Buying a car for someone else

[c6r]

I've offered to help buy my aged parents a new (used) car and for various reasons, ideally I would just do it all myself then drive it to them to handover.

What is the best way of doing this? Will be buying it outright, not financed, so that's not an issue. I just mean in terms of buying it and having it registered/insured etc to the right person? I don't think a dealer will let me turn up and buy one but register it to someone else? Online places won't let me buy one and have it registered/delivered to someone else I don't think.

The only way seems to be to buy it for myself as normal, wait for the V5 to go through, then 'sell' it to them for £1 a week later and redo the V5, insurance etc for them but although this will work it seems kind of clunky to have to do this. Am I being stupid?

[GranpaB]

Yes. Try talking to the dealer. Its not that complicated.

[Pistonheader101]

no point adding an extra keeper.

Just find the car, test drive it etc.

Once happy, just use parents details to purchase, or bring them on collection.

[loskie]

Don't know why you are looking for a problem OP. It's no different than a parent buying a car for a child or a bloke for his mistress. Buy the car, give the garage the details.

[ZX10R NIN]

As above this is a very simple thing & is done quite a lot.

[G111MDS]

I did this very thing for my parents just recently. Dealer did speak to them, but I sorted everything for them including payment, and the vehicle was registered directly to them. I also collected it and dropped the car to them. All very straightforward.

[codenamecueball]

c6r said:

I've offered to help buy my aged parents a new (used) car and for various reasons, ideally I would just do it all myself then drive it to them to handover.

What is the best way of doing this? Will be buying it outright, not financed, so that's not an issue. I just mean in terms of buying it and having it registered/insured etc to the right person? I don't think a dealer will let me turn up and buy one but register it to someone else? Online places won't let me buy one and have it registered/delivered to someone else I don't think.

The only way seems to be to buy it for myself as normal, wait for the V5 to go through, then 'sell' it to them for £1 a week later and redo the V5, insurance etc for them but although this will work it seems kind of clunky to have to do this. Am I being stupid?

Register it to them, get them to pop you as a named driver on the insurance. Probably won't even cost them that much. You could even choose it for them online, then just sit down and do the ordering process hand in hand and have it delivered to them.. Take an afternoon off on delivery day for a once over and you're all good.

[c6r]

thanks all. obviously overthinking it. i assumed it was easy but google seemed to indicate otherwise.

[Monkeylegend]

And why sell it to them for £1.

We have just given a car to my DiL and all DVLA ask is if the car has been sold, transferred to somebody else or been scrapped or written off

There is no stipulation that money has to change hands.