To accept this money?

[LastGoodbye]

My cars been playing up and I could really do with something newer. Me and Dd have just moved house, so don't have loads in savings at the moment but can afford to be putting some away each month.
I get on ok with Dd’s dad and I’d asked him about my car, he knows cars and said he thinks I’m best trading in now.
I don’t have enough to buy out right so was considering finance but he’s said he’ll lend me the money and just give me a bit less in maintenance while I pay it back. He pays more than he should anyway and said if I’m struggling I can always say and he won’t reduce that month.

It will save me money as no interest and I’m not sure I’d even get finance as I only work part time. But he is my ex and when I mentioned it to a friend who said “no way, should I borrow from him and that he will in effect own my car”. But he’s also Dd’s Dad and me having a reliable car effects her.

But now I’m not sure if I’m unreasonable to say yes and if he only offered because he’s DD’s Dad and feels he should.

I think I need to go have a good look at some cars and see what’s available. I do need three seats in the back though and I’ve currently got a corsa and don’t think I can manage with smaller than that, same size will be fine though.

I just really don’t have a clue, don’t know how much mileage is good or not, nothing really and neither do my parents. My ex knows and I trust him, so it seeems logical I’d ask him for help.

The thing is that because of your daughter you will be linked to him forever. And though he might have deserved the separation, he sounds like a decent bloke. If there was violence or manipulation involved, I'd say don't touch it with a bargepole, but otherwise I would take up his offer - it's in his interest that his child is transported safely.

Would having something in writing protect me at all or only him? Just he’s saying not to bother, he’ll just transfer me the cash. Seen as what he gives me extra is optional, really he’s just giving me the money. Personally I think csa amounts are quite low and they don’t take account of occasional overtime so I don’t feel bad that he gives me more than they say.

Get a Honda jazz. They are sooooo reliable, literally never go wrong

Does Honda jazz have 2 or 3 seats in the back?

Where are people finding these cheap small cars? I’ve been looking all morning and I’m really struggling, everything around 1-3 years old is ££££ even a lot of older cars are. Are the cheaper ones only the city car types? I really need bigger than that and definitely need 3 proper seats in the back.
What are good reliable small cars?

Is there a car section on here?

You need to accept that you can't afford a 1-3 year old car.

It's completely unnecessary. But something within budget.

But I have a 6 year old car with low mileage higgyyellow and it’s not reliable. So there’s no point buying another of that age is there? Or have I just not got lucky with this one?

Can you get ex to help you pick the car due to his experience, but either get one within your own budget, or take out finance for the extra ?

Oh and 6 year old car should be working fine. My previous ford focus was 11 years old when it became uneconomical to repair. What’s wrong with the car - could be that you’ve been through a bad patch and now won’t need any work for a long time , or it could be a lemon.

You can buy a reliable car on auto trader for 3k easily. My car only cost 2.5k and it's 2011 and a really brilliant family car.

You don't need a loan from anyone!

But I have a 6 year old car with low mileage higgyyellow and it’s not reliable.

That doesn't mean ALL 6 year old cars are not reliable. There are a lot of factors involved. You need to get some car advice rather than just throwing more money at something else. Depending on what you have had done to your existing car it may not need any work done for a while. What has been wrong with it?

I think you have been extremely unlucky to have had a 6 year old car with low mileage that has had a lot of problems. If this is affecting your decision then I would be rest assured that this is not the norm. I have an 09 Nissan Note that I hammer on mileage that has never had any problems apart from usual wear and tear stuff such as new tyres. Have also had a Honda Jazz as mentioned above which was a great car and yes, fits 3 in the back with plenty of boot space

What was wrong with it, OP? When it broke down, how much did you need to spend to fix, and how much else have you spent on it in the last few years? It’s hard to say if it’s unreliable from what you’ve said - why did your ex’s friend think it might go wrong again?

If you can afford £200pcm repayment then you can look at PCP deals etc on new cars, which will give you reliability, and if you’re not confident with repairs etc then it takes all that worry off you.

What problems have you had with the car OP?

It’s odd and the same problem really, but not sure exactly what’s wrong with it. It started with it juddering at gear changes and generally being sluggish, had it looked it and found nothing wrong but it had a full services and something about stuff building up in the petrol tank, said to use better petrol which I now do. It was better for a while then started again, this time just completely losing power on a hill, and then stopping. Had to call breakdown and they took it to a garage and they said it was just spark plugs, so changed them and it was ok again for a while. It’s now started doing the same thing again. Ex has been driving it for a bit so he can see when it’s worse and stuff and his friends looked and driven it, they agree it does it but when looking at it nothing looks wrong. His friend’s got it now and he’s going to have a good look over it. But he suggested I’m probably best just getting rid.

Why do you need such a large card for you and your DD?

I think now I’m just anxious and will worry about a older car though. My first car the gears just went at a roundabout and that was older but low mileage and a supposedly very reliable car.

My ex did suggest a brand new one on those rental schemes, that’s what he does because he likes a nice car and just keeps it three years.
I think it seems like a waste of money really, but I’m not ‘into’ cars at all, just want something reliable. He did say he could just pay that each month if I wanted or up what he pays in maintenance to cover it.

If you have 3k then shop around for a 0% finance. Tell the garage you want 0% finance and walk if youn don't get it.

I don’t need large, I’m looking at small cars Random. But I pick up and collect two other children sometimes so need to fit three seats in the back. Plus have country lanes and motorways everyday so do want a car that can ‘go’.

It's a loan. Get it in writing with the monthly payments and a small interest element and view it as a business proposition. Then don't feel guilty. It's in his interests to transport his dd safely.

I would borrow 2k off him and buy a car for 5k outright.

£8000 on a car! Absolutely stupid, unless you have tons of cash. I have a lovely car. It cost £2,200. DH runabout is only worth about £1,200 and is totally reliable.

You are being unrealistic to think you can trade in a car that's not running properly and get a decent amount. You say the £3k you have includes the money you expect to get for your car, but you are going to get bottom price on a defective trade in.

I think you need to get away from the idea that old equals problems and nearly new is perfect. It doesn't work like that.

What will I realistically get for £5000? I’ve been looking and everything I see in that bracket is similar age to my current car and same if not more (a lot more in some cases) miles.

Or am I looking in the wrong places (big dealers used cars)