Buying A Used Car For Someone Else
Look at your budget and decide if you can afford the downpayment, full amount, and/or the monthly payments. Since you are purchasing the car for someone else, you will also be liable for the loan if you are either the cosigner or the loan holder. Make sure you can afford those payments if they can't at some point.
buying a used car for someone else
If you purchase a car for someone else, you have the option to have the loan in your name or to cosign with the individual you're buying it for. The only way to buy the vehicle as a surprise is to put in the loan in your own name. The title may be registered under both names.
Your first instinct might be to have the vehicle put in your loved one's name. In some states, this may not be legally possible. Depending on where you live, you cannot buy a car in someone else's name, or if you want a shared title, the other person must be there to sign the paperwork. That would obviously ruin the surprise.
There are many reasons a car shopper decides they want to purchase a vehicle for another party. Maybe they're buying it for their kid who is just starting to drive, or perhaps an elderly parent. They could also be looking to buy a car as a gift for a significant other or help out a friend who has bad credit. Although we're used to seeing ads that feature shiny new vehicles with big red bows, surprised recipients, and proud gifters, there's a lot more that goes into buying a vehicle as a gift. We'll address common questions like "Do you need a license and insurance to buy a car?" "How can you gift a car?" and, "How does auto financing work in this scenario?"
Perhaps the most confusing part of buying a car on someone else's behalf is the car loan process. In order to buy a vehicle for another party, you'll have to put the loan entirely in your name, cosign, or co-borrow with the recipient. The person receiving the car will need to go to the dealership in person to cosign the loan, and if you're planning the gift as a surprise, you will need to put the loan into your own name. The title of the vehicle can still be registered under both your name and the recipient's.
Compromised credit can make buying a car difficult. If you're looking to buy a car to help out a friend or family member with bad credit, your best bet is to act as a cosigner or co-borrower. Financing a car in your name and then transferring it to someone who could not obtain a car loan on their own is called a 'straw purchase' and it is illegal and risky. Using someone else's name to secure a car loan because of poor credit also falls under this umbrella. Co-signing on the loan means you will be responsible for making payments if the primary owner defaults, so you should be prepared to take on this risk.
While many people associate car purchasing with dealerships, private auto sellers make up a significant portion of the used car market, accounting for nearly 30% of used car sales from 2011-2013.1 Purchasing a car from a private seller can potentially net you hundreds or thousands of dollars in savings, compared to buying from a dealership. Many times, private sellers need to sell their car quickly due to a move, because they no longer need a vehicle or because they need extra money.
Learning how to buy a car from a private seller expands your buying options beyond dealerships, possibly allowing you to get a better deal on your next car. Find out how to shop smart and what to look for when buying a used car from a private party.
You must cancel your registration within 30 days of cancelling insurance coverage to avoid fines and penalties related to Georgia law requiring insurance coverage. Remember! It is illegal for you to drive or allow someone else to drive a vehicle that is uninsured.
For used car buyers, it's important to understand how to buy a car with a lien if you're interested in a vehicle but the seller still owes money to a lender. By taking some precautions, it's possible to protect yourself while buying a car with an outstanding lien.
Of course, if you discover that a lien is present on a used vehicle you want to buy and the seller didn't disclose that fact to you, it could be a sign of a scam. Additionally, if you buy a vehicle when a lender still has an active lien and holds the title, the lender could repossess that car in spite of any money you pay to someone else.
To find out if a car you want has an outstanding lien on it, conduct a lien search on your state's department of motor vehicles website. This will require the car's vehicle identification number, which you can get from the seller. You can either pay off the loan balance yourself by writing a check directly to the lender or ask the seller to pay off the loan. Here are the details of each option for buying a used car that hasn't been paid off:
Some risk is always involved in buying a used car from a private party or a dealer. Buying from a private party, however, can be even more risky because you don't have as much recourse if the car turns out to be a lemon. Here are some actions to take when buying from a private seller:
Adding an additional interest does not increase your car insurance premium. It simply states that someone else has an insurable interest in the car. It means the owner still has a financial interest in the vehicle even if they are not the primary driver.
Many drivers may attempt to have someone else insure their car to help them save money. This may be the case for high-risk drivers who have been quoted high insurance rates. However, you should avoid this at all costs, because that is illegal and counts as insurance fraud.
Yes, you can buy auto insurance coverage for someone else, as most companies allow the driver and policyholder to be in different names. This is fairly common for teen drivers, as parents generally are the auto policyholders until dependents can purchase their own vehicle and own insurance.
If you've ever purchased a brand new car, you know how the routine goes. You walk in, a salesman hits you up, you test drive and then comes the hard sell and the financing. It's pretty clear right off the bat how they prefer you to get cash to pay for your brand new car but, what about when you decide to buy a used car and let someone else take the big depreciation hit? What about when you buy through a private party?
It turns out that financing a used car is just as simple--and a lot less painful than buying a brand new car. Typically when you walk into a new car dealership they push their in-house financing. You'll fill out some paperwork, they'll run a credit check and tell you what your "real" purchase price will be--really what the total cost of the loan will be. At a typical brick-and-mortar used car dealer the process is the same. If you're intrepid (and don't mind jumping through a LOT of hoops), you can choose to finance outside the dealership and work with a bank of your choice to get a better rate or even a better residual-the price that banks estimate your brand new car is actually worth-if you are leasing.
The process for buying a used car through a private party is similar to purchasing a new car-- if you were to use a bank other than the one pushed by the dealer. We've broken it down into 5 simple steps for you, below.
Getting a loan for a private sale of a car can be pricey--but remember, because you are buying used and privately you are save a ton of money on the purchase price. The best places to look for great rates are local credit unions and banks. Because credit unions are technically owned by their members, they offer better rates than other big big banks. They generally offer discounts if you are already a member or if you are a student, too. Check out local banks as well as they offer competitive rates, too. Just recently, Instamotor launched its own financing in conjunction with Autopay. You can check out rates, here.
Myth #4: If someone else drives my car and gets into an accident, their auto insurance will cover them, not mine. Fact: In most states, the car owner's insurance must pay for damages caused by an accident. Get familiar with the laws in your state before allowing another person to drive your car.
Are you asking yourself, "Well, if I have to buy the car from the lender after making those payments to lease it, why don't I just buy a used car to start with?" That's a very good point. The difference is that after leasing it, you know the car's history, how it's been maintained and whether or not it's a good fit for you. When buying a used car, you're relying on your mechanic (who you'll have to pay for the service unless you have a friend or family member who's a mechanic) to spot any problems with the car.
Are you asking yourself, \"Well, if I have to buy the car from the lender after making those payments to lease it, why don't I just buy a used car to start with?\" That's a very good point. The difference is that after leasing it, you know the car's history, how it's been maintained and whether or not it's a good fit for you. When buying a used car, you're relying on your mechanic (who you'll have to pay for the service unless you have a friend or family member who's a mechanic) to spot any problems with the car.
The renter of the vehicle must be present to sign the rental agreement and provide their credit card at the time of pick up. The renter cannot provide a credit or debit card belonging to someone else for their use.
If you wish to pay for the rental car, but have someone else drive it, you can rent the vehicle in your name and add them as an additional driver. In order to add an additional driver, they would have to meet all of our additional driver requirements; those requirements can be found here: 041b061a72