Old gummers only... no young whippers on this thread.

[M.T.]

OK so I have an opportunity to sell a 1974 Volvo ES1800 for some pretty good coin. The old guy who wants it I'm sure is going to try to turn it for a buck most likely back in Sweden. Its a very nice and straight California car with no rust. For you guys that aren't as familiar with the off shore tin its the old James Bond station wagon Volvo. The money would be nice but Id just piss it away into another vehicle.

I also know a kid that has been drooling over this car for a few years now. He doest have the cash and most likely never will but for some reason I'm thinking about giving this young gun the car of his life. Can you remember the first really cool ride you got? Did someone help you get into it? This kid has nobody and is a hard working guy that has a heart of gold. Not my kid but just an acquaintance. I keep thinking of when I got started in cars and the doors that opened for me to make it possible to get a few very nice cars. For some reason I keep thinking this young buck is supposed to have it. It could cost me several thousand dollars but I'm thinking seriously about getting this young man in this car some how. Id give it to him outright but I'm thinking nothing in this world is free nor should it be so maybe let him make a few payments and then give it too him? This would be the ride of his life time. I'm thinking a random act of kindness might be in order here... Thoughts

They say with age comes wisdom so what would you old gummers do? help me out here. They also say age not beauty is in the eyes of the beholder... so you decide how old you are when you can wear the Old Gummer Title...

[HOSS429]

i have done a similar thing on three occasions and felt good about it till all three ended badly ...

[NTFDAY]

Like this one?volvo.jpg

[M.T.]

Humm that doesn't sound good. Ya know Ive spent a lot of years in customizing cars and I think the cost of doing it is just about out of the reach of most young guys now. Id hate too see this be an only "old guy hobby". Gotta to pass on the torch some how?

[M.T.]

That would be it except in Finger Gold.

[desert dog]

Give it away if you feel led, and don't expect anything back. If you do you won't really be giving, you will be getting back more then you give. I've done it many times and never been sorry.

[MelloYello]

Yes I'm a Gummer and KUDOS to you for even considering this act of Kindness. My thoughts are, if you feel this is the correct thing to do for this young man with no strings attached then you will ?Probably? have a friend for life but know that it can go either way.

FWIW, I have always refused to sell anything to a friend or family and let them pay it out. If I thought they should have it I just gave it to them.

[Whiplash23T]

Wow, yes sir, what a darn lovely caring thought and I would think that if your heart says it is the right thing to do but your brain has some doubt, I say follow the heart. I like the idea of sitting the young man down and discussing the maintenance and general care of the car so that he appreciates that cars do need the loving attention we proudly give our vehicles so that he realizes that with the gift comes responsiblities. Make it known that you are always open for any queries to help him enjoy a long excellent relationship with the car resulting in him enjoy the privilege of automobile ownership.

[Bug]

Tell the young man you will hold it for him and for him to save up enough money to buy it (you determine a very fair price) then in 6 months or so ask him how much he has saved up. If it seems that he is really trying to save up the $$ then do what you feel is correct.

I have done something similar in the past. I told a close friends daughter that I wanted XX for a car. In 6 months I asked her how much she had saved up and she had about 1/2 of the $$ saved. I told there that was fine and to bring the $$ she had and come pick up the car. Talk about a happy young lady.

Would do it again in a heartbeat.

[M.T.]

Well thats the other thing Im struggling with... I made both my kids save up the money to buy their cars. They both bought nice used vehicles and have over the years both come to me and thanked me for that life lesson. No car payments going through college, reasonable insurance rates, and the pride of earning them seems to have made an impression on them both. To this day they have never had an interest payment on a vehicle... And they are sporting some very nice rides!

[techinspector1]

I personally have not seen the good of just giving something away at no cost to the recipient. Easy come, easy go with no real appreciation of the item. I'd ask for some kind of labor over a period of time, like maybe mow my yard every two weeks for a year or come over every two weeks and paint something for me or something like that. Then, you could just cut the time short at 6 months if you wanted to and the young man would have earned the car. He would have sweat equity in it and more reason to appreciate it. Make out a will describing the arrangement with the young man to protect him in the event you crash before the deal is finalized.
This is a '73, but maybe it's close....yes.....no.....
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nE1ErTU5Vi...vo+1800+ES.JPG

.

[M.T.]

Hey that is it! Thought I was the only one that had one that color! LOL I was going to throw an LS motor in it and have fun but I have too many fun things going on right now.

[rspears]

I'm with Tech on the easy come, easy go, no appreciation angle. Only you know the true character of the young man, but in general much of this younger generation (Gen Y/Millennials) have an "I want it now" attitude in the workplace. Too many of them seem to want their first house to be the house that their parents had after working 30 years to have, their first car to be the new high dollar ride, etc, etc. You say that you made your own kids save to buy their cars, and that the process taught them a good life lesson. Why would you do differently with a kid that you have no ties to? He needs to do something to invest some pain in the gain, either scrimping and saving, seeing the car sitting in your lot waiting for him as Bug says, or sweat equity like Tech says. I think it's a mistake to simply give him the car, but that's just my opinion.

[M.T.]

Well guess what Guys... I got all ready to make Jake an offer so he stopped by the shop last night. Before I could get anything out of my mouth he anxiously told me all about how he had joined the Navy a while back and would be going to Boot Camp soon! I didn't see that coming! I just smiled and thanked him for being such a cool cat at such a young age. He's all about traveling the world and chasing foreign women... the kids delusional! The world is his oyster and the car thing never came up.

I actually have 2 of these things. One is ready to go and I will be making a call to old Fred today to make it go away. The donor parts car is in good enough condition it may get a quick Saturday afternoon paint job and that LS motor someday after all. Any cash left over will go into the Model A. Weird how things work out. Thanks for the great advice by the way! You can see why I was having a struggle with it by the diversity of the replies. Thanks again

[Rrumbler]

Well, I'm glad to see that this resolved itself rather painlessly, 3 Bob. I didn't chime in on it because I have been up, down, over, and around this subject a few times, and my experience ------- let's just say it can go any which way.