How do you feel about parents buying teens cars

**Palooka** · 08-04-2009, 01:31 AM

Well I know all families and kids are different, so no judgements. When I was sixteen I worked and my dad co-signed for me to get the car and I made the payments every month and was very responsible and payed it off. (I would never co-sign for anyone.

)

My daughter is doing great with her summer job and slapping her checks into savings to be able to buy herself a car with cash. It's nice to see she is learning the value of a dollar because sometimes she asks me for things and sometimes I say no. If she wants it bad enough she will use her own money and then do the math and tell me how many hours she had to work to pay for it. Yes, so happy she is learning this!

If I had the cash sitting in the bank to buy her a car, I am not sure I would or would not, so that is out of the question.

I think I am just happy that she is working towards that goal and I am going to be super proud to take her car shopping someday soon.

**mauimagic** · 08-04-2009, 01:56 AM

I agree with your philosophy. I too had to buy any and all cars that I have had. There's little value if we give our children so much - the earning of it creates a value that is so much more than the purchase price.

Just a question - how are you going to handle paying for the insurance?

**Palooka** · 08-04-2009, 01:59 AM

When she ownes a car herself, she will fit the insurance bill as well.

That is as long as she can afford too.

**jantana** · 08-04-2009, 02:03 AM

Hubby and I, both paid for our vehicles. Our children bought their own cars/insurance. This made them appreciate their car much more and took care of them.

**Palooka** · 08-04-2009, 03:03 AM

I do want to say one thing. Her best friends car was bought for her. Her mom lets her drive all the time and everywhere. She got into a wreck and it was her fault because she was messing with the stereo while on the darn cell phone and hit another car! No one was hurt, but her insurance went up and now she is in a mess.

I let my daughter drive my car to work and do simple stuff and I know she is very cautious with this priveleage.

**phoeny_moonstar** · 08-04-2009, 03:53 AM

I have had to buy all of my own vehicles. My mom had to buy all of her own vehicles when she was a kid as well. It made me appreciate my car that much more. I had to pay the difference in my mom's insurance when I got my first car, all the repairs/oil/tires/etc and gas for the car as well. I will defintely make my child/ren do the same thing.

**frugalwarrior** · 08-04-2009, 05:09 AM

When I was young I bought a crappy car w/ my own money,as did my DH. They were dangerous. My DD has applied for 100 jobs and gotten no callbacks. She has to be able to get to college. So DH and I decided we would buy a car for her and him to share. As he works out of the house and travels alot the car will be free for college.This car will be ours but she will use it w/ permission. I can keep an eye on condition this way too.
She still doesn't have her license as we can't afford to ins. her either. I will drive w/ her and then drive back on days she is there all day. It will tie me up and the car but w/ this economy it's the only thing we came up w/. If I told me this 2 years ago I would have laughed at me.
I still haven't figured out how Ds is getting to school 2 days a week. We will have to leave here at 6:15 to get her there by 7:30. Complicated. Thank Goodness i don't work outside the home currently.

**imagine** · 08-04-2009, 05:36 AM

You must be very proud of your daughter.

My experience with cars was quite different.

I was given a car when I was 14. A nice used 15 year old Mustang. I appreciated it very much, not any less than if I had paid for it on my own. I don't think it made me any less caring of the car. I also don't think it made me any less careful with my own money.

I was ready for a ultra reliable car when I was student teaching and graduating from college. So I bought a new fairly inexpensive car with my own money then. I made all the payments and my parents made the insurance and taxes on the car until I took my first teaching job. Then all those payments were mine too. I kept that car for over 10 years before I traded it in. I had a family by then and we just didn't fit in it anymore.

**Karen1** · 08-04-2009, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by Palooka

Well I know all families and kids are different, so no judgements. When I was sixteen I worked and my dad co-signed for me to get the car and I made the payments every month and was very responsible and payed it off. (I would never co-sign for anyone.

)

My daughter is doing great with her summer job and slapping her checks into savings to be able to buy herself a car with cash. It's nice to see she is learning the value of a dollar because sometimes she asks me for things and sometimes I say no. If she wants it bad enough she will use her own money and then do the math and tell me how many hours she had to work to pay for it. Yes, so happy she is learning this!

If I had the cash sitting in the bank to buy her a car, I am not sure I would or would not, so that is out of the question.

I think I am just happy that she is working towards that goal and I am going to be super proud to take her car shopping someday soon.

That is wonderful she is saving so well! She has a good head on her shoulders and you can't ask for more than that!

My parents bought us all used cars (3 of us) Mom said she wanted us to start out with a good used car with no costs over our heads so we could keep saving money and get a job or go to college etc. It worked out wonderful for us.

Nicole, being only 4 has a long way to go, but when she is driving, yes, I will buy her a good used car and set her up just like my Mom did us. I am also saving up money for a big downpayment on a home when she is ready to buy. I will help her with her future. That is no burden to me at all if I can afford it. I have no problems helping my kid financially if I can do it at the time. My parents have helped me many times over and it is wonderful to know a family can give support and it is there if needed.

My Mom paid all insurance etc. until we were set up in good jobs and "on our own" then. We appreciated everything that was given to us. We took care of our vehicles just as well as if we paid for them ourselves.

**joyofsix** · 08-04-2009, 06:43 AM

We purchased a used car ($3000) that we let our dd drive. It's not 'hers' but it's the one she uses. Our high school is 20 miles away and if she has a meeting (student council/class council/FEA/Freshman Mentoring/Cadet Teaching) it is much easier for me to let her drive than stop what I'm doing to pick her up. She will also use it to commute to college in two years. If she weren't such a responsible kid or abused the privilege we might have done differently.

**semo_mom** · 08-04-2009, 08:08 AM

My dad spoiled me every way that he could, and because of that they bought me my first car. Something I will not be doing for my own. Why? I didn't take care of that car at all, it lasted a little over a year. My second car I had to buy, bought that at 18 and I drove it until I turned 25.

**monkeywrangler71** · 08-04-2009, 08:50 AM

I lived at home when I went to university, so my father bought an old car for me to drive. My father used to buy cars all the time at public auction, fix them up and sell them. The one I had was hilariously ugly, but a good little car. He also paid the insurance, kept the gas tank full, paid my tuition, and gave me spending money. We were not permitted to work while going to school.

I drove responsibly, my brother had three accidents before he finished high school. I don't think it makes any difference what parents do or don't pay for, a responsible child will be careful, an irresponsible child will not.

**Karen1** · 08-04-2009, 08:54 AM

that is so true. base the decision on "what to buy" your kid on "their personality and responsibility level"---not your own or from past experiences.

we throw so much of "our" past on the kids. time to stop that I think.

treat each young adult according to their traits.

**nodmicks** · 08-04-2009, 09:09 AM

My parents bought me my first car. It was a graduation/birthday gift. It was 18 years old as was I and I loved it.

My sons gets his license this fall. The plan is if we can afford it I get a newer car and he gets my old car. Dh and I will still own it. We will pay the ins as long as he gets a good student discount. DS has a job and puts $ away in the company match plan for college.

He also knows that if dh and I can't afford a newer car by oct that he has to wait as long as it takes or pitch in for his own.

I can't wait for him to drive! We are rural and it is 17 miles one way to his job. Lots of running and gas for mom.

**vigilant20** · 08-04-2009, 09:15 AM

It depends on the situation. My parents bought an inexpensive used car for me and my two brothers to share. We lived 30 miles from the city, away from public transportation, were forbidden to work until high school graduation to keep priorities straight and keep parents from being inconvenienced by helping us get to work in the summer...so it seemed perfectly reasonable. It also eased their burden a bit by allowing the eldest (me) to ferry the others to school.