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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Car payments

168 replies

Justme49 · 17/01/2022 10:56

My partner bought a new car two years ago and I've contributed monthly to it. He has paid the car off but I still contribute my monthly payment.
I have suggested I might like to get a newer car now. Either trade in current car or I'm happy to go it alone and get my own car in my own name.
He said you won't have a deposit though and I said I would be looking for a percentage of the monthly payments I have made. He went nuts and cannot see that I have contributed to his car and continue to do so.
The question is, am I right or wrong in thinking I am entitled to something back from the proceeds of sale.
Thanks for reading.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 17/01/2022 11:34

You clearly cannot afford a newer car than the one you are borrowing off your partner.

MsJaneAusten · 17/01/2022 11:34

How much was the car and how much are you paying each month?

Dinoboymama · 17/01/2022 11:36

@CurtainTroubles

So he thinks you have two more years of payments to effectively pay him back for his payments? So he basically loaned you the money to buy a car that you are the main user of. Except the car is in his name and not yours. This is insane OP. Why didn’t you clarify what the arrangement was before he bought the car?

Also, trading in a car that you’ve only had for two years is crazy. You don’t have enough money to pay 12 months road tax but you do have the money to trade the car in and buy another?

None of this makes any sense.

Depending on the car it might be more beneficial to sell now if you want a smaller car etc . We just sold a car for 3k more than we bought it 2 years ago as prices have shot up.
Justme49 · 17/01/2022 11:41

@GaiusHelenMohiam

Ok looking at it from the point of view that he fronted your 50% of a shared car then I understand the payments.

You now own whatever percentage you’ve paid of the total cost so when you sell it that money is yours.

So if the car cost 10k and you’ve paid in £2.5k. If you sell it for £8k you are owed £2k. The rest is his.

That is the point I made to him but he is not wearing it. He will still walk away with the lions share which is totally acceptable. Me personally, if it was other way around, I would have stopped taking his money the minute I paid the car off. But we are not all the same....
OP posts:
AlDanvers · 17/01/2022 11:46

This completely different to your op.

Its your car. You are paying him back.
Really the car should be in your name or at least once you paid it off.

But, you haven't paid him back yet but also want him to help buy you another new (to you) car.

So he has been paying the car off for the last few years. One that only you have use of. And you want him to do it again, before you paid him back?

But you also insist you would write off what he owed you, if it was stressed other way round. But you don't sound like you are particularly generous to him here.

NewMessageFrom · 17/01/2022 11:47

How much are you paying as well as maintenance, fuel and tax - can you split it out

girlmom21 · 17/01/2022 11:47

He's taking the piss then. He wants you to pay half the purchase price plus all maintenance but it's 'his' car so he could just sell it whenever he wants - you've lost half the value of a car plus the convenience.

Get a loan and buy your own car. Fuck him off.

BoredZelda · 17/01/2022 11:49

He says I have another 2 years of payments to make to him till I catch up with what he has paid for it.

This sounds nonsense. Is it a family car or is it his car?

Stop paying it.

maya71 · 17/01/2022 11:52

This is very strange. Why didn't you just buy your own car?

I can see the logic if the agreement was to pay half each and you're still repaying that but why would that mean he got all the money from selling it? Surely half should be yours.

Let him keep it, stop paying him and buy your own instead.

Gonnagetgoing · 17/01/2022 11:56

I can't understand why this car isn't yours and is 'his' in name only if you've been paying for it and are still paying for it. It could be in joint names (I think) rather than just his name.

Does he use it e.g. at weekends/evenings and with you?

Do you have kids?

Kennykenkencat · 17/01/2022 11:58

@peachgreen

So actually he's bought you a car, you're paying him back, and now you want him to buy you a nicer car?

Hmm

I think it isn’t about getting a nicer car bit one that doesn’t have the repair bills attached
purpleboy · 17/01/2022 12:05

Can I clarify if I've understood this.

You bought a car, in his name only, which you mainly use. He has paid more money towards the car than you, but he want you to end up paying half of the car, that is in his name and he would retain 100% of the value when it's sold?

BarbaraofSeville · 17/01/2022 12:08

OP it's probably a good time to try and get into a position where you don't need to be replacing a car before you've finished paying for it.because you're always going to be struggling with financing cars if you do.

Does the car need to be replaced or do you just want something nicer?

It's OK to have to repair it every once in a while and spending a bit on repairs is likely to be cheaper than buying a whole new car, especially one you have to get finance for.

If you do change your car, you are owed some of the value, because you've paid about a third of it(?) so can you take that money to buy a very small car with good fuel economy and cheap tax and insurance, that you can afford to run?

It's much less stressful than constantly worrying about making car payments or finding money for tax - if you get a car before March 2017 (check exactly when) you can get ones with tax that's only £30 or less, so easy to pay for in one go.

CallmeHendricks · 17/01/2022 12:08

I don't think this is a relationship I would want to be in.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 17/01/2022 12:11

This is just such a bad deal for you. He's effectively forcing you to pay for a car you don't own, don't like and can't afford!

Kennykenkencat · 17/01/2022 12:17

Paying for another 2 years on something you don’t own 50% of is ridiculous.

Your payments to your Dp were the equivalent of renting from him.
Paying for the running and repair costs if you are the sole driver is ok

Now you can see that the car isn’t going to make it another 2 years without some big repair it makes financial sense get rid and get something else.

What would happen if you just stopped using the car and bought your own car. In effect left it up to your Dp to deal with.

GaiusHelenMohiam
Ok looking at it from the point of view that he fronted your 50% of a shared car then I understand the payments

You now own whatever percentage you’ve paid of the total cost so when you sell it that money is yours

So if the car cost 10k and you’ve paid in £2.5k. If you sell it for £8k you are owed £2k. The rest is his

Where does it say that op owns anything.
The car is in her dps name only and she isn’t entitled to anything.

By your figures Car cost £10k
Op has paid £2.5k
Car is sold for £8k
Dp gets £8k

Op gets £0

Unless you signed something to say you would pay per month and never have any claim on the car I would just stop paying and go and get your own car
What is he going to do.

Remember cars are depreciating assets so keep an eye on outgoings. We have found a good lease deal is better than buying

littlefireseverywhere · 17/01/2022 12:17

Stop paying for it, get your own car. Most garages don’t need a deposit payment, you just pay higher monthly payments. He sounds a charmer.

SarahBellam · 17/01/2022 12:18

You need to tell him you’re not paying anything more until you become the car’s registered owner along with him, and that you get it in writing that you agree to a 50/50 split of the money when it’s sold, provided you have paid 50%.

Mummyoflittledragon · 17/01/2022 12:21

Dh and I shared money before we were married. Otoh we were young and started off with nothing. This relationship sounds incredibly miserable. It sounds as if you’ve paid enough if it’s 100% his car. Not only does he want to earn more and save more than you, he also wants to profit from his partner, who earns less, which will only increase the disparity.

Do you have children? Do you want children? I would question whether to have them with him. This appears to be a window into the future.

LemonTT · 17/01/2022 12:23

I wouldn’t sign over the car until the OP paid her share. Which she clearly doesn’t want or intend to do.

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/01/2022 12:23

I think you’re being financially abused.

nitsandwormsdodger · 17/01/2022 12:24

In two years time ( assuming his maths is correct).
You will own the car 50 50
Then would be a good time to sell you both get 50 50 profits and I’d suggest you get a car all in your name , all your finance

Or if you really think how’s the right time work out what % of the cars profits are yours now , let’s say 30% and use that as deposit for your own car independently

I’d also question if you want a relationship with someone who is going to conduct financials like this , I’m not sure if he sees a long term future with you , what’s going to happen when you have kids is he going to make give you a loan over maternity leave ?

AlwaysinaFlap · 17/01/2022 12:27

You will have to see your money as if you were leasing the car on a PCP for the past two years.If it was that, you would hand car back and get nothing. If you continue with your partner get a living together statement drawn up as to who pays for what etc. Am I right in thinking you haven't paid 50% of it? What % and value have you paid?

girlmom21 · 17/01/2022 12:29

@LemonTT

I wouldn’t sign over the car until the OP paid her share. Which she clearly doesn’t want or intend to do.
She's happy to carry on paying (god knows why) - it's him who's not willing to share ownership even though she's expected to pay half.
Pinkdelight3 · 17/01/2022 12:30

By your figures Car cost £10k
Op has paid £2.5k
Car is sold for £8k
Dp gets £8k
Op gets £0

I guess his argument would be that she got to be the main user of a car that she couldn't afford for two years. £2.5k isn't a lot for hire of a new car over that amount of time. Not saying he's right, just saying OP is in a bind wanting cars she can't afford and relying on him to finance them when he isn't using them. Wanting a new car after only two years isn't a great sign of OP's financial nous either. Best to extricate from financial entwinements together asap even if it means cutting your losses - and it's not such a loss when you have had the main use of the car, not him, and you've learnt a valuable something about yourself and about him. Get a car you can afford in your own name next time.