This Redditor Fixed His Old Car And Lent It Out To Help His Family - But Now He’s Opened Pandora’s Glove Box

It started with a simple loan, and it turned into the kind of family drama that makes you want to lock your keys in a safe forever. A Redditor had an old 2007 car sitting in the driveway, running but not exactly pristine, and he let people borrow it because he genuinely thought he was helping.

First it was his nephew, who was “fixing his own ASAP,” except six months later the car came back trashed. Then his neighbor, who was in a crisis situation, borrowed it for a couple days, and somehow ended up getting pulled over and arrested for a warrant, charges dropped, but the car still got impounded, towed, smoked in, and ashed up. Now both sides keep pushing for access to the same car, while the family calls him a jerk for taking it back.

Now he’s wondering if he cut people off at the right moment, or if he really did put them in a bad situation.

The Redditor felt conflicted about having a car he technically didn’t “need.”

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Original Post

I have two cars: a new car and an old 2007. I lent the old one (in good condition) out to my nephew while he was looking to fix his own ASAP...and after 6 months he still has not fixed his car and my car came back in terrible condition. I repaired $1500 worth of stuff on my old car just now, and there are a couple other small things still needed. It runs okay at the moment.

My neighbor was a crisis situation and needed a vehicle, so reluctantly I let her borrow it for a couple days. Asked her to be very careful. She got pulled over /arrested for some sort of warrant, got the charges dropped but the car was impounded. I asked her to pay the towing and stuff. It was expensive and she wasn’t thrilled. Also she smoked in it and ashed everywhere. I’m a non-smoker. Got the car back in working condition and now both parties keep wanting to use it. I keep saying no. My sister (nephew’s mom) and family is angry at me because nephew needs my car for work. Word is circling around that I’m a jerk and “put him in a bad situation” by taking my broken vehicle back. Affects his job. The neighbor keeps texting me passive aggressive things about it. The tough part of the situation is: I don’t need the car. I make decent money, and at times I feel like I am being selfish or am in the wrong. I have two vehicles, I know people who could benefit from borrowing one. Guilt spills in and I start remembering that other people have helped me in the past. AITA for cutting these people off? Did I draw the line at the right place? EDIT: Thank you for the support! I appreciate it! I see the logic in getting rid of the car, but having a second vehicle has been a HUGE relief for work (I have to always have a vehicle), transferring kids to and from different schools, and even as a backup for the ex wife in case her car needs work. The amount of $ i will get for its current condition isn’t as worth it as this safety net is. At least that’s my feeling.

Let’s see what the Reddit community had to say.

Deleted user

Stick to your guns!

StIrivergirl

Sell the car, and move on.

EMT82

They’re very entitled.

battousaideo

You’re too nice!

W8nd3rW8man

Don’t be a pushover.

justdrivinGA

It also echoes the tech startup employee who demanded a raise during the meeting, splitting the office.

They should’ve been more careful with it.

rumblinbumblinbee

They’re not entitled to your property.

jayc831

Make them pay for the repairs.

g_daddio

Your car, your choice.

opanda4

You’re not obligated to lend them anything.

badxwolfxrising

They treated you disrespectfully.

Argent_Jinx

It’s not your fault they don’t have transport.

Kittytigris

The nephew’s six-month “ASAP” turned into a $1,500 repair bill, and that’s when the favor started feeling like a trap.

Then the neighbor borrowed the car “for a couple days,” got pulled over for a warrant, and the car came back impounded, smoked up, and full of ash.

After he fixed it again and told everyone “no,” his sister and the rest of the family got mad because the nephew still needed a vehicle for work.

Meanwhile the neighbor keeps sending passive-aggressive texts, like the towing fees and the smoking were just minor plot points.

In the end, the Redditor is standing by his decision, even if it makes a few people uncomfortable.

He didn’t just lose the car, he lost the peace that came with it.

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