Man totals car he bought from sister-in-law, demands older brother take on repayments when he offers to fix and sell it: 'It's worth $1000 at most'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Nov 1, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

As a general rule, making any kind of business deal with a family member is something that most of us would do well to avoid. Money is one of the most powerful tools for corrupting a relationship, and with the right set of circumstances, it can sour bonds that otherwise seem unbreakable. Doing deals with relatives is a dangerous game as a result.

That being said, with the situations that life throws at us, it is understandable that many are tempted to go down this route with some in their families. Sometimes, the whole thing feels perfectly logical, and it is a way to find a solution to a difficult problem. However, it is vital that everybody involved can be trusted to keep their end of the deal, and that said deal is clear in the first place. All too often, this is where things go very wrong, and the drama begins.

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  • black and white photo of a parked car that has been in a front end collision
    via Volodymyr Kozhevnikov

  • In this story, a man's younger brother bought a car from his girlfriend on a payment plan. After a couple of years of owning it, he got into an accident that made the vehicle undriveable. 

    After getting a new car, the older brother agreed that he would get the old one fixed so it could be sold. The younger brother took this as an agreement that he would also take on the remaining repayments. The man disagreed with this and was facing pressure from his family as a result. He looked for a second opinion.

  • Girlfriend sold my brother he car for $6000 on a payment plan. He totaled the car and gave it to me totaled. I don’t cover the remainder of his payment plan.

    My girlfriend had a car valued around $8000 in perfect working condition. My younger brother needed a car and had no money so she gave it to him on a payment plan for $6000 around $120/month.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • A couple years go by and he gets into a front end collision and the front is destroyed, radiator is cracked in half and it has a bunch of electrical problems.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • He goes ahead and buys another car and lets that original one sit. I told him I'll take it for more than the junkyard and offer him $400.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • He declines the $400 and we agree that if I sell the car he can just have the money it sells for in the future.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • I take the car from him in not working condition and bring it to a mechanic and fix it.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • He still owes my girlfriend $2000 of payments and continues paying the debt for 4 months then texts me saying "You're going to have to take over the payments now" I would never have considered taking the car and fixing it if magically 4 months later this debt is now mine.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • The car is worth free-$1000 at most in the condition now after fixing it. Entire family thinks I'm in the wrong.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • I don't see how I could be in the wrong here. Edit: I left out information that is crucial for your guys' questions.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • black and white closeup of a man holding a mobile phone while lying in a hammock
    via Enmanuel Betances Santos

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 1. Gf sold him the car on a 6k payment plan with everything in writing. She had him sign a contract.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • The title is now under brothers name with a lien of gfs name 2. Brother started being late on his payments with no explanation or attempt to reach out to gf 3.
    via Legal-Manaement-371
  • Frontend accident occurred and car stopped working. Brother was going to junk it because it was sitting in a paid parking spot A.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • Gf tried to tell him that it is fixable and not really worth junking. Brother declined and doubled down saying he will junk it 5.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • Brother demanded that the lien be signed off so he can junk the car. Gf obliged and made him sign another contract.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • 6. Brother never junked the car, instead gave it to me. I offered him money, but he declined.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • Just wants the sell money 7. Couple months pass and brother commands me to take over the payment because he is leaving for the army.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • I decline and say this is his debt. I offer to give the car back instead of paying the 2k and he declines.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • 8. Entire family turns on me 9. Brothers gf pays off the rest of his debt to my gf.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • Family still says I should have payed for it. 10. Car is still under his name with a lien on it.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • He never took the lien off.
    via Legal-Management-371
  • black and white photo of a man wearing a cap with his hands on his head as he looks down
    via Robin

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Commenters agreed that the older brother wasn't wrong.

    NTA. Pesec1 Your brother owes the debt to your GF as per conditions of the sale. Your agreement with your brother to give him money from the sale is a completely different arrangement. Your brother is an asshole trying to take advantage of you. Your family are a bunch of assholes enabling him.
    via Pesec1
  • TogarSucks INFO: Is the original agreement between your brother and GF in writing? Do you have any proof that he told you that you could have the car for free? Text, email, ect? Whose name is the title in? I don't see how you could be the asshole here, but also wondering what legal leg you and your GF have to stand on.
    via TogarSucks
  • CapoExplains NTA this is absolutely apeshit. On what planet do you owe your brother the remaining payments on what the car cost him when it did work solely because he chose to give it to you for free. Especially if he's refusing to accept you giving the car back so he can junk it and refusing to just take payment for what the car is worth now. He'd be in his rights to demand payment for the car, demand the car back, demand what you get for selling it. He's not in his rights to demand you pay the
    via CapoExplains
  • joe_s1171 never sell a car to friends or relatives.
    via joe_S1171
  • South-Document-4310 Yeah you don't take someone's debt just cause they don't have the car anymore, if you sold the car to the dealership and still owed money then you still have to pay that money. Your brother is just trying to use your girlfriend's money without having to pay it back, I'd stand your ground and take him to small claims court if you have to.
    via South-Document-4310
  • shuckyducked ESH. I dunno how your girlfriend is putting up with either of you two on this.
    via shuckyducked
  • Intelcourier This is another perfect example of why you never, never mix business with family. Why do people think their family members will be different. When money is involved family trust goes out the window.
    via Intelcourier

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