My exhusband passed away the car is in my name & his new wife -widow wont give it back.

[LostCarSinceFound]

What is the name of your state? Minnesota.

I got divorced 30 years ago and had a restraining order against my ex-husband, I had bought a car that was stored on his property at the time.
I never thought id be able to get the vehicle back and had since forgotten it existed. (30 years)

He passed away 2 years ago and his new wife and now widow contacted me 2 weeks ago saying she had the car in her garage and it was in my name and asked for the title, she wont let me see the car but demands I pay $15k for storage fees or give the title over to her.

Is this legal? can I not just show up with title in hand and demand the car be returned to me?

 

[Gail in Georgia]

Why would you want a 30 year old car?

Gail

 

[LostCarSinceFound]

Why would you want a 30 year old car?

Gail

Its a Morris Minor Mini, and this particular one is rare.

 

[justalayman]

Was there a contract setting storage fees st any time?

Did your ex attempt to get you to remove it.?

Basically she can not enforce a fee unless there was a contract that the fee is based upon. She can’t unilaterally make a demamd if there was never any agreeement to pay storage fees. Your ex had other avenues to have the car removed from his property. His failure to do so does not allow him to instead charge you a storage fee.


But, you never mentioned what could be critically important

How was the car addressed in the divorce?

 

[quincy]

If you have the title, you can have it towed from the property. The wife cannot charge you for previous storage if there was no previous agreement to pay for storage. She cannot charge you for storage now because you want to retrieve the vehicle and not store it.

 

[LostCarSinceFound]

we never made any agreement on the car during the divorce and never any agreement for storing the vehicle.

 

[justalayman]

Just to be clear

Only your name appears on the title?


If so, I would find somebody to haul it. Then contact the police and tell them what’s going on and if they would do a civil standby while you retrieve the car

 

[NeilTheCop]

Its a Morris Minor Mini, and this particular one is rare.

Why is it rare? I can't remember how many mini's I owned, and crashed, in my youth.

 

[quincy]

Why is it rare? I can't remember how many mini's I owned, and crashed, in my youth.

Growing up in the UK as you did, Neil, I don't doubt you owned many Minis. But not that many were sold in the US thirty years ago.

Like classic VW Beetles, old Morris Mini-Minors have a loyal following.

If LostCar has the title to the car, she should not have to pay the widow to retrieve the car (absent any additional facts not yet disclosed).

 

[adjusterjack]

Why is it rare? I can't remember how many mini's I owned, and crashed, in my youth.

Barrett Jackson auction -
Scottsdale 2019 - 1958 Morris Minor Pickup - $22,000
Scottsdale 2017 - 1956 Morris Minor Woody Wagon - $15,900
Scottsdale 2017 - 1970 Morris Minor Pickup - $13,200
Las Vegas 2015 - 1972 Morris Mini Cooper - $16,500
Palm Beach 2015 - 1956 Morris Minor Woody Wagon - $20,900
Scottsdale 2015 - 1960 Morris Custom Station Wagon - $15,400
Scottsdale 2015 - 1956 Morris Minor Traveler Wagon - $22,000
Las Vegas 2012 - 1959 Morris Minor 2 Door Coupe - $11,275

Those are just a sample of the popularity and value of the cars.

 

[quincy]

Barrett Jackson auction -
Scottsdale 2019 - 1958 Morris Minor Pickup - $22,000
Scottsdale 2017 - 1956 Morris Minor Woody Wagon - $15,900
Scottsdale 2017 - 1970 Morris Minor Pickup - $13,200
Las Vegas 2015 - 1972 Morris Mini Cooper - $16,500
Palm Beach 2015 - 1956 Morris Minor Woody Wagon - $20,900
Scottsdale 2015 - 1960 Morris Custom Station Wagon - $15,400
Scottsdale 2015 - 1956 Morris Minor Traveler Wagon - $22,000
Las Vegas 2012 - 1959 Morris Minor 2 Door Coupe - $11,275

Those are just a sample of the popularity and value of the cars.

And those cars originally sold for between $1000 and $2000.

 

[not2cleverRed]

Barrett Jackson auction -
Scottsdale 2019 - 1958 Morris Minor Pickup - $22,000
Scottsdale 2017 - 1956 Morris Minor Woody Wagon - $15,900
Scottsdale 2017 - 1970 Morris Minor Pickup - $13,200
Las Vegas 2015 - 1972 Morris Mini Cooper - $16,500
Palm Beach 2015 - 1956 Morris Minor Woody Wagon - $20,900
Scottsdale 2015 - 1960 Morris Custom Station Wagon - $15,400
Scottsdale 2015 - 1956 Morris Minor Traveler Wagon - $22,000
Las Vegas 2012 - 1959 Morris Minor 2 Door Coupe - $11,275

Those are just a sample of the popularity and value of the cars.

Also illustrates that the "storage fee" is no bargain.

 

[Zigner]

I don't see any mention of the condition of the car...

 

[quincy]

I don't see any mention of the condition of the car...

LostCar said the widow will not let her see the car unless she hands over the title or pays $15,000 for storage.

$500 a year for storage of a vehicle is not a bad price ... if you don't store your vehicle for 30 years.

 

[Zigner]

LostCar said the widow will not let her see the car unless she hands over the title or pays $15,000 for storage.

Right - the point is that she might be paying for a rusted hulk. I doubt that's the case, but it's worth mentioning.

$500 a year for storage of a vehicle is not a bad price ... if you don't store your vehicle for 30 years.

Yep-yep.