Should we buy the car or give her the money?

Did she know about the trust fund?

Does she have need for a car whilst at uni? Is she planning to use it there or keep it at yours for when she’s home? If at uni, is it possible to park it without needing an expensive permit? Will it be better to keep the money for a car for after uni, and let the money keep increasing until then

Yes, you should absolutely avoid her wasting away the money on stupid temu purchases (although of course it’s her money to do as she pleases, but that would be extremely ridiculous and wasteful on her part!). But you absolutely cannot just spend her money for her, buy a car, present it as a gift with a bow on, then ask her to reimburse you. If she needs a car now you can discuss with her if she would like that car and would like you to advance her the money until she can repay it when she can access the trust fund. She needs to be involved in this decision.

No you cant buy it put a bow on it surprise her then say you owe us 1.5k! If you want to do that you buy it.

But it’s not a gift!
she would be paying for it with her money.
ask her ??

Does she have any money in her government trust fund also ?

Whilst that's all nice and grand it's not really a gift if she has to reimburse you when she gets access to the money so this isn't about you but her.

The whole point is the car she wants is available now so either you buy it for her as a gift with no expectations of being reimbursed, or ask her if she wants it so you can pay now and she agrees to give you back the money once she gets access or she can decide to wait and find one herself when she gets the money.

Another one who thinks it’s really odd that you want to present this as a gift when it’s not at all

Unless you speak to her prior it is not for you to spend her money. It's hers!!

Putting a bow on something that she is paying for? I think you've lost the plot

What sort of car can you get for £1500. Is it road worthy?

What if she doesn't pass her test OP? It could be months before she can get another test appointment. As some pp have said, some Uni halls don't allow cars for 1st year students (mine didn't but DD's did). Did you get the insurance quotes based on the car being at Uni? It does make quite a difference we found.

A £1500 car is likely to need expensive repair work.

Why does she need a car? Are you aware of the financial aspects of a car on an 18 year old?

I don’t get why you’d pop a bow on it as a surprise if she’s paying for it anyway? It’s not a gift?

You may as well just gift her the car and say its on us, then let her use the 2 grand for future insurance and cost.

If it’s a trust fund in her name then it is her money to do with whatever she chooses- you can’t spend £1500 then ask her for it. It would also be disingenuous to buy it, wrap it as a gift and THEN ask her for the money.

This wouldn't be a present no matter how you frame it, it's her money with very little left over for her to spend as she pleases. Such a shame there's no way of actually buying it for her and her still having savings.

Also it's likely that a car at that price will have things go wrong with it so who pays for repairs, MOTS and servicing and road tax?

Ah good point.

I would tell her you are advancing her £1500 if she wants to buy the car, which she can pay back when she turns 18 and accesses her money.

Won’t she need the £500 for car costs like insurance?

Presumably she’s the only one who can access it but needs to be 18 to do so.

No, I would not buy her a car with her own money and pretend it’s a present.

If she is planning on going to uni I honestly would think about whether she needs a car now. Neither of my DCs could take a car to halls in the first year unless they paid a huge amount for a permit and even then priority was given to disabled students.
DS passed his test just before his 18th birthday and was given a car. It cost him so much to insure he ended up SORNing it when he went to uni.
If she does get the car she will need the extra £500 for tax, servicing, mot etc anyway.

So my dd turns 18 next month, her driving test is 2 days before her birthday. She has a trust fund with 2 grand that was set aside in the hope she buys a car with it, but only she can access it.

Do you mean only you and DH can access it?

Else why can't she withdraw £1500 and buy the car?

If only she can access the money then it's up to her, and only her.

Yes buying it and wrapping it with a bow would be lovely.

However you don't intend to buy her it. You want to spend her money on it, without permission, and dress it up as a gift. What are you actually giving her, a tank of petrol and a bow?

DS went to Uni at 20, he sold his car and put the money in savings ready to buy one when he graduates.

Just buy the car out of your own money if you want to surprise her with it

The bow etc is what you would do if you’re giving her the car as a gift. You can’t do the grand gesture of surprising her with a car and then saying “oh btw we’re going to take £1500 out your trust fund for it”!