One thing that always bugs me is

[ucladavid]

the "Here's what you should have done" guy. I still live with my soon-to-be-ex until our house is sold (3 weeks from now). My soon to be ex brother in law comes by today to help moving some of my ex's stuff. He asked me what I did with my commuter car. I said I sold it for $275 2 weeks ago.

I used that car for 7 miles everyday from the bus stop to work and back. It was a piece of shit 1998 plymouth neon that needed lots of work. It had about 165k in miles but I don't know for sure because the dashboard doesn't work half the time so I don't know its true mileage. It overheats when you go more than 60mph or idle for more than 2 minutes. Radio doesn't work. It squeaks when you turn. Half the buttons and knobs don't work. Window got stuck one time when I put it down. It gets hot in that car after 5 minutes when its more than 70 degrees out. Has lots of front end damage due to a previous accident. If I got into an accident with that car, I would be afraid for my life. California law says that before you sell a car, you must get a smog check. I honestly think it would be 50/50 if it could pass that smog check.

He said that I could have gotten more for that car like $500-1000. Blue book says it is worth $500-700; Edmunds says $400. He says that he would have bought that car for $275 and resold it for like $1000. I called him on his BS saying I know what's wrong with the car and I know what it needs on it. He says "you don't tell the buyer what's wrong with it." I know that but I don't like screwing over people. My first car I ever had was a used car and I got screwed on that price. Thus, I am not going to screw people over. Besides, if people were more honest when they sell stuff to other people, then this world would be a better place.

The other thing that pisses me off about him is that he is so wasteful with his money. He says "well a few hundred dollars is a few hundred dollars." Right now, he has a beater car, 2 motorcycles, a jet-ski, and a high-end gas guzzling truck. He is also thinking about getting an RV. He also complains a lot that he doesn't have any money. However, when people call him out on selling x, y or z to save some money, he doesn't want to hear it. However. he is lecturing me about a few hundred dollars when I know I made the right decision.

[Caliber]

Oh man. You ever see that episode of South Park where they had the superhero Captain Hindsight? He'd fly to the scene of a fire or something and say "See, what should have been done is fire escapes here, and here. Also, had you arrived 10 minutes earlier, it could have been saved". That's exactly the kind of person your ex-brother in law is.

He also sounds like a typical American. Spend, spend, spend. Buy a house. Refinance. Take a loan against what you've paid, so now you have $50,000, but instead of owing $100,000 more on your house, you owe $300,000. Buy a bunch of shit you don't need with the $50,000 instead of trying to invest.

What in the sweet land of fuck and honey does he need a jet ski for? I've never understood why people buy crap for the water when they don't live on it. 2 motorcycles? What the hell. Also, do you know how long it probably would have taken for you to get that $500-1000? Most people are weary when they buy a used car to begin with, so it would have taken a while. All that time and effort, you're much better off just getting bottom dollar and washing your hands of the whole thing.

Is it awkward having to share the place with your ex? Or was the whole split amicable?

[ucladavid]

I saw the Mysterion triology; all great episodes. I have seen all the south park episodes.

For me to even get the car to selling shape, I would have to spend a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars (depending on if it passes smog check). Thus, I found one of those junk yard type places online and they gave me the price sight unseen. They told me that they will sell it at an auction.

He needs a jet ski because he goes to a lake 2x a year with friends. 1 motorcycle for commuting and 1 for joy riding. He bought a previous one 2 years ago and just traded that in. He got the idea from his parents which have a $40,000 diesel jetta station wagon (commuter car), a $50,000 truck (dad does a lot for scouting so he needs something to move all the stuff), a 3 series bmw convertable, a boat on water (plus club membership), a small dingy boat on driveway for scouts (that is used only a few times a year), and an RV (that has been used once in 10 years).

In 3 weeks, I am moving out because that is when my apartment lease starts. 90% of the time I don't even see her because of work schedules. She was gone all of last week due to work and I was off for spring break so that was a nice vacation from her. However, it is during the 10% that she will say 1 or 2 comments that will piss me off.
The split is amicable because I am just sick of her "I can never do wrong and if you call me out on it, I will verbally bitch you out. However, I will call you out on everything" attitude. Thus, according to her, I can never do anything right because I am not living up to her standard of perfection.

[parallax1978]

From everything you have posted here my analysis is that she comes from a wealthy family, is very spoiled, has always gotten her way, expects to be treated like a Princess at all times and when she isn't she goes it to spoiled brat mode, and unless you can keep her parents level of spending on her and catering to her every whim you will never measure up in her mind... so it sounds like you are making the right choice... not that you asked for my opinion, but that is my analysis anyway.

[Caliber]

I've had one serious girlfriend in my life, and she was such a selfish, lazy bitch.

I treat my girls well, very well. I bend over backwards and do whatever I can to make them happy. She was so the goddamn opposite, and because I use to like to buy action figures and shit, she'd always bitch that I was spending all of our money, which wasn't even close to the truth. Then she'd go and tell anyone she could, her friends, her bosses, what a shitty boyfriend I was.

Man, I swear, Al Bundy was right when he said "Women, can't live with'em, the end"

[ucladavid]

@parallax: pretty much nailed it. Her parents are great people and treated me like their own son. That is one thing I would miss. Her parents are not rich. They both make low 6 figures, but it's not like they are rolling in cash. They don't have tons of money saved. They are just huge spenders. Unfortunately, they influenced their children to not be savers.