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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I can't afford a car then?

266 replies

Rakatakatar · 22/01/2023 11:29

I'm self employed, started my own business domestic cleaning 4 months ago. Has been doing really well, just gone up to 3 days a week.

My car is on its last legs, it has MOT due in March but it isn't worth saving as it's a 2006 model with a heap of problems.

I assumed I'd be able to get finance of some form but nope. Nowhere will accept me, being self employed without 6 months proof of earnings is working against me, plus I have bad credit from years ago.

This morning I decided to suck it up and ask my parents for a loan. They said no 🥴

Anyone been in a similar position? What did you do?
I'm worried that if I can't get a car sorted I won't be able to work and then I'll really be screwed.

OP posts:
DonutsAreNotLunch · 22/01/2023 11:30

would you be eligible for a gov business start up loan and you could buy a small van that you could at least use for work?

aSofaNearYou · 22/01/2023 11:31

Do you have any money to put towards buying a second hand one outright?

AthenaPopodopolous · 22/01/2023 11:31

Bank loan?

Overthebow · 22/01/2023 11:33

It does sound like you can’t afford an expensive car. I’d either fix your car, or buy a cheap second hand car.

TakeABite · 22/01/2023 11:33

Can you apply for a bank loan? If you have online banking you can check now if you would be accepted and what the repayments would be.

When we were really hard up we actually bought a car on a credit card once.
We even had to pay for garage repairs by getting a cash advance on a credit card once because the garage wouldn’t accept a CC payment

Original poster
Rakatakatar · 22/01/2023 11:33

Bank loan is a nope, already tried.

I've looked into start up loans before as could do with some equipment but there was a reason I couldn't proceed, I can't remember what it was.

OP posts:
NEmama · 22/01/2023 11:34

Can you get a lease?

MrsRR1 · 22/01/2023 11:35

Why did your parents say no?

WeepingSomnambulist · 22/01/2023 11:36

How much did you ask your parents for?

What if you went for a cheaper 2nd hand car? Anything that actually works since your car is about to be forced off the road. Would they give you a smaller amount?

It is a bit shit that they said no if they can afford it. Is there a big back story?

Original poster
Rakatakatar · 22/01/2023 11:36

@Overthebow The issue isn't that my car is broken, the issue is that it won't pass an MOT and therefore be road legal. All the electrics have gone wrong in it, all the sensors have gone crazy and the sunroof opens on its own. The cost for an auto electrician is £1000+ the car is worth less than that.

Most I could club together would be about £400 but not sure that's the best use of my money. It would leave me very little to live on (I have 2 DC)

OP posts:
Beamur · 22/01/2023 11:36

Drive it until March.
Save as much as you can between now and then and buy a cheap car outright. Cross fingers you get long enough out of it to save and buy a better one when it conks out.
Your parents might think differently about loaning you a smaller amount of money to top up what you have saved?

Overthebow · 22/01/2023 11:37

How much can you save before the MOT? If you can get £400 together now can you save enough to buy a cheap car by March?

Original poster
Rakatakatar · 22/01/2023 11:38

I get why they said no, they're retired and off travelling. Money tied up in house. I can't force the issue is no point dwelling.

OP posts:
whataboutsecondbreakfast · 22/01/2023 11:38

Do you have a credit card you could use to pay for a cheap run around?

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 22/01/2023 11:38

By march you will have 6 months proof of earnings.

Ask the garage to do whatever it needs to get it through MOT but bare minimum..
I inherited my granny's car and it's similar to you. The local garage said they did what they had to pass MOT but it is so rusty underneath it will not pass next year (and isn't worth saving).
But for now I have a 6-12 months left using the car.
Also, you mention bad credit from years ago...how many years? That should drop off your credit file after 6 years.

WeepingSomnambulist · 22/01/2023 11:38

If you have kids then you're on universal credit? Your council will have a discretionary loan/grant fun. Social fund or something it used to be called.

One of the things on the lists of those are things like furniture or whatever.

You could apply for that. Explain your circumstance, your job as a cleaner and your income and your car is dead. It wont be a huge amount but you could get a few hundred.

Original poster
Rakatakatar · 22/01/2023 11:39

No credit cards anymore. I wouldn't be accepted for one either.

OP posts:
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 22/01/2023 11:40

The electrics thing could be a simple fix. The garage can just plug your car into a tablet and run diagnostics...it may not be very costly at all

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 22/01/2023 11:41

Rakatakatar · 22/01/2023 11:39

No credit cards anymore. I wouldn't be accepted for one either.

Well if it's that bad then banks are right not to lend to you. It's too risky for them.

Just save save save and try and muddle through the cars MOT. Even though the value of the car isn't good, it is worth a lot more to you.
Same for me, I'd struggle without this car even though we do have another. It just makes life much easier.

DonutsAreNotLunch · 22/01/2023 11:42

I’m in universal credit and recently started as self employed. It’s a nightmare because if you try and save up to make any big investments for the business the money that you save counts as income that month so your uc would be reduced accordingly. The only option you have is to get a loan of some kind and pay it back monthly.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 22/01/2023 11:42

Are you totally sure it's going to fail its' MOT?

Turmerictolly · 22/01/2023 11:44

Can you take on more work between now and March? You might be able to cobble together enough for a cheap run around.

There are bargains appearing in London as the mayor is expanding the ULEZ charge to all of outer London therefore diesels and older cars are selling in droves. Not even the car dealers want them. You might be able to pick up a decent small car for 1-2K.

WeepingSomnambulist · 22/01/2023 11:44

DonutsAreNotLunch · 22/01/2023 11:42

I’m in universal credit and recently started as self employed. It’s a nightmare because if you try and save up to make any big investments for the business the money that you save counts as income that month so your uc would be reduced accordingly. The only option you have is to get a loan of some kind and pay it back monthly.

Um, what?

If you make £800 one month and spend £400 then you have £400 saved.
Next month, you make another £800. Are you saying that universal credit will count the £400 leftover from last month as new income? So it is counted twice?

That isnt right.

FredaFox · 22/01/2023 11:45

If you cant get a credit card you won't get a car on finance as they will credit check you regardless of 6 months records self employed
I'd use the car as long as you can and keep adding to your 400 to get a cheap car to tide you over until you can build your credit record up

Original poster
Rakatakatar · 22/01/2023 11:45

RE the MOT, last year it failed so the garage "repaired" all the faults to get it to limp through the MOT and then literally as I was driving it home all the electrical faults came back. When I spoke to the garage they said it needed an auto electrician to look at it which would be costly and in thier words not worth the price of the car.

Do I save all my money for a cheap car or do I save all my money for an auto electrician?

OP posts:
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