Car stress!

[Brightxeyes]

So I've had a two seater convertible on finance for three years. It has one year left on it. Meaning before I can consider selling it, I have to pay the big lump sum of what's left, THEN sell it.

I obviously need a new car with more seats and more doors for baby. I won't be using the car as much to be honest but it's always handy! I do hope to maybe walk to the shop a bit more, and walk places, but to say visit family or to do a big super market shop etc it's handy to have a car!

My car has had a nice big dent in the Bonet for two years, my dad has found a Bonet and is planning on spraying it to match and it will look almost brand new again. There's also a massive dent on the sill from a really tall curb on a carpark which apparently is easier to fix than the bonet!

I thought the two cosmetic issues would be my only problem in either giving it back to the finance company (meaning as long as there's nothing wrong with the car I don't need to pay anything), or making it easier to sell.

But no. It broke down on me. Pretty sure it's the head gasket. Which is reasonably cheap to fix yourself if you have a few days and know what you're doing, but to fix at a garage they will charge £600.

So my dad's going to take a whack at it.

Fingers crossed it works..

But even once it's fixed I've no idea what to do for a car. I think if rather give the car back to the finance guys (if they say there's stuff needing to be fixed they'll charge me, which I can't afford). But then I have no car, but can save up for a car much much quicker.
Or it's saving up to pay off the finance, then sell it and HOPE to make at least £700-£1000 back on it to buy a car.

So stressful! Other half can drive, just doesn't have a car, doesn't have the need for one as he works from home and he's got his own new business so most of his business money goes straight back into the business so he's not going to entertain the thought of buying a car for himself YET. Unless his business has a growth spurt again.

Just so frustrating. I regret buying that car. It's such a pain. It's just too expensive for what a piece of rubbish it is.

 

[vickyandchick]

I feel your pain hun, my OH took out a car on finance and it's just not affordable anymore so he's been trying to sell it and (thankfully) finally has. However there's still a chunk left to pay so he's had to save to cover that cost and also to buy a new car.

I hope that your dad is able to fix it and that it all gets sorted soon as I know its stressful as hell x

 

[littlelegs91]

Hi Hun I had this issue but lucky I traded it back in to the car company for a cheaper car then what mine was worth and only had 60 pound difference to pay can u not look Into something like that u can trade it in to any car company and they will pay off the rest of the finance and u can use what ever is remaining to go toward a car on their car front. Xx

 

[Sunseal]

Sorry that you're having such issues! I don't think I'd ever get a car out on finance, such a pain in the bum!
I would just say to make sure your Dad does the head gasket properly, as if he doesn't and you try to run the car the consequences could actually end up being more expensive! If you were up for getting the car to Winchester.. my OH could do it for you much cheaper haha
If the car doesn't have airbags, you can put a child seat in the passenger seat, but it's a personal choice as they are safer in the back of a car. Just thinking, worst case scenario, if you can get the car fixed but can't afford to pay off the year of finance and buy a new car, you could keep driving it to see family and do shopping (doubt you'd fit much shopping in the boot though!) I know it wouldn't be ideal though.

 

[Brightxeyes]

I did look at trading it to pay the difference off (with the damage of have to pay £1000) upfront to get a much better car that's cheaper a month. BUT my credit rating is very bad since my violent, controlling and abusive ex got me in a pickle with money (I still always paid for my car, but everything else like phone contracts and pay day loans etc got bad).

So I already did a credit check just to check my options and I got declined.

Trying my best to catch up and at least do minimum payments to companies just to shut them up.

So I ideally didn't want to get another car on finance so is have more a month to pay off other debts too, know what I mean?

Considering I'm in such a bad position money wise I still pay my car and rent and luckily the other half has sorted bills this month because my pay cheque was tight!

Next month might help a bit as i get a bit more of a bonus from work.

And there's a few craft things I'm doing to sell and make bits of money here and there.
I'm also selling lots of clothes I know I won't wear again. Which is £1-£3 here and there so yeah.. Just doing anything I can at the moment.


This whole pickle makes it really tempting to book a few extra weeks off maternity leave so I can relax and not worry about driving to work xxx