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[Viral_Jim]

So, with a new car on the horizon, I've been trying to think of what to do with the Mig, as a family we don' need it right now, but probably will in about 3yrs time. I don't want to pay 3yrs pointless tax, insurance and MOT (circa £2100 plus servicing cost), nor do I want to park it up as (a) I don't have the space and (b) it will need loads doing to it after 3yrs standing in any case.

I know its only a 2.2 cdx, but its got 70k on it, mechanically faultless, got 4 good (real brand) tyres on it and has almost no rust (slight bubble below the rear wiper). In short, I can see me spending a long old time hunting for one that will be as good/reliable when I do want it.

A friend of mine has complemented me on it a few times, most notably when it shifted 2 fridges, beer kegs and pumps for his wedding - in a single trip! He's looking for a cheap estate car to LPG so I offered him the following deal:

- I'd put 12 months MOT on it and give it to him for 3 years (no cost)
- After 3 years it would come back to me, if either (a) I wanted it back or (b) he wanted to get rid.
- He would have his name on the v5, tax, insure, service and MOT it for the 3 yrs he had it
- If it had a large crash or MOT failure in that 3 years he would either pay the repair or gift it back to me to do with as I wish
- If he wanted to LPG it I would help him with the install & certification process, then pay him the retail value of the lpg kit if the car came back to me after the 3yrs.

Now, I think that deal is pretty fair, but his response was pretty luke-warm to say the least and he's "not sure" about it. From my perspective I thought it would work well for both of us, but then I can't view it objectively I guess. Can you guys see anything that might be "unfair" in all of the above? 

[Webby the Bear]

What if he wanted to get rid after say 12 months?

[Viral_Jim]

Very true Webby, I hadn't thought of that, he mentioned he wanted a car for a good period of time, but maybe he has other ideas he's not mentioned to me  .

Then again, he kept his Ford Fester for 5 yrs so I would have thought I'd have to pry the omega from his grasp after 3 yrs 

[Webby the Bear]

 

If he sounds Luke warm just chat to him about it and see what his plans are 

[Viral_Jim]

True, will do nearer the time, although tbh looking whats out there, I'm starting to think its easier to get shot and buy again. I'd always fancied a v6 anyway

[biggriffin]

So he gets a free car, that he has to run for 3 years  , Is it me

[STEMO]

I'd bite your hand off for that deal, if the omega was what I wanted/needed. He's an ungrateful bastard, kick him in the plums.

[Bojan]

The deal is great for him - he gets a car to use for free, only gets to pay the running costs (fuel, service, MOT...). And if he installs LPG, you will give him the money for that when you retake the car. Great deal for him.

For you, on the other hand, might not turn up to be so good. So, you have a car that is in very good condition, low miles and so on, and you would like to keep it, so you can use it after 3 years (don't want to go trought the trouble of selling it now, and then after 3years searching for another in simillar condition). But bear in mind that your car could be in quite poor state after your frined uses it for 3 years. Everybody has it's views on usage and maintainance.

IMO, this deal would be only good for you if your friend is a kind of driver that really looks after his car.

[Viral_Jim]

You raise a good point Bojan,  what I really want is to mothball the car for 3 years and then resurrect her. Pretty daft really in the scheme of things. There's nothing to say that anything like the same car will come back to me  .

I suppose I just feel the car is "too good" to go for the £3-400 it will fetch on evilBay, which again is stupid, things are worth what someone will pay for them, no more, no less. 

[Webby the Bear]

I say keep it and don't get a new car. Problem solved 

[TD]

The deal is great for him - he gets a car to use for free, only gets to pay the running costs (fuel, service, MOT...). And if he installs LPG, you will give him the money for that when you retake the car. Great deal for him.

For you, on the other hand, might not turn up to be so good. So, you have a car that is in very good condition, low miles and so on, and you would like to keep it, so you can use it after 3 years (don't want to go trought the trouble of selling it now, and then after 3years searching for another in simillar condition). But bear in mind that your car could be in quite poor state after your frined uses it for 3 years. Everybody has it's views on usage and maintainance.

IMO, this deal would be only good for you if your friend is a kind of driver that really looks after his car.

Those were my thoughts tbh.....you could get it back in 3 years, needing quite a bit to be spent on it....ie new tyres/cambelt/brake pads/discs plus every other service item and it could have developed engine/gearbox problems in those 3 years 

Its a good deal for him, maybe not for you.......

The only way I see it as being fair to you.....is that you charge a deposit, maybe £750  (a bit like renting a flat/house out) that is refundable if the car comes back to you if in the same condition or you charge him rent for it, maybe £10/week 

[geoffr70]

Whether or not it is fair or unfair, or appears to be a good deal or not, is probably irrelevant. There are many possible reasons why he might not want to take you up on your offer. One might be that he just simply does not want to drive a big, old, inefficient, unreliable (in many people's views), slow (2.2 auto), gas guzzling Vauxhall that's past it's best and which needs enthusiasts to bother to keep them going.

[05omegav6]

Desmond aren't slow, there are simply faster cars in the Omega range...

[Viral_Jim]

Whether or not it is fair or unfair, or appears to be a good deal or not, is probably irrelevant. There are many possible reasons why he might not want to take you up on your offer. One might be that he just simply does not want to drive a big, old, inefficient, unreliable (in many people's views), slow (2.2 auto), gas guzzling Vauxhall that's past it's best and which needs enthusiasts to bother to keep them going.

All very true, and if he hadn't expressed an interest in omegas generally, and mine in particular I'd agree with you. He's even asked if I'd help him look for a decent one.

[geoffr70]

Whether or not it is fair or unfair, or appears to be a good deal or not, is probably irrelevant. There are many possible reasons why he might not want to take you up on your offer. One might be that he just simply does not want to drive a big, old, inefficient, unreliable (in many people's views), slow (2.2 auto), gas guzzling Vauxhall that's past it's best and which needs enthusiasts to bother to keep them going.

All very true, and if he hadn't expressed an interest in omegas generally, and mine in particular I'd agree with you. He's even asked if I'd help him look for a decent one.

I have an interest in all sorts of cars, but I don't want one/them. Just because he's expressed an interest in Omegas or asked you to help him find a good one has zero bearing on whether or not he wants yours. It seems like it's a good deal for you, allowing you to keep your options open, and perhaps that has blinded you to the fact that it might not be so good for him.