The Advantages of Handing Down a Car to a Family Member
Posted by admin at 12 February 2022, at 09 : 05 AM
There’ll be a time when someone from your family would need a car to drive. It could be your spouse who works at odd hours. Perhaps, your child is already at the right age to drive his own vehicle to school. It could be anyone in your family. As someone who thinks about practicality, there’s one good way to make them drive their own car. It’s by handing them down your old one.
Most people do this especially if they’re on a tight budget. Imagine how much you could save if you could just hand your used car down to your child. They would automatically have a usable vehicle. You wouldn’t need to buy them a new one in the meantime. Giving your car to your spouse could also make them save more. That could mean more money for your joint savings account.
Aside from these, here are some other advantages of handing down your old car to a family member:
Maintenance history is known
This is the reason why most people prefer to buy used cars from people they know very well. If a car they’re buying was from a friend, they’d know exactly how that friend took care of the car. The same goes for handing down a car to a family member. If you’re on a budget and want a used car for your family member, it’s better to hand down your car to them. You should do that instead of actually buying a used car. You’ll never know how the previous owner of a used car handled the vehicle.
At least if the car came from you, you know exactly how you maintained it. This is important especially if you’re handing it down to your child. You want your child to keep away from accidents. A car that you maintained well can somehow ensure the safety of your child once you hand it down to them.
Lower cost for interior and exterior maintenance
This only goes out to well-maintained cars. If you’re able to take good care of your car, there may only be minimal parts to get replaced. The person you’re handing down your vehicle to may be able to rely on its engine. So those things that may be needed by your used car could only be detailed to make it look brand new. Or perhaps, you can check out a car mat company to fix the floor interior of the vehicle. That’s relatively cheaper compared to buying a used car that’s been overused by the previous owner.
More comfortable to use
If you’re handing down a used car to a family member, chances are this family member is already familiar with the vehicle. They’ve taken lots of journeys in it. They’ve spent time inside it more than any other vehicle. The feeling of familiarity would make them comfortable driving it. This can also make the vehicle have sentimental value to them. Because of that, it can make them take care of the car more. Also, they may somehow know some hiccups the car might have. This can make it more comfortable for them to drive the vehicle since they’re already familiar with it.
Less to no car payments
Anything that makes someone save money is an advantage. That’s if this advantage can persist in the long run. If you’re handing down a used car that hasn’t been used for that long, that’s going to be an advantage for the family member you’re handing it down to. If it’s already paid off, that’s going to be one less worry of your family member’s back. This is helpful especially if you’re handing it down to your kid who isn’t able to work yet. At least, you wouldn’t have to spend money to buy him a new car. That’s a financial advantage for the whole family.
Lower car insurance
Aside from the payment for the car itself, there’s one thing that makes owning a car expensive. That’s the car insurance. Of course, you need to have your car insured in case something happens. You may already know that the average car insurance cost is not inexpensive. But if the car has been used already, that lowers the price of the insurance. If you’re handing down a car to your kid who’s already working, lower car insurance would greatly help them financially.
Those are the advantages of handing down a used car to a family member. Just remember, if you’re planning to give your used car to your child or spouse, you better start taking good care of it. You should make sure that the vehicle is safe for your family member to use once you hand it down to them.