my mother in law bought me a car (that i didn’t ask first and that i didn’t know was being bought for me by the way) she said she paid $2500 and i will pay her monthly for it. ok ig. cool. every time she gets mad at me she holds the car over my head and threatens to take it. she took it today and this car was a lemon. i’ve gotten fuses for it, starter, alternator, battery, tires, so when she took it today out of spite i was literally in the process of getting it fixed. i told the mechanic to take everything i bought off of it. now i’m the bad guy because she says i owe her a running car 🤷🏽♀️ wont offer to give me any of my money back but wants me to leave all the stuff i brought on it. insanity.
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my kid’s mom bought me a car (that i didn’t ask first and that i didn’t know was being bought for me by the way) she said she paid $2500 and i will pay her monthly for it. ok ig. cool. every time she gets mad at me she holds the car over my head and threatens to take it. she took it today and this car was a lemon. i’ve gotten fuses for it, starter, alternator, battery, tires, so when she took it today out of spite i was literally in the process of getting it fixed. i told the mechanic to take everything i bought off of it. now i’m the bad guy because she says i owe her a running car 🤷🏽♀️ wont offer to give me any of my money back but wants me to leave all the stuff i brought on it. insanity.
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> i believe i can be the asshole by matching the petty energy of my mother in law and stooping down to her level.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
ESH. Sounds like some real petty shit from both of you.
ESH, as the other poster said this is just petty. What did you gain from undoing work already done on the car, esp if money is tight?
Was your name on the paperwork? (Was there any paperwork?) If not, why were you paying her anything at all, if you didn’t even want the car in the first place? If the car is legally yours she can’t just take it. NTA, but man, this is a weird situation.
Nta, she didn’t even give you a car bc you had to pay it back to her. Was her name on the title still? If it was then good move taking everything back and you should see about getting your money back in small claims court. If your name is on the title report her for theft.
NTA. This is the natural consequences of HER actions. She chose to buy the car and then wants to withhold it. Fine, let her keep HER care SHE paid for, and you can keep the parts YOU paid for.
Why are MILs like this!?!?
NTA… you fixed it so you could use it, and she renigged on her offer and took it. She gets the car she bought, not the one you fixed.
NTA
You got taken for a ride. The car isn’t yours legally and it probably never will be, you shouldn’t have bothered to give her a dime for it.
NTA and this is the exact reason taking money or something like a car from family is risky. Far to many people will hold something like that over you if it benefits them later down the road or gives them control over you. My dad was like this. My mom died when I was 18. In college, I needed $3k one semester to pay for tuition. I was working nearly full time and taking full time credits. Went to my dad and asked for the money to help as I was doing the best I could to get through it myself without him. He gave the money no questions but when he mismanaged his money a few years later before I was to pay him back per our agreement, he blamed me for his being in a bad spot and tried to say that if I had paid him back, he wouldn’t be in the situation he was in. trashed me to family members and my sisters all while having a $40k sports car in the driveway that he refused to sell to help himself. The moment I had enough to pay his ass back, I drove to his house, dropped a check in front of him and told him I would never ask him for anything for the rest of his life and I haven’t once since then asked him for anything.
If something is a gift, that is what it is. It cant be held over you. If you need help, help should be given if possible. No one should give with the expectation or intent that they can use that to their benefit in the future. Especially if its family.
Is the car in her name? If so, then no, you don’t have the right to do ANYTHING mechanically to it, including taking out parts you installed.. WTF is wrong with you? You paid someone to remove the starter? How much did you pay to spite your mom? Removing starter, alternator, battery, and tires? YOu paid over $1000 to remove this or you are full of shit. What you should have done, is stop paying her if she takes your car away, and buy your own damn car you brat. IF it was in your name, then your mom has no right to take your property away even if she financed (bought) it and you have a payment arrangement. In that case, you’re still dumb for paying a mechanic likely thousands of dollars to spit your mom. Terrible parent and dumber child.
NTA. She wants to hang it over your head? Cool. You hold the parts over hers. If she wants “a working car” then she can fix it
So you put parts on a rental car effectively. Never mix family and money a great rule to live by.
Is the title in your name or hers?
NTA. She bought the car without your knowledge and then tries to force you to pay for it. You owe her nothing but can take anything that you paid for (I hope you kept the receipts for all parts and repair costs). I would cut off your MIL completely. You don’t need this control freak in your life.
Legally YTA, once the parts are imstalled, they’re the property of the person with title.
Did you make payments on it, or spend money to fix it in lieu of payments? Did she hold a gun to your head and make you take the car? A$$, gas or grass, nobody rides for free.
INFO: You didn’t want this car, so why did you accept it? Why did you pay anything toward it? It doesn’t sound like it was even in your name.