Op, are you in DC? If so you need to find a new family ASAP. $12/hr is way too low.

OP, I am a nanny and my vehicle is even older than yours. I spend $1,000 a year on maintenance for it. It is in the shop about three times a year.

If you are a single mom and making $12 an hour, its going to be difficult to set aside a significant amount of money to buy a new car, so you need to be diligent in keeping the one you have running.

Agreed, two separate issues. The car thing is fine. They think they can get more or they don't want to dump a junker on you or whatever.

However, your hourly rate is extremely low (at least in DC area) and no raises for 3 years is crazy. You should also be paid when they are late. We pay $19/hour for our nanny. We also have one 3.5 year old.

I'd ask for a significant raise and if none was forthcoming, I'd look for another job.

Why do you want to keep getting in the same situation? You have an old piece of crap now and you want to trade up to a slightly newer piece of crap AND pay $4000 for the privilege?

This is just like buying a pair of boots. Stop buying $50 boots every season, get one nice $250 pair of boots and keep them for 10 years.

Don't buy a car for 4k its a piece of crap. Buy a new car without issues

They are doing you a favor

Don't worry, OP, it is two separate things. We have a car we are trying to sale and there are issues. Your nanny family may know this and think you will blame them if it breaks down, etc. I really don't think it is about screwing you. I would not let my nanny buy our car because I know it has issues!

They have screwed you for 3 years and you still wanted to buy a used car from them? You should be making minimum $18/hr after 3years. Find a new job and leave these cheap cretins.

Too messy. I something goes wrong with the car, you could get angry at them and it get uncomfortable. I wouldn't do it. I might give it to you for free, but not sell.

From their perspective, you would be given them all your savings for a run down car. Not to mention the legality issues of working without being paid As part of your debt.

And yes, that car likely has issues. My dad recently sold his nearly dead '02 Tahoe to one of the local mechanics for 3K because he knew he liked to fix them up as a hobby.

OP Here:

Thanks guys.... I really needed a different perspective here.

Yeah OP, these are issues you need to separate. I understand the frustration, feeling like they could've been more generous, but a PP made a good point that the car likely needs some work and they neither want to burden you or feel responsible for it.

If you're unhappy with your compensation that's a separate issue that you should definitely address. If they come home late and don't acknowledge it, deal with that as well. But they are under no obligation to sell their car to you at a discount if they don't want to.

you are asking them to sell it to you under their asking price - it's their choice that they don't want to do it.

don't bring your single mom, I only make $12/hr attitude into it - it has been your choice to either work without a raise or not search for a better paying job.

I'm sorry if that seems harsh but I'm a nanny and you sound like they owe you, which they do not.

If they're selling it for $4000, there's something wrong with it, like it's really old or has really high mileage.

I have a similar issue with my nanny. We considered giving her my old Mercury sedan (10 years old), but everything about it is expensive to fix, and I've had some big problems with it over the years. If we get rid of it, we will sell it to someone who knows what they're in for in terms of maintenance.

If I gave her my car (or sold it to her for a little bit), and then she needed a $1500 repair soon after, I would feel like I needed to pay for that or at least help her with it.

It's just not a "clean" transaction.

Now, I would be open to loaning her money to help her buy a new car, and I have said that. She has decided that for right now, she can't afford the insurance on a second car, so she and her mom will continue to share (she's supporting her mother who has had a financial disaster in her life).

Where do you live?

I have been a nanny to my current family for three years now. I care for a delightful 3 1/2 year old little boy who shares a strong bond w/me and the parents are always letting me know that they are super-happy how things have worked out and that they see me as a family member.

Anyway I drive an old ('99) car w/over 160 miles on the odometer. It has like a ton of issues w/it and has for awhile. I.e., needs new brakes, power steering leaking, sometimes smoke coming from under the hood, etc.

And my bosses have told me they have felt bad for me.

Well my bosses recently bought a brand-new SUV and will now sell $$ their old car. (They also have another one.)

When I saw the "FOR SALE" sign on the windshield I asked them how much they were selling it for. They told me $4,000/OBO.

I told them that I really really needed a reliable car and have needed one since forever.

I told them I have $2,000 in the bank and could get $800-$1,000 for my car.
I asked if they would be open to letting me work off the rest in time.

They said they would get back to me after considering my offer, which they ultimately denied.

I am a struggling single mother who could have used a favor. I have zero family to help me out.

I have worked for $12/HR for three years w/out a raise or any kind of monetary bonus the whole time.
They have come home late a few times and I've never said anything.

I not only take optimal care of their son, I also make sure the house is clean, picked up and neat as a pin when they come home.
Every single day.

On the other hand, it is THEIR car and in all honesty can do whatever they want with it. I have no claim to it in any way, shape or form.

Still..This would be such a huge break for me, because my current car issues cause me daily stress!

Your thoughts?!