Selling the wife's car

mcbert

Hi,

we need to upgrade the wife's car, probably through a dealer, but it would be much more convenient if I brought it in without her with me. Ignoring Covid restrictions, how can I do that?

Can I trade it in on her behalf, do the paperwork, buy another in her name?

Or can I trade it in, while it is in her name, for a newer car bought in my name? Then we'll then have two cars in my name, but she would still be insuring it? Does that work?

Ultimately, I'd like her to own and insure a newer car, without having to drag her around, across the country to view, test drive and argue prices. Ill be handing over the money, so I'd hope to just arrive home with it.

(no, I'm not trying to sell it without her consent )

Thanks.

Atlantic Dawn

Initial negotiations and pricing can be done without her, I'd go around dealers getting a deal together as to what you want first before involving her and place a deposit down to seal the deal. They may insist on her being present at some stage to finalise the sale. Will she not need to test drive the car for a final decision on the purchase

I've heard of plenty of examples of people trading in cars when not even the logbook was present to confirm ownership of the car before sale was completed.

sunnysoutheast

mcbert wrote: »

Hi,

we need to upgrade the wife's car, probably through a dealer, but it would be much more convenient if I brought it in without her with me. Ignoring Covid restrictions, how can I do that?

Can I trade it in on her behalf, do the paperwork, buy another in her name?

Or can I trade it in, while it is in her name, for a newer car bought in my name? Then we'll then have two cars in my name, but she would still be insuring it? Does that work?

Ultimately, I'd like her to own and insure a newer car, without having to drag her around, across the country to view, test drive and argue prices. Ill be handing over the money, so I'd hope to just arrive home with it.

(no, I'm not trying to sell it without her consent )

Thanks.

I traded in a car registered to my wife and got another in my name in 2015 so unless things have changed since then it's definitely ok. She never set foot in the dealer. I don't know if you can register it to somebody else tbh.

She has her own policy on the other car (also reg. in my name) no problem, I think it's no issue if you're married.

mcbert

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

I traded in a car registered to my wife and got another in my name in 2015 so unless things have changed since then it's definitely ok. She never set foot in the dealer. I don't know if you can register it to somebody else tbh.

She has her own policy on the other car (also reg. in my name) no problem, I think it's no issue if you're married.

Thanks! So you are suggesting buying the new car in my name, so both in my name, but she would still insure it, transfer her insurance policy to the new car in my name?

Del2005

mcbert wrote: »

Thanks! So you are suggesting buying the new car in my name, so both in my name, but she would still insure it, transfer her insurance policy to the new car in my name?

Spouses jointly own everything so even if the car is in your name your spouse has an insurable interest in it so can take out a policy on it.

sunnysoutheast

mcbert wrote: »

Thanks! So you are suggesting buying the new car in my name, so both in my name, but she would still insure it, transfer her insurance policy to the new car in my name?

Well I don't know the balance of power in your relationship :-) but I don't think it'll cause any issues with insurance at least!

In fact we had planned to trade in the "other" car this year and we'd have put the new one in her name, but I think that's kyboshed now after coronageddon.