Car title question...please read?

Question

I have a dilemma....we are purchasing a car for our daughter. Her father and I are not married. My husband and I are putting $1,700 in for her car. Her father and stepmother are putting in $1,000 for her car. My daughter is using $400 of her own money towards the car. My parents are also putting in around $400 towards the car.

To make a long story short...my daughter's father and stepmother are getting the car from a dealer "friend" of theirs. They insisted on paying for the car with their money and we pay them back. I however am worried about the title work. They have already in the past tried to put stipulations on our daughter about sharing a vehicle with them in the past and I told them that is not going to work because she is going to need her own transportation to get back and forth to work. I am worried they are going to try to put these same stipulations on her once they purchase the vehicle up front.

We don't have the $1,700 this week, but they are insistent that we need to purchase this car because someone else is looking at it. It is a good deal and I don't want to pass it up, but I also want to protect my daughter's best interest because she too is putting money in towards her car that she earned babysitting over the years and has saved her money for this purpose. Does anyone have any suggestions what I can do without seeming too rude?

Answer 1

Legally, the owner of the car is the person on the title. The title should be put in your daughters name, then legally she can do what ever she wants with the car. In real life, split families seem to always have problems, hopefully you can work these out before they buy the car. You could get all parties to put down in writing a contract  that is satisfactory to all concerned and then everybody sign it. That way everyone is on the same page.

Answer 2

im always leary when someone says someone else is going to buy a vehicle from under you its an old sales tactic. if you are that worried see what you can find without thier 1000.  I bought my daughter a car 2 years ago for 2500 and she still drives it.  if you really want that car talk to your ex and ask him if the share issue is going to come up.if your daughter is 18 the title can be put in her name only and then noone can touch it but her without her permission hope this helps