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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that it's ridiculous, to buy a 17 year old a brand new car?

311 replies

ILiveAtTheBeach · 23/11/2015 16:29

That's exactly what my DD's best friends parents have done. A brand spanking new car, for her 17th birthday. A 65 plate. She can't even drive yet (obvs). She is still at school, so I guess when she does pass, that all costs associated with the car (fuel/insurance/road tax) will be paid for by the parents??!!

Thank goodness, my DD also thinks it's crazy. But I'm sure some parents in the friendship group, will now feel slightly pressured to buy their kids a car.

I mean, I could maybe understand getting your kids a car for say £1-2k, but I think even that would be extremely generous.

I had to buy my own first car and pay for all costs that went with that. It was old and cheap. And I was working FT.

They are not particularly well off (if their house is anything to go buy).

OP posts:
SirChenjin · 23/11/2015 18:02

The norm (when you're quoting something) is to put quotation marks round the phrase - otherwise it looks as if you're trying to pass something off as your own words (or in this case, explanation).

Chin chin Wine

toastedbeagle · 23/11/2015 18:03

My parents bought me a brand new car when I was 17. It was a Ford Ka so little and with a small engine. My parents cars were massive BMWs which they didnt want me learning in. There was a deal on for free insurance for 12m so saved about £2k. Never bumped it of scratched it once.

My friends all had similar, corsas and minis etc. My sister was put out though, as her first car had been a 10 yr old £500 banger.

I would do the same for my kids. Better to have decent brakes and airbags as someone said. But we can afford it, so I don't see what the big deal is. I wouldnt buy anything massive or over powered eg a Golf for a 17 yr old. I used to love putting my foot down, by the Ka took 14 secs to go 0-60 mph, so not terribly effective!

coffeeisnectar · 23/11/2015 18:03

My oldest is 17. She works part time to pay for driving lessons and is looking out for a cheap car.

She's still at school. A huge number of her peers got new cars for 17th birthdays. Two have been banned from driving already, accrued more than 6 points. There have been quite a few accidents, one quite serious. I pick her up from maccys where she works very late at night and the car park is full of very young drivers driving very expensive brand new cars, like bloody idiots. Racing round and revving the engine hard. Driving in a way their parents would not be impressed with.

I agree with the op. Perhaps if these kids had to buy their own cars they might drive them a bit better and take more care of them.

When mummy and daddy hand everything on a plate they don't seem to appreciate it. Some do, but ime, very few.

Goingtobeawesome · 23/11/2015 18:03

Damnbamboo - what are you getting your boys?

DamnBamboo · 23/11/2015 18:05

Tut tut!
Oh dear.
All these errors I'm making.
Yes you're right, I should have quoted it. I bet less than 1 in a 100 people would know that definition and that anybody would actually expect them to, but never mind eh.

All this nit-picking is genuinely making me laugh! Oh dear, dare I say it... I'm being picked on and singled out for things not remotely related to the OP (weeps loudly)

Grin
DamnBamboo · 23/11/2015 18:06

going individual electronic items and other larger items for our games room make up the bulk of it.

SirChenjin · 23/11/2015 18:06

I know - it's hilarious, princess!

Grin
DamnBamboo · 23/11/2015 18:07

When mummy and daddy hand everything on a plate they don't seem to appreciate it. Some do, but ime, very few

And here we go again. Yawn!

snozzlemaid · 23/11/2015 18:08

This used to be such a nice place. Sad

Sansoora · 23/11/2015 18:08

Perhaps if these kids had to buy their own cars they might drive them a bit better and take more care of them.

I think if that was the case then Insurance would cost less for kids who buy their own cars than it does for those who don't and I know thats not the case where we live. Is it the same in other places?

leccybill · 23/11/2015 18:09

I got a brand new car for my 17th. I began learning in it on that day and passed 6 months later. It came with a year's free insurance which was worth a lot.

I was so proud and looked after it so well for 5 years. Then I saved up and upgraded it myself. Didn't have so much as a bump or scrape in either until I was 33 and drove my big mum wagon into a wall after a particularly bad day at work!

My parents were by no means wealthy but they took out an insurance policy when I was born which matured when I was 16 so they used that. I think the car was about £7k.

NoahVale · 23/11/2015 18:09

aibu is often full of argumentative types, there should be a Klaxon

CandyCaneCottage · 23/11/2015 18:09

same toasted! my nan gave me her 12 year old Fiesta that was an automatic that i had never drove, but the scrappage scheme came in so with the 2k i got for that, and money for my birthday, i paid the rest it was the base model bigger Ka's, it didn't even have central locking and electric windows! this was in 2009!

it was also in perfect condition when i got rid of it, to partly repay my parents for giving me a top of the line Ford Fiesta that was a year old. Infact i saw it less than 3 weeks later on the road.

I don't get how getting big presents means a person doesn't understand money, there are a lot of different factors that contribute.

BoboChic · 23/11/2015 18:09

We haven't bought cars for the DSSs because they don't need them. But, were we to have chosen to live somewhere where a car was necessary, I'm sure we would have. Or maybe their grandfather would have. And I'd much rather a new car than something old and dodgy!

stopfaffing · 23/11/2015 18:10

I don't think you're being unreasonable to question doing such a thing, OP. But some of the points raised have been interesting.

My DS turned 21 last month and it was then he could afford to insure his dad's old car (15 years old) so it was given to him for his birthday. It is very expensive to insure cars if you are under 21, however some brand new cars come with insurance included so if this was the case it could be a very good way to get around that. As soon as you start building up no claims, your insurance costs decrease.

I wouldn't get my kids a new car because I could never afford to get one for myself. Properly broken-in cars for me, hehehe. Grin

SilverOldie2 · 23/11/2015 18:11

The bottom line is that you have no idea of their financial status, and I don't understand why you think it's any of your business to comment on the car or house. It isn't so I suggest you wind your neck in and mind your own business.

TheFairyCaravan · 23/11/2015 18:11

I don't see the point in buying brand new cars for anyone because of the depreciation factor but we did any way.

Our children bought their own first cars. DS2 saved like hell from his minimum wage weekend job and bought a little 06 plate Clio with full service history. We paid the insurance, DH is good at mechanics and teaches DS2. It's SORN at the moment because DS2 can't have it at uni.

DS1 has a BMW now that he bought himself. He looks after that car like it's his baby. He won't let anyone eat or drink in it he's just like DH.

My nieces and nephews were given their first cars by my parents, they treated them (my parents and the cars) like shit.

MitzyLeFrouf · 23/11/2015 18:11

Does it need a klaxon? As certain we are that the sun rises and the sun sets we can be certain that AIBU is basically a big squabble.

kelper · 23/11/2015 18:13

My first car was 40 years old..... I crashed it.
Id have crashed it if it was brand new too ;)
A lot of brand new cars come with free insurance for 17 and 18 years olds (Peugeot and Kia off the top of my head) so that would be a selling point for me.

strawberryandaflake · 23/11/2015 18:13

If it's any help, a girl in my class from school (years ago) got a brand new car as well. We all laughed at her as we were smart young ladies and knew what the insurance would be. To cut a long story short, she smashed it up, and went the way of many a first car. The next car was a beaten up old fiesta. Lesson learned - check

SirChenjin · 23/11/2015 18:14

I think if that was the case then Insurance would cost less for kids who buy their own cars than it does for those who don't and I know thats not the case where we live. Is it the same in other places

I didn't think it mattered who bought the car in terms of insurance Confused

TheFairyCaravan · 23/11/2015 18:14

I think if that was the case then Insurance would cost less for kids who buy their own cars than it does for those who don't and I know thats not the case where we live. Is it the same in other places?

The insurance companies we use don't ask who bought the car! Confused

DS2's insurance was £938 for the car he bought.

Leelu6 · 23/11/2015 18:15

Damnbamboo the more you post 'yawn' and 'hilarious' and ' Grin ' the more unhinged you sound.

You asked OP why she gives a shit about the new car.

Well why do you give a shit about this thread? Why does anyone give a shit about anything?

It's a perfectly genuine AIBU.

pretend · 23/11/2015 18:17

I would far rather buy dd a new car with all the safety bells and whistles than some old banger.

If you have a decent amount to put down up front the monthly payments aren't too bad.

Why wouldn't I, given I can afford it? I don't understand anyone who has a problem with it.

Sansoora · 23/11/2015 18:18

I think I should have made the meaning of my previous point clearer.