First, one ground rule, please...

I certainly enjoy and value all of the wiseassery that occurs around here, and I'm obviously looking for honest opinions, but please keep the silliness to a minimum... (just on THIS thread...please.)

I have a grandmother who is getting to the end of the line so to speak.

She and I are NOT close...never have been.

I will spare you all of the gory details, but lets just say that we don't think much of each other.

For those of you who are unaware, I am the youngest of three children.

When my sister graduated from high school, my grandmother presented her with an automobile. My sister was very grateful, and what 18 year old kid wouldn't appreciate a free car from a grandparent?

When my brother married (at roughly age 19), he and his wife received a car as a wedding gift from the same grandmother. He too, was very grateful, and who wouldn't be?

I graduated from high school a loooooong time ago.

Got married too. (twice)

Now, at 39 years old, this grandmother of mine has realized that her days are getting limited and has decided that she wishes to give me an automobile before she passes.

Really.

On one hand, it's a bit "too late" (I'm a grown man with three cars in the driveway...) This grandmother and I have never been close, and why bother? Who needs it?

On the other hand, if her dying wish is to bequeath me an automobile, what kind of butt head am I to say, "thanks, but no thanks..."

Frankly, I feel sleazy either way.

Thoughts?

 

I'm not sure if you can go by my opinion, since I'm pure evil. ...but I would politely tell her, "Thank you, but we have all the vehicles we need and I just can't afford ANOTHER vehicle to pay insurance on, but if you want to put that money towards my mortgage, that would be nice."

That would discreetly drive home the "too little, too late" thing.

 

If she is about to pass on just take the car and if its anything nice keep it for Shelby, or just sell it and use the cash as needed.

No since in trying to prove a point to her now.......

You saying "thanks but no thanks" will not bother her one bit, I mean she did not give you a car back in the day like the other two siblings got and it hasn't really bothered her till now. Do what ever you have to, so she will go to her grave happy.

Take the car, sell it, that's what I would do.

 

I agree with Rich. I'd take the car and if it wasn't something 'better' than what I currently had, I'd dump it on craigslist and use the $$$ how I wanted.

 

Beer and hookers ah..... I mean (root beer and fish hooks), duh what did I type by mistake?

Sorry I know you asked for a minimum amount of jackassery, so did I met the minimum's?

I can edit if inappropriate....sorry.

 

Terry, maybe it's her way of clearing her mind/heart before she pass's and wan't to make amends. I know you have 3 cars there now, but couldn't you use a new or newer ride that does better on fuel, better insurance rate, more dependable... Hold on to one for a child that may be driving soon.
I'm number 4 of 6, but it was my/our so called father that walked out and didn't care about his kids. I'd have given anything if he would have even said "I'm Sorry" before he died. Now I'm just bitter towards him, and he's been dead for more than 10 years...

Unk Bob

 

no worries. Thank you for the smile.

I'll admit that I'm leaning towards traveling to Ohio to pick up the automobile, bringing it back to Kansas...tag and insure it, then put it on "the list" and see what I can get for it...

seems sleazy somehow....

On the other hand, I could sell it and go purchase myself a newer, bigger, better, Ford pick up truck, and then be driving a vehicle that Grandma "provided" that I WOULD appreciate.....right?

 

I'm SURE that those are her thoughts...

Mebbe we have the same father?

...and this is HIS mother we're discussing...

 

Oddly enough, my so called father's parents, did treat my family different than they treated my cousins. Almost as if they were favored, and we were the hand me downs. And it was thier oldest son that ran out on us....
I'm a better giver than a reciever, but do you know if she's handing you a nice vehicle, or a turd that you don't need? And by the way if your going to Ohio..... I love a good road trip. And have an awsum schedule...

Unk Bob

 

YES!!!

Unk Bob

 

Hmm. I guess I have nothing to compare that too...my "father" was/is an only child, so we had no cousins on that side of the family...



What I know is that it is an Oldsmobile Alero which is a pretty sharp car... knowing her, I'm sure it's in immaculate condition with low miles...I don't know the model year tho.

My mother used to own one, and they ARE sharp cars...they drive nice.

I'm kind of waiting to see what happens at the posty office today before I make any definite travel plans...if he tells me that I'm starting in two weeks, then I'll want to travel before that...

I'll keep y'all posted...

 

An Alero is a Grand Am or Malibu. A very clean 2001 or 2002 Alero will bring around $2500 realistically. MAYBE $3K or $3,500 on a good day. Get it, flip it, buy a nice dent.

 

The Alero was available with a V8 too. I'm with Rich on the take it and sell it if it isn't needed.

 

What you wanna bet that it'll turn out to be a lemon.

 

The Alero was the cheap model. It had the 2.4L quad four or the 3.1/3.4L. You're thinking of the Aurora. That's what we have. It came with the Cadillac Northstar V8 or the "shortstar" V6 (we got the V6)