What to take from my car to remember it by?

[Gabiabbi]

Ok, firstly - I acknowledge this is a ridiculous question 😂

However, my car died this week. It's going to have to be scrapped.

I've had it for nearly 13 years, and it's symbolises so much more than a set of wheels for me. I'd not long split from daughter's dad, and had just got a new job, one that enabled me to have the funds to buy my first decent car - the rest I'd owned were bangers from day 1 😂 one that I felt safe driving all over in with my daughter - and we did! Many miles driven all over and that car never let me down, until this week. Numerous carseats installed - this car has saw my daughter from a baby to a teenager, and it's been a symbol of independence for me.

So, if you can get past my ridiculous over-sentiment of my post - I'm wanting to take something from the car before it goes for scrap, but I've no idea what! Any artsy types or anyone have any ideas? No engines or anything like that 😂

I totally get the feeling of sentiment. I've bawled my eyes out after writing a car off because I was so attached to it.

Could you get one of the badges off? Or unscrew the numberplate?

It’s not a ridiculous question at all. I’m also hugely sentimental about my cars, they’ve all had names! What about keeping the number plate? You could also take a photo and have a painting done of the car.

Take a couple of decent photos and the badge if you can get it off assuming your at the scrap stage .
Totally get it cried buckets when finally had to say goodbye to my yaris .Had never let me down.

We took nothing off our 25-year-old classic, but we have photos of us all over the country and with DC. What I did do was buy a poster of the blueprint from Red Bubble, which hangs in DH´s office, looks very cool, cost ten quid.

It´s perfectly normal to be sad about losing something such as a car, when it has been with you through so much.

I still have the badge from the front of my first car, scrapped in 1999. He was my ticket to freedom and meant so much to me.
Could you get the badge from yours?

Badge and number plate. I’d put the number plate on a wall somewhere x

Definitely the badge; it's the most obvious thing. Maybe the manual as well, because manuals have such detailed drawings/photos of all a car's features.

But OP ... you possibly could get it fixed. It might cost a lot more than the car is worth, but if you love the car enough you might think that's a price worth paying. (I speak as someone who spends a ridiculous amount of money keeping a very, very old car on the road ... worth every penny.)

Given it was right after splitting from your DD's dad, and you had started a new job ... the rearview mirror.

Also, take a photo of the steering wheel/dashboard while sitting in the driver's seat.

My husband has every numberplate he's ever had, on his workshop wall.

Ah man, I've never thought to do this!!! Now I wish I'd kept my number plate from my beloved Smolyg 😰

Number plate. I wish I'd taken mine. When I kissed her goodbye, the man taking her away said sympathetically "You're not the first person I've seen doing that, and you won't be the last".

Your car will live on in your happy memories, OP. xx

Thank you ladies! Firstly for not calling me insane and secondly for the ideas! Will now definitely take the badge and numberplate, and lots of photos. I've not actually arranged collection of it yet, so luckily I have the gift of time. Love the rearview mirror idea also.

I ordered a new car yesterday, felt so disloyal 😭😂

Not cars, but have kept the spare keys off of motorbikes no longer with me (scrapped, not sold on. That would just be weird!) I remember driving to the scrappy behind my dad as he was taking his to be scrapped- he'd instructed me to do the fastest 3 point turn I could & be ready to pull away as soon as he left the office as he couldn't bear the thought of seeing someone else touch & crush it.

This is brilliant. I would also take the number plate.

Take photos and videos of it too, we did this with Dh's old car that had seen us through a lot. We part ex'd it for £250 toward his new car and they told us they would scrap it. Someone is definitely still driving it as we looked up the MOT record for it recently.

Could you take the steering wheel & make a wall clock out of it?

Given it was right after splitting from your DD's dad, and you had started a new job ... the rearview mirror

Genius!

This is such a great idea. I’m pinching it for DHs birthday.
Totally get it OP, we had a car that had to go after 18 faithful years and DH was so upset.

I'm in the same situation. My beloved 20 year old Beetle convertible is going to the scrap yard soon.
I'm taking the dashboard flowers and a lot of happy memories 🥲 Not sure what else I could take from her so I'm glad I can take the flowers.

Registration plate sounds good, please do not try to do with modern cars what you could with olds one and try to pry the steering wheel off. They now have pyrotechnics inside.

You could put a photo of the car in a key ring?

Take a selfie with it and have it as a screen saver/framed photo/fridge magnet/t shirt.

Sorry! Didn't mean to quote there!

Oh god I totally get it. Whenever I park my car I say to it that when you see me coming back, wave your windscreen wiper and beep your horn at me so I can find you.

Can you imagine the state I’ll be in leaving it somewhere for the last time. God help me, what have I done!

I'd definitely take the numberplate and hang it on the wall somewhere.