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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:
LCforlife · 22/01/2023 12:18

Sorry, if it's on finance the company will likely insist he's on the insurance. If it's a personal loan then it doesn't matter.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 22/01/2023 12:20

LadyDanburysCane · 22/01/2023 12:15

That’s not true. DH owns our car, the insurance is in his name BUT I am listed as the main driver of the car.

Show quote history

Yes...which is why I said if OP is only going to be a named driver she needs to be careful. If she's going to be the main driver it won't be a problem.

KettrickenSmiled · 22/01/2023 12:20

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.

😂😡

Because this is mumsnet, where everybody has easy access to a grand or 2 to fix their car, or £3 - £5k ready money to throw at a "cheap" car ...

Daisiesunderblueskies · 22/01/2023 12:20

My car is similar sort of age and the electrics have sort of gone (electric windows, mirrors and central locking) but the back windows are wind down and I can lock and unlock everything with my physical key. My windows etc kept opening and closing and locking/unlocking and a mechanic was able to isolate the electrics and just cut them so that those things no longer happened but obviously no longer work.
Not sure if you would be able to have a similar thing for your car but thought I would offer up a suggestion if that’s a possibility and would resolve things happening spontaneously with your electrics without paying to actually have them fixed?
Its a pain but the rest of the car is in pretty good shape. Obviously all the major electrics work (lights, interior lights, wipers and so on, so nothing that affects the drivability of the car). Might be worth a look into.

Devoutspoken · 22/01/2023 12:23

Get a bike and use it as a selling point for those who want a more eco friendly service

VanGoghsDog · 22/01/2023 12:25

To be honest, whether you can get a loan or not, no you can't afford a car.

How do you think you would afford the repayments?

How come your DH has access to credit though? Does he have the funds to pay for your car to be fixed? Can he at least borrow that £1k to fix your car (it only needs patching for the MOT)?

BadNomad · 22/01/2023 12:25

Car owner and keeper are different things. DH can buy the car, then you can be the registered keeper and the main driver. Then when he passes his test, he can go on the insurance as the second driver. It will be cheaper that way.

JudgeRudy · 22/01/2023 12:29

Kennykenkencat · 22/01/2023 12:16

Why would UC know what you spend your money on?

They don’t go through your bank statements. Only when you get over a certain amount of savings does any sort of penalty kick in

Show quote history

I've looked at other responses and my take is now something along these lines ....each month someone puts aside a chunk of their income as savings towards a large purchase. After a while they have a significant lump sum in savings. Their UC is then reduced as they have significant savings. Isn't it £16k? If someone has that in the bank it a bit cheeky saying they can't manage and expecting other folk to pay out.

Abraxan · 22/01/2023 12:31

If you're only going to be a named driver then you can't be the one to drive it the majority of the time, so be careful.

That's more about the insurance though. Just make sure you are insured as the main driver, if that's the case. And that you have business use insured if using the car for work

Your dh can buy the car and you be insured as the main owner though. That's perfectly fine. The person who buys the car doesn't have to be the main driver.

Seymour5 · 22/01/2023 12:31

@GiltEdges I agree, a Credit Union is always worth a try.

WillTimeCome · 22/01/2023 12:31

Hearint stories like this really pisses me off. The OP is trying to make a success of herself and do the right thing and doors are being shut in their face. The amount of COVID fraud and waste that isn't being followed up and yet we have someone here who is trying to make something. I've not read all the replies OP, but there are places out there that can offer cars for people with low credit ratings. Have you tried this avenue?

Duttercup · 22/01/2023 12:33

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.

Spending money on older cars is a balancing act. If £400 would keep your car going for another year or two, then in your circumstances, it would be worth it even if your car isn't worth much more.

I spent £600 on a service for my £1000 car which has kept it going for 2 years so the garage would say it wasn't worth it for the price of the car, but it made sense for me.

Namechangethisonetime · 22/01/2023 12:33

You buy a cheap second hand car. Plenty about.

LabiaMinoraPissusFlapus · 22/01/2023 12:34

I have hired a car before. Can you work more some days and hire a car for those days, in the short term? It was cheaper than I thought it would be.

LadyOfTheFliessssss · 22/01/2023 12:35

I have appalling credit. I've always bought second hand cars for around the £2k mark. I had one lemon but otherwise they've all been pretty reliable. And a couple of hundred here and there on repairs is a lot cheaper than paying finance every month

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 22/01/2023 12:35

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?

Can you ask on anlocal noticeboard and ask kf aby friends /neighbours are able to help? Either cheaper mechanics... Or a cheap car coming up locally?

Sotiredmjmmy · 22/01/2023 12:39

Could you get £1200-1400 ish together by time the mot runs out? That should get you a car outright that has 10-12 months mot and maybe do that year to year until you are better off financially. Not all cheap cars are bad, I’ve had new cars that cost thousands and on finance etc with far more issues than the old runaround I’ve just sold for £1400 that had full mot and recent service

LakieLady · 22/01/2023 12:39

Why would UC know what you spend your money on?

Because the OP is self-employed, she will have to submit accounts each month showing her business income and expenses.

The good news is that the costs of running the car will be offset against her earnings, so her UC will be higher in months when her expenses are high.

VanGoghsDog · 22/01/2023 12:42

Sotiredmjmmy · 22/01/2023 12:39

Could you get £1200-1400 ish together by time the mot runs out? That should get you a car outright that has 10-12 months mot and maybe do that year to year until you are better off financially. Not all cheap cars are bad, I’ve had new cars that cost thousands and on finance etc with far more issues than the old runaround I’ve just sold for £1400 that had full mot and recent service

She's already said she can only get £400.

Geekydeaky · 22/01/2023 12:43

Get your partner to take out the loan if he's been approved and you get insured on it as the main driver. We've done this for our new car because I'm currently on Mat leave and then won't be returning to work due to childcare. My partner is a high earner and has his works van. As long as you're insured to drive it properly it's fine!

Gingersay · 22/01/2023 12:44

We have 2 cars on finance both in DH name no reason other than I hate car shopping. One is insured in his name and one in mine absolutely no issues.
I don't understand why you didn't ask your DH before asking your parents.

pattihews · 22/01/2023 12:49

Haven't had time to read through all the previous messages so this may have already been said.

You're going to have to go out and get a job, OP. A job, with a pension and NI paid etc. A couple of years of working and you'll have built up a decent credit record and have saved enough to buy a vehicle and will be able to start a business again if you want to.

You need money to start a business: there are all kinds of expenses involved and trying to start one that's dependant on a vehicle when you have a bad credit record and can't borrow is unlikely to work. Have you got business insurance for the day you use the wrong cleaning product at a client's house and damage their induction hob or drop their Le Creuset casserole dish on their tiled floor and break both? If you decide to put yourself on your husband's insurance you'll need to make sure that the insurance company knows that you're using the car regularly for business purposes. Otherwise you'll invalidate the whole policy.

I know I sound harsh and unhelpful, but in your situation getting into debt in order to finance a business that doesn't exactly sound as if it's thriving seems very risky. Get a job.

WestwardHo1 · 22/01/2023 12:49

When I needed a loan years ago and was self employed I very easily got one from Tesco's bank. Have you looked into supermarket loans?

WestwardHo1 · 22/01/2023 12:50

Though that was when you could get an ok second hand car for a few grand.

saleorbouy · 22/01/2023 12:53

Save up as much as you can between now and then. Make sure you claim back the unused months on the tax and insurance premiums you have paid.
Get a cheap run about and save the money you'd use in payments on a car loan to buy something outright.