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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

car sharing

11 replies

bejeezus · 27/07/2011 17:30

its not really an AIBU but I didnt know where to post....

I own a car which I struggle to finance. I use it mainly for going away at the weekends and I would rather not be without it. I am considering asking a friend who is carless if she would lke to car-share.

What do you think would be a fair arrangement. Can I ask for 50% of all the costs? Tax/ MOT/services/ insurance and any fixings that go on?

Is this unfair seeing as the car will still be my property?

OP posts:

QueenStromba · 27/07/2011 17:50

I reckon half the tax, MOT and insurance cost would be fair and maybe 25% of the cost of repairs unless one of you do something to damage the car in which case the person responsible pays.

rogersmellyonthetelly · 27/07/2011 17:54

If it's any help, I used to share a horse box with a friend. I payed 50% of mot, tax, and any routine maintenance eg service etc. and also helped to paint it and fix it when needed. In exchange I got use of the box when I wanted it, and the agreement with fuel was that it went out with a full tank of fuel, and came back with one, so I used to call in at petrol station round the corner on my way home from a show and top the tank back up to full. If we went anywhere together, we split the fuel 50/50.
It was a perfect solution, we both got the use of a horse box that neither of us would have been able to afford otherwise.
With a car, things might be difficult with the fuel, especially if you have alternate days.

Original poster

bejeezus · 27/07/2011 20:25

thanks for your replies

I think the fuel thing would be ok. neither of us would use it in the week much I dont think

I do forsee potential problems with divvying up the weekend/holiday time. And me being possesive over the car!! I want it parked outside MY house!

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 27/07/2011 20:29

So basically it would still be in your possession, and she would have to fit in around your plans, but still pay half the running costs...

Ermmm it aint going to work!

Original poster

bejeezus · 27/07/2011 20:31

lol squeakytoy i know I have some detaching to do before I suggest it to her!

but what do you think of 50/50 costs once Ive gotten over myself?

OP posts:

TidyDancer · 27/07/2011 20:33

I don't see this working. You're going to want it and use it when you want and she will likely have to fit in around you. If that is the case, then perhaps a 70/30 split on costs and paying for your own petrol would be fairer.

Original poster

bejeezus · 27/07/2011 20:48

hmmm...70/30...that would be tricky to divide up the time wouldnt it? If its 50/50 (and I make my peace with it!) at least we can say alternate weeks.

I HAVE to get un-possesive because my alternative to this is selling the car

(In reality I arent a control freak and she is a good friend, that would tell me off if I started to display signs of being one . Its just that it has been my car for a couple of years, so it would take some getting used to)

OP posts:

TidyDancer · 27/07/2011 20:50

Why don't you sell the car and ask her if she wants to go 50/50 on a new one? Therefore it will be a shared car from the very start.

I just don't see you being able to make this work I'm afraid.

zipzap · 27/07/2011 20:56

Haven't there been some news articles recently about car rental schemes where you get to rent out your car when you don't need it, some people were making reasonable money out of it, especially for things like estates or 4x4s that people want the benefits of occasionally but don't need all the time.

Sort of along the lines of the people that rent out their driveways during the day when they are not using them!

Sorry can't remember the exact name of the service but google rent my car and there are several different sites both in the uk and abroad.

Might be worth checking out as an alternative or additional way to make money from your car!

Original poster

bejeezus · 27/07/2011 21:43

great- thanks ZIpzap!

Just been looking at WhipCar.com

it may be my perfect solution

OP posts:

DeWe · 27/07/2011 22:28

If it's almost entirely weekends, you could offer it as an option to her with her getting priority on weekdays, and you at weekends. You'd need to discuss things like bank holidays/Christmas etc as separate things. I'd have thought that might work if she was happy with that. If the things you do at weekends are flexible, you could have some sort of 4 weekends a year/1 weekend a month she can definitely have and same for you with the weekdays.

If you using "mostly" at the weekends really is plus on Mondays you want to shop, on Thursdays you need it for half an hour to do ??? and every other week you have a hospital appointment, plus dentist, hairdressing etc. then it's not going to work.

I'd approach her, with the attitude if she thinks it's a good offer then it could work. I'd want to find out when she would want to use it before it became a full agreement though.

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