Why do some parents drop so much money on their kids cars?

Wait... you're going to drop 20k on a car when you GET to college?

1. You have more than 20k and you're not even in college? How'd you make 20+k...

2. Youre parents are definitely paying for your college, right?

Nevermind on question one there, just read back on the thread.

Anyways...

So what you're saying is that you want to buy this car because its ok to make mistakes when youre 18? Last time I checked this is not a viable reason to make a mistake. Like oh, I'll just murder this dude, it's ok, I know it's a mistake but I'm 18, I can make mistakes.

Seriously, you clearly know that it's a mistake. So don't do it in the first place...

This is a stupid thread. The bottom line is that this is no one's issue but the adults parenting kids who have fast cars. First off, yes it's stupid to give a kid a fast car at first, because it teaches them to drive inefficiently and dangerously, you can get a 2.5 L 4cylinder engine and have plenty of speed to do what you need to do. I honestly think kids should drive like 4 years at least before getting a turbo or a faster car, i've just seen so many young kids with sti's, wrx's, mercedes etc. crash their car at like 17-18. But that's their issue. But more importantly, parents who buy their kids cars in general is a parenting choice. personally I think a parent shouldn't buy a new car for their kid, a kid should at least pay for a portion. And bullshit you need 8-12 grand for a safe car. I bought a 2000 outback when i was 16 for 4,400 and it's a really safe car in any condition, and in turn I learned how to bargain, drive a car nicely, repair my car, etc., you learn a lot about life through this shit, so personally i think when parents do this shit it's just taking away opportunities from their kids to learn and grow as people, kinda what's wrong with American youth in general. But hey, their loss.

Not safe when the engine cuts out when you are doing 80 to keep up with traffic on a fully clogged interstate. I had a $500 96 subaru legacy with 350,000 miles on it and it would cut out while driving. I didn't drive any highways with it but mechanical failure make a older car unsafe.

$500 1996 Subaru legacy w/ 350,000 miles =\= $4,400 Subaru outback

No shit a car with 350,000 miles on it is going to be unsafe. There is a reason he paid 9 times as much as you did for his car.


I say $5000 is about what parents/kids should combine to pay for the first car. A little more, fine. Much more, unnnecessary, dangerous, and your kid is never going to learn to work hard in life for the things he wants.

I know, I didn't mean to imply that you do. I was just trying to say that I wouldn't be blown away by a wealthy parent spending some money on a car for their kid but there's a huge difference between spending low to mid 5 figures and the Maserati. If it were my kid and I was that rich I would be a whole lot less concerned about the car's value and more worried he'd go off and wrap the car around a tree at 200 mph and kill himself. 16 year olds aren't exactly known for their brilliant driving or decision making skills and that is the main reason why, even if I had Bill Gates' money, there is 0 chance I'd buy a car like that for my kid. Cars are replaceable, your children aren't. If there was some magical car that couldn't get into an accident and I was super rich I'd probably be willing to drop any amount of money on it for my child, and the car OP was talking about is pretty much the exact opposite of that...

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/3837682800.html

if you have the money why not. probaly those parents spent the kids child hood working so they buy them a nice car and nice things to make up for lack of parenting. it also depends on where you grow up. i as well am from vermont and growing up my next door neighbors mother is one of the top eye surgeons in the country. they had mega sick cars always audi a4 of the year they turned 16. me and my buddy loved taking out the a8 and z4 for blowen fast car fun time.