Buying a car for 'er indoors.

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Tue 9 Nov 2004 15:15
Buying a car for 'er indoors. - davemar
SWMBO is after a car now that she's started having lessons. I've just found a potential little car for her which I'm tempted to snap up. As she's away for a few weeks, and not around to deal with it herself, what is the situation in terms of V5 forms? Can I sign it on her behalf so she becomes the registered owner, or do I just sign it for myself and I become the registered owner, and effectively give her use of 'my' car? I suppose I could get her to sign a new form herself in a few weeks, but that seems like a bit of a faff to 'own' a car for a few weeks without really using it.

Also on the insurance front, as she is still obviously on a provisional license while she learns; is it best to have her as the primary driver with me as a second driver, or the other way round?
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Tue 9 Nov 2004 17:02
Buying a car for 'er indoors. - volvoman
Can't help with the V5 question but, on the insurance front, my wife and I were in the same position as you 18 months ago and found it better to have her insured with me as the named driver. As to what you have to pay I suppose much will depend on the car, how old she is and where you live but my wife was only 27 at the time and we found that Tesco were very good indeed. Despite her being a new learner and me NOT being insured with them they gave her a substantial discount on her premium that first year and renewed on the same basis this year. When I queried this they said it was just a form of discretionary discount which wasn't guaranteed but done as goodwill gesture. As a result her premium in an outer London borough was IIRC £200-£400 cheaper than any other quote we had! Of course the big benefit of her being the policyholder is that she's accruing her own no claims discount which will make life a whole lot more bearable when she passes her test and demands I buy her that nice little Toyota Celica I promised her during a rush of blood to my head :)
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