Should I pay for these car repairs?

[CarDilemmaEmma]

I don't drive as have been unable to afford to learn due to a combination of ill health and circumstances beyond my control. I'm a single mum on benefits. Mum is widowed and does drive and has a car. I bought the car a few years back as she couldn't afford it. I pay half the insurance as it makes it cheaper for her and it was hoped once I'd had a few lessons that I could drive it. This hasn't happened as she doesn't seem keen on letting me even try.
Mum and I go shopping once a week together and she occasionally gives us a lift somewhere if needed or she offers. If she can't then I shop online or get the bus, it's not an issue and I managed just fine when she was unable to drive for a year due to injury.
The rest of the family seem to think she uses the car for me more than herself and that I should pay more towards it. The car needs a few hundred pounds worth of repairs and mum has asked if I can help her pay for them and seems to think I should be paying half of all car costs. I'd say the journeys that are just for my benefit or the children's amount to one a week and are school pick ups if the weather is awful or someone is unwell. I don't rely on her and the car at all.

Should I be paying? She only gets her pension and a small private pension of my late dads. The car is costing over £200 a month when all costs are averaged out.

Is it even worth doing 200 pounds of repairs on the car?

You're a single mother on benefits, you hardly have more money than your widowed mother to be throwing at a car you own but are apparently not allowed to learn to drive in. I'd tell the family members that it might make more sense for everyone to pitch in for the repairs if they're so concerned about your mother having a car, otherwise it might be cheaper for everyone to just scrap it and get by on the bus and internet shopping.

Not a chance. Tell your family members what the deal was and that your mother has welched on her part. If they're that bothered then they can all pitch in.

Also tell them if they have a problem with her giving lifts then they can pick up the payments you make on the car already and you'll use that money for transport.

Do not pay for those repairs.

You bought the car and gave it to her as a gift, it’s up to her to maintain it

I'd tell them it's your car, take it back and sell it if they carry on like that!
Who is the registered keeper?

If you can’t afford it, and don’t need it - sounds like you’re fine to manage without it - then no, don’t pay. Tell Mum and other family that you paid the purchase costs but the car isn’t yours. If Mum can’t afford running costs best to sell it. Or formalise the arrangement by agreeing to pay e.g. £40 a month (£10 a week) to cover half a shopping trip and the odd lift to school.

And stop paying half the insurance! Madness if you can’t actually drive it.

The car is in mum's name. Her old car needed too much spending on it and she couldn't afford the repairs or a new car so I said I'd pay for it.

I've encouraged her to scrap the car as has my sister but she doesn't want to lose her independence or rely on taxis which I understand. She's 80 and I'm not sure how much longer she'll be able to drive for anyway.

The insurance is only £20 a month for me but if I wasn't on the insurance her premium would more than double.

Quick question but how are you on the insurance policy if you can not drive or have a licence? Might be being blonde but that does not make sense

It’s not your responsibility; you’ve helped your mum but if you don’t rely on her for lifts then don’t pay towards it.

I don’t understand why the insurance is cheaper with you on it, if you don’t drive and have a provisional licience? I can understand it being cheaper if you were middle aged woman with years of no claims. I don’t think you should be paying the costs unless your mum is running you around a lot, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The insurance is only £20 a month for me but if I wasn't on the insurance her premium would more than double.

Um - have you checked the paperwork? I’d be very concerned that something is misrepresented somewhere (as with only a provisional licence you shouldn’t be making it cheaper!)

If your mum can not afford to maintain the car then it needs to be sold. Your sister can pay towards it too if necessary. You’re a single mum on benefits - I can’t see how you’re in any way better off than your Mum on a pension.

£200 a month buys a lot of taxi journeys. Many people stop driving at 80. Unless you’re very rural, a car is probably not an essential.

Insurance is often cheaper with a learner driver on. Doesn't make any sense to me either.

Insurance is often cheaper with a learner driver on.

Wow! Thanks gamer. Well, learn something new every day, eh?

I sorted the insurance and yes, it was cheaper with me on it. I got loads of quotes. I don't know how they work it out but was baffled too.

There is a good bus service and most of her journeys are local so wouldn't cost much in a taxi and of course the bus is free with her bus pass as is the train to a certain point.

I'll speak to her she in today and remind her that I paid for the car to start with.

Since my dad died I seem to have taken on a parenting role and I need to step back I think.

When I asked for quotes to add a learner driver to my insurance, I couldn’t with my current policy and I could only take out a policy that would add the learner driver for a limited amount of time,. I’d be interested to know of policies which would make my insurance cheaper with a learner driver?!

We are with more than. Before that general accident.

Thanks @CarDilemmaEmma, will take a look 😊

He'll no. Use that £200 a month for taxis instead! It doesn't sound like you do many trips at all and taxis would likely save you money!!