like a ladybug car. I have inherited two cars in my lifetime - my Mom's old Cutlass and my little brother's Jeep. I seem to recall having to pay a very small sum to the estate for each so that the title could be transferred. The Cutlass was a godsend at the time it came into our lives and was the proverbial cream puff.

[iris lilies]

No,not really. My mom had one of those little old lady cars with lots of years but few miles. I let my brother have it because he did so much for my mom and his vehicles were giant gas guzzlers. He drove it for a while and then donated it to a kid going to college who didn't have much money.

I learned to drive on a VW beetle. Good for you!

[catherine]

I'm so sorry for your loss, awakenedsoul.

However, your new car sounds wonderful. Perfect for you!

I never inherited a car, but back in the 70s when I was just out of college I REALLY wanted a new Datsun, so I went to my uncle who was the executor of my grandfather's estate. My grandfather had put money in trust for his grandchildren and we weren't allowed to touch it until we were 30 (he was a wise man).

However, I thought maybe because I needed a car at the time that my uncle would release some of the money for a down payment for this "necessary" expense. He made me show him my budget and he saw clearly that I would not be able to really afford the car payments, so he offered to sell me, for $100, a Chevy Vega that my cousin had used to go cross-country with a bunch of Hare Krishnas. I thought this was a DEAL--$100 for a two-year old car?? So I agreed, sight unseen.

The car looked like it had been through Baghdad at the height of the Iraq War. Most of the paint was seared off. I have no idea what my cousin did to it. Plus it was a manual, and I didn't know how to drive it, but I learned, and I'm glad I had the chance to.

I wound up giving it to my mother two years later when she was doing very poorly financially, and that nasty car was even a blessing to her.

[Alan]

My wife inherited a car when her mother died, a 20 year old Mazda which we then gave to our daughter. MIL only had two cars in her adult life, both purchased as stripped down models with no accessories. I installed radio and speakers in both for her so she had something to listen to as she drove around town in weird patterns designed to never involve a left hand turn (she didn't like to cross traffic).
Our daughter enjoyed that old Mazda for several years.

[awakenedsoul]

I'm enjoying all of these stories about inherited cars. I'd forgotten about a 1967 Chevy Bel Aire that my dad inherited from my great uncle when I was about 13. He used to take us to school in it, and we would hide on the floor when we passed our friends. We were totally embarrassed to be seen in it. We would ask him to drop us off a few blocks from the school, and then walk the rest of the way...teen agers!

When I left home at 17, my dad gave me the car. I drove it from the Bay Area to LA. I used it to go to work and to commute to my dance classes. I could fit ten ballet dancers in that car! We took it to the beach, the mall, and all over Hollywood. It was a blast!

One time when I was staying over with my friends in Hollywood, somebody ran into the side of the car and left without leaving a note. I gave the car back to my father and bought a VW convertible with $3,000. my great aunt had left me in her will. My dad found a matching door in the same color as the 1967 Chevy car and replaced it. He continued to drive the car, even though he could have afforded a newer one.

[Teacher Terry]

IN 2007 my MIL died unexpectedly & fairly young so we inherited her 2000 Saturn that did not have many miles on it. My hubby drove it until about 6 months ago. He didn't want to let it go but at 150,000 miles it sounded like it was falling apart when you drove it. Some friends of ours were selling a 7 yo Toyota with only 27,000 miles on it because the wife could not drive anymore so I told hubby we were not passing up such a great deal so he finally parted with the Saturn.

[Tammy]

"as she drove around town in weird patterns designed to never involve a left hand turn"

I love this!

[gimmethesimplelife]

My mom died last month and my dad is giving me her car. It's a beautiful red VW Beetle with leather seats. She took excellent care of it, and it still looks brand new. (I think it's about 15 years old.) It only has 30,000 miles on it!

As many of you know, I've been going car free for the past year. I'm really excited about this bug, though. (I had a black convertible bug when I was 19. I loved it.) It's going to be inexpensive to insure and register, since it's older. I had been looking at used cars, and cars like this are rare.

Have you ever inherited a car?I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your Mom passing, AW. I know that I am not looking forward to this provided I outlive my Mom. I hope you are OK.....Rob

[Float On]

as she drove around town in weird patterns designed to never involve a left hand turn (she didn't like to cross traffic).


I don't do this...I have no huge fear of left turns.....but what does it mean if I constantly think about how many right turns I'd have to make to get somewhere to avoid left turns?



Enjoy your lil'red bug awakendsoul - may it bring you peace and joyful memories of your mom.

[rosarugosa]

". . .as she drove around town in weird patterns designed to never involve a left hand turn (she didn't like to cross traffic)."
I do this! :laff:

[awakenedsoul]

I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your Mom passing, AW. I know that I am not looking forward to this provided I outlive my Mom. I hope you are OK.....Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks for you post. It's a difficult life passage. But, she was ready to die and we had talked about it. I don't believe you're ever really prepared for the death of a parent. But, because of the pain she was in, we were praying for it.

[ToomuchStuff]

Kinda and also a VW (Super beetle). A friend of mine and his buddy were working on one together. The primary one (capable of doing the work), died of cancer and left it to the other. The other's wife filed for divorce and the car was sold to me for enough to not cause legal issues. I have been out working on it today. (in to cool down a few minutes)

[Gardenarian]

Awakenedsoul - I'm glad your mom is now in peace. (((hugs)))

When my mom died she still had 5 cars, though she hadn't driven in years. My parents had a penchant for rare and finicky cars that cost a ton to maintain, so I opted out.

The beetle sounds great. How many MPG does it get? It's nice to have a car, just in case...I imagine the insurance on it will be very low, too.

[Tiam]

My mom died last month and my dad is giving me her car. It's a beautiful red VW Beetle with leather seats. She took excellent care of it, and it still looks brand new. (I think it's about 15 years old.) It only has 30,000 miles on it!

As many of you know, I've been going car free for the past year. I'm really excited about this bug, though. (I had a black convertible bug when I was 19. I loved it.) It's going to be inexpensive to insure and register, since it's older. I had been looking at used cars, and cars like this are rare.

Have you ever inherited a car?

I did. about 3 years ago, an aunt left me her 94 Buick Regal with only 20000 miles on it. I've doubled that in the years I have it. It was a great gift, because I got it right after I totalled my own 90's pontiac. Well, someone else totaled it by hitting me. It was out of state though and was a hassle to get, and I ended up spending quite a bit to get it.

[lhamo]

My mom stopped driving a couple of years ago after a minor accident. She kept her car and we have been driving it when we go home to visit (we've been paying the insurance). Now that I am heading back for the next year at least, she plans to sign the title over to me. It is a 1992 Toyota Corolla with no power anything, no A/C, etc. About 160k miles on it. I would really prefer to have something newer/with A/C but I will stick with this one for now in order to keep expenses down. Hopefully it will still be running in a couple of years and I can sign it over to DS when he gets his license.

[awakenedsoul]

Awakenedsoul - I'm glad your mom is now in peace. (((hugs)))

When my mom died she still had 5 cars, though she hadn't driven in years. My parents had a penchant for rare and finicky cars that cost a ton to maintain, so I opted out.

The beetle sounds great. How many MPG does it get? It's nice to have a car, just in case...I imagine the insurance on it will be very low, too.

Hi Gardenarian, Thank you. Wow! Five cars! Sounds like a passion. I'm not sure how many MPG the beetle gets. I've driven two VW bugs, and on VW Rabbit, and they were very fuel efficient. I'm pleased that the insurance and registration will be low, since it's an older car.

[awakenedsoul]

My mom stopped driving a couple of years ago after a minor accident. She kept her car and we have been driving it when we go home to visit (we've been paying the insurance). Now that I am heading back for the next year at least, she plans to sign the title over to me. It is a 1992 Toyota Corolla with no power anything, no A/C, etc. About 160k miles on it. I would really prefer to have something newer/with A/C but I will stick with this one for now in order to keep expenses down. Hopefully it will still be running in a couple of years and I can sign it over to DS when he gets his license.

That sounds like a plan. I'm amazed at how many miles those Toyotas can get. It's nice that you don't have to worry about buying a newer car. It sounds perfect for your son, too.