DD2 wants to have DD1s car

[Unsurehere]

A few years ago, we were very well off and my DD got a £5000 car for her birthday, insurance paid and all driving lessons paid for. DD1 still has the car, uses it regularly get to work and is now 20. In September she is heading to university, but it’s a very rural university and DD has saved up around £4000 this year to allow her to take her car with her. Her car will allow her to work, socialise and come home and see us and her boyfriend more often.

Now, I am not with their father and income is much lower. We have an issue that DD2 is coming up to passing her driving test and due to our financial situation being pretty bad, the most I can do in the way of a car is a £500 run around and paying some of the insurance.

DD2 has demanded that as DD1 will be at uni, she doesn’t need the car and therefore DD2 should be allowed it. She attends the local college and doesn’t want to get the bus. DD1 has cared for the car and it’s still a very nice, well looked after car, worth quite maybe £3500 now. So much nicer than the £500 car I can offer DD2.

However, DD1 has had the car for three years now, it’s HER car, she pays all the bills for the car, upkeep, etc...

DD2 is also very demanding and spoilt, despite us not giving her everything in demand. She’s worked since she was 16, has had ample opportunity to save up something towards a car, yet she hasn’t.

DD1 has also saved very diligently and is very keen on taking the car to university. Like I said, it’s rural and she will benefit from having it.

I understand it’s not nice for DD2 to not get the same privileges as DD1, however I’ve still offered to pay majority of car insurance despite the fact we don’t have a lot of money. Our financial situation has changed a lot and she knows this.

AIBU to think that DD1 should be allowed to keep HER car and that DD2 shouldn’t be expecting it?

Sharing isn’t an option due to distance, and their schedules would clash too much to even consider it!

Great, glad you’ve sorted this and your dd2 has listened. It sounds as if your dd1 was more mature when you split and could see things your dd2 was too young to understand. And perhaps she’s been in denial.

Could you rent dd1’s bedroom out to a local student while she is away at uni? This would bring in extra income and could mean an upgraded car for dd2 the following year. She can use cheaper car as deposit. Also, will dad match you with £500 contribution so the car buying budget is doubled? It was the 2 of you buying dd1’s car so
Ales sense you both also buy dd2’s car.

Makes sense not ales sense!

Great solution, well done OP.

Good result, OP!

I guess this thread shows how The Other Half lives.

Thank you everyone.

For those who have asked how she’s taking a car to uni, we have family five minutes from the uni so she will do a share of parking on the roads near uni and then on their driveway. There’s no parking restrictions as it’s so rural...

At the weekends she can park on campus.

DD1’s car should not be in the equation, it’s her car her sister should not even think about taking it from her, how will that make the situation any better.
DD2 as others have said will just have to accept the situation and be grateful for what u can afford.
It hard on you and she is not helpin, she is making u feel mean when ur really not.

Well done, OP. It's really refreshing to see an AIBU being sorted out with a proper honest conversation and I think that the solution seems fair to both daughters and to you. If there comes a time when you have more money in the future, you could always help her to buy a better second car, but for now this is the way things are.

Well done op, I'm glad she was able to respond maturely. I suspect that this will be a real learning point for her and she will appreciate material items more x