to pop a note through dead neighbours door to ask if the car is for sale

[VeraZera]

The occupant of a house a few doors down from me has died. Family were there last week clearing stuff out etc. Curtains have been closed since then. I didn't know the person who lived there, but know he drove a car which is now parked on the drive. I need another car as mine won't last much longer and this would seem a decent low vehicle.

WIBU to pop a note through the door to the family expressing condolences and asking if the car is for sale?

Oh God no, please don't. I'd be so upset if someone did that to my family. I appreciate you're just being practical, but the reality is that the car belonged to the person they knew and hopefully loved, and someone else asking after it will really ram home that they've died and the world will continue on without them. It's a really sharp way of reminding them of the loss, I think.

Our car came from the friend of a friend when their Dad got so sick he had to go into a care home they were emotional but wanted the money...my friend mentioned us and the car was brought to us by our friend who then took the cash back to the son of the old gentleman.

It was sad but we were glad to get the car....you mustn't ASK though!

Is this a reverse?

If not, are you mad? Fucking hell.

...just no

Someone did this when my Nan died, but they wanted the house.
I can't say we were practically thrilled to receive it.
The house wasn't even up for sale, it's our family home. As if we'd sell it because some chancer stuck a card through a letter box!
Think about what you are asking OP. Please just don't.

So you didn't know this person or bother to offer him any help when he was alive (I am guessing that he was elderly & living alone), but you want to 'help' by buying his car on the cheap?

Just think about that!

My grandfather has passed away this last week.

The thought some vulture is poised waiting for the "right moment" to pop a card through the letter box re something that belonged to him engrages me.

Just no.

When my FIL died, or a short time after, someone put a note under the wiper of the car asking us to phone a mob number if we wanted to sell the car. We chucked the note out because we kept the car, and the note sender then stopped us in the street and asked us again.

We weren't in any way offended, nor did we think badly of the bloke who asked us.

Has rhe op been back to the thread or has she just chucked a match into a box of fireworks and ran?

Unbelievable. YAB totally U.

It's a hideous idea. Just imagine the person who has died was one of your close relatives - how would you feel?

Please don't do this.

My brother died suddenly at 15, two days after his funeral a family 'friend' (who had attended the funeral herself), knocked on the door and asked if she could buy the games system that my mother had recently bought for him. My mother was so shocked she said that she would think about it and then woman had the nerve to say, can you let me know asap as I have to pay full price for one otherwise. At this point I came to the door, yelled NO and slammed door in her face. Not very nice I know but I was 21, had just become a mother myself and it broke my heart to think someone could be so callous. Never spoke to 'friend' again, first and only grudge I have ever held against someone.

that is horrible, baz

YABU. Just look on autotrader and find another car.

That's terrible bazing
Good for you for slamming the door in her face.

No, I don't think anyone should ever do this - it's so obviously trying to gain a personal advantage from a death.

Baz that's bloody horrible. I'm so sorry.

Noooo! Please don't do it. If they want to sell it they will put a for sale sign on it. Also, you don't know anything about the condition of the car or how mich it's worth.

Ah, a first time poster.

no way

my grandad died very recently and I know how much it is upsetting my mum clearing his flat, but to have someone put a note through the door or ask to buy something of his would quite likely have tipped her over the edge

do not do this it is completely insensitive

People always ask about houses because if you're looking in a particular district or even road, they don't come up every day. We have had many enquiries about my father's flat since he died last year.
Having said that, I know that you're not necessarily trying to get it cheap or anything like that, but cars are by no means as rare as a house in the right road, so you can easily just get a car by other means and avoid any potential distress.
Joysmum is quite right that it can be very helpful to executors to have someone offer to buy an estate asset like a car - unfortunately, you can't be sure of that, and it's probably not worth running the risk of possibly upsetting someone.

Baz that is absolutely awful, people are just so callous, it just beggars belief