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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to turn down this free car and offend the giver?

184 replies

tygertygerburningbright · 20/10/2013 18:12

I genuinely have no idea if I'm being a spoilt brat about this or not, so I welcome opinions!

I have taken about 20 driving lessons, I'm in my late twenties, and I'm fairly confident I'll pass my test before Christmas. I'm a lone parent and a student so don't have much money. My grandmother is paying for my driving lessons. Today she told me she would give me her car when I pass my test. Which of course is lovely! And I am most grateful for the offer. But... I'll try to list my hesitations..

It's a petrol, and I have learned in a diesel (had a few lessons in a petrol and honestly drove crap because I couldn't really get the hang of the whole needing the gas pedal to do manouvers etc when in a diesel its loads easier because you can just lift the clutch and go.) I know I may very well get used to a petrol in no time, but I am worried about it.

It's teeny tiny, like smaller than a Micra, smaller than any car other than a smart car I think. And I am 6 foot. There will be zero leg room in the back seat behind me. And I am training to work in a trade so I need a fair amount of room for tools etc, which there is none in this car.

It's not very nice... This is the crappiest reason ever not to want it, but basically I hate it and would never choose it in a million years.

All that said, I know it's very very nice of her to offer, and I do think maybe I'm being a bit ungrateful about it. A free car is a free car, and I don't think many people's first car is their dream car really. Also, she would be hugely offended if I said no.

I haven't said anything to my grandmother of course, because I think deep down even I know I'm being horrible...

OP posts:
saintlyjimjams · 21/10/2013 13:33

Petrol? Diesel? Difference? Is there?

Take the car

MrsLouisTheroux · 21/10/2013 14:36

Wow. Don't take the car. Let your lovely Grandmother give it to someone who wants it.
(And good luck finding a decent diesel car for £1000.)

Twiddlebum · 21/10/2013 14:43

A grand for a car???

Something you REALLY need to take into consideration....

I usually buy a half decent car for about 5-6 thousand then run it into the ground until it gets to the point where I KNOW it will cost an absolute fortune to get it through its next MOT. (£600 +) I also know many many people that also do this. What I'm trying to say is that many cars in the £1000 price range probably have a lot of expensive things that are about to go wrong. At least with your grans car you know the history and is not about to break down on you.

Bunbaker · 21/10/2013 15:31

"You can get a perfectly adequate car for under a grand"

You can buy a car for £1000, but I very much doubt it would be adequate or reliable.

WMittens · 21/10/2013 18:20

Bunbaker

You can buy a car for £1000, but I very much doubt it would be adequate or reliable.

It's perfectly possible, but I would say you need to know a lot about what you're looking at (and listening for) when going to buy. Being able to do some basic (and not so basic) maintenance/repairs yourself is a massive help as well.

FrightRider · 21/10/2013 18:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsAMerrick · 21/10/2013 18:50

I have a petrol car, DH has a diesel, and I honestly can't see that they are different to drive because of the fuel. The difference lies on the engine size/power of the car, and that can be slightly difficult to adapt to at first, but not really a problem. You get used to what you drive.

Fannydabbydozey · 21/10/2013 18:51

In all honesty I've never noticed any easy clutch action difference between a petrol and a diesel and I've driven many, many different types of cars both petrol and diesel. The only time a car has freaked me was a hire vauxhall with one of those automatic handbrakes... Hated it.

I originally thought the Op meant auto/manual...

I'd take the car, can't believe you're even thinking of turning it down. When do you imagine buying your dream car? Because I'm still not driving it, and I've been driving since the last ice age! Your gran is offering you something very special really. And if I was your mum I'd think you were being a bit spoilt brat over the whole thing. my dh is 6'1" and managed in some teeny cars. Tools don't take up THAT much room. Wait until you have a dog and some kids...

LaydeeC · 21/10/2013 19:16

twatty is absolutely right - there is no difference in driving a manual diesel or a manual petrol in theory. There will be a difference, however, in driving different cars be they diesel or petrol because the 'biting' point in each car is different. I have been driving for the best part of 30 years, driven more than my fair share of petrol and diesel. My last two cars (both new) have been diesel, my husband stalls them all the time when he drives. His car is petrol - I often stall it but never stall my diesel. The difference is the cars not the engine type Smile

LunaticFringe · 21/10/2013 20:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Melonbreath · 21/10/2013 20:22

Wheels are wheels. My first car was shit as, it had two doors of different colours and a different coloured bumper. My mate's dad was a mechanic and knew no one would buy it and it wasn't worth doing up. Result? Hideously ugly FREE CAR!
It was known as the clanger.
I didn't notice how ugly it was when I was in it but I did notice the freedom I had.
If anyone mocked me they weren't allowed a lift. Ever. And I pointed out the perfectly working FREE 1 litre engine which meant my insurance wasn't through the roof either.
Awesome.
In time I got a much nicer car, but it never had the soul that clanger did. Or the nasty wet dog smell.

SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood · 21/10/2013 20:37

If you do use the back seat for your tools make sure theyre strapped down and secured

Bunbaker · 21/10/2013 20:53

"If you do use the back seat for your tools make sure theyre strapped down and secured"

and covered up. My next door neighbour was always getting his car broken into because local criminals knew he kept tools in the car. He now empties the car every night.

ILikeBirds · 21/10/2013 21:11

YABU

Unless you get exactly the same car as your driving instructor has you are going to find lots of differences that might trouble you as an inexperienced driver, gear sticks in slightly different positions, different spacing between pedals etc. It won't take long to get used to a new car.

WandaDoff · 21/10/2013 21:14

YABU. Hmm

Tell your Gran that if you don't want her generous gift, then I'd be very grateful for it.

teacherandguideleader · 21/10/2013 21:20

Re: the height issue - I wanted the bigger model than the car I had - bf is over 6 foot. He couldn't get in the bigger model, but the smaller one was fine as although it is much smaller, the roof is higher. Give it a try before you discount it.

My car isn't my dream car but I love it, and it is significantly cheaper to run than my dream car.

My best friend got her first car a few years ago from her gran. I forget the make but it was a Pony model in a beautiful (not) shade of brown. It was horrific and we had a good giggle as we clambered in - it got us from A to B (just not in style).

Original poster
tygertygerburningbright · 23/10/2013 14:35

Sorry I took so long to get back on this thread!

You'll all be glad to know I have accepted the offer, negotiating on insurance now because my cheapest quote was £1200!

Its a Hyundai Amica, she has owned it from new and bought it in 2007, she does about 5000 miles a year. I know nothing about cars but I imagine this means its in pretty good condition.

I am learning in a Hyundai i20, so not that much different in models I would imagine, except the petrol diesel thing.

I definitely meant diesel not automatic. But I have learned from this thread that maybe its not actually ALL diesels that you can pull off with not using the gas. Just some cars apparently. Which I guess is eye opening because I could have turned down the petrol only to buy a diesel that needs gas to pull off and do manouvers anyway..

Has been very interesting reading the petrol v diesel debate though!

OP posts:
GhostsInSnow · 23/10/2013 14:53

Low miles doesn't automatically mean a better car, check when it was last serviced, it should be done at least every year really even if she was only doing 5k a year.
Lower mileage cars can sometimes come with their own sets of problems as well because they are often started, run 3 miles up the road to Tesco and back and put away. They never have a good run to charge the battery and clear out the crap.

Budget for a service first thing if you haven't already :)

WMittens · 23/10/2013 17:46

JuiceOrtiz

Lower mileage cars can sometimes come with their own sets of problems as well because they are often started, run 3 miles up the road to Tesco and back and put away. They never have a good run to charge the battery and clear out the crap.

True, but much more of an issue with diesels than petrols. Also, a battery should recover the energy used to start the engine within about 2 miles (there was a good site showing how that is calculated, but I'm struggling to find it now).

GhostsInSnow · 23/10/2013 17:59

Mittens I drive a 99 petrol clio with 33k on the clock. My average daily mileage is about 1.5 miles. It's literally started, driven to school and back and then repeat at 3pm.
Most weekends I need to charge my battery because I just don't go far enough to keep it charged.
Despite my limited miles it does get oil and filter change once a year.

Aside from the issues I mentioned it's possible that the car is still running on the original 2006 tyres, if its not a garaged vehicle then the tyres need close inspection for wear/cracking as well.

JerseySpud · 23/10/2013 18:33

Honestly? Petrol is not that much different to diesel really and you will get used to it. What the difference you are talking about is the engine.

WMittens · 23/10/2013 18:51

JuiceOrtiz

My average daily mileage is about 1.5 miles.

If the school's about 600m away, why not walk?

GhostsInSnow · 23/10/2013 19:01

My daughter has a disability... I wish she could walk, would be quite marvellous all round. Angry

WMittens · 23/10/2013 21:03

And I was supposed to know that how? Put your red face away.

GhostsInSnow · 23/10/2013 21:27

Put my feed face away? Why? You seemingly judged me without knowing anything about me so yes, that makes me quite cross.