Plans for your car after you die

I was at a car show the other day noticing how all the owners are getting older like me. Even most of the crowd was at least mid 30’s. I truly believe our classic and muscle cars are not going to be as important to the next few generations, much like the street rods have faded with interest and value today. Our kids didn’t grow up with these cars like we did. My kids have all moved away, and ya they like my Charger but none of them have really shown a great interest in it. So what do I do with the car once I die? Easy answer is sell it, but to who and how do I explain it to my kids? Or should I plan to sell it once I get older and can’t get around as easy, take the burden off the kids. What are your plans with your car(s)?

I was thinking of this before a major surgery recently. I was thinking it's a shame there isn't a reverse mortgage like program for hotrods. You know the odds that someone else will make sure they get realistic money is slim. Plus the "sorry I died, have fun at the MVD converting the title so you can sell it since I didn't add you to the title before". And the sad thing is its not the only "collection" of things that will be a bitch to liquidate. But hey, maybe you've got a Barret Jackson Saturday evening car and they’ll be pounding on your survivors door.

If I get some warning things are winding down I’ll sell, but if I go without warning, then oh well. I currently have older siblings but if they go before me then I guess I’ll have to plan more.

I don't figure I'll be needing it much

Not that I'll know....but my wife has said she'll sell for pennies on the dollar if that's what it takes.

Warning to all....enjoy your vehicles while you're still on the right side of the daisies.

Not my problem. I'm dead.

It's my kids problem. I'm sure they will sell. The only possible exception is the B-body GTX. But their call.

Just take it with you ;)

I would like to think that one of my grandchildren would want one of papa’s cars. I doubt it but thats ok. Sell them for what you can and buy something they would rather have.

My dad bought the Charger for us as a project in 1998 when I was 15. He was 40 at the time. The car has become like a family member to us and that car played a huge part in the direction that I went in my life as far as choosing a profession. I've always had a passion for cars but figured that I needed an office or city job to have "stable" employment. As I got older I decided to make my passion a career. I worked at a city job through high school and for a couple years after graduating but was pretty unhappy even though it was stable. I decided to move out of state to attend WyoTech to really learn the skills and to get certifications to be able to make a living in a field that I loved. I got a job at a hot rod shop in my hometown after graduating and that really taught me a lot about the trade. I ended up tearing the charger down for a rotisserie resto after a few years of working at the hot rod shop and gaining confidence. It was pretty much a given that the charger was going to end up mine.
My wife and I have been together since 2004, I was 21 and she was 19 when we met. We dated for 8 years before we got married in 2012 (we bought our house together in 2010). For most of those years we went back and forth on wether we wanted to have a kid. We knew that if we did we would only have one. In the meantime, I always wondered what I would do with the charger once my time came. I don't have any siblings, cousins or younger family members that would be able to inherit the car. I always figured that I could donate it to a collection or museum just so it would stay preserved and appreciated. We ended up deciding to have a baby in 2021 and in June of 2022 our son was born. He's 3 now and everything is cars and trucks. He comes out to the garage with me and wants to help sand, mask, etc. on the Charger. He shows a real interest in the car scene without me pushing it on him. I figure that if he gets the car bug that I want it to be on his own and not because I pushed it on him and he feels like he has to. So basically, that long story was to say that my son will end up with the charger to do with as he pleases...

Was my dad’s so I guess i’ll leave it to my kids and let them decide. Grandsons are into it more than my kids.

My kids aren’t into cars at all. I figure that when I’m in my mid-late 70s, I’ll start selling them off, give the money to the kids, and keep just one or two. What’ll happen from there has yet to be determined.

If my wife survives me, she's smart enough to price accordingly, not to give it away, but not to have to sit on it very long.

The "kids" sure don't want any of that car related stuff, and are not even interested in our rental property.

Hopefully that will skip a generation.

If not, then I guess we just spend it all.

My car used to be my daughter’s car for a couple years, driving back and forth to high school. The car was supposed to go to her, but I doubt that the headers would survive one trip down her road to her house. Looks like my grandson would get it, but now he’s building a house out on hunting property and it’s going to be the same thing. I shouldn’t worry about it, but I kinda do,

My things are just that, mine. I've said this several times before, I started down sizing to clean up what is mine and lining it up with who comes next years ago. I've tried to keep a car as a memorial piece and at the end of the day, it's just a car. It requires care and a place to put it and if you're not into it, it's a burden. Memories are something that I carry around with me everyday and everywhere I go, tucked away for just me. The car, TOD, just in case it happens now and the long game, watch the look on someones face when I give it away to that someone that will truly enjoy it, when I'm done with it.

At our age (some of us) it wouldn't be a bad idea to write some notes with values on the cars and parts we own. I have tagged boxes with approximate values on certain parts or at least what I paid for them. I do need to get busy this winter and start selling off some of those pieces. Some are extras from my 66 that I no longer own. I did include some big pieces the new owner may need when I sold the car, like fenders, decklid, and the original wheels. He has a sizable pick up load. In a perfect world I will have it all liquidated before I pass. No reason that both cars need to sit in a paid storage garage when I can't drive them.

I agree that most classic vehicle owners are getting old and are not long for this earth, let alone the hobby. Life expectancy for US males is 75.8.

I also agree the younger generation are not into our cars for generational reasons, with the exception of sentimental reasons. Besides, most of them struggle with housing and debt, speaking in general terms.

I reckon most will just get too old to enjoy them or die and the family will have to decide what to do about it.

I recommend talking to your family and friends about it, make plans, and hope for the best.

And write down your username and password for your car forums so the family can let us know you're gone and sell your cars.

themechanic said:

I agree that most classic vehicle owners are getting old and are not long for this earth, let alone the hobby. Life expectancy for US males is 75.8.

I also agree the younger generation are not into our cars for generational reasons, with the exception of sentimental reasons. Besides, most of them struggle with housing and debt, speaking in general terms.

I reckon most will just get too old to enjoy them or die and the family will have to decide what to do about it.

I recommend talking to your family and friends about it, make plans, and hope for the best.

And write down your username and password for your car forums so the family can let us know you're gone and sell your cars.

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I would like this (these) forums to get first chance at anything I own. It's all bought and paid for and selling off some parts isn't going to make any of my survivors rich. Sell the cars and give the parts away would make me happy.

I like that idea.

toolmanmike said:

I would like this (these) forums to get first chance at anything I own. It's all bought and paid for and selling off some parts isn't going to make any of my survivors rich. Sell the cars and give the parts away would make me happy.

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I sold my last GTX through this forum, and couldn't have been happier with the result. It was great seeing it in action on a thread here last week.

I don't have any family so I don't know what will happen to my cars or any other stuff. I met with a financial planner a few years ago and he helped me find a lawyer to write a will. After done, I said what happens to it now, he said you give copies to family or someone close in order for it to be carried out on my demise. I said I don't have that so where does it go. Never got much of an answer so I am not sure how to assure my cars and other assets get donated to the charities I specified.
A local Mopar guy passed a few years ago and his widow was looking to sell one of his cars, and his hemi cuda she said eventually his son would get. Her son is a young father, and I doubt has the time and bandwith to do anything with the car. As far as I know, the car is still sitting in her garage untouched since her husband passed 4 years ago. That is a shame!