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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Mustang / March 2007Transport a car that's not worth transporting?
My son. The Boy. When I bought TFrog back in 1993, we came home with two cars - my wife also picked out a '93 Escort GT, a sweet little scooter in Cayman Green. She really liked that car, but gave it up when she bought her '99 Mystique. The little GT became my son's first car. He promptly trashed it. For my daughter, two years younger, I bought the Princessmobile, a pretty (but quirky) '88 LX convertible. After two fender benders, she gave it back to me and moved on to a '99 Escort coupe that we bought from her cousin, who was relocating cross-country. Meanwhile, my son took it upon himself to buy his own car, the Anti-Car, a $500 Plymouth Horizon that spewed oil everywhere it came to rest. That car quickly racked up more than the purchase price in repairs, and was eventually hauled off for scrap. Spin the wheel. Wife moved on to a 2004 Escape, daughter picked up the '99 Mystique, and son bought the '99 Escort just before he moved up to the New York area. And promptly trashed the car. Now it sits in a parking lot in Tarrytown. It's been sitting there for many months. The Boy is moving BACK down here to the Philly suburbs, and now we have to do something about the Escort. Looks like Dad's going to have to drive up to check it out and see exactly why it's not running. Barring anything major, I'll have it transported down here ($500-$600?). Beyond that, I'd donate it to a local junkyard, just to clear the paperwork. I have failed as a father. My son really doesn't understand cars and the notion that they always need attention and money thrown their way... dwight > My son. The Boy. > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > I have failed as a father. My son really doesn't understand cars and the > notion that they always need attention and money thrown their way... I would take a couple of cars tortured to death over time without a problem. Ours managed to total 5 cars in two years. Two of those five (one mine and one his Mother's) came in the SAME WEEK! Your's chooses to torture the poor vehicle over time while ours just puts the proverbial bullet in the back of their heads. The good news is that he now pays for his own car insurance and he is off our policy. >> My son. The Boy. >> [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > bullet in the back of their heads. The good news is that he now pays for > his own car insurance and he is off our policy. my kid totaled 3 cars in 2 years, no one injured, cheap cars cave in the front when he ran into things. Stay fully insured, and the kid too. My kid is walking right now, for about 1 1/2 years. gave me relief from "fixing up the junker" business. No sure what to do next, his grandma may buy him a car, but same problem, kid trashes cars, hope he grew up some in the 1.5 years. Hell, I bought my own first car for $100, a 1960 chevie 6 banger, an old hunting car out in a field on a far where it broke down, no shocks, house paint on car, had to fix it up myself, put 10,000 miles on it, it blew out some rings and fogged blue smoke, I sold it to two guys for $50 they needed to drive a car on a week end, they sold it to someone else for $25, and I saw it being driven around 2 years later, no one bought me a car. >>> My son. The Boy. >>> [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] > to drive a car on a week end, they sold it to someone else for $25, and I > saw it being driven around 2 years later, no one bought me a car. In all other respects he is a good kid. He even maintains his car very well. He just can't drive worth a $hit. All wrecks were him hitting the car in front of him in the rear. >>>> Mystique. The little GT became my son's first car. He promptly trashed >>>> it. >>>> Spin the wheel. Wife moved on to a 2004 Escape, daughter picked up the >>>> '99 Mystique, and son bought the '99 Escort just before he moved up to >>>> the New York area. And promptly trashed the car. >>> I would take a couple of cars tortured to death over time without a >>> problem. Ours managed to total 5 cars in two years. Two of those five >>> (one mine and one his Mother's) came in the SAME WEEK! >> my kid totaled 3 cars in 2 years, no one injured, cheap cars cave in the >> front when he ran into things. >> his grandma may buy him a car, but same problem, kid trashes cars, hope he >> grew up some in the 1.5 years. >> saw it being driven around 2 years later, no one bought me a car. > In all other respects he is a good kid. He even maintains his car very > well. He just can't drive worth a $hit. All wrecks were him hitting > the car in front of him in the rear. My '73 maverick... side swiped by 17 year old that crossed the centerline. My '86 626 smashed by a 17 year old that cut me off (while going much slower) and then slammed on the brakes. My '97 mustang.... front passenger side corner smashed because of a 16 year old that turned left across my path about 5 feet in front of me. My mustang again, rear-ended by a guy just out of his teens. While teenagers are out there destroying your cars, they are trying to take mine with them. None seemed to understand that cars didn't grow on trees after hitting my cars. That aside... maybe if they had to put their own time and effort into a car maybe they'd be a little more careful with it? I dunno, just sick of being hit by teenagers... I won't even get into the near misses. >>>>> Mystique. The little GT became my son's first car. He promptly trashed >>>>> it. [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > car maybe they'd be a little more careful with it? I dunno, just sick of > being hit by teenagers... I won't even get into the near misses. To bring some balance to this I have never been hit by a teenager since I was a teenager. In today's world, replacing a car is a piece of cake. They are for sale everywhere and for cheap dollars. In my teenage years buying a car was the big nut to crack and getting it insured was a an after thought. I think my first insurance bill was under $200 a year back in the late 1970s for my own individual policy. It's the reverse today. I think there are too many things to distract teenage drivers. They have IPods, cell phones, laptops, making out (can't get too critical on this one), 120 db rap songs playing on remote controlled stereos, watching a DVD movie on a 7" LCD screen jutting out of the dashboard among other things. All this is vying for their attention while driving over the speed limit. The only thing that distracted my was inserting a cassette tape. There is not a lot of bells and whistles on a 1971 Chevy Nova to divert attention. My point is that if we had all this stuff when we were younger I bet there would have been a lot more wrecks too. You are right about one thing.... too many kids today don't know what it feels like to work hard for something. It definitely gives them more respect for property to have earned it. Once our son had to get his own insurance policy he only totaled one car in the last three years. We consider that a vast improvement. >>>>> Mystique. The little GT became my son's first car. He promptly trashed >>>>> it. [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > car maybe they'd be a little more careful with it? I dunno, just sick of > being hit by teenagers... I won't even get into the near misses. I feel that. I had a 1992 Ram D15o that I bought new. It was replaced by the Mustang. I drove a very busy and congested 5 lane road to work everyday. On a particular corner where there is a bank, IHOP, Gas station and an Albertson's grocery a 17yo girl decided she needed to turn left onto College Dr. out of the center of Albertson's parking lot instead of using the traffic light on the corner that has a nice left turn lane with a protection arrow. She leaps out in a long wide arch, the rattling Buick V6 trying to give all it could even with it's top end starved for oil. Poor little 3.8... I thoroughly totaled that Regal and did a bit of damage to the front drivers corner of my truck. You HIT me! She seemed less concerned with the fact that had things happened a half second different her 13-14 yo brother in the passenger seat could have been killed. Dad said I must have been speeding cuz his lil baby was an excellent driver. Same lil bimbo pulled the same exact stunt 2 months later at a different but just as busy intersection.  SignatureAnd if a cow had wheels, it would be a milk truck. - Steve Linford > I would take a couple of cars tortured to death over time without a > problem. Ours managed to total 5 cars in two years. Two of those > five (one mine and one his Mother's) came in the SAME WEEK! Your's > chooses to torture the poor vehicle over time while ours just puts the > proverbial bullet in the back of their heads. The good news is that > he now pays for his own car insurance and he is off our policy. 1977, I was 17 a friend of mine managed to wreck 2 cars , and 2 motorcycles in a 24 hour period. 1975 Datsun Honey Bee..... car ran a stop sign on him his Honda Motorcycle.... that was his fault his Dads Kawasaki Motorcycle... car cut him off, and he landed in a soft ditch early next morning, he is driving his dads 1973 Chevrolet Caprice convertible to work, and someone sideswipes him changing lanes......... thats the record as far as one person in 24 hrs I am aware of >> I would take a couple of cars tortured to death over time without a >> problem. Ours managed to total 5 cars in two years. Two of those [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > thats the record as far as one person in 24 hrs I am aware of I would say it is time for this guy to ride the bus. ;) > My son. The Boy. > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Mystique. The little GT became my son's first car. He promptly trashed > it. Clue number one. > For my daughter, two years younger, I bought the Princessmobile, a > pretty (but quirky) '88 LX convertible. After two fender benders, she [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > to rest. That car quickly racked up more than the purchase price in > repairs, and was eventually hauled off for scrap. Clue number two. > Spin the wheel. Wife moved on to a 2004 Escape, daughter picked up the > '99 Mystique, and son bought the '99 Escort just before he moved up to > the New York area. And promptly trashed the car. Clue number three. > Now it sits in a parking lot in Tarrytown. It's been sitting there for > many months. The Boy is moving BACK down here to the Philly suburbs, Hopefully not back to your house... > and now we have to do something about the Escort. Now let's pause for a second. Why do you have to do something about the Escort? There are several options you may not have considered. One involves fire. Another one involves theft. ;) > Looks like Dad's going to have to drive up to check it out and see > exactly why it's not running. Barring anything major, I'll have it > transported down here ($500-$600?). Beyond that, I'd donate it to a > local junkyard, just to clear the paperwork. I must question the assumption that the car has to come back. To do things proper, why not just have The Boy contact a local junkyard up there to pick it up? You could mail the title (if he doesn't already have it) and be done with the whole thing. If the title is gone, that leaves the options I alluded to above. > I have failed as a father. My son really doesn't understand cars and > the notion that they always need attention and money thrown their > way... > > dwight Nah, he's just not a car guy. As long as he's not in jail, you've succeeded as a father. ;) >><snip> > Another one involves theft. ;) Hey, even thieves have some standards. I'm sure it has been looked over and then pasted over by more than one person. >><snip> > > Nah, he's just not a car guy. As long as he's not in jail, you've > succeeded as a father. ;) Very true. A friend of mine has spent $250k keeping his kids out of jail. >>><snip> >> Another one involves theft. ;) [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Very true. A friend of mine has spent $250k keeping his kids out of > jail. For that kind of money, they must've done some bad stuff... >>>> <snip> >>> Another one involves theft. ;) [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > For that kind of money, they must've done some bad stuff... Actually it wasn't that bad. It was just bad enough that spending a wad of cash made a difference. If it had been worse there would have been fewer options to spend money on. >> My son. The Boy. >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Clue number one. We gave him that one. >> For my daughter, two years younger, I bought the Princessmobile, a >> pretty (but quirky) '88 LX convertible. After two fender benders, she [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Clue number two. It was his money to throw away. I thought he learned something from that episode. >> Spin the wheel. Wife moved on to a 2004 Escape, daughter picked up the >> '99 Mystique, and son bought the '99 Escort just before he moved up to >> the New York area. And promptly trashed the car. > > Clue number three. Yeah, but again, he bought it. Sure we gave him a great price, but he did have to make payments on it. >> Now it sits in a parking lot in Tarrytown. It's been sitting there for >> many months. The Boy is moving BACK down here to the Philly suburbs, > > Hopefully not back to your house... The Boy already has an apartment lined up. He and his Lady are moving down here, and I'm more than happy about that! With my wife, daughter, dog, and three cats, it's just me and six females. It'll be great to have him around more often. >> and now we have to do something about the Escort. > > Now let's pause for a second. Why do you have to do something about the > Escort? There are several options you may not have considered. One > involves fire. Another one involves theft. ;) Well, like I said, I don't really know what-all is wrong with the car, but it's in better than decent shape. Just guessing, but I'd put its value at about $2000 to $2500 (maybe). If it's a bad battery, GREAT. If it's a starter or alternator, no problem. If it's a transmission overhaul... well, it ain't CFrog. Once I see it, I may be able to diagnose the thing. >> Looks like Dad's going to have to drive up to check it out and see >> exactly why it's not running. Barring anything major, I'll have it [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > have it) and be done with the whole thing. If the title is gone, that > leaves the options I alluded to above. No, Boy owns the car and holds the title. Selling it to a local junkyard (or donating it) may still be an option worth considering. We'll see. >> I have failed as a father. My son really doesn't understand cars and >> the notion that they always need attention and money thrown their [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Nah, he's just not a car guy. As long as he's not in jail, you've > succeeded as a father. ;) Okay, there's that... But there are three things I could spend all day talking about: cars, football, and photography. (Hmmm, imagine a shot of a pretty girl throwing a football from a speeding Mustang convertible...) >cough< Sorry, where was I? Oh, yeah. The Boy has grown into his own skin (he's now 27) with his own interests and pursuits, none of which is among my three. He's a really neat kid, so I can overlook his automotive transgressions, and I'm more than happy to step up and see that these things are taken care of. dwight >>> My son. The Boy. >>> [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > dog, and three cats, it's just me and six females. It'll be great to > have him around more often. Very good! It's real nice when they are visitors as opposed to housemates. I'm sort of in the same situation with my prodigal stepson. >>> and now we have to do something about the Escort. >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > overhaul... well, it ain't CFrog. Once I see it, I may be able to > diagnose the thing. O-ho! So the title of the thread is a bit short of true! Now that puts a whole different light on things. If it's worth that much, have The Boy get it towed (at his expense, of course) to a local shop up there and have it looked at. That's certainly reasonable seeing that it's his car. If it's beyond hope, The Boy can simply sell the car for a few hundred to the shop owner and be done with it. It it's fixable, you and he can negotiate another "loan" for the repair. All without you having to get out of your easy chair. >>> Looks like Dad's going to have to drive up to check it out and see >>> exactly why it's not running. Barring anything major, I'll have it [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > junkyard (or donating it) may still be an option worth considering. > We'll see. See above for obvious solution. >>> I have failed as a father. My son really doesn't understand cars and >>> the notion that they always need attention and money thrown their [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > of a pretty girl throwing a football from a speeding Mustang > convertible...) Sounds like there's a fourth thing there... ;) > >cough< Sorry, where was I? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > dwight See? You _are_ a successful father. And The Boy should be thankful to have a Dad like you. Now, considering that he's 27, he has a Lady, and he's got his own apartment lined up, it's certainly reasonable that he take care of the car without bothering Dad. Maybe bartering for money would be ok, but I would draw the line at having to leave the house. > My son. The Boy. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > dwight Iffn it's that bad why not just rent one of those little rampy things from U-Haul and drag it back yourself? Hopefully he will have employment lucrative enough to keep him in a new car every 5-7 years. SignatureAnd if a cow had wheels, it would be a milk truck. - Steve Linford >> My son. The Boy. >> [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > from U-Haul and drag it back yourself? Hopefully he will have employment > lucrative enough to keep him in a new car every 5-7 years. Now THERE's an idea... Why didn't I think of that? I should get a trailer hitch for Jean's Escape and drag that suckah back here. I'll be the three of us could push it up the ramp. (Right.) But time's up - they're moving March 30, and I want that thing gone by then. And I was raised Presbyterian. We always pay full price. dwight Thank you... you have made my day..... Promised one and only son a used but decent truck for graduating.... Couldn't find the right deal (he wanted a Ranger SuperCab 4X40, so I bought a decent used F150... something could take back when I found the deal I liked.... Enter a black '97 Ranger traded in at work (smallish town Ford dealer).... Needed a bit more work than used truck department wanted but was basically sound. Now, I will admit that Dad seems to have the old F150 get borrowed on a semi-regular basis and, of course, if Dear Old Dad notices something amiss while driving the Ranger, it will be right when the truck goes back.... But my 19 year old takes good care of his little baby and I don't mind chipping in a few bucks for parts and showing how to fix those things... At the very least, I am sure that my son is driving a safe truck and isn't scrimping on repairs to make his mortgage payment... Our town is in a real estate boom, right now, and he got into his own house early in the landrush... > Thank you... you have made my day..... > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > estate boom, right now, and he got into his own house early in the > landrush... There it is. My wife and I benefitted from some help from the previous generation, and we're happy to pass it on. My own son doesn't know... no, wait, that's wrong... isn't conscious of the maintenance required to keep an automobile running and in good condition, so I step in to help out when I can. When my daughter complained about a slowly leaking tire, I checked out HER car and was aghast to find metal poking through the worn treads. I ordered up (4) new tires that day. Cost me a couple of hundred bucks, but I wouldn't be able to sleep at night, knowing her tires were crap. dwight >> Thank you... you have made my day..... >> [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > an automobile running and in good condition, so I step in to help out when > I can. Hopefully, there will be someone there to 'cut his bait' when you are no longer around. Dave Well, Dave, I'm not sure how Dwight handles his instances.... For my part, I have a 19 year old that has a mortgage payment... this, alone, makes all those times he told me he hated me worthwhile. There's a lot of things he could be spending that money on.... Not many of them are good. I made sure that he can swing his own hammer..... Now, with his truck, I have the chance to give him some of his inheritance without the tax burden.... OMG, did I just admit to being mortal? A lot of folks don't like the way I dispense advice... what makes anyone think I don't treat my own boy the same???? Politically correct ain't. > Well, Dave, I'm not sure how Dwight handles his instances.... > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > have the chance to give him some of his inheritance without the tax > burden.... OMG, did I just admit to being mortal? I can't believe you did that... > My son. The Boy. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > way... > dwight sounds like my brother.... 44, and has wrecked or totalled every car of my dads he ever drove, and wrecked or totalled every car he has ever owned. and people asked me why he never drove my truck..... oops.... I take it back, the Caprice wagon I left him and mom to use, after I moved to Arkansas.... the deal was he finished paying it off..... ~ $1,000..... then I would sign it over to him. it got repossessed...... my credit took the hit. but if I would have left him, and my handicapped mom in Louisiana without any transportation, I would have earned the SOB title that I have anyway. now he drives a 1996 Lincoln Town Car his girlfriend bought him..... just a matter of time before that Lincoln gets crunched. > sounds like my brother.... 44, and has wrecked or totalled every car of my > dads he ever drove, and wrecked or totalled every car he has ever owned. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > just a matter of time before that Lincoln gets crunched. Oh dear God, where in Louisiana so I can avoid him at all costs.... >> sounds like my brother.... 44, and has wrecked or totalled every car >> of my dads he ever drove, and wrecked or totalled every car he has [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Oh dear God, where in Louisiana so I can avoid him at all costs.... Alexandria, LA he lives one block off Jackson Street Extension, ..... the 4 lane all day bumper to bumper parking lot. >>> sounds like my brother.... 44, and has wrecked or totalled every car >>> of my dads he ever drove, and wrecked or totalled every car he has [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > he lives one block off Jackson Street Extension, ..... the 4 lane all day > bumper to bumper parking lot. Okay I never go that far. You know anything North of Alec is Yankee territory... :-P Further.... The Boy "thinks" that it's just the battery. He bought a new one, but couldn't figure out how to remove the cables from the battery (?). Bottom line, the car's been sitting in one spot for a year (probably will need new tires?), but we're going to drive up and see if ol' Dad can't figure out how to swap out the battery. IF the car runs, I'll drive it from New York to Philly, even if the tires have flat spots. Once I get it here, it'll go right into the shop for a complete inspection. There's hope. I kept him on the phone tonight while I renewed his driver's license for PA, updated his new address down here, took out an insurance policy, and I still have to renew the vehicle registration tomorrow (once the insurance kicks in). So the only real issue will be that the car's inspection stickers have expired. But any fine for driving a car with expired inspection stickers is FAR less than having the car picked up and delivered down here. And (knock wood) getting pulled over is not a certainty.... dwight (just bein' a dad) > Further.... > > The Boy "thinks" that it's just the battery. He bought a new one, but > couldn't figure out how to remove the cables from the battery (?). > dwight > (just bein' a dad) "Son, step away from the vehicle and put down those tools" Jan >> Further.... >> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Jan Sure, but if ever there was any doubt that he's MY son... :()
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