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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:
Bettysnow · 17/01/2022 13:04

When it comes to selling the car he should not be keeping all the money! You should be getting back the percentage you have paid in accordance with current value.
If he does not want to sell the car you are still rightfully owed a percentage again dependant on what you have paid and the cars current value.
If nothing was legally agreed then sadly he doesn't have to give you anything.
Sounds like your partner is taking advantage of your kind nature? Stand up for yourself and stop giving this man your money. He sounds very mean and greedy

Justme49 · 17/01/2022 13:04

@purpleboy

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?

Yes that would be correct.
OP posts:
Justme49 · 17/01/2022 13:06

Yes that is correct

OP posts:
Kennykenkencat · 17/01/2022 13:06

@Pinkdelight3

*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.

But op hasn’t paid just £2.5k of payments. Tax, MOT, repairs, insurance all add up to keep a car she will never own on the road

One thing paying for tax and insurance with a lease car where you are driving a brand new car that is covered under warranty for repairs and with all the safety features newer cars have the insurance is less (it was cheaper to insure dd on my top of the range saloon car than dhs old hatchback) and the vehicle tax can also be less.
Quite another keep paying out for a car that is past it’s prime and knowing something big is going to go. Perfectly sensible to get rid and get a newer car. Especially if there isn’t going to be any financial reward at the end.

NewMessageFrom · 17/01/2022 13:08

@Justme49

Yes that is correct
how much was car at purchase price how much is maintenance how much is fuel (for shared journeys) how much is insurance

how much do you pay monthly (split out)
how much does partner pay?

CurtainTroubles · 17/01/2022 13:10

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the user's request

GrandDuchessRomanov · 17/01/2022 13:12

So what was said when he first agreed to take out the finance for you regarding what would happen when the car needed to be sold/traded in?

Presumably you did have that discussion before you entered into this agreement?

HippyMoon · 17/01/2022 13:12

Sorry, let me get this straight:

You have paid for all repairs of the car, allowing him to pay nothing towards upkeep.

You've been paying off the car despite it being paid off, and you'll get nothing when he sells it, but he expects payments for another two years... even though you've paid for all upkeep?!

You're a mug and he's a twat.

gettingolderandgrumpy · 17/01/2022 13:16

@HippyMoon

Sorry, let me get this straight:

You have paid for all repairs of the car, allowing him to pay nothing towards upkeep.

You've been paying off the car despite it being paid off, and you'll get nothing when he sells it, but he expects payments for another two years... even though you've paid for all upkeep?!

You're a mug and he's a twat.

This, come on op !!
girlmom21 · 17/01/2022 13:20

But op hasn’t paid just £2.5k of payments. Tax, MOT, repairs, insurance all add up to keep a car she will never own on the road

But she'd be paying tax, MOT, repairs and insurance on her own car. There's no point arguing about that money because they don't contribute to ownership.

Mumski45 · 17/01/2022 13:21

@Kennykenkencat I don't think it matters that she paid the upkeep for a car she will never own. She has had full use of the car and therefore is liable for the upkeep. These costs are irrelevant when considering how much she owes her DP which seems to be purely about ownership. Using the figures given in the example below if DP has paid out £10k and she has paid out £2.5k then she owes him £7.5k. If the car is sold for £8k then he gets his £7.5k back and she gets £500 for her deposit. It really depends on the actual numbers and it's possible that she still owes him more than the car is now worth.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 17/01/2022 13:24

But op hasn’t paid just £2.5k of payments. Tax, MOT, repairs, insurance all add up to keep a car she will never own on the road

To be fair, they are the costs of using a car, which are distinct from the costs of owning a car that somebody else has the benefit of.

Also, have figures been mentioned when DP says that the balance is his? Is he expecting the final value, after all of the depreciation, to only equal the money he has put towards, effectively, somebody else's car?

That said, it doesn't sound like there's an awful lot of love, care or consideration of the sort you'd naturally expect between DPs in this whole scenario.

Mumski45 · 17/01/2022 13:25

@HippyMoon and @gettingolderandgrumpy but this is not a shared car. It is in essence her car which he has bought on her behalf and allowed her to repay him over a longer period of time than the finance agreement so she still owes him for the purchase of the car.

She pays all the upkeep because she is the user of the car. I presume he has his own car (although correct me if I'm wrong here @Justme49)

Boatingforthestars · 17/01/2022 13:25

@Pinkdelight3

*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.

Op would be entitled to 2k back. The car was 10k 5k each Op payed 2.5k so half of her half

Depreciation cost them both 1k each
Meaning they both had 4k in the car, remember Op only payed half her share.

After depreciation OPs full share would be 4k, but she only payed half so would be entitled to half the money back... 2k

If she wanted to be completely fair and take her full hit on the depreciation she would get 1.5k

girlmom21 · 17/01/2022 13:26

[quote Mumski45]**@HippyMoon* and @gettingolderandgrumpy* but this is not a shared car. It is in essence her car which he has bought on her behalf and allowed her to repay him over a longer period of time than the finance agreement so she still owes him for the purchase of the car.

She pays all the upkeep because she is the user of the car. I presume he has his own car (although correct me if I'm wrong here @Justme49)[/quote]
And he's only actually expecting half of the value - so he's paying half towards a car he hardly uses.

I do see his point.

AryaStarkWolf · 17/01/2022 13:30

If you're the main user then buy your own car, crazy set up otherwise

Mumski45 · 17/01/2022 13:32

@Boatingforthestars have I missed something here. Has the OP said that this is a shared car which they agreed to pay 50:50 for. This is not my understanding from the OPs posts. I have answered based on the fact she is the sole user of the car and initially agreed to repay DP all the ownership costs over a longer period than the finance agreement.

Chewbecca · 17/01/2022 13:42

So is the plan to get rid of the current car and replace it?

Or are you looking to buy a 2nd car?

This should be a joint decision, first for the need, then you can discuss how it will be paid for.

girlmom21 · 17/01/2022 13:42

[quote Mumski45]@Boatingforthestars have I missed something here. Has the OP said that this is a shared car which they agreed to pay 50:50 for. This is not my understanding from the OPs posts. I have answered based on the fact she is the sole user of the car and initially agreed to repay DP all the ownership costs over a longer period than the finance agreement.[/quote]
I understand he's saying his paid off the value and she needs to continue paying for the next two years to pay off her half.

But I see why you're saying that she needs to pay back as much as he's paid from the way she's worded it.

Katyrosebug · 17/01/2022 13:46

This is a wind up surely

godmum56 · 17/01/2022 13:47

I am always a bit gobsmacked to see these money disputes between "loving" couples...

sanbeiji · 17/01/2022 13:48

our opening post was deliberately disingenuous. You called it ‘his car’ repeatedly when it’s actually ‘yours’. But in his name.

It’s hard to tell whether he’s deliberately being unsympathetic or annoyed at your financial choices. Is he unkind in other ways?

Mirw · 17/01/2022 13:49

Stop paying the monthly bit... Either it is your car, where you pay all the running costs. Or it is his car and he is taking the p*. Tell him he can take over the maintenance because you need your money to pay for YOUR car. If he doesn't like it, he should take you to court. He will change his tune or bugger off!!

sillysmiles · 17/01/2022 13:49

If you are the main user why didn't you buy a car in your own name that you could afford?

If it was meant to be a joint car then why isn't it in your name too?

And if the car is just paid off, why are you looking to change it? Or were you thinking of buying a second car that was just yours and leaving this one to him?

I'm not sure I understand the set up to be honest.

User574773662 · 17/01/2022 13:50

.