Here's the latest. When I did the car switcheroo on her, she ran to her dad, crying that she is stuck driving a high-mileage car. So now she is shopping for a car. And we cannot afford another car payment. She also told me that her father will help her sell the old beater. So it seems that her father is (maybe) upset with me for pulling this.
I do not want her to purchase a new car that we cannot afford. But she is stubbornly refusing to drive the old car. So, my options are:
1 - File for divorce. This will legally prevent her from making a major purchase.
2 - Give her the newer car back, and resume driving the old car. This will take some major crow-eating. And backing down, which I swore I would not do. And it will put me back in good graces with her family. But not her, because she hates me. Also, she may refuse to drive the newer car that we have, and continue with the purchase.
3 - Let her purchase the car and hope that we can swing it. Putting numbers to paper, it does not look good. The insurance payment will also go up.
4 - Call her father and explain why I made the switch (primary reason was to make it more difficult for her to visit her out-of-town boyfriend). Then hope that FIL stands up to her (remember, she told him about the affair, but lied and to him, telling him it was over).
I would love to hear some advice. I am leaning toward #2. Condor, care to weigh in?
