The car reminds me of my father & the great time we had together, so I am reluctant to sell it off.
BHPian amol4184 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hello,
I will be flying out of the country for the long term and have a Jeep at home that I don’t want to sell. But there is no one to drive it regularly either.
This car (2016 Mahindra Thar V1) was bought for my dad sometime in December 2020. We were looking for a rugged car that would serve the purpose of carrying farming equipment, seeds, nutrients et al as well as ride on our war-torn roads without a hiccup.
Immediately after buying and making a few trips to Pune, we decided we HAVE to have a hardtop and ordered an FRP HT from Vin. Our thinking was that we would be able to install the HT at home without much hassle, and boy we were wrong. The whole HT installation turned into a major, major DIY operation lasting over three weeks.
However, looking back now that was the biggest and last project I undertook with my father and I am so glad we could do it together. He was an engineer by profession with a keen eye for details and finishing and that experience proved immensely helpful. After our operation HT, we invited two of our trusted mechanics to drive it and their verdict was the same: this does not look like a homegrown operation at all. The whole thing was (is) extremely well put together and driving it on the highway is a pleasure.
Anyhoo, shortly after the HT was installed, dad took it out to our farm and came back impressed. It reminded him of Jeeps with ROPLAS bodies during his service. It was a nostalgia trip for him and immediately felt at home in the Jeep. I could see how proud he was of it.
That turned out to be his first and last solo drive. Immediately afterwards covid struck and took him away despite being extremely fit for his age.
The Jeep now reminds me of him and the great time we had together and so I am reluctant to sell. But I would like to hear from members here too.
My plan is to have it kept at home and ask my sisters/BIL to juggle between their car and Thar. Basically, they come to visit in their cars and while going back take the Jeep instead of theirs.
The visits may be infrequent and that is my biggest concern. What if for some reason they are not able to come by. The other one being, none of them are exactly what you call enthusiasts – meaning the Jeep won’t be in tip-top shape in their hands like it is now. But I guess I have to live with that.
What do you guys think? Surely there must be others who are in the same dilemma for one reason or another. What else can be done? How do you store a car for the long term safely?
Here’s what GTO had to say about the matter:
I’ll illustrate with pictures.
How my Jeep looks today:
What I had to do after parking it in one spot for 2.5 years, while I was away in the USA:
If you think you will be back in 2 – 3 years for good, keep the Jeep for your Dad’s memories. Anything longer, just sell it.
Ask in your family & friend’s circle if someone wants a Jeep. That way, it could still stay “within your circle”. Who knows, years later, when you return, you could buy it back.
Here’s what BHPian Chetan_Rao had to say about the matter:
Given what you’ve said about him, keeping the Jeep well-maintained and in use would’ve pleased your dad more than keeping it rotting away in a garage just for the sake of holding onto it.
Find a buyer that’ll appreciate and use it for what it is, and pass it on. Your dad’s legacy will stay with you, vehicle present or not.
Here’s what BHPian narayans80 had to say about the matter:
Been there, seen that!
If you are not returning anytime soon. Keep your emotions aside and sell it. You don’t want to see the car in a sorry-unattended state. That hurts more than selling the car.
It is much more difficult to find a buyer on a (future) short term visit for a non-maintained car. And the asking prices then will raise your BP.
Here’s what BHPian Turbanator had to say about the matter:
Can correlate the feelings. I had a similar for our Ambassador car that my Dad used to drive. We lost him very early, he was around 44 when he met with an accident. After my studies, I got the car completely redone and used it regularly. Then newer cars came but it was parked at home for years.
When I went overseas for a while, my mother gave it to a nearby Gurdwara sahib for some construction / general use. And that was it, I felt bad but at the same time was satisfied that the car is put to use for a good cause.
If you feel appropriate, you can sell and invest the proceeds in something that can keep his memories alive based on his interests. I will not suggest letting that Jeep rot just for sentimental reasons.
Keyword: Love my old Mahindra Thar but I'm moving abroad: What to do with it?