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Teenagers

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

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Original poster

Did you/will you buy your 17 year old a car?

119 replies

Robertsmithdoesmyhair · 24/05/2019 18:09

My DD is 17 on Mon. She wants driving lessons and a car to drive to college in! Lots of her (wealthy) friends are now getting them! I've explained that we could afford to buy a car if she could tax and insure it. She doesn't even have a PT job so that's a no then.
Since when did 17 year olds expect their parents to pay for a car? Is this a thing now? It's utter madness! I thought she'd want a new iphone!
Did you get your DC one??

OP posts:

poobumwee · 27/05/2019 22:09

Son just turned 17. Wont be buying him a car or contributing. He will need to get a job and save up himself

bellsbuss · 27/05/2019 22:20

We did and paid for our daughters insurance in full for the first year as it was a lot cheaper doing that, but she had to pay us back monthly for the insurance.

PollyShelby · 27/05/2019 22:39

Yes we have got ours but our youngest is 17 next year, so will get it then.

How much are people paying on a lease? That sounds like a good idea if mileage isn't too restricted.

Oliversmumsarmy · 27/05/2019 23:01

We pay £150 per month.

It was an excellent deal. 8000 miles per year.

Tried to get similar for Ds but it had gone up to more like £280 per month.

He wants a van so he is using one of our other cars whilst he is still learning and we will look at vans for when he has passed

Original poster

Robertsmithdoesmyhair · 28/05/2019 09:35

Oliversmumsarmy
Does the £150 include tax, insurance and petrol, or is that just for the car?

OP posts:

corythatwas · 28/05/2019 15:44

No. He didn't/doesn't need one and walking is good for him. We don't live in a remote rural area so there is absolutely no reason he can't use public transport or walk a few miles when public transport not available.

Though this may change if he gets an apprenticeship/job that expects car use. Then I would count it as part of his education in the same way as helping a child who went to uni, which he is not going to do. We can afford it (just about) but don't approve of car use unless absolutely necessary.

SecretWitch · 28/05/2019 15:47

We paid for the driving course for our 17 yr olds. My mum gave them $5000 each to buy a car. They pay for their own insurance.

twattymctwatterson · 28/05/2019 17:15

Op if I were you I'd investigate the cost of insuring a 17 year old, that'll likely be far higher than the cost of a reasonable second hand car

WhatHaveIFound · 28/05/2019 17:24

We're paying for DD's driving lessons but i don't think we'll be able to afford to buy DD a car when she passes her test unless her grandparents help out. They have given her some money towards driving lessons so fingers crossed!

Oliversmumsarmy · 29/05/2019 07:30

Robertsmithdoesmyhair no but that we got for £100 per month and then car tax on top of that.

It is worth it though as she does work odd hours and I don’t have to get up at 5am to drive her somewhere or pick her up at 2am 30 miles away

Auxilarychord · 02/06/2019 14:21

My dad bought me a 10 year old Volkswagen polo and it was a great choice for the whole family! He’s taken it out of my funds which we’ve been saving since I was a little child as my family knew one day this day would come. I practice with my mum regularly and I’ve never been more thankful. If you can afford it get your kid a banger at 17 independence is the best feeling.

REDCARBLUE · 02/06/2019 16:14

My DD will buy her own. She has cash saved from Christmas and birthday etc and enough to buy a car and insurance.

blaaake · 02/06/2019 16:21

Only ds1 is of driving age and yes we did buy and insure a car for him when he passed his test. He pays for tax and petrol.

VisiblyOver25 · 02/06/2019 16:23

We did. Neither of our cars were suitable for DC to drive, unfortunately (one automatic, one too powerful). Otherwise DC would have shared ours.

PollyPelargonium52 · 04/06/2019 05:20

I will gladly pay for driving lessons for ds when he is 17 as my mum did the same for me and it is such an invaluable skill but as for a car ds will have to wait until he turns 18. He has a stakeholder account with £4k in it. which he can use when he becomes 18 I recommended he buys one for £2k insures for a £1k and leaves £1k change for e.g. holidays. He is only 14 at the moment but I am hoping the rest of the running costs he can fund himself once he finds work at that age ....

Oblomov19 · 04/06/2019 05:34

I am very shocked at this thread.
I bought my own car at 17.

Shocked at all those buying a new car too. I've never had a new car myself!! What price are you talking? £30k?

A pp scoffed at £3k or £4k and said that's ALL they paid. What? Compared to the rich friends paying £30k, so a £4k car present makes a 17 year old feel poor and like a peasant?

Shmithecat2 · 04/06/2019 05:35

My parents bought and insured my first car for me. I did have a pt job though. Not sure they would've done if I hadn't had some kind of income to be able to put fuel in it though...

It's a way off yet, but we'll be buying our ds his first car. He will be getting the biggest, safest car we can afford. After my nephew lost his life driving a cheap little old banger (he was t-boned by a Ford Kuga) there's no way I'm putting ds in the same vulnerable position.

Oblomov19 · 04/06/2019 05:42

Learning to drive is completely different to being bought a car. Or bought a new car. I plan on teaching Ds1 ASAP. I did and passed my test soon after my 17th birthday. Great life skill.

Totally different concept/issue re learning to drive. Versus being bought a car.

ItsReallyOnlyMe · 04/06/2019 05:45

I had the same comments from my daughter when she turned 17 (now 21). I did pay for driving lessons and insure her to drive my car though.

She has now saved up (after 1 year working) to buy a brand new car herself and ... I kid you not .... she said to me on the day she bought it "I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad you didn't buy me a car as the personal satisfaction of buying it myself is huge'. Parenting win !

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