Okay someone tell me if I’m mistaken. My SO got a car from the dealership in 2017. My SO and FIL agreed to put it in FILs name. SO made the payments from 2017-2019. My SO gave the car to me and got another car in his name for himself. I’ve made the payments from 2019 until 2mo ago and finally paid it off. Earlier I mentioned to my FIL that the car is going back to the dealership soon to be used as a trade in. He told me no, that’s his car. It’s in his name. Was I wrong to assume the car was to be given to us once it’s paid off? I love my in laws dearly but it infuriates me to think I’ve paid for a car for the last 4 years to not end up owning it and being able to either keep it for myself or use it as a trade in.
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Like someone said if you can prove you made the payment for the car you might be able to take him to small claims court
make sure your SO didn’t tell him he’d get the car when you were done paying it off
Tell him to help you with a down payment then with all the payments you made on that vehicle!
If it’s in his name, he can do whatever he wants. Doesn’t matter who paid for it
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Put sand in the oil and give it back to him
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Well if it’s in his name it’s his car REGARDLESS of who makes the payments. Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do about it unless you guys have some type of written contract/agreement stating that the car is actually yours. This is why you should NEVER put stuff in other people’s name. My niece did something similar. She got a car and put it in her boyfriend’s (at the time) name. She paid the note and insurance. When they broke up, he took the car. Maybe your SO can talk his dad into putting the car in your name, if not I would be done with father because what he’s doing is WRONG.
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How have you been making the payments? I don’t know the laws in your state, but you might be able to take him to court if you can prove you’ve been making payments toward it. But then, you’d have to decide if it’s something you’re willing to potentially ruin that relationship over.
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Technically if it’s only in FIL’s name, he can do whatever he wants with it. But to be clear if he takes it and gains money off of it after you guys paid it off, morally that is just so so wrong. I’d definitely rethink any future deals you make with him because he’s shown his true colors.
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Unfortunately it’s horrible to do to someone. But in a court he would win unless you had a written agreement 
I’d have a talk with your SO about it since it’s his parent
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Unless there’s an agreement in writing that states you’re paying for it and any claim to it you may have, whether he’s to give it you or if he wishes to sell or keep it for himself, he’s to refund you all you’ve paid, I don’t think you can do anything. I think you should look to legal advice to be 100%. Please don’t just refuse to give it him as others have suggested as it’s in his name. If your name is on no ownership paperwork then you could be charged with theft
That’s some petty sh*t - I’d be throwing a B.F. to not just my FIL but towards the husband as well because he shouldn’t be allowing it. Father or not. Despite the car being in his name, I’d tell him to pay every cent back to you AND your husband. Fair is fair. He wants the car, then he needs to pay for it.
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Unfortunately, if it’s in his name he can do what he wants legally.
I’m interested to know how you got it insured for the last 4 years with it not in your name and the banks.
Yep ask for those monthly.payments back
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You aren’t wrong for thinking that but however, if it was brought to court, since it’s in his name, he can do what he wants unless you can show proof of paying for the vehicle for all of them years.
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Bring him to court, just make sure you have a receipt for every payment you made, at minimum you should be entitled to that money back. There’s your down payment for your new car and he can keep his car 
Put sugar in the gas tank and give it back to him.
If you can show proof of payments and so can your SO and that your FIL has never paid on it I believe you can take him to court for ownership of the car.
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And you said he just said no to trading it in, you didn’t say he’s taking it back so how is he not letting you keep it?
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Why was the car put in FIL name to begin with? In Texas, If there’s not a written agreement that the title would be transferred into your name once paid off, You did nothing but buy FIL a car. However, If you can PROVE the DOWN payment and all payments were made out of your account a verbal agreement would stand up in civil court, If FIL is infact backing out of the Verbal agreement.
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There’s nothing you can do. I bought a car it was in my mil name for insurance purposes and I had proof of every payment I made and it didn’t matter they let her keep my car.
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If it’s in his name, you won’t be able to use it as a trade in. The dealership wouldn’t cut a check for the trade in value to you, but your FIL instead and it would be up to him to give you the money.
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Small claoms if yku habe proof
Sue him for it, have proof of payments.
Tell him to pay you for it if he wants it. Tell your SO To back you and be a man and stand up to his father.
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He wants the car he can pay for it, if I paid for a vehicle and the other person put it in their name for whatever reason I’d be going to small claims
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Take him to court. He doesn’t gaf about you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be doing that to you. He cannot do what he wants with it just because it’s in his name.
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Legally it’s your FILs because it’s in his name. Morally and ethically speaking he’s in the wrong. Your SO should be handling this situation with FIL.
The only thing you can do is take him to court if you can prove you paid the payments and that he first said you pay it and then it’s yours. Otherwise there isn’t anything you can do unfortunately
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I’d want the amount in payments I made back.
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You should have bid your time until you could put it in your name, so no on all accounts. If those in-laws really wanted to help should have co-signed. It affects your credit positively if you could have put it in your name and payed it off. Now you get nothing even if they sell it on you.
See id be petty and put it in my nsme since its paid off lol u worked hard and paid it off. Morally what hes doing is so wrong
I’d drive the car off a 
I’m not getting it neither or you
No one’s getting it.
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Unfortunately you’ve lost all that money and a car if you try and send it back to them.
I’d never have anything in someone else’s name.
You should of asked to change the name when you got given the car
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Please tell us you have some contract in writing …. Even at very least a bank transfer that has a description as “car payment “ of something … if you don’t then you just basically gave him the money for nothing maybe get some legal advise
I learned decades ago to never pay for something if it’s not in your name. Your FIL could’ve been so-signer. But putting it in his name helped build his credit not yours & you paid for his vehicle. If you can prove you paid for the car you can try suing him in small claims court but it comes down to agreement. He can simply say he bought the car & let you rent it from him, you never agreed to change the title.
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Maybe he’s just saying no to trading it in because that’s dumb. You won’t get anything near what it’s worth. Better off selling it privately
It should be your car, but it was your mistake for putting it in his name? Why would you even do that in the first place? Car is in his name, it’s his car…even though you paid for it.
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I would never make payments on something that wasn’t in my name.
I’m not paying for something to have someone pull this kind of crap on me.
I trust no one.
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That’s the unfortunate thing about having things in other people’s names. The only thing you can really do probably is court, and prove you are the one who has been paying for it because by law it is his car unfortunately
Drop a little kitty litter in the gas tank 
problem solved
Wow that’s wrong. your other half needs to stand up to their father
Damn. I wouldn’t have paid a penny without my name on the lease. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about it. Definitely a learning opportunity tho!
Why doesn’t the SO step up to the plate? I would rethink being with this person.
You would have to take him to civil court. That’s a damn shame that he would do that.
Did you keep evidence of all the payments you made?
Your SO needs to handle this. It’s his father, and your SO made the initial payments. You took over your SO’s payments. Legally, the car belongs to SO’s father. Your SO needs to confront him.
Not a lawyer, but in some states, verbal agreements are binding. So if your SO and his father agreed that the car would become his, then your SO might have a leg to stand on. But going to court is expensive and I doubt your SO would testify against his dad.
The most telling thing here is that you’re the one writing, rather than your SO. Is he doing anything about this?
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If I agreed to make payments and couldn’t get it switched in my name for various reason, I would have got to a written statement or agreement on paper saying I’m making payment on car buts in fil name and put his name down and that when it is payed off that it becomes my car and he will sign it over to me or god forbidden if something happen to him it is my car if I keep up payments and pay it off and get him to sign it. Have you been driving the car all this time. You still have to conduct business transactions the right way when it comes to money just like it is with a stranger off the streets or car dealerships just like that with family. I guess he thinks you payed it for him just because. That’s a no
Small claims court doesnt cost you. Take him to vourt. Have all bank transactions with you. Ask for the car title to be transferred to you or the vourt to order him to repay you if he keeps it. Never ever trust the man again. ( is your SO backing you up???)
You rented a car from a jerk.
Unless he signed the papers over to you it’s his car
You can’t do anything without his permission
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Can you prove you make the payments that would help
#1 you started paying for a car that you ASSUMED would be yours after paying
#2 you didn’t get the car under your name as soon as you started making the payments
#3 it’s under his name and legally can do wetf he wants it.
#4 don’t do it again.
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In court, all you’d have to prove is that you made ALL payments and insurance payments.
Technically it is his. You did pay it the last 4 years but it’s only his name on it. You and your husband need to talk to him and see if you guys can get him to sign it over. You could try court if you have the receipts from you making the payments. Otherwise I’d say give him the car back and get one in your name. Cause it sounds like he’s gonna use the car as some sort of pawn and way to have control.
You needed to have an agreement before hand. He used his credit, and he was liable for it. He technically leased it to you. If they didn’t agree you’d get to keep it when it’s paid off you’re SOL. Even a verbal agreement would have counted. If there was an agreement, take them to court.
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There’s nothing you can legally do unfortunately. If it’s in his name he owns it. What you can do… is cut them out of your life for being terrible people!
They used you. I would gather receipts & take them to court.
They played you sweetheart. They knew exactly what they was doing too. Not much you can do neither. Next time don’t let anybody use their name for a car you’re using cause they’ll take it once the payments are paid off
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Not going to end well…your husband should speak up 
Should have changed it to your name - unless you have a contract stating that he was going to sign it over to you, it’s his car and you were paying to use it. Expensive lesson learned.
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Expensive and painful lesson. They’ve shown you who they are, believe them.
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The car is in his name.
Legally speaking you can’t do anything with it without him signing off.
He would need to sign the paperwork for the dealership ect.
I’m pretty sure FIL knew all of this.
How he convinced you guys to put it in his name is beyond me (unless it was a credit issue?)
So here’s what I would suggest doing:
- get all documentation you can that you and SO have been paying the car payment itself, maintenance, and insurance. Receipts. Transaction records ect.
- Take all of that and go consult a lawyer. See what they say your options are.
- Take the information from the lawyer to your SO.
- You and SO make one final attempt to reason with FIL (give him options. Sign the car over to you, pay you for the car’s trade in value ect) and let him know that if he does not you have xyz options and will proceed. You absolutely need your SO on your side for this part though.
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Legally there is nothing you can do. Your suppose to have a written agreement otherwise it just seems like it you borrowed the car and paid to just use it not keep it. You can take this to court but without an agreement, your short.
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You’re screwed. Never ever put anything in someone else name… always have your name on I somewhere.
If their is a paper trail of you paying direct to the loan, then you may be able to argue it, but it could get messy. Just because a car is in one name that does not prove ownership, if you can prove you have been paying it you may be able to claim it, but you will need a lawyer to do so.
Your SO needs to stand up and fix this.
Don’t trust people even family. Yall got screwed if you didn’t have an agreement in place. SO needs to do his part and get to the bottom of it.
That’s BS you paid for it it’s your car. But as long as it’s in FIL name I don’t know what you can do…
If you have receipts, talk to a lawyer. He/She can tell you if you have a case or not. Different states, different laws.
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Time to break off with their dishonest ass get them out of your life
Awww you must be really young…rookie mistake here sweetie…never pay for anything that is not in your name…2nd never trust anyone with money exchanges especially friends and family…3rd if you do trust them always get it in writing and receipts always…lesson learned sue and go on with your life…they played tf outta you.
This happened to me with my brother I paid it off he came pulled car out of my yard at 4 in morning just so happened I had checks where I paid it finance company knew I was paying payments went to court I won if u have proof u paid for it take him to court
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Legally his…morally wrong
Yes, you are mistaken go get a new car and put it in YOUR name. 
Yes, you were wrong to assume anything tied to finances. Expensive lesson learned. If you and your SO are still together…that’s pretty ignorant of his father to do to his future DIL. Your SO should be handling this with his dad. At the very least, he should be cutting you a check for what the car is worth now. You’ll never recoup what you paid for it since it depreciates continuously as time goes on. Never assume in what should be a written contract situation. He did you wrong.
I think morally that is some bull***t. Absolutely shameful that he would do that to you.
Legally though, I’m not sure you can do anything about it.
Maybe see if you can get a free consultation with a lawyer and see what they say?
So basically it sounds like you had an expensive hire car. Would your FIL consider paying you back the money you paid on it? If not, then I’m afraid it’s a costly lesson. Never mix money and family/friends. I’m so sorry this has happened to you. 
I’m not sure if there’s much you can do, but maybe try suing for the money you have paid towards it? Sounds like a scum bag who used you guys to pay off a vehicle he wanted.
Take him to court with receipts showing you paid and if he wants the car he’s gonna have to pay u back all the money you spent. Also be prepared to be hated by that family. This is why I get shit in writing and I do NOT go through family or friends for anything
Stop paying insurance and wreck that mofo