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>be me
>car guy on /o/
>I've abandoned a few cars over the years
>pretty normal honestly

>first time
>bought a $800 civic with a cracked block from some guy in a parking lot
>drove it home
>blew a head gasket on the highway two weeks later
>steam everywhere
>pulled over, took the plates off, left the keys in it
>walked to a gas station and called a friend for a ride
>figured the state would just handle it

>second time
>got a free ranger from my uncle
>transmission started slipping after a month
>kept driving it until it wouldn't go into gear anymore
>coast into a random lot behind a walmart
>plates off, doors unlocked
>uber home
>told myself it was basically recycling

>third time
>bought a 240sx that "just needed a clutch"
>clutch exploded on the way to the track
>pushed it into the shoulder of a side road
>took the plates and the stereo
>left it there with a note saying "free"
>never went back
>assumed someone else would want it

>fourth time
>picked up a cheap e46 that ran great for three days
>then the cooling system grenaded on the interstate
>smoke pouring out, temp gauge buried
>exited, parked it under an overpass
>plates in my backpack
>walked to the nearest bus stop
>felt responsible for not blocking traffic

>fifth time
>friend sold me his old truck "as-is"
>frame was already cracked, I just didn't notice
>hit a pothole and the whole front end sagged
>limped it into a dead-end street
>plates off again
>left the title on the seat
>called it a community contribution

>sixth time
>got a minivan for hauling parts
>timing belt snapped at a red light
>pushed it into a church parking lot after hours
>plates removed
>walked home in the rain
>figured churches are used to charity cases

>seventh time
>bought a project miata that "almost ran"
>it ran for exactly eleven miles
>then the engine locked up completely
>coasted into a grocery store lot
>plates in pocket
>left the windows down so the interior could air out
>never thought twice about it

>eighth time
>friend let me borrow his old subaru "temporarily"
>blew a turbo and dumped oil everywhere
>parked it behind a closed strip mall
>plates off, doors locked this time for some reason
>texted him "car's fine, just resting"
>still think this is how normal people deal with cars that stop working

>ninth time
>picked up a free f150 that “just needed brakes”
>brakes failed on a downhill residential street
>rolled it into a ditch in front of someone’s house
>plates off before the owners even came outside
>walked away whistling
>figured the HOA would sort it out

>tenth time
>bought a low-mileage accord that smelled like cat piss
>electrical system started randomly shutting off while driving
>finally died in the middle of a busy intersection
>pushed it onto the median
>plates in my hoodie pocket
>jogged to the sidewalk and never looked back
>assumed traffic cops deal with this every day

>eleventh time
>friend’s old focus “just needed a battery”
>battery was fine, alternator was not
>stranded in a mall parking garage at 11pm
>took the plates, left the hazard lights on as a courtesy
>uber’d home
>told myself the mall security would appreciate the free car

>twelfth time
>got a cheap 4runner that “ran perfect”
>transfer case exploded on a dirt road
>limped it to the edge of a national forest trailhead
>plates off, windows cracked for ventilation
>hiked out and hitched a ride
>considered it an off-road donation

>thirteenth time
>bought a gutted race car “for the street”
>no exhaust, no catalytic, no registration ever existed
>got pulled over, talked my way out, then the engine seized two miles later
>pushed it behind a closed auto parts store
>plates already in my bag from earlier
>walked home in the dark
>felt efficient for handling both problems at once

>fourteenth time
>inherited a grandma’s old town car
>power steering fluid poured out on the driveway the first morning
>drove it anyway until the pump screamed and locked up
>coasted into a 24-hour laundromat lot
>plates removed
>left the keys on the dash with a sticky note that said “runs great”
>still think that was thoughtful

>fifteenth time
>scored a slammed civic on marketplace
>hit a speed bump too hard and the oil pan cracked
>oil trail for three blocks, finally stopped under a bridge
>plates off, wiped my prints off the wheel for some reason
>walked to a gas station and bought a coffee
>told the clerk “car trouble, you know how it is”
>he just nodded like it was normal

>anyway that's most of them
>pretty standard car ownership tbh
>when it dies you take the plates and walk
>someone else always handles it
>been doing this for years
>never once heard back
>works every time

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