Message from friends on vacation, perhaps, after vehicle died (8)
I believe the answer is:
postcard
'message from friends on vacation' is the definition.
'postcard' can be an answer for 'message' (I have seen 'Brief message' mean 'postcard' so perhaps 'message' could also mean 'postcard'). I am not sure about the 'from friends on vacation' bit.
'after vehicle died' is the wordplay.
'after' becomes 'post' (prefix meaning after, eg post-war).
'vehicle' becomes 'car' (car is a kind of vehicle).
'died' becomes 'd' (abbreviation next to the year of someone's death).
'post'+'car'+'d'='POSTCARD'
'perhaps' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for postcard that I've seen before include "Limited communication" , "Holiday missive" , "Holiday greeting" , "Holiday message carrier" , "Where to write" .)