Should Parents buy Their Kids First Car?

[dtm4192]

Originally Posted by TJ91

I must be dead right now.....
Dont assume for others....please, its pathetic.
Let me guess, you bought yourself a bike when you were 4, that way you treated your bike with respect and didnt kill yourself. Oh and you must've bought yourself your crib as well, that way you never pissed in it.
Honestly, people like you piss me off. Envious people. I worked my ass off to pay the down payment on my car which was 8k. I also pay $615 a month for insurance and $20 every 2-3 days for gas. I pay for everything except my car payments, which is less then my insurance. Just because my parents pay for my car, doesnt mean i drive it like i stole it and treat it like shit. I treat my car with upmost respect and drive it with care. I also dump alot of cash onto maintaining it and personalizing it.
Ever since me and my brother were 4, we were told that if we did well in school, went to university and were good kids, that we would get a car when we were 18. Brother never got in trouble, got into university for Life Science, he got his mustang, and is now graduating to go to med school. He never got a speeding ticket and loves his car.
I did well in school, built very close relationships with teachers and others, never got into trouble and am going to University for Criminology. I got my Camaro, and i have been saving up for the down payment ever since i was 8!
Just because kids get cars as gifts, doesnt mean that theyre going to kill themselves in it, or treat it like crap. Speak for yourself, and not for others.
Oh and one more question, if you were offerec a brand new Camaro at 18, what would you do?
Oh wait, you would turn that offer down because you'd treat it like shit and wreck it right?....yeah....

Actually yes I did buy my first bike. I learned how to ride on my one friends bike. When I asked my parents for one they said ok but I had to work for it. I was about 8 or 9 at the time and I mowed lawns for $10 each until I had enough money to buy it. So yes I did buy my bike and I did respect it.

I never said that ALL kids were like that. I assumed that most people could figure out that I meant MOST kids (at least the ones that I see).

If my dad came to me right now and offered to pay off my Camaro no I wouldn't let him do it. I like the satifaction that I get from knowing that I am paying for this car all on my own. You should have a pretty good idea of what I'm talking about because you do pay for your insurance and gas. It is a great feeling getting into my Camaro and knowing that 5 years from now she's going to be all paid off and she will be all MINE not the bank's, not my parent's, but MINE.

BTW $615 a month for insurance is rediculous. I see you're in Canada but still that sounds high. Mine's $1100 for 6 months

[TiE2000]

Originally Posted by dtm4192

Actually yes I did buy my first bike. I learned how to ride on my one friends bike. When I asked my parents for one they said ok but I had to work for it. I was about 8 or 9 at the time and I mowed lawns for $10 each until I had enough money to buy it. So yes I did buy my bike and I did respect it.

I never said that ALL kids were like that. I assumed that most people could figure out that I meant MOST kids (at least the ones that I see).

If my dad came to me right now and offered to pay off my Camaro no I wouldn't let him do it. I like the satifaction that I get from knowing that I am paying for this car all on my own. You should have a pretty good idea of what I'm talking about because you do pay for your insurance and gas. It is a great feeling getting into my Camaro and knowing that 5 years from now she's going to be all paid off and she will be all MINE not the bank's, not my parent's, but MINE.

BTW $615 a month for insurance is rediculous. I see you're in Canada but still that sounds high. Mine's $1100 for 6 months

G/J, DTM, don't mind him, he was obvioulsy trying to get a rise out of you... you can tell by his first statment. Hint's the reason everyone else ignord his post.

[roccky08]

Yes a hands me down or used. One thing is teaching how to organize their finance and another is to teach them how to be in debt the rest of his/her life. I'm really sorry, but working full time for a car does not teach you how to be successfull or responsible, it only teaches you that you can buy items that you can't actually afford and that it's ok. People will continue with this nonsense trend later in life when they buy a house that they can't afford and either foreclose or live paycheck to paycheck. This latest turn in the economy shows the lack of understanding in one's finances.

Teach your kids how to budget first and foremost. Teach them that working for one thing is not right, teach them to adjust their budgets when they want something (like a car) and teach them how to save for it. Help them with something reasonable like paying for the taxes, insurance or registration. Don't spoil them or you defeat the purpose.

A car is the second biggest expense (at least for me) and there is no way I would let a future child making minimum wage to get into something that expensive.

I'm giving my little brother my Honda (2003). He is now 17 and can use the older car to help my parent's with errands and be a little more independent. My parent's helped me in the past with a used car and since they can't afford one right now, I think is my obligation to help my brother and parent's out.

[MrIcky]

As others have said, another category for 'assist or split cost of a car'. I require my kids participate in some after school activities which limits the number of hours available for work- so they'd never have a car under my oppressive fascist parenting scheme if I don't help. To my daughter's credit, she got a job at McDonald's when she was 15 against my mild objections, but she only works weekends.

*edit* and no it shouldn't be new.

[guiLT]

Only spoiled kids get Camaros as their first cars.

[camarowa]

NO

[guiLT]

Originally Posted by TiE2000

G/J, DTM, don't mind him, he was obvioulsy trying to get a rise out of you... you can tell by his first statment. Hint's the reason everyone else ignord his post.

Yeah. Ignore him. Only losers try to start fights over the internet.

[CamaroSkooter]

If they have a good kid who deserves it, then why not?

I don't think parents should be out there buying their kids brand new beamers, but that's up to the parent how they want to treat their child. I would never spoil my child like that, because I want my child to be a hard-worker, not a silver spoon addict.

[2SS10RS]

I think every kid should be given the same thing I got which was a 1987 Chevy Caprice classic in 1996

when I was about to start college, my dad told me if I got all A's all four years he would buy me a new corvette, I guess he knows me too well because I never came close to that

[MikeSVX]

I'm stuck on answering. My option isn't there. There parents should HELP them buy it if they have earned that help. (i.e. good grades, does chores, stays out of trouble) I don't see any reason that a parent can't at least help there child get there first car. However, I don't think any new driver should have a new car. They seriously need to drive something that won't matter if it gets dented, not to mention the difference in the cost of insurance.

[2SS10RS]

Originally Posted by MikeSVX

I'm stuck on answering. My option isn't there. There parents should HELP them buy it if they have earned that help. (i.e. good grades, does chores, stays out of trouble) I don't see any reason that a parent can't at least help there child get there first car. However, I don't think any new driver should have a new car. They seriously need to drive something that won't matter if it gets dented, not to mention the difference in the cost of insurance.

[bartking]

I would say they should at most HELP out on the first purchase... maybe for every dollar the kid has match it. and make them pay for all the insurance/maintenance/gas and whatnot. Gives them a better sense of accomplishment and doesn't get them spoiled.

[CPanther95]

Distinguishing used only vs. new is silly. Is a used Maserati more reasonable than a new Cobalt? I prefer new or newer because I want to minimize the chance of my kids breaking down on the side of the road - especially my daughters. My kids got what made the most sense for them and our household at the time. That happened to be 2 new and 1 used.

But if they ever didn't appreciate it, or acted irresponsibly, they wouldn't get squat.

[DarthNacho08]

I voted yes-used. I realize that not every parent can buy their kids a car, but if they can, and the child has shown enough responsibility to be able to take care of it, they should at the very least help with insurance or gas. I had to buy my first car and I worked 60 hour weeks sometimes to be able to afford it. and it was still a POS. but i'm kinda bitter about this subject because my parents bought my sister a brand new car and paid for everything for about a year and a half until she got a job, but they absolutely refused to even consider buying me a car, even though I had better grades than she did, and had just as much need for a car as she did. and now that I have my car, I still can't drive it because shortly after I bought it, I had to quit my job to go back to school, and my parents still refused to pay for anything that has to do with my car, while the only thing that my sister has to do is pay for gas, they still pay for her insurance and the car payments!!