Money Moral Dilemma: Should I give my brother a better power tool after I broke his?

honestcove

You started off trying to borrow not buy at nil rent.
You ended, with your proposal, buying 2 of them.
Hindsight is always 20/20 but you still might want to take a look at your economic model. 

pollypenny

Should be a dilemma. Your brother's tool needs to be replaced. Hard luck for you that the same one isn't available, so brother gets the upgrade. 

uksnapper

My father taught me to ensure that anything I borrowed was returned in as good if not a better state.
He lived through WW2 and at that time everyone valued what they had.It was not a throw away society like today.
I would be very pleased with myself if I replaced a tool I had broken with a better one, just as would be grateful for someone doing the same for me.
Ive lent people motorcycles, tools, cameras etc over the last few decades, some never returned, many came back damaged or dirty.
Those people never got to borrow anything from me again.

bengalknights

You should always give him Makita or Milwaukee

mancfrank

You should at least replace like for like.  We all know that the tool that's not available is not going to come back (in the times we live now manufacturers are looking to slim down product lines). If you really want to keep the more expensive one then do it.  But replace the old tool immediately, you broke it.  I have a feeling though that there is more to the history here than you have said.

slowcyclist

This reminds me of a time I leant my brother one of my camera lenses and it broke while he had it.  My view was that 'it broke' rather then 'he broke it', and therefore it was just as likely to have broken when I was using it next.  I therefore didn't expect, or  want, any kind of replacement, although my brother still gave me a like-for-like replacement. 

Scott_Chegg_

this reminds me of a time when i borrowed a SDS drill from a mate. When I used it the trigger worked intermittently and the drill would start/stop almost at random. 
I thought I had broken it so at my expense got it repaired (£50) and returned to my mate. A few weeks later he said to me how did you get on with using the drill as it has an intermittent fault

I had to bite my lip to avoid saying something but at least my conscience was clear

Ringo90

A lot of people here is saying he should have the better tool because he has been inconvenienced but is anyone considering that the reason the previous tool broke might not be because the brother was careless, but maybe because it was old and cheap? He already offered to buy an identical NEW one when available, why should it be a more expensive model? He should borrow the expensive one until the other one is available, but asking to just have it for good is greedy. When you rent an apartment and by accident break a 20 years old, cheap chair that belongs to your landlord, do you expect having to buy a brand new and more expensive chair full price?
I think the brother who lent the tool is just trying to take advantage of the situation because he also likes the more expensive model more. If he wants that one it's fine but he should pay at least the difference in the price since he's getting an upgrade.

Section62

Ringo90 said:

He already offered to buy an identical NEW one when available, why should it be a more expensive model?

The key there is "when available".  How long is that going to be, what is the brother expected to do in the meantime?

Also, is the new one really "identical" or is it just the same model number?  Manufacturers usually have a policy of 'continuous product improvement' which invariably means replacing parts of the product with something cheaper (aka 'flimsier') in order to reduce costs.  E.g. The model number may be the same, but it might now have plastic gears rather than metal.

Perhaps the 'more expensive' model is closer to the original item than what is currently available?

Ringo90 said:

He should borrow the expensive one until the other one is available...

Which is what I suggested in my first post.  The OP should 'lend' the new tool to the brother until such time as the OP can find a replacement.  'Lend' could become 'give', depending on the passage of time.

Ringo90 said:

When you rent an apartment and by accident break a 20 years old, cheap chair that belongs to your landlord, do you expect having to buy a brand new and more expensive chair full price?

Not comparable.

Firstly it is a sibling, not a landlord.  Secondly, the landlord is 'lending' you the chair as part of a commercial relationship in which it is expected that some wear and tear/damage will happen and the rent is priced accordingly, the OP was not hiring the tool from the brother.  Thirdly, you imply the tool was old and cheap, but there is no evidence of that.  Rather, the fact the OP suggests an equivalent model is still available is evidence to the contrary regarding age.

LinW13

sparrer said:

It's good of you to offer to find the same model to replace the one you broke. Your brother should be grateful he has such a generous sibling, not everyone has! Re his asking for the more expensive drill as 'compensation' he should take into account he's getting a brand new drill. Surely that's compensation enough?

I agree with the above. Get him the new more expensive drill and point out it is better than the one you borrowed. End of.