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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

First car question

15 replies

almostanotherday · 07/04/2013 14:06

Who pays?

I was going to buy the car and insurance in one payment for DS 18th birthday gift.

DS will then need to pay us back for insurance and cover his own tax, mot, petrol etc......

DH thinks DS should pay for everything himself including buying own car.

OP posts:

JETS · 07/04/2013 14:12

Lucky if u can doit.....otherwise try marmalade.com

Original poster

almostanotherday · 07/04/2013 14:18

I have a quote for insurance already so I know what I will need to pay.

OP posts:

Startail · 07/04/2013 14:28

DSIS and my first cars were presents, DSIS her 18th, mine was luck, DDad got a job with a company car. I got his old one.

My second car was a wedding present.

I've always taxed and insured them, DDad serviced my first one and no doubt picked up odd bills. Once I was married it was my problem.

stickyj · 07/04/2013 14:33

What's going on with marmalade.com. It takes me to someone's painting site!! ??

Original poster

almostanotherday · 07/04/2013 15:42

Try wearemarmalade.com

OP posts:

secretscwirrels · 07/04/2013 16:49

I'd say it depends whether they have a job. Though it sounds like a great 18th birthday present.
DS1 is 17 and I won't be buying him a car as we'd end up running 3 cars.
He is insured on my car as an additional driver and he will be allowed to use it within limits. His college bus pass costs £30 for the year so I'm loathe to let him use the car regularly for college.
He doesn't have a part time job at the moment but he will be looking for one when the exams finish and I will then expect petrol money.

mrsjay · 08/04/2013 11:37

DD1 first car and insurance was a combined christmas and 18th birthday gift . after that she was on her own she buys her own petrol mot and insurance, although she did borrow this years insurance money as we got a deal for a 1 off payment, she is paying us back, it really is up to you what you do tbh, dd has a very old car but it gets her around I am sure she would have loved a shinier 1 but it was all we wanted to pay for a first car.

AMumInScotland · 08/04/2013 11:45

There isn't any single right answer, because it depends so much on why you (or he) thinks he should have a car. DS has my old car, which we gave him instead of trading in - but that's because we gave him the choice when he became a student of either sorting out accommodation or a car, but not both. So we are still covering all the costs of the car at the moment. That will change when he can earn money instead of us mostly subbing him!

mrsjay · 08/04/2013 11:48

you are right Amum it does really depend on circumstances and what you want to do there is no right way of doing it,

allmycats · 08/04/2013 11:50

Is your son earning a wage or is he dependant on the family. if he is not earning how will he pay ?

HelenDaniels · 08/04/2013 11:56

It's all really expensive anyway.

I gave dd a car for her 17th birthday (well, gave her my old car and I bought a new one). I also paid for her license, driving lessons (10 of them so not too bad). She passed her test a couple of weeks ago, and we are going to split the insurance (£350 a month!) - she does 3 shifts at Asda a week which fits around her college pretty well so she can afford her share easily.

I give her a tenner for petrol a week (gave her that anyway as she had a moped before).

Unfortunately last week the tax run out and it needed MOTing at the same time (wonderful timing there) and she looked wide eyed at me. So I paid for that as well - a couple of hundred quid. I have told her she needs to put some money aside every month to cover new tyres, brakes etc as and when, because I don't want to have to pay for that all the time.

The moped was a lot bloody cheaper!

HelenDaniels · 08/04/2013 12:02

There is no right or wrong with these things though.

I think dd is bloody lucky to have a car at all. But then it seems that everyone she knows has a car funded by their parents.

Original poster

almostanotherday · 08/04/2013 12:06

He is not working at the mo but he is applying for jobs,not much around but at least he is trying.

OP posts:

AMumInScotland · 08/04/2013 12:59

For me, it would be about the balance between what he is earning, and how much he has from that to spend, vs what you and DH are earning, and how much of that you have available after paying bills etc.

If you are "comfortably off" and DS is likely to get something minimum wage, then giving him the car itself, but asking him to pay back/take on the extras sounds pretty fair.

But if you are already stretched, and he's going to have lots of available cash once he's working, then it would be unfair of him to expect to be given the car outright, and then live the life of Reilly!

Either way though I think you need to be clear about what is his birthday present and what is an interest-free loan until he's earning - I don't think it would be fair to refer to the insurance as part of his birthday present, if you're expecting him to then pay it back. Ditto the car itself if that's what you decide.

amumthatcares · 08/04/2013 21:26

We bought DD's car - she paid the insurance from the word go with money she had saved in advance. She then continued to save all year for her renewal. We pay the maintenance costs, ie., service, mot, tyres etc (to ensure it is kept safe and roadworthy being the main reason). Having said that, she is still at school and her school bus used to cost us £450 a year that we no longer have to pay, so it probably evens out. She pays ALL her petrol (as she was the first of her friends to pass, she was designated the local taxi for her mates more fool her and we made it clear we would not be subsidising that).

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