Buying a car as a gift?

[eblend]

Hi guys,

Not doing it yet, but plan on it in the next few years. I want to buy my dad a new car for his retirement. He has been talking about a new car into retirement so it's under warranty etc and trouble free. They aren't in the position to buy one themselves, at least not without eating into their already small pension savings, but I am in the position all because of their sacrifice, so I want to buy one.

Now, how would one go about doing it? My main concerns are:

1. Color - what is he wants a different color than what I choose?
2. Registration - would i have to register to myself first, then "sell" to him to transfer?

I obviously want it as a surprise, most likely for Christmas with the whole bow on top etc. How can I make it happen? I'm guessing it's a pain in the ass, but just wondering if there is an easier way?

I don't want a "i owe you" type of present, I want an actual car, because if it's money or anything, he won't accept it.

Not thinking anything crazy, under 30k, paid in cash, something like a Mitsubishi RVR (mostly due to warranty), Subaru Impreza, or like a Corolla or something. He currently drives a Yaris.

[shakalaka]

Colour can be easily figured out by you talking to him randomly and seeing what he likes.

Registration I believe you have 14 days so he can register himself. For insurance I think you can purchase transit insurance or something along the lines which is temporary. Once he has it he gets his own insurance and registration.

Good thought btw, I am sure he will be very happy. Good luck.

[ExtraSlow]

If he's any kind of car guy be super careful. This is a very nice idea but maybe best to let him be involved in the choices.

[lilmira]

yeah, very nice gesture but perhaps get him involved with the final decision. It doesn't mean you can't do some leg work and narrow down some choices. You can still surprise him by telling him that you two are going car shopping.

[Jlude]

Bought my mom a brand new Rav4 last year for her birthday, incorporated a numbered company, placed it under ownership of the numbered company, she now drives it, all costs are beared to the company and I expense it all. I give her a vehicle and am able to get some relief. I don't know if that's possible for everyone, but I thought it was a good idea.

As for your questions.

1. I took a guess, if she didn't like it, really? Get over it. It's a free F'n car.
2. See above.

[killramos]

Hard No.

I’m the kind of person where an option or 2 can completely ruin the car for me.

Have told my wife under no circumstances does a car show up in the driveway.

[Xtrema]

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1. I took a guess, if she didn't like it, really? Get over it. It's a free F'n car.
2. See above.

Only if she treat a car as an appliance and doesn't care, sure.

Because it's a gift, no give back, no trade in, if you don't like it, you have to at least live with it for quite a few years.

And if OP's dad's case, could be his last new car. I would start poking to what dad got in mind and do some test drives and get as much info/configuration out of him before committing.

It's one thing to gift a dream car that get driven couple times a year. It's different if it's a daily driver. It's almost as bad as giving someone pets as gift.

[J-hop]

The way it should be. So worried this was going to be a “my 15 year old worked so hard this year, gonna buy him a car for his 16th birthday” haha.

Color - do you have a black car? Maybe bring it over get on the topic of how hard it is to keep clean and see if you can get out of him what color he prefers?

I think the major gotcha with getting it in his name is I don’t think a vehicle can be insured and registered to different people, I think it has to match. You wouldn’t be able to get it insured under him without his consent. So you’d have to put it under you.

That brings up a point though. Would be good to consider what kind of insurance payments he can afford.

Awesome idea and enjoy making his retirement that much better!

[eblend]

Thanks for the replies guys. In all our time in Canada, he had two white cars, two silver cars, a blue car (first car in Canada, color wasn't really an option), and right now his Yaris is a light green color. I think it's hard to go wrong with White or Silver, but yah, i would probably probe a little. I know he likes my Crosstrek and mentioned before that once it's time for me to get a new car, to give him the Crosstrek, jokingly. Crosstrek is a bit out of the price range, but a base model impreza is probably right in the price range. I will have to see what's available at the time when I decide to do this. He got 3 more years before retirement.

He keeps saying he likes the new Yaris or the new Corolla, but besides the decent look of recent models, I think it has more to do with the cost of the car, vs actually liking it. I rented a Chevy Impala before for a work trip and he really liked it as well, and it's a world away from a Yaris. He isn't really a car guy, very simple person, so I think he would be happy with anything. I kind of want AWD for him, and a slightly elevated like an RVR, makes getting in and out easier once you are older.

I was kind of hoping there would be a dealership or some kind of an option where you come home with one car, but have like a few days to bring it back to choose different color, or different car from the same dealership, but I guess that just doesn't exist, so it makes the decision much harder.

I did think about the whole "let's go shopping with dad to pretend it's for me" idea, but I would not be interested in most of the cars I want to buy for him. I could play it off as a car for the wife as she would be in a similar car as my dad, but they know that my crosstrek is going to her and I will get a new car for self, so we will see. I could always change that story and make it a father/son shopping thing, but I think he may catch on.

[rage2]

We purchased a vehicle for the MIL to replace her 15 year old falling apart CRV. I assumed RAV4 would be the best choice, lucky we went with her to test drive. She hated the RAV4 and ended up with the Rogue.

[Jlude]

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We purchased a vehicle for the MIL to replace her 15 year old falling apart CRV. I assumed RAV4 would be the best choice, lucky we went with her to test drive. She hated the RAV4 and ended up with the Rogue.

Funny, I bought my mom a white Rav4, but similar situation, she and my step father were sharing a newish Civic and old beat up truck, that my step-father loved for some reason, although I don't think it was very safe. My mother test drove and liked it, but she's also wanted a Rav4 since they came out when I was a kid, it was her "dream" car she could never afford.

[jwslam]

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I was kind of hoping there would be a dealership or some kind of an option where you come home with one car, but have like a few days to bring it back to choose different color, or different car from the same dealership, but I guess that just doesn't exist, so it makes the decision much harder.

Maybe throw a non-refundable deposit down and take him to the dealer?

[Disoblige]

This is something they're going to be using for a long time, so it makes sense to include them in the buying process. Who knows, you guys might even enjoy the car buying process.

However, if you think he is those types that will go all out to reject your present if it hasn't been purchased already, then you should just subtly discuss the topic of new cars and get an idea of what he may like. You have plenty of time. Then boom, surprise.

[mzdspd]

You could always just take the car that you want to buy on a test drive and show up at his house.. Get the approval that it has the options and color.. Tell him you will take care of the rest and good to go.

[got_mike33]

Could you pretend that you are looking at buying a new car for yourself and have him come along and ask his opinion? Might be a bit hard to pull off, but may be an easier way to figure out what he really likes.

[mr2mike]

Yeah I like this idea too.

[ArjayAquino]

I know you said he's not really a car guy but maybe you can get him to go to the auto show with you. All types of cars and you can check them out within an hour. It might be tricky to get him to checkout the normal cars vs the other cars in the show though without giving it away.

[carson blocks]

A good dealership just might loan you a demo for the whole xmas morning bow thing, then the next business day you go in together and pick out the colour and options etc.

[max_boost]

Don't think I'll be doing this for anyone ever again lol

[TomcoPDR]

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Don't think I'll be doing this for anyone ever again lol

Gift of cash is always king