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<p>You’ve got a pretty low standard if you think a Lexus is ostentatious. It barely scratches the surface of “expensive car land.”</p>
<p>Sorry oldfort - I interpreted it differently, as if she were causing damage deliberately or through neglect, as opposed to accidents. You’re right, accidents can happen to anyone.</p>
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<p>But which one of these achievements justifes an article on the front page of a section in a major newspaper?</p>
<p>“Not everyone who drives a nice car is doing so to flaunt their wealth.”</p>
<p>Certainly not. But when one buys their 15-year-old an ostentatious automobile and dials up the local newspaper to announce the purchase to the community, then yes it certainly appears that the family is flaunting it’s wealth. That or the kid is socially awkward and needs a Lexus to get dates!</p>
<p>PizzaGirl - How is a Lexus better than a Honda? Right. So when one elects to spend double the money for the same utility, that’s pretty much the definition of ostentatious display.</p>
<p>A couple thoughts I had regarding this thread-
one was that since Barrons lives in a planned contained community which was originally intended to be upscale- ( and therefore shooting itself in the foot, because the people who would be working at the grocery stores, banks and restaurants, wouldn’t be able to afford to live in the community- and those who could would still be working elseswhere), I had the impression that the post wasn’t to bring admonishment to the parenting, but accolades that those in his " hood" would have such strong " american values", as using expensive gifts to motivate teens to study in school.</p>
<p>A fifteen year old is quite young, and as he said" didn’t expect this". Performing well in school- is not something that is tied to an expensive car, it is not a logical consequence to recieve one.
It should not be so much of a shock that 10th grader can do well in school that his parents basically bet a new car that he can do so.
It means more when we feel we earn something, than when it is given to us before we have had a chance to.
While he will have other opportunities in his life to work hard on his accomplishments, I think it could be more difficult, if he doesn’t have a big carrot dangled in front of him.</p>
<p>If his parents really wanted to boost his social standing, they would have bought him a Prius.</p>
<p>I don’t care if someone wants to buy their kid a nice car, but he’s FIFTEEN. Who puts that much money/car in the hands of a 15yo?</p>
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<p>But there is nothing OSTENTATIOUS about driving a car down the street as intended. Do you seriously look around you in a parking lot and think that all the people driving BMW’s, Lexuses, whatever cars are “ostentatious”? They’re using them to get from point A to point B, just like others might use a Honda or “simpler” car.</p>
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<p>BB, I don’t believe I took anything out of context. You stated that your local paper apparently keeps everyone informed as to high schoolers’ achievements, and clearly there was no indication that this kid had any such achievements, nor had he cured cancer. The implication being that had he been successful in this way, he would have deserved this car. </p>
<p>I can’t figure out if you’re more annoyed by the car this kid received or the fact that it’s a front page story.</p>
<p>A Lexus is basically a Toyota isn’t it?
I used to have a Toyota, it was a very good car ( '76 Toyota Corolla SR5, my H did as well '74 Toyota Corona) & it was the first word that my older daughter read to my knowledge ( we were at a stoplight, coming home from preschool, she was about 3, and she looked down the road and said " that car is like daddy’s", I looked down the street and didn’t see any Coronas, but then I noticed a small pickup with* Toyota* written across the back. I just kinda looked at her and said " oh, you are right" ;)</p>
<p>I don’t think giving a teen boy an expensive car is going to scar him for life, but it could put him in the position of not knowing if his friends liked him for himself, or for the money that he had access to. Not to mention, before it is known how good his driving skills are.</p>
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<p>Again, I think a few people are missing the point here. I really doubt anyone on here has anything against people who drive cars that cost more than average–and I’m sure that more than a few people on here drive such cars themselves.</p>
<p>The point is not about the money or the car but the vanity at play. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t think twice if I drove past someone with a Lexus; however, if they called up the local paper, posed for pictures and then told reporters about how wonderful they were for spending significant sums buying such a car then yeah I’d think they’re a bit loopy. </p>
<p>If the responses on the newspaper’s website even remotely represent the average view of those in the area then I’d say this little PR stunt backfired big time.</p>
<p>I didn’t read the article. I’m only reacting to the concept of someone buying a 16 yo a nice car. Good for them - if it’s money honestly earned, it’s not my concern.</p>
<p>^^^^ PizzaGirl - I absolutely agree with your point (in post #69). There is nothing ostentatious about someone driving a Lexus down the street. And the kid might be the greatest kid in the world … but that’s completely beside the point (as numerous others have pointed out). </p>
<p>My quibble is with the parent’s judgement. These parents have been beat up pretty bad, so perhaps we can use a different scenario. Let’s say a very attractive 17-year-old goes to work in some large family-owned business. She’s a secretary to the owner. She has no car, and is depending on friends to drop her off at work. She works hard and gets good performance reviews, and the owner believes in motivated employees. So for her 18th birthday, the owner buys the girl a new Lexus. His money, his decision … right?</p>
<p>eew.
that would strike me as hidden agenda big time-
why not just help employees set up a van pool?</p>
<p>alwaysamom, my post was a reply to aibarr’s post where she implied that the kid might have done something extraordinary that made him “worthy” of a sports car. I stated what the paper said - the kid got the car because he was able to “keep his grades up”. We would have learned from the article if there was more to the kid’s achievements. Since the family had no problem advertising their purchase in the paper, it is clearly not the case where the family is being modest about the boy’s achievements.</p>
<p>Frankly, the article got on my nerve because I had to deal with local punks racing their IS, souped-up Honda and Maserati down our quiet street. Please don’t tell me the kid will be driving “only” 10 mph over the speed limit :rolleyes:</p>
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Meanwhile, in the Ivory tower.</p>
<p>Mr Payne, you are TOO funny. Thank you!</p>
<p>“Please don’t tell me the kid will be driving “only” 10 mph over the speed limit.”</p>
<p>Up until I was 23, I could tell you exactly how fast every vehicle I had access to would go. Bad NewHope, bad bad NewHope. And my Dad wouldn’t buy replacements for anything I wrecked.</p>
<p>“Excessive” is apparently defined as “more than I, myself, can personally afford.”
Pizzagirl, FWIW, you don’t know me nor what I can or cannot afford. For the record, I don’t judge people on what kind of car they drive, where their kids attend school or what neighborhood they live in. I don’t care what you can or cannot afford or how much money you have. I judge people based on how they treat other people.</p>
<p>“In the minds of small, jealous people, it is.”
Since you were referring to my quote, pizzagirl, I’m assuming you’re calling me a small, jealous person. As I said above, I judge people based on how they treat other people. It never ceases to amaze me here on cc the posters who jump to the opportunity to create nastiness when they don’t agree. I have never in my lifetime said to a person that they were a small, jealous person.</p>
<p>I never meant to imply that I have a problem with buying a new car for a child who has some experience driving. My 21 year old has a new car that we bought for her. But this kid is 15!!! But, when it comes down to it, I really don’t care if you give your child a $50,000 car. I think it’s a crazy thing to do for a young inexperienced driver and, yes, I think it’s excessive at the age 15, whether it’s in the paper or not, but it’s your money to burn.</p>