My 18 year old drives a brand new Prius. How wrong is that?

My parents bought me a '65 Pontiac LeMans convertible for $150 when I was in high school. My niece's first car was my '89 Tercel with 170,000 miles on the clock.

 

Its not as wrong as it would be if she had bought him a Hummer. :madgrin:

 

Doesn't really matter what the age. What matters if whether it's TRULY appreciated. Adult can be just as unappreciative as kids.

 

My parents never bought me a car.

I had to drive the family Colt and some kind of Buick, can't remember.

 

Thats beside the point though. I think it depends on the kid. Does your son know the value of a dollar, does he understand that many people work their whole lives and can never afford to purchase such a car for themselves?

I was that age not too terribly long ago and I know a lot of people who are my age now just figuring out how the world really works because they were provided such a comfortable lifestyle so early and with no effort. I also know people who were afforded the same things and never had that problem...like me. Depends on the kid.

 

When in good shape, that was a great looking car:

[IMGLINK]http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1960-1969/1965-Pontiac-Lemans-Convertible.jpg[/IMGLINK]

 

You're the problem here.

1) You'd buy yourself a 30k car but give your son a really old Corolla.
2) You complain that he's using your supplies and eating dinner at your place.
3) You call him a bum.

You're the father. Act like one.

 

My sister just bought my niece a brand new 2010 Camry as her first car. I actually recommended my sister the Camry over the Corolla. Its a better car (safety wise).

I don't see anything wrong as other members stated if your son appreciated. I actually told my wife, if my son and daughter goes to good colleges one day, I don't mind getting them some nice rides (if I can afford it of course).

Come on they are my kids and I want to give them the best!

 

See what the car looks like in one year -

If it's well maintained, kept in good shape and has thousands of useful miles on it, ok.

If it hasn't been taken in for service, is piggy dirty and damaged and has a thousand miles on it, what a waste that's been.

Awfully high-end car for an 18 yr old though.

I bought all my own cars (including most of first car in HS), even in college. Some real stunners like a Datsun B-210 'honey bee' (ooh, now there's a charmer, eeek) and a Plymouth Scamp for $1,000.

 

Lucky kid. I bought my own first car. A 1963 Impala station wagon. The next year I saved up enough to get a 1970 Chevelle SS (in 1978)

 

If she’s rolling in $ and he appreciates it then so be it. However, from a safety and resale perspective, I don't think it’s the best choice for a college student (or if you live in a big city and are always parking on busy streets - other drivers parallel parking would just be a matter of time). On the other hand, hard to hot rod in it .

I think my Honda CRV would be much better for safety (5 star crash test score) and other people making minor hits and bumps. Since the Prius has no door body molding, I think there is a good chance the doors will look like crap (pardon) in a couple of years due to the tight parking conditions and parking habits of college life.

Same would apply to back or front bumper and fenders - just cave based on early reports of accidents. Cave meaning appearance, not safety. When I removed the Toyota OEM front license tag plate (none on back) to change it out, there were two gouges the size of a pencil eraser in the bumper - because T could not afford two pieces of stick on rubber like the back plate area (would have cost a quarter ). But he owns it so we will look forward to an update next year with pictures!

 

Uh, I got suckered into this debate in a different thread. I'm staying out of this one. Carry on everyone....

 

I feel your pain, your ex is using your alimony to pay for your kid's new Prius.

 

Ok I posted a thread that had slot of people arguing with me. And it was almost the same topic as this. I'm buying my own prius iv with solar roof and lots of people ok there said that I don't deserve it. But I'm the one buying it. I font get it. And there telling me to get a 100 year old car. (yes 100 year old exadurated) but you van get my point.

 

ouch. $10.00 says the son stumbles across this thread too.

 

go for it. My guess is that you'll be much safer in a Prius than a 100 year old vehicle.

 

I remember dad helping me fill out the forms so I could borrow the $800 from the credit union to buy my first car. That happened in 1978 and I got an ex company 1969 fleet buyer's special Ford Falcon.

I'm a soft touch so got my school age son a $400 Corolla. He hasn't got his licence yet but when he does I might upgrade his car provided I have the money. My situation has recently changed so things will be a little tight for a while.

I don't believe you can spoil a kid just by giving them stuff.

 

I never really considered a car bought or given by my parents as 'my car.' My cars have always been those that I looked for and bought with my income. Those are the cars that I've spent my time making better. The others I always felt I was just the custodian, not really the owner.

Bob Wilson

 

I took my driving test in a 1967 Ford Country Squire station wagon, which scarred me for life.