A good buddy of mine was in a similar situation. thad sadly went from not so bad to really, really bad.... His wife bought a Minivan the Volvo got parked in the barn for almost 2 years only to be used on saturdays to take trash to the dump, then the blower motor blew out.... His wife had a baby, quit her job, he got laid off the week he returned from family leave

He aske me "What should I do with it, I'm thinking of donating it to charity just to get rid of it." I suggested he and I spend a few horrse workind onthe car getting it spiffed up and sell it, since he needed the $$ for diapers and food, etc.

We spent a few beers (hours) wrenching on the car here and there over the next few weeks/months. As we came across things that needed obvious repairs I floated him the $ for parts hoping to recoup some of it when we sold the car. If not, no bid deal I was having a great time wrenching, and his bank account was getting so low he was eating gravel and sh!tting sand so he could feed his wife and kid.

His wife finally found a job out of state so she packed up and left with the kid while he put the house on the market and packed up for the big move cross-country.

THEN What does he do? He goes and practicly GIVES me the car!
(I had to fight with him to take $400. for it.)
I now drive the car 120 miles round trip every day.

Umm what was my point?
Ohh yeah. dont give the car away! Find an unsuspecting friend and elist them to come help you wrench on the car. You may just convert them to the joys of Volvo and if nothig else, wrenching can be wonderful therapy..... Consider it a "hobby" instead of a car, yeah that's it.