Free car ethics

I just can’t help myself. You just graduated from college. Who paid for it? Did you work and save for it? Take out loans? When I graduated I had $60 a month loan payments on Army pay of $80. Never missed or was late on a payment. You are sounding like a 14 year old, not a mature adult. So really what you should do is say “Dad, I don’t want you to give me a car. This is what the Blue Book value is, so I want to pay you for it. Minus the $350 it will cost for over-due maintenance. I’m a man now and not a little boy, and I don’t even have to worry about getting drafted and getting killed.” The good ole days.

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+1 !!

In case the OP’s curriculum never included Shakespeare, here is a quote from the immortal Bard that addresses this topic specifically:

How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!

If the OP needs an explanation of that quotation, I will be glad to provide one.

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I guess, I’ve said enough…

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Hi @LoudThunder I agreed with one of your colleagues flagging this because I think you made your point the first time you responded. The discussion is turning into a pile-on on @hagenboggs_176715.

We’re now well beyond answering the question to taking moral victory laps, which can feel cathartic, but are much easier from behind the safety of a keyboard.

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Never mind. I’ll edit myself.

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I think the short answer is just “no”. No, you shouldn’t ask for anything more once you’ve been given the car. It’s your car now, so your responsibility to pay for maintenance that hasn’t been done. Or give the car back. Or sell it. Whatever you want to do.

I don’t agree with the piling on and attacking the kid’s morale character, though. Maybe he did have it “easy” (or maybe not, who knows). If so, that’s a good thing. I don’t know many people that would take the hard road if they have a choice. But, yeah, not real cool to ask Pop’s for more.

On the positive side, at least this young guy is actually trying to maintain the car. So he does appreciate it. Otherwise, he’d just run that free rig into the ground :joy:!

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Well OK but how many of you, in your youth, when you look back, would have appreciated someone telling you the truth? You know coaches, pastors, deputies, Drill Sarges, fathers, etc., rather than just letting you be immature?

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He was told the truth several times above, and then it turned into an entire fictional narrative about how he’s never worked a part time job, and so on.

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If you are not happy give it back or sell it.

For context, a loaf of bread at that time probably cost a nickel.

That seems harsh, uncalled for, and not helpful at all.

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Bobo , your moderator application is in the mail .

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Now be honest, if a stranger on the internet who had never met you said you were acting like a child, would your reaction be to accept it as constructive criticism, or would you react as though someone said something rude to you?

This is not an effective way to deliver constructive criticism.

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ADDHD maybe, got through one and 2 then scroll blur, and mind blank, thanks for your thoughts.

@Barkydog Well they could do a little proof reading though just to add some constructive criticism.

The truth usually is harsh.

Why would it have to be “constructive criticism “ ? Especially if it’s true.

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Is your goal to be helpful or to anger and alienate the person you’re trying to “help?”

If it’s the former, how you deliver the message matters.

If it’s the latter, good job; you’re on the right path.

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To me, the short AND long answer is no. When someone gives you a gift, you become the owner and are free to do with it whatever you want: sell it, destroy it, give it away, etc., without any responsibility to the person who gave it to you. The other side of that coin is also true: it’s yours, you own it, you’re responsible for everything about it.

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I learned to do a lot of that stuff yourself spark plugs should not be hard on that car you just have to be careful if it has spark plug wires and coils you have to be careful not to break the spark plug wires when you’re taking the wires off
off of the plug it may have cop system (coil over plug)
Fuel filter should not be hard brake fluid change you can handle it I’m sure I would research online how to do it it’s not hard.

glad to see you back mrbreezee1

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Thank you. :slight_smile: