Loaned my trailer out, bad idea

I have a 16' car trailer I bought new in 2008. Was going to use it to tow my Jeep to the trails, but never did. Basically sat in my backyard for 2 years gathering dust.

My father in law has a big hunting camp a few hours away, and his 20-something year old sons have been working there every summer improving it - making trails, building bridges, planting food plots for deer, that kind of thing.

Last year they asked to borrow my trailer to bring some stuff up there, atv's, lumber, equipment, supplies, etc. The trailer wasn't doing anything so I said sure, go ahead.

Well they used it, and it sat up there for the last year in the woods, despite my asking numerous times if someone could bring it back. I finally went and got it myself yesterday (3 hour drive roundtrip) and I couldn't believe what happened to it. Three lights busted, one completely ripped off the rear end. License plate ripped off the rear bracket. One of the steel bars that holds the slide-in ramps underneath the trailer is bent. The breakaway kit's cable is sliced clean in half. One of the S hooks on the chain is missing the spring clamp that holds it closed. And the worst part is the $700 weight distributing hitch- the bars are completely missing, and one of the steel mounts that bolts to the trailer to hold the bar is literally broken in half, the two pieces are sitting inside the tool box. Oh yeah, they lost the keys to that tool box as well!

I asked my brother in law what the hell happened to it, and got the old "Gee, I don't really know" story. Later I mentioned to my father in law that the boys beat the crap out of my trailer, and he didn't seem at all concerned by it nor expressed any interest in repairing it.

Now to be fair - I've hunted with my inlaws at this camp several times, and they include me in alot of activities. I shot my first deer at this camp four years ago. So I benefit from having access to the camp on a regular basis.
So I'll probably just eat the cost of repairing my trailer myself and consider it an exchange for hunting privileges.

But it just steams me that you could treat someone else's equipment like that and not give a rat's ass if you broke it. I'm the exact opposite of that, if I borrow something of yours, I return it in better condition than I got it, if it's at all possible. In all liklihood I'm not going to be able to replace the weight distributing hitch at all, I just don't have the money. The lights are not a huge deal and I'm going to see how much to replace the breakaway kit cable. I'll probably wind up selling the trailer now anyway, just because I don't wheel anymore.

/rant over

 

That does suck that they acted that way. Seems pretty lame even if they do let you hunt and camp up there...

 

Seriously dude? Drop it because of hunting privileges? that's a lot of damage and the fact that they won't own up to it or offer to fix it is ridiculous, you can't let this one go.

 

That's why I don't let people borrow shit. I get asked from time to time to borrow my truck. Last year a co-worker wanted to borrow my pressure washer. Um..............no. I've seen it too many times where people don't take care of stuff. I will however let my brother borrow stuff. I do trust him and know he'll take care of it. That just sucks man!

 

It really burns me to hear something like that. I hate when people don't respect other peoples property!!

I used to work at a shop and we had to supply our own tools. I always had the best stocked toolbox and didn't mind if someone borrowed something as long as they, 1- returned it, 2- replaced it if they lost it.
Well some people didn't follow the rules, so I had to keep the box locked up and not let anyone use my stuff. It's a shame some ruined it for others.

 

Lesson learned

 

I would be PISSED.. and the in-laws woul dknow it! Dis-own them

 

This really sucks, fact that family members did it too. I'm with the others here that say don't let anyone borrow nothing, iv'e seen this happen all to often. I personally would make a big deal out of it, that's just me. It's your family though and you have to live with them.

 

No, they were and are wrong. Family or not, if you borrow it you return it in the same or better condition. Before I bought it from him I would occassionally borrow my brother's boat. Each time I would fix something that was worn out or broken as a gesture of appreciation for the loan. When I borrowed a friends sawzall I wore out a blade and bought three to replace it.

Your in-laws didn't bring it back because they knew they had trashed it and didn't have the integrity to even tell you about it, let alone fix it.

Whether or not you continue to associate with or loan items to them is your call.

 

They have complete disregard for you and your belongings. If someone pulled that crap me the last thing I'd want to do is go hunting with them...I'd never associate with the assholes again (but that's just me.) Have you asked the father-inlaw or the boys why they treated you like that?

 

yeah F that I'd be making a deal out of it and making them pay for the damages. It sat on THEIR property for all that time.... Casper the ghost couldn't have just gone and fucked all that stuff up and taken your expensive w.d. hitch. I would definitely be making a big stink over it and some way or another someone would be paying and it sure as hell wouldn't be me.

 

That sucks man, i'm sorry... but as they say... no good deed goes unpunished... still they are the in-laws and it sounds like you spend a decent amount of time with them so eating the repair cost sounds like a better idea than making an issue out of it... but now you know not to loan them anything that you care about. An expesive lesson but a valuable one too. (I.E. the quality of their character)

 

I vote you go hunting one time and treat their shit the same way yours was treated.

Rut up the trails, trash the blinds shoot the Doe's and leave them.

When they ask tell them gee I don't know.

 

I don't let anyone borrow anything.
I did it ONCE and it bit be big time.
I don't trust anyone anymore.

They can be the most responsible people and stuff still happens so for sure stuff is going to break if you lend it out to someone who's irresponsible.

Very sorry to hear about this but it's not like it use to be.

 

I would get them all together, point out whats broken and make them pool their funds to fix it.

That is one of my pet peeves, when people don't take care of things they borrow.

I always try to leave things in better condition than when I borrowed them.

I borrowed my grandfathers fishing boat for the summer this year to fish. When I returned the boat to him at the end of the summer, I vacuumed it out, cleaned the trailer and the boat, it had a new rolling tongue jack (he was using a cinder block before), a new brake light, a new tool box, and I plastic loomed all of the wiring.

 

First off, thanks for the support, and it's a particularly difficult situation because in other ways, my inlaws are very generous people. They have done alot for my wife, and our kids, over the years - things like taken us on vacation, helped us move, bought nice gifts at the holidays, etc. I mentioned what happened to my wife, and her comment was to the effect that if they ever asked to borrow anything again, just say "no". It's sad because I'm not that kind of person, but this experience has changed that perspective probably forever.

Here's some pix of the damage:

This picture is for comparison, it's the "good" side of the weight d. hitch, notice how thick the metal is, probably 3/8"



here's the bad side. how exactly do you break this? obvious it took some serious abuse.


broken rear tail light (i taped it with rescue tape so i could drive it home without getting pulled over)


another broken light


breakaway cable sliced and the wires just hanging loose


this is a view of the rear of the trailer "before" i loaned it out, see the light under the beavertail? that's completely missing now as well


On a good note, a friend of mine is interested in buying the trailer - I really have no use for it anymore - he made me a decent offer and said he'd take it as is and fix all the damage himself. So maybe this is all moot? Funny how things work out sometimes.

 

Thats a shame, was a real nice trailer. We have property up in the mountains of vermont, from firsthand experience if you leave anything out people will trash it..maybe it wasnt your inlaws that trashed it?

 

you can start something i always started either cash (ie a 50 or 100 for a socket ect) wallet, car keys ect to borrow a tool, lock it up in the spot of the tool and dont return it till the tool is returned

 

same happened to me except when i hooked the lights up the next time i pulled it it fried my trailer wiring harness up on the truck because the wires had been crossed and cut on the trailer