Buying a car as a single mum

[Joyful26]

Has anyone done this? I’m sure most single mums will have done at some point.

It’s crazy how hard it feels.

it really feels the one decision I would delegate to a man.

I have £12k to spend. I really don’t know if I should just look for a car at that price and buy it. Or if I should consider car finance and pay monthly for something?

is the benefit of paying monthly that you then get a newer model and can trade it back to them if there are any problems?

I get the benefit of paying outright is that I’ll presumably pay less overall. But then I’ve got an aging car which will limp along year after year like the one I’ve currently got.

i suppose the thought of a newer car which I can hand back and upgrade if there are problems sounds good. Have I got that right though? Presumably I’d still need to get it serviced every year and pay for repairs myself?

"it really feels the one decision I would delegate to a man."

Why?

You haven't raised one point in your post that requires male input or guidance.

I know I actually regret writing that as I know I’d feel they made the wrong decision no matter what!

I know what you mean. I went into garages and felt like they were all trying to take advantage of me. Luckily I am quite technical so wouldn’t let them!

Write a list of what you want in a car. Have a look at auto trader and choose something that’s nearby that you can go and test drive and make sure you get some sort of warranty in case something breaks. I found using a local garage great as they got to know me and ended up being super helpful.

The problem with buying a car on finance is you may never actually own it and there are quite often a maximum amount of miles you can drive each year without being penalised.

how are your finances? Can you foresee any changes that may make paying the loan unaffordable in the future?

the 1st step would be to organise some test drives to figure out what kind of car you need.

Eh? I’ve always bought my own cars.

My 21 year old daughter has recently chosen and bought her first car.

No males were consulted in the decisions.

I'm the same OP, never bought one before on my own and felt quite nervous about it. I bought a second hand one online, checked out dealer reviews, bought a vehicle history check, looked up MOT history, got it delivered and used the 14 day distance selling regs to get it properly checked out by my mechanic.

I wouldn't do a payment plan as don't want the debt and had a similar amount of cash as you to buy a decent 2nd hand car.

Search the MOT history online. If the car flies through historic MOTs it will have been looked after. If there’s always advisories for tyres, brakes etc, then it only sees a garage once a year and drives by the grace of god the rest.
Make sure it has a service history in line with the manufacturer guidelines.
don’t spend the full budget, save some for repairs

check reviews of the place you buy from
get the AA or RAC/local trimester garage to do a check if in doubt.
google if the car model and engine are reliable e.g ford focus 1.6tdci 2005 common problems.

get over the idea of delegating jobs to men.

That’s really helpful thank you.
I’ve seen one on cinch.Co.uk but I don’t know how I will be able to test drive it.

I know I’m triggering people by sounding so rubbish, but I really will feel so intimidated going into dealerships by myself, and will feel sad and lonely that I don’t have anyone to come with me.

in terms of finance or buying outright, I suppose I’m tempted to buy outright, but are there benefits that I’ll miss out on if I don’t buy it on finance?

am I right in thinking I can hand it back or upgrade? Or is that just if it’s a new car?

Why would you need a man to buy your car for you? DH has never been with me to choose a new car - I’m as capable as him in researching what would be the best car

how do lesbians buy cars without husbands? Perhaps there’s a gap in them market for a husband loaner service so lesbians can finally own cars

Come on OP - feeling intimidated is one thing and natural given you are going to part with so much money.

Your 1950’s views of needing a man to help you make a purchasing decision sets us back once again.

You are a grown woman with a child. Research and figure it out! Do you think there is some secret class for men on how to buy cars???!!!???

You can't just 'hand back the car if there are problems' when using finance. I haven't had a car on finance for a long time because there were restrictions like having to have it serviced at the (shit) main dealer and restrictions on the annual mileage. I bought my current car outright just as it turned 3. It has been serviced by a local independent garage and is now 13 years old. It's had some big bills (broke a front spring thanks to a huge pothole which I didn't see in the dark in torrential rain) and had a new cam belt when it was 10. It is looked after well and has many years left in it because of that. I did buy it from a main dealer - it had been part exchanged by someone who wanted a bigger car.

Have a look at dealerships who are selling off their demonstrator cars. My previous car was an ex demo - it had done 10,000 miles but was top spec as they wanted to show off all the (expensive) upgrades. I drove it for 10 years and got a great deal when I traded it in as part of the deal for my current car. Just decide what you'd like, test drive a few and then buy one you are happy with.

I’m a single mum but it’s not relevant to buying a car so put that to one side. You have 12k to spend on a car, so buy one, you don’t need finance. I’m sure there’s a check you can have done from the RAC or something where they will come and look over the car you are considering buying

https://www.theaa.com/vehicle-inspection/?source=Google&ito=87770&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23636538702&gbraid=0AAAAADxgY1c2P_aOQpK4qlaMm1lV9B_GM&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImsqop7zjlAMVPZxQBh28EwVcEAAYASAAEgLEPPD_BwE

sorry for the ugly link, but this could be worth a look, they might even send a man to do it.

I am more interested in cars than DH so have always done the research and choosing on cars myself, for both of us! So I don't get the single mum thing. Anyway.

First I choose the sort of car I want and what's important to me. There are questionnaires online that help with this. What size of vehicle, boot size, auto / manual, fuel type, running costs etc. then I look at the cost of those cars compared to my budget. Then look at trims and what is important to me (cameras for e.g.). I read reviews on the shortlisted cars and models. Then I finally know what I am looking for and start looking on Auto trader which has a helpful guide to whether something is overpriced or not. I then visit the car or cars and test drive & decide.

With £12k I would choose to buy outright, I am not a fan of car debt.

Keep posting, or start a new thread with your requirements or to seek views on your shortlisted cars if helpful, there's so many people on here someone has experience of every car!

I sympathise, OP. It took me ages to upgrade the car. It felt like a big, intimidating decision. Also paid in cash (hard earned savings).
I didn't use finance because I didn't want to worry about staying within set miles per year, or minor scrapes etc. Paying 'once and done' felt easier.

I did put a small amount of the purchase on a credit card so that I could get the statutory protections that came with it if e.g the car was faulty.

I bought from a well known dealer rather than local dealer or private owner to try and minimise risks of buying nearly new.

Crucially, I didn't buy under pressure. I gave myself plenty of time to test drive cars to understand what was important to me, and learned alot through that process.

I also think dealers try harder if they know you are relaxed / can take it or leave it.

When I chose a car, I used chat gpt to help me negotiate, and manage the exchange process.

Good luck with the purchase.

I get not having someone to consult about it. I have DH but when buying a car recently we discussed a lot of it, I wanted him to see it and agree it was the right car to buy etc. If you can I would buy from a main dealer because they usually verify the history and will give you a warranty for a period of time. But negotiate on the price to make sure you get something decent. I chose to buy outright but was considering doing a lease. I think finance is more expensive than a lease.
What sort of thing are you looking for?

That’s all really good advice thank you!

and I love your username!! I’m rewatching the Good Wife at the moment!

I suppose I’m missing having a partner in life to help me with things I find difficult.

Hi @passmeaglassdo you mind explaining what’s the difference between finance and a lease? As I was thinking they were the same thing?

what would be the benefits of a lease?

@Joyful26get yourself onto U. You can watch the good fight too!

a lease is usually contract hire so you pay a large amount of money and then hand the car back. You also risk paying for damage, excess mileage etc when you hand the car back. Some people prefer it but it’s just handing over money.

fonance is typically when you pay monthly and own the car at the end. This is usually higher interest than a bank loan so that could be of interest too. The amount of interest you would currently pay makes any lending an expensive option. If you can get a credit card that’s interest free for a few years then that could be a way but most garages don’t accept credit cards now.

The monthly payments will be lower with a lease but you hand the car back at the end of the period. With finance you’ll have bought the car but the monthly payments will be higher and there’s a potential balloon payment at the end to clear the balance. Can you afford an ongoing monthly payment or do you need to buy something outright with your £12k?

Another vote for the AA inspection- it's well worth it to get an expert opinion (nb though they might send an AA woman not a man 😉)

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-meaningful-money-personal-finance-podcast/id581790263?i=1000630116091

This podcast is worth a listen- I found it helpful when I was buying.

As for buying outright v on finance- I've always bought outright and it will likely work out cheaper overall, unless you are someone who likes to drive a brand new car. You don't have to hang onto it forever- a decent car bought second hand will hold some value so you can then part exchange after 5 years (or whatever).

I’m single now but even when I was married, my then DH didn’t know one end of a car from another so it’s always been my decision which car I had.

I usually decide what I want and how much I want to spend, then search Autotrader to find the best available car within a certain distance that meets the criteria.

Don't think I’ve ever been made to feel uncomfortable in a car dealership, they’ve all been really professional and helpful.

I used to buy on HP rather than other types of finance as the car would be mine at the end of it. Although my last car I paid cash for and it’s nice not having a monthly payment go out.

A friend (man) offered to help me choose my new car. I knew what my finances were (obv), but am not skilled in car mechanics and knowing what is or isn’t a good deal. He advised me on the criteria I gave him. I trust him and value his advice. He knows A LOT about cars and I feel no shame in accepting his support.