Sell My Car To My Brother To Help The Family? What Could Possibly Go Wrong?!

"Want to know the best way to get in trouble with your relatives? Sell one a car. Or worse–it seems–give the car to them". That's the advice from a lawyer who deals with car-related lawsuits that might be the best advice for a recent Reddit post where the OP is wondering if he is making a mistake trying to help out his brother.

Here's the situation:

My brother is looking to get a new car to get to and from college (over 2-hour drive) and my parents are going to help him pay for it. I brought up as a joke that he could buy my car and I could go look for another one. Well they mentioned that it's not a bad idea.

However, the brother with the used car did not think this through before making the offer and is unsure whether he wants to get in debt with a new car payment just yet. And, he is sure the idea appeals to the rest of the family because it bypasses the used car shopping experience which no one enjoys.

Now I don't have a need to get rid of my car as it's paid off and is my daily driver but I've contemplated getting a new one myself that has more features compared to my current one.

I want to help my family out, but I also don't necessarily want to get another loan. I'm just curious what you strangers on the internet think.

Is There a Problem?

The dilemma is that if he does not sell the car to his brother, the family will likely become aggravated with him for making the offer and then taking it back. If he does sell the car to his brother, it will affect his financial situation.

However, although he does not say it, the real problem is the worry that if the car breaks down after he sells it, everybody will be mad at him if he does not cover the cost of any and possibly all future repairs.

A point made by several posts on the thread:

My best friend bought a used car from me. It became a source of tension between us because apparently, he thought I should provide AAA and warranty any repairs for some indeterminate period. I was quite happy when his parents gave him their car, and he sold it ―anonanon‒do-do-do

Selling it to your brother or any close family member will just make you the lifetime warrantor for your old car, i.e., if something breaks, they'll blame you for it/say you didn't disclose it and force you to repair it ―nobuhok

My suggestion would be not to do this kind of business with family. The car will break down at some point within the next 10 years, and you will be blamed. Maybe not out loud, but it will be your fault. Best not to buy or sell anything between family members, no matter how close you are ―thoughts_of_mine

Steve Lehto Writes About Just This Problem He Often Sees

For Road & Track magazine, Steve Lehto of Lehto's Law explains exactly why selling―or even giving one free―to a relative is the best way to cause a family conflict that could end up in court.

I warn people all the time: Think twice before selling a car to a relative. Yes, I know, if you have a good-running car that Blue Books for $500, it might make a nice car for someone you are related to. A starter car for little Jimmy who just got his driver's license!

But what will happen when that car which treated you so well decides to throw a connecting rod a week after you sell it cheap to your nephew? Is he, or his mother, going to believe that you really had no idea it was going to do that? We all know that things can happen randomly with cars but for some odd reason those random things have an ugly way of happening shortly after the car has changed hands.

In short, no good deed goes unpunished.

The world is full of people who have lost all perspective and are willing to at least think about suing someone who did them a favor. So, my advice is to sell that car to a stranger in an arm's length transaction.

When your relatives ask why you did that, make up something. And tell yourself that it is better for them to be upset that you didn't sell them the car than to have them upset at you because you did.

There's Another Way This Could Go South

Suppose the OP sells his car to his brother, presumably at more than a fair price. But then―and I've seen this happen―the family member flips the car for a profit and uses the money to buy a different car.

Should the brother who sold the car be offended because he sold his car to help his brother out?!

There's a sting in there somewhere.

Tell us what you think or have experienced in the comments section below.

1. Have you ever regretted selling or giving your car to a family member?
2. What would you advise to avoid at least some concerns like an engine problem developing after selling a car to a relative?

For additional articles about families and car problems, here are a few for your consideration:

1. My Mom Bought A New 2025 Hyundai Tucson In December, And We Tested It Out Twice, But Now She Hates It
2. My daughter just got a quote from our local Midas to replace both rear brake calipers, rotors, and pads (all aftermarket) for $1500. Mechanic told me that most of it was going towards parts and $200 for labor –This father-daughter team paid only 20%
3. My Toyota Mechanic Hands Me a $2,500 Bill for My Rav4 And Tells Me It Is My Child's Fault ―The Problem That is More Common Than You Think in Some Rav4 Models

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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