A lesson learnt....

[BENT_8]

Have you ever done something big for a relative or someone close only to be kicked in the guts?
Let me tell you my story!

18 months ago i owned a small business and decided to buy myself a treat as the dirty, itch work that i was doing left me feeling as if i should have a nice car to drive after work.
My wife and i decided to buy a nice blue Dec 02 BA XT with 62,000k's.
It was dressed with XR boot spoiler, 17" BA XR wheels, XR suspension and dark tint and in immaculate condition.
Unfortunately 6 months later i was diagnosed with a spine disorder that left me unable to do my work.
Having a young family(new baby) plus 2 and no income i was forced to sell my business and found myself unable to meet my repayments for the BA and considered relinquishing the car.
At this same time my older brother had been rejected finance for a new XR6t.
I offered him my car to drive whilst making the repayments that i could not afford, and only asked that he maintain it as i did and keep it serviced at a reputable repairer as the extended warranty was important.
No probs he assures me and adds that he has always wanted a new car and this was the closest he has ever been so wont stuff it up.
Yeah right!
I have just returned from a 26.5 hour round trip from the Yorke Peninsula to Wagga and i am not happy!
On Wednesday of last week my brother informed me that due to his new house purchase he can no longer afford the car and would i like it back.
The thought of that made me stoked as i love that car and am now in a position to meet the repayments.
Now when i handed my brother the keys 12 months ago, he gave me his poorly maintained(yes i mean wreck and yes it should have sounded warning bells but every body deserves the benefit of the doubt) ED classic with no reg, bald tyres, broken drivers seat and no 2nd or top gear in the trans.
When he told me of his predicament now, i offered to sell my current EL Fairmont and buy him a good EA with 147k's and immaculate from my inlaws because i felt bad that he had a car(death trap) before taking on my car and now he would have no car.
He greatfully accepted and so i set off with mate and fatherinlaw as side kicks, across the country, in search of my HOLY GRAIL.

Guess what!
My car is a wreck!
The left front gaurd has a 30cm bare metal scratch.
Both wing mirrors have been damaged and scratched.
Passanger door has trolley dents all over it.
front tyres were under inflated and are now worn to the wire on both edges.
(new when he got them)
Front bar/bonnet has been used as a trucks stone gaurd and has serious chips/scratches underneath.
All mags are damaged (2 new when given).
Drivers door mould falling off.
windscreen has huge scratches(too deep to buff out) because the plastic clip fell off of one of the wiper blades and he was to lazy or to stupid to fix the problem and allowed the metal to scratch the glass.(new when given)
Console lid broken and console full of liquid paper or something.
Tint scratched and peeling.
Passanger seat back still broken off(i actually sent him $180 for a new one 10mths ago).
New brake rotors replaced by Ford under warranty 20,000k's ago are now stuffed due to exessive pad wear.
extended warranty void as it has had no servicing in 20'000k's.
And the list goes on.
Now i am left with no option but to sell my good EL to pay for the car my brother has now(EA) and use the rest to fix the car that i must pay for over the next 3.5yrs.
With family like that, who needs enemies! : :