Teen from my hood getting new Lexus for Xmas

Parent Cafe
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<p>I doubt that the parents called up the local paper. What’s much more likely is that a reporter was doing a story about people buying cars as Christmas presents, and asked a dealership if they’d had any recent customers who fit the profile. Or maybe the reporter was on-site, ran into the family, and interviewed them. </p>

<p>I think it was foolish for the family to agree to appear in the story. People get excited about being mentioned in the news, and forget to think about how they’re going to be perceived.</p>

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<p>For barrons (yes, it is not the most powerful IS, but still it is an IS driven by a 16-yr old kid):</p>

<p>[Road</a> spikes](<a href=“http://www.securityprousa.com/roadspikes.html]Road”>http://www.securityprousa.com/roadspikes.html)</p>

<p>:)</p>

83

<p>I guess I live in a different universe. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Manhattan and my family never owned a car, but no matter how much money I had, I can’t conceive of any circumstances under which I’d ever pay more than half that amount for a car for myself, let alone for my son. At any age. In fact, I’ve never bought anything other than a used car, and don’t see why I ever would. (I haven’t bought my son any kind of car and can’t think of any reason why he needs one. In Chicago, he uses public transportation. And when he’s home, if he needs a car he borrows either mine or my ex’s.)</p>

<p>So I don’t get the whole thing.</p>

<p>If I were ever going to spend that kind of money on anything (and I don’t think I ever have, other than my share of the down payment for the house my ex and I bought in 1987), I can think of many more interesting things to buy!</p>

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<p>Okay. I got people talking and considering the alternative, and that’s all I really wanted.</p>

<p>There are plenty of good rich people, there are plenty of bad rich people.
There are plenty of good middle-class people, there are plenty of bad middle-class people.
There are plenty of good poor people, there are plenty of bad poor people.</p>

<p>Pick any category. My husband, who just got his contract not renewed at his job in southwestern Utah, was told by the department coordinator, “I hope you don’t think that this is because of the church…” (He’s very openly Catholic, and more or less the only non-LDS in sight) My husband said, “You know, the thought did cross my mind, but this is something that was done by people, and they’ve been misguided. There are good Catholics and bad Catholics, just like there are good Mormons and bad Mormons. The church has nothing to do with it.” I was very proud of him.</p>

<p>You wouldn’t believe the overwhelmingly amazing good-cause donation stories that I saw growing up… School fundraisers for Austin Street Shelter in Dallas, the local CEO dropping his kids off, opening his wallet, pulling out all the cash he had… over $1000 dollars… handing it to the slack-jawed kid collecting money. I flip through the donation lists of the places that I’ve given money to, and there are endowed funds from the same folks over and over, all donating $10K or more to hospitals, schools, programs for the underprivileged, orchestras and the arts and children’s theaters, charities, their churches… The same people who show up on all of these lists are the ones who are the most normal people in the world, and who donate staggering quantities of money to good causes. It’s not as though they’re keeping it all to themselves… They just have more money than I will ever see in my lifetime. Their kids are well-grounded, work hard in school, do outreach and charity work, are out on their own, but have brand new Acuras and Infinitis and Lexuses.</p>

<p>A lot of these kids don’t see these things as carrots. They don’t expect to get them. They don’t expect anything beyond this. They’re bowled over that they would get something amazing. Gifts don’t need to be one-upped.</p>

<p>Buying a 15-year-old a car… an unexperienced 15-year-old… yes, that’s something to be nervous about, and yes, it’s probably not good judgment on the part of the parents. The fact that it’s a Lexus (which is as luxurious as I should ever hope to go!) shouldn’t really come into play here.</p>

<p>DonnaL, when I’ve lived in Texas and California and the like, I’ve usually spent half my waking time in the car. I think it could partially be a geographic thing.</p>

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<p>Excess is just distasteful. My rule of thumb is never to pay more for a car than it would cost to spend two nights with Tiger Woods’ middle girlfriend.</p>

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<p>^^^ What about your elongated uvula? Isn’t that excessive??? :D</p>

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<p>So…I’m going to look at this another way. No, not the stupid part of the souped (?) up engine for a kid. People who buy cars are keeping the economy going. Got a jealousy problem with a kid driving a better car than you do? Get over it. This is (a sometimes stupid) parental decision. </p>

<p>I was looking at new cars and was considering a 3 series BMW. My dd said, (and yes this is true) that at her high school that is a kids car. </p>

<p>And yes, my kids received the car that they wanted from us…and I’m sure most of you would frown/laugh but that is what we decided to do. Oh…and safety was OUR first priority…but in our hood that is what is done. And as far as responsibility and safety as drivers: one daughter was hit by an uninsured motorist (not her fault and thank God no one was hurt), and one daughter got a door ding when a jerk opened his car door into her car.</p>

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<p>A lot of these kids don’t see these things as carrots. They don’t expect to get them. They don’t expect anything beyond this. They’re bowled over that they would get something amazing. Gifts don’t need to be one-upped.</p>

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<p>Sounds like a carrot to me.
If they need a car, then you can help them if needed to get one- if it is really needed for work and school- but IMO, it should be separate from doing chores, and working hard in school.</p>

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<p>And distasteful, too. Just like I said. :)</p>

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<p>The first thing I thought of was the insurance payments - ugh! I would imagine the car has good safety ratings and they are reliable. A neighbor of mine made the mistake of buying their kid a Volvo and all they talk about is how much it costs to fix it.</p>

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<p>and one daughter got a door ding when a jerk opened his car door into her car.</p>

<p>oooh that really sets me off.</p>

<p>I remember when I bought my Toyota, it was a dealer owned car, but still pretty new, we had a curved driveway ( I was staying for a few days at my moms house, but I had moved out when I was 17)</p>

<p>My mom apparently forgot that I was there, and when she backed out of the driveway, she plowed into my car, but then kept going.
( must have been late for work)
My " helpful" brother, then poked his head into my room, where I was still asleep and asked " have you seen your car lately?",
:eek:</p>

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<p>That may have been caused by two nights with Tiger Woods middle girlfriend!</p>

<p>(sorry MS, couldn’t resist)</p>

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<p>ellebud, I already said - Lexus makes a very nice, very safe car called the ES. If I were buying a Lexus for my kid, that’s what I would have gotten. Same price, same stimulus for the economy in the short run. However, you are right - in the long run, the ES might mean less “stimulus” to the local car body shops, personal injury attorneys, hospitals, funeral houses, etc.</p>

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<p>When we were talking to D1 about getting a car, she said, “Whatever you do, DO NOT get me a Volvo. Old people drive that.” She is right. I have a Volvo SUV, and I really don’t like it. I feel old when get I into it.</p>

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<p>"My helpful brother then poked his head into my room … and asked ‘have you seen your car lately?’ "</p>

<p>Ah, memories …</p>

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<p>Yes, I agree that kids 16 to 25 have the highest rate of accidents per capita (except for, I believe, seniors 85 plus). And they have these accidents in Chevrolets, Hondas, Mercedes, sedans and pickup trucks. Please do not assume that just because some parents buy certain cars that personal injury attorneys and the like will profit. It is the kid, the parents, the maturity level and the expertise in driving (and those around them) that determine the safety of the roads.</p>

<p>And as for the kid, he or she will or won’t be a brat depending on their home and environment.</p>

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<p>“I have a Volvo SUV, and I really don’t like it. I feel old when get I into it.”</p>

<p>You’re right about that. Buy your kids Porsche’s. Better yet, buy the Porsche for yourself and give the kid your '03 Accord. In our family cars flow downhill. Mom gets the new one, Dad gets Mom’s, oldest kid gets Dad’s, etc. I referred DW to this thread and told her that neighborhood status demands that the flow be reversed … youngest kid get the new car, etc. DW was not amused.</p>

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<p>emeraldkity4: I relate. When my daughter came home she was crying. (It was a deep ding). Her perfect car was “maimed”. (I wanted to use another phrase to her, but considering it was my daughter we used maimed.)</p>

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<p>Love it, NewHope! You’ve got the system down pat.</p>

<p>You know, as parents, we often talk about how to teach our children to resist peer pressure when it comes to negatives like drugs and alcohol but there have been several references in this thread about the need to buy a certain type new vehicle for the high school kid because that’s what’s done at that school or in that area. Automobile peer pressure! Those commercials are working.</p>

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<p>(Well… it’s a few thousand more expensive, base MSRP, plus it has 70 more horsepower and a 3.5 rather than a 2.5 liter engine… So it still moves. The IS is a lighter car, but having never done a comparison between the two, I’m not sure whether it goes any faster than the ES. The IS250 is deliberately underpowered. Almost certainly better gas mileage with the 250, though I’m not sure whether the gas cost savings is offset by the comparative insurance cost.)</p>