My cruiser was stolen

[frances]

mikehotwills said:
My 16 year old grandaughter took the keys. She drove to a nearby town and let one of her 16 yr old friends drive it. They rear-ended another car, but the other driver took off. Car has front end damage and they said the radiator was leaking. Car is in police impound since last friday

HI Mike,
What a terrible thing to have happened. Thank GOD no one was injured. Look around for a good repair shop and in the meantime LOVE your granddaughter but keep a firm hand about the situation. Her life could have had far more serious physical reprocutions, but when the day is over, it's the relationship with her grandparents and a reestablishment of trust which is important. If her behavior is a reaccuring problem, then professional help might be in order. What about parents? Are they in the picture?
Best wishes and I hope your cruiser is repaired quickly and properly.

[fritz_t_coyote]

quote:Originally posted by mikehotwills



Well, thank you for the kind words. Yes, this will take some time to work itself out. This is an ongoing thing with her. I know I will forgive her but forgetting is another thing for us humans. Can't I just wake up tomorrow and she'll be 20 or 21 and love and respect us again? I guess not, LOL

Make sure the insurance adjuster checks for engine room damage. Especially oil leaks. The engine is awfully close to the front bumper.

As for the more complex, and less easily handled issue:
If she has earned a stint in Juvie, let her take it.
Otherwise get her into a program, pronto.

Or get ready to become a great-grandparent.

<praying for you>

[mikehotwills]

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers. She called me yesterday to say she was sorry. I forgave her and told her I love her. Things will change in her life as we pray for her. Still the fact that we are pressing charges against her and her friend will be a good wake up call. Her mother has no stable homelife so thats why she was staying with us. We were just trying to help out[xx(]

[Ctown]

I thought your car really got stolen. Our car never get stolen even if we leave the door open. I once park in the city on a rainy night rushing out the car leaving the car door wide open all night long and next day came back to get the car saw the door open was like when I left and no one even bother closing the door for me

[mikehotwills]

[quote]Originally posted by Ctown

I thought your car really got stolen.

It did get stolen. She never had permission to take it. Shes only 16 years old, no license[:I]

[stirfry]

Sorry for your troubles. I know how messy these things can get the car maybe the lest of the trouble compared to family. I hope you don't take this wrong. But an old saying I heard that was always said with a smile, is " Teach the child don't let the child teach you". So what ever it takes to teach the kid that this is the wrong track. In days gone by, you could just give em a good lickens, to bad old values have gone astray. My oldest brother years ago stole a car for a joy ride. When my dad caught him he took him in the bathroom locked the door and gave him a good lickens. He never did it again, no need for juvey or anything else. And the 4 boys that followed heard the story never even thought about trying such a stunt because they knew what the payoff would be. No discipline is like a license to say do what ever just don't get caught and if you do chances you'll just get a slap on the hand. Cause and effect, criminal behavior/ become criminal patterns/ criminal attitude. Becomes a criminal. Trouble is kids can sue parents/ grandparents today. Wrong has become right and right has become wrong. Sorry if I got a little carried away, no offens ment to you, your not alone, Messed up HU![B)]

[Jimbo]

Hope everything works out. Glad no one was hurt.

[mikehotwills]

Thanks again for all your kind words and thoughts. Yesterday my wife talked to the Pastor and found a "safe house" for her to stay at. Almost a week now and no word from the insurance adjuster[V] I want my car back! So grandaughter is safe but still no car[:I]

[FlySig]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I don't think there's anything I can add about your grand-daughter.

But, on the topic of getting your car fixed, I have had good experiences with the dealer repair shops. Once my wife rearended some poor woman on a freeway entrance that had come to a complete stop. She did this in my 1 week old Dodge Durango no less! Another time her two-tone Chevy Astro was hit-and-run in a parking lot. They got the broad flat surface on the sliding side door as well as the passenger front door and the rear quarter panel.

Both times the dealers did a perfect job of matching the paint and aligning new panels/bumpers etc. Modern bodywork and paint technology is vastly better than it was 20 years ago.