I've been offered a free Mercedes, but I don't think I want to take it

[chromotone]

OK, here's the skinny:

My brother-in-law's father died 8 months ago. He was in his late 80s. Now his mother is residing in a rest home in northern California. Apparently his parents were wealthy, but it's now time to do something with the estate as the house, valued at $3 million, needs to have something done with it as it sits empty. The Mercedes has been garaged for several years.

Now, my sister has never gotten along with his family. In fact, they treated her husband like shit. The parents did not attend the wedding of my sister and future BIL, even though they lived in the area at the time of the wedding. Everything centered around my BIL's sister, whose wedding the parents attended in Nepal.

For 41 fucking years, that family has treated my BIL and sister like crap. The MIL once called my mom an "unfit mother" because my sister was pregnant when she married my BIL. My mom reminded her that "it took two to tango." :thumbsup: Anyway, I've never been enamored with that family either. The sister just died recently, and she was instrumental in shaping how the estate was to be handled and had profound influence over the mother.

My sister shed no tears for her FIL and SIL, and now wants her MIL moved to a cheaper rest home. I think my sister is thinking "it's payback time." Anyway, both my sister and BIL have offered me the garaged Mercedes, a 1998 C280 sedan. All I have to do is come out to California, buy a new battery and drive it back home. Oh, and one stipulation: I have to put it in the garage at night as it's never sat out overnight. That means I have to do some major garage cleaning.

But, I was worried about the costs: insurance, tags, registration, etc. I think I can afford it, but I'm also worried about being beholden to my sister and BIL. They are not exactly progressives so I'll being taking an expensive gift from people whose political views I don't share. That could lead to problems in the future. My sister also has issues with my wife...:(

One half of me wants to go through with this: I now drive a very old, rusty GM car, and a pristine Mercedes would definitely be a step up. The second half of me wants to avoid this deal and maintain my independence of not owing anything to anybody. Oh, and the third half of me says, "F**k it, take the car and just nod and say "Yeah...yeah..." whenever the sister and BIL rag on about liberalism, thinking the whole time about the Mercedes.

So I turn to the wisdom of DU for advice...

[Sock Puppet]

1. take it

you're beholden to no one.

[KG]

2. take the car. flip 'em off as you pull out of the drive way.

sell it when you get it home.

[MrCoffee]

3. screw 'em. take the car.

[LeftyMom]

4. Don't assume the Mercedes will be a huge step up maintainance-wise.

My sister has one of similar vintage (a '95 SL320) and the thing is a total money pit. ANY work on it costs a fortune, and parts usually have to be ordered and take forever to arrive. Fuel costs are also outrageous, since it's an 8 cyl and won't run well on anything less than 92 octane, so her two seater gets Hummer mileage.

Might be worth it to go newer and nicer than your current car, but knowing the maintainance associated with an older benz I think you're really overestimating the level of favor your relatives would be doing you. They'd probably be quite pleased not to have to worry about trying to sell the thing (older European luxury cars don't sell for much at all, the demand is pretty low due to costs, and they don't pick up in value again until they're genuine antiques.)

[jakefrep]

5. Take it!

And before you pull out of the driveway, affix a Hillary/Obama/Edwards/whoever bumpersticker to the back.

[chromotone]

8. LOL! How about...

[jakefrep]

10. Even better...

Since a DU bumpersticker will probably have a shelf life beyond Election Day.

[Caution]

6. Take the car.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Take it, enjoy it and just don't let the car influence your behavior or beliefs. Sometimes a gift is just a gift.

[Bake]

7. Don't take it. Give it to me!

You don't need that crappy old Mercedes! Give it to meeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

:rofl:

Seriously. Take the car. And tell 'em to go eff theyselves.

Bake

[democracyindanger]

9. Buy it.

For $1. Tell your sister you need a bill of sale for registration. And then if she wants to get all People's Court on you down the line, you have...tada! A bill of sale. Additionally, if she wants to hold it over your head in arguments, you can say, "You didn't give me that car. You SOLD me that car."

[chromotone]

11. Good idea!

...and I could certainly afford $1.

[AllegroRondo]

18. I like that idea.

It also gets you off the hook for gift taxes.

[Lil Missy]

12. Take the car. n/t

[Bombero1956]

13. if it bothers you that much

take the car and offer them a token monetary amount for the car. That way you can be secure in the knowledge that you bought it dirt cheap and aren't beholden to them.

[kwassa]

14. It is not a highly valuble car.

Might have very low miles, but still ...

http://www.automotive.com/1998/101/mercedes-benz/c-class/c280-sedan/378/pricing/index.html

1998 C230 RWD 4-Dr Sedan L4 Trade-In-Value $6,105 Retail Value $8,425

1998 C280 RWD 4-Dr Sedan V6 Trade-In-Value $6,605 Retail Value $8,950

[Steven_S]

24. Correct, kwassa, not a valuable car....

and it will cost at least $500 every time it is taken in for service. These cars are not cheap to maintain.

[Fleshdancer]

15. You could take it and donate it

Or take it, sell it and your GM, and get something else.

[Gormy Cuss]

16. IMHO, don't take it with strings attached.

It's bizarre that the offer comes with a garaging stipulation. That sounds to me like it's a loan, not a gift. IMHO, either buy it out right for a token amount or pass up the offer. Since your sister's talking about doing something vindictive to her MIL by moving her into a cheaper rest home, I hope that she wouldn't be looking for "payback time" with you should the Mercedes develop rust in a few years or have minor damage from a fender bender.

[Lars39]

17. If it's a supposed to be a gift, free and clear, why the stipulation of

keeping it in a garage? Are they expecting to be able to ask for it back at some point in the future?
Acceptance of this gift might also mean discord with your wife, since your sister has issues with her.

[SacredCow]

19. I wouldn't think it would make you "owe" them...

Perhaps in their minds, but in reality- no. I had a similar experience from a relative wanting to help me out financially when I needed it on the stipulation that I'd "stop being gay." I told them that if that was the deal, then I'd have to pass but thanks anyway. (and they ended up helping me anyway). A gift doesn't obligate you, unless you let it. So if you take it, be sure that you slap a DU bumper sticker on it right in front of them! LOL

But I will also warn you as a previous poster did, that a late model Mercedes (or any German car, really) can require some serious financial outpourings. $500 to $1000 brake jobs are well within the realm of reality. You can absolutely count on routine maintenance and parts costing significantly more. The offset is that, properly cared for, I've found that German cars can have a longer life span before needing things like engine overhauls and tranny work. It's a judgement call- if the car's really pristine and has been well-cared for it might be a good thing.

Best of luck!

[Deep13]

20. Take it. It's from the deceased, not those other relatives.

Unless the garage stipulation is in the will, feel free to park it anywhere you like even if you tell them it will be garaged. (That is a friendly suggestion and not legal advice.)

[RoadRage]

21. Take it. Smile. Sell it and donate a few hundred of the cash to your Dem of choice..

then thank your in-laws. :) But, then again.. i'm kinda evil.

[Taverner]

22. Take it

Every time they rag on you, ignore them and take the car out for a drive on a long stretch of road.

[LeftinOH]

23. Take it, then $ell it........n/t

[Orsino]

25. Take it and sell it. n/t