# So my brother crashed my car... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 29, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739 "2009-04-29T17:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Teaira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9d8465/32.png) [@Teaira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teaira)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/1 "2009-04-29T17:06:20Z")
No idea why I’m writing this. So I bought my first car a month ago (my first car, at age 22, that I had to sell basically everything to get). Since I’m still trying really hard to get my license and pass the test, I left it in the care of my brother with specific instructions not to drive it. My test is scheduled two weeks from today. So what happens? He drives it without insurance or the title transferred over yet and hits some lady, completely mangling the car and getting in HUGE trouble with the police. He will probably go to jail. Now my car, which I need to have a job this summer (let alone student teach next semester), is impounded and they won’t give it back without paying for the impounding, title transfer, insurance, and then I have to pay for the repairs. All this with me being 90 miles away, finals this week, no job lined up for summer, a 15$ daily impound charge, and 300 dollars in the bank. I’m beginning to see more and more how people get caught up with real life problems and never get their degrees if they have no one who can help them. ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/2 "2009-04-29T17:12:12Z")
I wish I could offer some useful ideas or advice but I don’t have any of that. Just popping in to say, wow, that sucks. Hope your brother’s OK so that when he gets out you can kick his butt. Now you just need to build a web site begging for money like that woman did to pay off her credit card debt. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/3 "2009-04-29T17:13:32Z")
Wow, what a mess. Of course, If you think you have problems, think about the poor woman who was hit by an uninsured driver owned by his uninsured sister. Good times for her. ---
**Author:** ![Teaira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9d8465/32.png) [@Teaira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teaira)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/4 "2009-04-29T17:16:14Z")
I figure what I will do right now is just get my license, charge everything onto a credit card (I have good credit and a decent line because I’ve been responsible with it) and hope like hell I find a decent paying job this summer. Unless anyone has any better ideas… ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/5 "2009-04-29T17:17:43Z")
Older or younger brother? How much money does he have? So you’re still waiting on getting the title transferred over? To whom? You? Does that mean it’s still in the previous owner’s name? How much is the car worth? My son’s car broke down, and by the time he went back to get it, someone in the neighborhood had it towed. He realized all to quickly that it would cost him more to get it out of hock than it would be to pay to have it released. He just never picked it up. ---
**Author:** ![Teaira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9d8465/32.png) [@Teaira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teaira)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/6 "2009-04-29T17:22:05Z")
Younger brother. I paid 1500 for it, then put another 650 in it for some repairs. It is still in the previous owner’s name. He has NO money. He is unemployed and living with my dad in a subsidized apartment. He was accepted into community college for this fall and that would have been a step towards getting him out of that situation, but now… ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/7 "2009-04-29T17:29:25Z")
Sorry to hear about your car. The important thing is that cars can be fixed. This past weekend someone keyed the side of my car. They went through the clear coat but the paint below seems ok. A friend of a friend has an auto body place and is going to look at it this weekend. My car is just over a year old. It replaced my prior car that was totaled when a friend of mine was driving it. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/8 "2009-04-29T19:36:00Z")
Why did you buy a car before you even had your license? ---
**Author:** ![Teaira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9d8465/32.png) [@Teaira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teaira)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/9 "2009-04-29T19:48:28Z")
Because I am getting mine in a few weeks, and I need a car to get a decent job this summer. I figured I would have it all set up and ready. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/10 "2009-04-29T19:50:28Z")
What kind of history do you have with your brother? This sounds like grounds for a “Brother? I don’t have a brother” situation. ---
**Author:** ![Teaira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9d8465/32.png) [@Teaira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teaira)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/11 "2009-04-29T20:22:25Z")
I wish it could be like that. But we have a long shared history of sticking together (dealing with my mentally ill mom, in and out of the foster care system, and various ridiculously bad events happening) so we’re very close and I don’t want to disown him. But how do you make someone realize just how badly they are screwing you over? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/12 "2009-04-29T20:28:57Z")
It depends on how remorseful your brother is and how willing he is to help you get your car fixed. If he shrugs his shoulders and doesn’t care, then you’re on your own. But if he cries and apologizes and works day labor work to get you the money, then give him the chance to make things right. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/13 "2009-04-29T21:00:35Z")
It sounds like you received a painful, expensive lesson. The worst kind, but the kind that seems to stick the longest. Best of luck in finding a job (and another car). ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/14 "2009-04-29T21:46:11Z")
> [@Teaira](#): > > Now my car, which I need to have a job this summer (let alone student teach next semester), is impounded and they won’t give it back without paying for the impounding, title transfer, insurance, and then I have to pay for the repairs. All this with me being 90 miles away, finals this week, no job lined up for summer, a 15$ daily impound charge, and 300 dollars in the bank. Will the repairs cost more then just getting a new car? If so, just forget about the car and get a new one. Don’t pay the city a dime. Also, if you want to get the car back you should report it as stolen. The impound yard won’t charge you the fees if it’s a recovered stolen vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/15 "2009-04-29T21:49:30Z")
> [@Teaira](#): > > But how do you make someone realize just how badly they are screwing you over? Show him the bills. Show him this thread. You can stick together and still be mad as hell at him. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/16 "2009-04-29T21:53:02Z")
Why in heaven’s name did you leave him the keys? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/17 "2009-04-29T21:58:41Z")
Not to pile on, but why wouldn’t you have switched the car into your name? Or insured it? What happens if it had been stolen? In California, don’t you have something like 10 days to swap the car over to the new owner’s name before getting some giant fine? (Not that you’re in California- you might be, I didn’t look. I am, though). ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/18 "2009-04-29T22:01:48Z")
Yeah, I don’t mean to pile on, but why would you pay for the car _and pay for repairs for the car_ without having the title in hand? ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/19 "2009-04-29T22:07:12Z")
You should not pay a single thin dime for this escapade. You are not responsible. If it means that your brother puts off the rigors of community college another semester and has to go flip burgers, thems the breaks. He played, now he has to pay. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739/20 "2009-04-29T22:12:37Z")
In my state, you can’t own a car without having it insured\*, even if it is never driven, and just sitting in a driveway. Is it the same in your state, or were you skirting the law by having it uninsured? \*Or pay an uninsured motorist fee, which is a lot. Not that I am trying to blame you. I think it sucks that your brother screwed you over. I just want to make sure you know the law in your state. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-brother-crashed-my-car/494739.md?page=2)