I (m29) live with my family, including my brother (m26) and his fiancé (f21).
I own a Spark (Buddy), have had it since 2019, same-year model. It is my first car, the first automatic Spark model, and my baby. Nothing has ever been wrong with that car while under my care, I took it to college, and have driven it cross-country many times without issue.
After college, I moved back with our parents. We own a hotel far outside the city, and therefore it made no sense to rent or buy if I was going to be staying there to work. My brother also works there.
My brother owns a Jeep, but it has been at the mechanic shop for a year now, some electrical issue that they can’t solve. So, in light of me not going out much, I’ve been letting them use my car. The thing is, I have noticed many things in my car since. The headlights are misaligned constantly, as is the steering wheel, and although the car itself looks fine and not scratched or dinged up, the internal issues keep piling. At first I thought it was simply the passage of time, or a couple bad potholes. But then bigger stuff started happening, such as the AC malfunctioning, the battery dying on me multiple times despire replacing it, and a variety of strange noises it wasn’t making before.
My brother, being the main user, would have them "looked at" sometimes, paying out of pocket. It seemed like a fair deal, since I rarely use my car nowadays, and they have it 24/7. I still decided to keep a closer eye on their driving, and realized they drive poor Buddy like he’s an all-terrain Jeep, going over potholes, speedbumps, and flooded streets. They are treating that poor car like a tank, and I can’t really stop them as they genuinely need it for transportation.
Today, the break booster broke as my brother’s fiancé was driving it. Luckily she was fine, and managed to get the car to the shop, where they diagnosed the issue. I had been left without breaks last October, but had considered it a fluke as the car worked fine afterwards and the mechanic found nothing.
Point is, there was a disagreement on who should pay for the replacement parts. Yes, it’s my car, but it has only had these problems since they started driving it. I am genuinely tired of telling them not to treat the car like this, and am debating between making them pay for it so they can keep using the car, or paying for the repair myself but taking the car away from them. They genuinely need a car, but they refuse to treat Buddy with care and respect, so I’m torn.
TLDR: WIBTA if I made my brother and his fiancé pay for my car repairs when they are being careless with my car?
ESH.
If this car is your baby, why are you lending it out to someone who drives it like they stole it? You are not responsible for his need for a car. Tell him to sell the Jeep and buy something else.
He sucks because he is being lent a car he does not own and is driving it into the ground.
Stop letting him use your car, or sell it to him and be done with it.
Edit: As to who should pay for it, the person using it should. If you pay, he stops getting free use of the car.
^This
This!
No, if they break it, they have to pay for it. If they’re using the car as if it’s their own, then the responsibility that comes with it is also theirs. Any damage that happens while it’s in their use should be repaired by them and paid for by them.
Wait so he did pay for all those other things? Fixed the ac, alignment for the steering wheel, and the batteries?? Even if he paid for all that stuff I would stop letting them use the car. I would never borrow someones car and not treat is with respect. As far as the brake booster goes, I don’t think there is any way to prove that’s their fault even if the shitty driving probably contributed. I would let that go. But seriously. Stop letting them use your car. They’re taking advantage of you and them needing transportation is not your problem. Are they even on your insurance? Cuz screwww that.
NTA. Make them pay AND take the car back. I get they need transportation but they are adults, with jobs. You’ve let them make THEIR transportation issue, your issue. Stop.
NTA but you will be if you continue to loan out your car to them or anyone. Are they even covered by your insurance?
If they are the sole drivers, they should pay. If they don’t want to pay just park Buddy and cover him.
They are being inconsiderate of poor buddy.
Esh. What do you mean ‘ I can’t really stop them as they genuinely need it for transportation.’ You can stop them. It’s your car. If they’re messing it up that bad, have them buy your car or you take it back. It’s just going to keep getting damaged as long as it’s in your name.
ESH. Is he breaking your car? Probably. But then why are you letting him use it? Once you first started noticing that he drives like that car can take on anything, you should’ve stopped it there. Are you guys super rural or something? Uber shouldn’t be that hard to do (unless someone’s got a medical reason). And if the mechanic is struggling to fix your brother’s Jeep, why hasn’t he taken it to a dealership or at least someone else?
NTA, but pay the repairs and take the car away from them. They have lost privileges, so take the keys and keep Buddy safe. How is a brother’s girlfriend (someone not related to OP) even permitted to drive it? That’s a hard no from me. Just the *idea* of the potential liability there is sending my heart rate up.
If they genuinely need transportation, drive them to a car dealer so they can get their own. And a Jeep in service for a year? It’s time for a new approach, whether it’s a new repair facility or escalating to a lawsuit. Someone is going to have to pay for a replacement, and the value of a year’s lost usage. Get that car off the hoist, bro!
NTA if you take your car back
The at-fault issues should be paid for by the person(s) that caused them.
The wear & tear issues ought to be paid for by the people who were using the car unless it is from the time both of you were driving. However it would be nice if they just covered the cost as a thank you for loaning your car to them.
While they should pay for the damage they caused, they are actually giving you a perfect out. Just tell them that you aren’t fixing your car right now so it is no longer available for them to borrow, and you will be holding onto the keys.
ESH
They suck more.
Do both. Make them pay, take Buddy away. It’s only a matter of time until they destroy him entirely and how will you feel then?
I would pay for the repairs and then rescind their permission to use it. Take away their keys and lock them up safely.
Your brother can get his own car fixed or get a new one.
What exactly was he doing for transportation before you basically just gave him your car? He was doing something, given that his has been down for a whole year.
NTA but you need to stand up for yourself and your property. You *can* say no. You *can* stop letting him borrow it.
Edited: I saw a good suggestion. Offer to sell him the car.
Either that or take it away from him. Otherwise he just learns it’s okay to treat your property poorly.