21-year-old totals car, refuses to pay when mom's boyfriend fixes it as 'surprise' and demands $700 for repairs: 'I explicitly said I didn’t want to put more money into it'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Feb 19, 2026 9:00 AM EST

Nobody likes an unexpected expense, especially when it feels like it could be avoided.

Finances can be a touchy topic at the best of times, and never more so than when we are expected to spend money that we don't really have. The world that we live in provides ample opportunity for us to get tripped up with money, and it should be common sense for everybody to have some kind of rainy day fund as a result. Still, there are plenty of valid reasons why a person may not be able to do that and suffer the consequences as a result.

What's worse is when a shock expense comes from a place you should be able to depend on to not stress you out financially. Unfortunately, some people come from families where having to pay up for things is a not uncommon occurrence. There are individuals out there who see their relatives as little more than an ATM that they can draw from at their convenience, and are forever willing to cook up scenarios that will help them in this objective. It is not pleasant to be on the receiving end, whether you have your own money or not.

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  • an older tattooed man in a flannel shirt uses a wrench on the underside of a vehicle
    via Curated Lifestyle (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • In this story, a college student faced yet more stress after getting into an accident with her car. The incident meant that the vehicle required repairs that were more than it was worth, and she didn't see the benefit in making that investment. 

    As a result, she decided to leave the car in the yard of her mom's boyfriend while she planned how to get rid of it. Without telling her, he fixed up the car. He and her mom expected her to pay several hundred dollars for this so-called surprise, unless she sold it to him. She was annoyed at the assumption that had been made.

  • My mom’s boyfriend “surprised” me by fixing my car then demanded money

    A few weeks ago, I got into an accident and my car was basically done. It needed new wheels and an alignment and more, and the repairs were going to cost way more than I was willing (or able) to spend.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • I had already put over $1,800 into it before (the car is worth 2,500$), so I decided I was over it.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • I just wanted to sell it for scrap and move on. I left the car at my mom's boyfriend's place since it was easier to keep it in his yard.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • He offered to fix it, but I clearly said no. I told them I didn't care about saving the car I just wanted to get rid of it.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • Fast forward to today. I go to pick up my mom and I notice... my car looks fixed.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • Like actually repaired. So I ask her what's going on, and she casually tells me they repaired it as a "surprise." Later that day, they explain everything.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • Apparently they went ahead and fixed it without my permission... and now they want around $700 for the repairs.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • an older tattooed man in a flannel shirt uses a tool on a car engine
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Or alternative option I can sell the car to him for $800 so he can resell it and make a profit.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • I never agreed to any repairs. I explicitly said I didn't want to put more money into it.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • Now I'm being pressured to either pay for something I didn't ask for or sell my own car at a price that conveniently benefits him.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • Am I crazy for thinking this is completely unfair? For more context : The 800$ (CAD$) was the price match for the junkyard I'm a 21F university student.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • He's done work on my car before "under the table" because it was cheaper and easier for me, so there was already that dynamic.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • What really bothers me though is that he never asked for my permission before repairing it this time.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • We never had any conversation about going ahead with the fixes, and we definitely never discussed me selling the car to him.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • He just made those decisions on his own and now expects me to deal with the outcome.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • a young woman wearing sunglasses on her head sits in the driver's seat of a yellow car
    via Danijel Škabić

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • swimGalway If you were going to junk the car why does it matter? Not trying to be a smart a, just curious.
    via swimGalway
  • Virtual-Refuse-3515 Original Poster's Reply Might be petty, but we never gotten along so I don't want him to make money of me
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515
  • allisondbl Yeah. Here's something else you need to be aware of. You already are aware that he's not really a licensed mechanic and doesn't know what he's doing. The car is YOURS, so, unless you absolutely get yourself out of it or uninvolved G-d forbid somebody buys it and something happens. Even if you have "sold it to him" it won't be seen as an arm's-length transaction and you will be sued. Get the junkyard to come take it immediately.
    via allisondbl
  • Neat_Weakness_8350 Is he a mechanic? How can you be sure that your car is actually drivable in the long term, after he 'fixed' it??
    via Neat_Weakness_8350
  • Virtual-Refuse-3515 Original Poster's Reply He's not a licensed mechanic, which is exactly why I wanted to stop letting him do quick, cheap fixes on my car. For example, he's used epoxy like glue to patch holes, and I've seen him stuff paper into parts to "fix" imbalance issues (not on my car, but still). That kind of work just makes me uncomfortable.
    via Virtual-Refuse-3515

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car family money family drama repair stepdad mom college student
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