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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DH has bought 16yo a sports car

53 replies

Polomuncher · 12/02/2023 22:07

DH has bought 16 yo son a sports car, obviously can't even learn to drive yet. Never mind the potential insurance costs and the cost of living situation. My objections ignored. WWYD?

OP posts:
enweto · 12/02/2023 22:43

I bet he’s bought it for himself.

See what the insurance is.

As for what I would do, probably bombard DH and DS with every newspaper article I come across referencing teenage car tragedies for the forseeable.

Rantypanties · 12/02/2023 22:44

I used to work with a guy who said he was going to buy his child a 2 seater when she passed her test. In his eyes he believed it would be safer because she wouldn’t have friends in the back seat egging her on to drive fast/unsafe. I could see his point but I doubt any insurance company would touch a 17 year old in a sports car nowadays!!

I’m sure your husband will change his mind when he sees the costs!

GoodVibesHere · 12/02/2023 22:47

VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/02/2023 22:37

@GoodVibesHere

Congratulations on posting the most stupid response I've seen on mn.

How do you know how much the car cost?

You don't.

How do you know what the car's performance is?

You don't.

But feel free to post with irrelevancies.

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I was going by the OP who was worried about finances, having mentioned 1) the cost of living crisis and 2) potential insurance costs.

WarningToTheCurious · 12/02/2023 22:48

UnicornsHaveDadsToo · 12/02/2023 22:38

True, but it's not a particularly powerful or fast car at all, especially an older one.

As it happens, personally, I preferred to spend money on getting advanced driving instruction and courses for our elder children which they both enjoyed. Then they got sports cars with decent engines on their 21st birthdays when they'd been driving for nearly 4 years (both passed very quickly at 17).

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But it’s still a Grp 23 which heavily influences the premium cost, despite it only being around 90 -110 bhp.

Cookerhood · 12/02/2023 22:48

I don't think you'll get insurance under 25 if it really is a sports car.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 12/02/2023 22:50

Your DH is an idiot but I guess you know that

Testina · 12/02/2023 22:50

Well, OP might cost, but that doesn’t mean their household budget can’t afford it. Plenty of people can.

Buying a car for a 16yo sounds silly, but what if he’s 16 and 11 month? Or younger but it’s an unusual car so not always available?

It’s pointless to speculate without knowing what the car is.

anxiouspeabrain · 12/02/2023 22:50

Sounds odd. Would like to know what car it is, please come back Op!

AreBearsCatholic · 12/02/2023 22:54

Is the 16 yo also your son?

VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/02/2023 22:56

GoodVibesHere · 12/02/2023 22:47

I was going by the OP who was worried about finances, having mentioned 1) the cost of living crisis and 2) potential insurance costs.

Show quote history

None of which you can know without knowing what the car is.

But the OP seems to have vanished.

Testina · 12/02/2023 22:58

My guess is OP has disappeared because it a Puma or an MX5, not a 911 😉

GoodVibesHere · 12/02/2023 22:59

Testina · 12/02/2023 22:50

Well, OP might cost, but that doesn’t mean their household budget can’t afford it. Plenty of people can.

Buying a car for a 16yo sounds silly, but what if he’s 16 and 11 month? Or younger but it’s an unusual car so not always available?

It’s pointless to speculate without knowing what the car is.

I don't think it matters what the car is. The point is that the OP objected to her DH buying it but he ignored her and went and bought it anyway. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I said no but my DH ignored me and spent family money on something I didn't agree to. I know people are saying 'but you don't know how much it cost'. A car is going to cost a fair chunk of money.

piedbeauty · 12/02/2023 22:59

With what money? Household money? Can you afford it?

I'd be so angry that I'd find it hard to hold back. Does he normally do this?

Maray1967 · 12/02/2023 23:00

GoodChat · 12/02/2023 22:18

Yeah we definitely got that from your OP where you solely mentioned money

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OP wrote … ‘never mind the potential insurance cost… ‘ Implicit in that - to me anyway- is that something else matters more - and I think most of us would understand that it’s safety, given that it’s a probably a fast car.

Witsendwilly · 12/02/2023 23:02

Send it to us on the Isle of Man.

Our son has just passed his test at 16 and is looking for a car

Whybis the UK 17 anyway (misses point of thread)

VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/02/2023 23:02

piedbeauty · 12/02/2023 22:59

With what money? Household money? Can you afford it?

I'd be so angry that I'd find it hard to hold back. Does he normally do this?

So you'd be really angry without knowing the facts.

Please God you're never called for jury service.

UnicornsHaveDadsToo · 12/02/2023 23:03

Toddlerteaplease · 12/02/2023 22:27

I wish there was a law about how powerful cats could be in the first year or two of driving. Teenagers driving powerful cars around us a recipe for disaster.

Actually, I do agree with this. At the moment, you can pass your test in a wheezy little supermini with less than 80 bhp, and then jump straight into a Porsche 911 GT3 RS with 523 bhp, or a Ferrari 296 GTS with a ridiculous 830 bhp. Even a Tesla Model 3 Performance has 527 bhp. The only limit is how fat your/your parents' wallet is to pay for the silly insurance.

It's much more sensible with motorcycle licences. There are 3 categories, A1, A2 and the unrestricted A, restrictions based on power, power to weight and, in A1, engine size, with category restrictions being lifted with age, number of years licence has been held +/- additional tests. Given the disparity in what cars tests are taken in and what cars are available to be driven, that would be a far better way to structure the car driving licences, too.

Testina · 12/02/2023 23:04

@Witsendwilly I’ve always assumed it’s 17 because a lot of young people join the workforce in the year they turn 18 and having a car opens up more opportunities for an economically active cohort. In order to be ready to drive at 18, they need to start learning at 17. Just my theory though!

VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/02/2023 23:04

@Maray1967

Why do you assume it's a fast car?

As I posted above, an MGB will be slow in comparison with most modern cars.

FloydPepper · 12/02/2023 23:05

VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/02/2023 23:04

@Maray1967

Why do you assume it's a fast car?

As I posted above, an MGB will be slow in comparison with most modern cars.

Because it’s far easier to assume things and have a go at the man than it is to ask questions and base your response on facts

PeekAtYou · 12/02/2023 23:06

Would love to know which car and what insurance quote you got from a comparison site.

FloydPepper · 12/02/2023 23:06

UnicornsHaveDadsToo · 12/02/2023 23:03

Actually, I do agree with this. At the moment, you can pass your test in a wheezy little supermini with less than 80 bhp, and then jump straight into a Porsche 911 GT3 RS with 523 bhp, or a Ferrari 296 GTS with a ridiculous 830 bhp. Even a Tesla Model 3 Performance has 527 bhp. The only limit is how fat your/your parents' wallet is to pay for the silly insurance.

It's much more sensible with motorcycle licences. There are 3 categories, A1, A2 and the unrestricted A, restrictions based on power, power to weight and, in A1, engine size, with category restrictions being lifted with age, number of years licence has been held +/- additional tests. Given the disparity in what cars tests are taken in and what cars are available to be driven, that would be a far better way to structure the car driving licences, too.

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I do agree with this. I’m old now and I have fast cars. I’m d have been a danger with the same cars at 17.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/02/2023 23:11

FloydPepper · 12/02/2023 23:05

Because it’s far easier to assume things and have a go at the man than it is to ask questions and base your response on facts

Show quote history

Que?

AdobeWanKenobi · 12/02/2023 23:12

How lovely! At 16 years old it will be a lot easier for him to work on, presumably the DH is going to teach him basic mechanics etc

Ive a lot of petrolhead friends who purchase cars of all varieties for their young sons from much younger than 16. Best way to learn to respect the car is to understand how it works.

unless this is a Ferrari I think you’re being a tad over dramatic here.

Beaglesonlyplease · 12/02/2023 23:16

My diamond shoes are too tight.