Ownership, Registered Keeper & Insurance

[CAPP0]

We have been given a car by an elderly relative who has given up driving and gone into a home. It's a 2006 Fiesta Zetec 1.4, with just 11,000 miles on the clock, one owner, FMDSH.

The relative is happy for us to sell it (we don't want to keep it); they simply want no more to do with it.

Given the car's history, it should either attract something of a small premium, or alternatively be easy to sell, with the low mileage and one-owner status. It does need a small graze to the front bumper corner and a kerbed alloy sorted out, and I plan to do that before sale. For various reasons I can't get this done for a couple of weeks.

The owner (previous owner? - the car is with us now so we have essentially already been "given" it) has the car insured until the end of April. I doubt very much that we will sell it by the time the insurance expires and I would prefer to insure it after then both for cover against theft and in case of needing to move it or offer a road test to a buyer. And that's where my question comes in.

I would rather not register it in our name, as we plan to sell ASAP, and it would affect the "one owner" position (is that really important?). On the other hand, the previous owner will not want to re-insure it now, especially as it would only be a renewal for a matter of weeks at most.

What's the position with insuring a car which you technically own, but for which you are not the RK? Could I add it to one of my own policies without being the RK (my current insurer will allow the addition of a "temporary" vehicle, e.g. when changing cars and having 2 on the drive for a few weeks). I know I can obviously call the insurance company and ask but just thought I'd throw the question out on here as well.

I guess also that there is a slight loop in the fact that the car is with us and that we are therefore technically the "keeper" at present but with the short timescales involved I think we can live with that.

[heppers75]

I have had a friend do this recently via a broker, so it is more than possible.

Also I am currently driving round in my good lady's old Murano whilst we sort out number plate swaps and that was no issue.

I think it attracts a slight premium and is far easier if it is a spouse/relative - my friend had to get a permission letter from the registered keeper for the broker and underwriter.

PM me if you like I will put you in touch with the broker in question, however I am sure most mainstream insurance companies will do it with a phone call.

[nails1979]

I'd just put it up for sale asap. The extra cost of fixing the wheel and bumper and hassle wont be worth the few quid imo.
At the end of the day its a 8 year fiesta which will be bought for a runaround or a first car. It'll sell no bother.

[iva cosworth]

nails1979 said:

I'd just put it up for sale asap. The extra cost of fixing the wheel and bumper and hassle wont be worth the few quid imo.
At the end of the day its a 8 year fiesta which will be bought for a runaround or a first car. It'll sell no bother.

This.

Just move it on with the least expense and bother.

[CAPP0]

Points above received and understood. I just thought that since it's otherwise in such good condition, with the one owner/mileage/SH, it would be easier to sell with a little more "ooh, aah" from perspective buyers rather than "hmm, it's ok but I'll have to get that sorted after I buy it".

[The Moose]

You're better off to show it as is. Say it's an old person's car and that's how it is. You'll find someone who prefers it that way. Take a few photos and get it advertised now. Don't spend a penny on it - get it sold before insurance runs out.

[ferrariF50lover]

I'd assume it would be worth slightly less than an average miler, since it'll have had a harder life. Bumping around town being driven by a dear old grandad is probably going to do more 'harm' than doing, say, 10,000 motorway miles at the hands of a more mechanically sympathetic steed.

I could be completely wrong, but that's how I think I'd approach it.

Simon.

[johnnyBv8]

ferrariF50lover said:

I'd assume it would be worth slightly less than an average miler, since it'll have had a harder life. Bumping around town being driven by a dear old grandad is probably going to do more 'harm' than doing, say, 10,000 motorway miles at the hands of a more mechanically sympathetic steed.

I could be completely wrong, but that's how I think I'd approach it.

Simon.

Average mileage would be 80k miles. I think the vast majority of buyers would prefer one with 11k miles, even if it has been driven short distances.

[TooMany2cvs]

CAPP0 said:

I just thought that since it's otherwise in such good condition, with the one owner/mileage/SH, it would be easier to sell with a little more "ooh, aah" from perspective buyers rather than "hmm, it's ok but I'll have to get that sorted after I buy it".

8yo Fester, 11k miles, full dealer history, one owner... Sorry, but that SCREAMS "Old dear who's given up driving". Which, in turn, carries heavy implications of "Battered corners, time-expired tyres, clutch slipped to death, engine never been properly up to temperature in it's life."

Frankly, it's only going to carry any kind of a premium on the price from the kind of numpty who can't look beyond the odometer as a guarantor of vehicle condition. I'd buy it, if I was looking for a first car for a teenager, but I'd be thinking about how long before the exhaust rots out and the clutch dies. I'd expect cooling system problems. I'd be expecting to replace all the 8yo tyres, too. With that in mind, I'd MUCH rather see a few scrapes on the bumpers than fresh paint, because that'll make me wonder what's behind the bumpers. If it came down to this 11k mile 8yo car or a 50k mile but otherwise identical example, for the same price, I'd be buying the higher mileage one.