I was considering buying my son his first car as long as he did good in school. But I was thinking that this may not be a good idea. Would this be spoiling him? Should I make him work, save and buy his own first car? The reason I am hesitant about it is because he doesn't understand the concept of money. He blows every dime he gets on junk.

I would maybe work a deal with him so he can learn a lesson with this. Maybe do a 50/50 deal. He would have to learn to save/budget his money in order to make the deal. I had to work for my first car and I learned a lot about budgeting from that. You could also make it so he has to pay for some or all of the insurance so he can continue on a budget and not go back to his old ways.

If you are able to, I say buy him the car have him pay for the rest. I was given my first car, but I had to work to get the gas, insurance and title money. If I didn't have the money for gas I didn't get to go. So I learned real fast not to blow my paycheck on things I didn't really need. This is what I plan to do with my boys -- I just hope I will be able to.

It also depends on what sort of car we are talking about here. Is it a $40K SUV, or a $500 clunker? You might want to have him contribute, but add some more to get him into a newer/safer car. An older car may be cheaper for him to buy, but will cost more in upkeep.

So, maybe you use this as a teaching opportunity in general. Figure out how much you want to give him (if any), and sit him down and ask him how he would figure out what car to buy. Teach him the tools that he can use (Consumer Reports Used Car Guide is very useful, and often available from the library), how to research the insurance costs for various cars, and how to estimate repair costs and gas. Then he can decide whether to take the amount you are offering and buy X, or to work and save up so that he could get a different car.

Like the others have said, you can buy the car - but let him know that he has to pay for the upkeep. A lot of kids are exteremly rough on their cars - so if he breaks it - he pays to fix it. He pays to get the oil changed, insurance, gas.
I don't think the actual purchase of the car is spoiling at all. You have taught him a lot of things thus far - now it is time for HIM to put those lessons to use - like responsibility.
Good Luck.

I bought my 4 boys ( all grown now) a car at about 16. They were all older cars and we all had time to talk and learn and work together in our garage working on them all the time. This was a great bonding time for all of us.

Also I made them pay for the insurance, gasoline, and put work on it for repairs and the such. If they did not have gas money or money for insurance the car sat.

Its better than buying his 5th, go halves

I bought my daughter her first car, against my husbands wishes... well, he let me but was not on board 100%, know what I mean. As we both had to work in order to purchase our own "first" car when we were that age.
BUT, when you're the parent that does the majority of all the running around early and after school or late evenings ((because she was involved in every activity))... then you almost can't wait until the day they can drive themselves! Plus, living in the country, school was 10 miles one way! So cost/mileage becomes an issue too!

She was a straight A student and ended up graduating Validictorian... so she did well in HS! Anyway, she wanted one of those little Tiburons (sp?) Not a 30K car but a cute little sporty car... so that was what I got her! Used not new.
I surprised her with it when she called one evening from school, ready to be picked up... so my husband and I got in it and drove it over to pick her up in... we saw her standing outside but she didn't even notice us since we were in this... so you can imagine her surprise as we pulled up by where she was standing! I'll never forget the look on her face... as I said, we thought we'd drive YOUR car over to pick you up! She screamed and yelled and I tossed her the keys so she could drive us back home!

Well... after about 6 months she rolled that little car and totaled it! She wasn't hurt TG! Just a seatbelt burn on her neck, a little body soreness, and something scary she will remember for quite some time. She was upset and crying when she called me, and the way she made it sound she had just "put it in a ditch"... so I tell my husband get the pull bar and chains thinking it was a minor thing. Then when we get there, the car is on its side against a pole! Rolled once... but still... totaled.
What happened was, I believe she was tired for one, (as she had just gotten back from a week at "Girls State"... and this was a Sunday afternoon) as she started around a curve she got off the edge and into the gravel, then when she tried to get back on the hwy. she over-corrected, got it in a tailspin and lost control. That's all she said she remembered happening. She was extremely lucky lucky lucky. She was also lucky in the fact that the police decided NOT to ticket her. Since it was a one car accident, nobody was hurt, and all she did was take out a county sign in her path... they figured the shock was enough experience to learn from! I was extremely thankful as this could have well put her ins. Cost at high risk and possible extension on her drivers license!

Well, since we had paid for the car outright, we only carried liability on it to keep the cost of our ins down with teenage drivers! So her next car, she was on her own. No help from us. This took her awhile to do, and I heard from her daily how SHE was the only SENIOR (gawd forbid) who had to actually ride a school bus to school! Oooh thee horror!

I don't know, but for some reason this child is just NOT a good driver. I don't know why, but she just isn't! Its not like she hasn't had experience, because she has... she's a very smart girl- very very organized and into just about every activity you can imagine, community volunteer and very much into church... but she can not drive for e!
During her saving for her own car, she drove my Expedition and wiped out some deer, costing over $3k in damages... she somehow managed to tear/dent her dads high grade/reinforced tough back bumper off his truck... so I don't know exactly what her problem is when it comes to driving?? I just have to admit that she sucks at it. It worries me, now that she off to college and driving so far for visits, I hope she gets better.

Good luck on your decision... just know that good grades don't mean a lot when it comes to someone's driving skill! Lol!

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Originally Posted by juliepann

I was considering buying my son his first car as long as he did good in school. But i was thinking that this may not be a good idea. Would this be spoiling him? Should I make him work, save and buy his own first car? The reason I am hesitant about it is because he doesnt understand the concept of money. He blows every dime he gets on junk.

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Questions to ask yourself first: 1) Can you afford the car insurance payment hike? 2) Have you enrolled him in a defensive driving course? 3) Does the college allow for freshmen to have a car on campus? 4) Is he easily influenced by his friends/peer pressure? 5) How much does he have in his savings account to cover tickets,fine and car damage (if it happens)? 5) Does he drink? 6) Are you more scared for his safety or him being mad at you? Ouch that hurt, I know. But a serious look at the results of teen crashes is in order before you make your decision. Check out various MADD or SADD sites for a look at both sides of this issue. Let him earn the car through showing financial responsibility. How about he pay for half of the car? Expose him to all sides of car ownership.Good luck.

Cars and accessories become more expensive everyday, as it is only natural for one to spend money on novelty items, it is only a phase. I would encourage the adventure of public transportation and the use of friends with cars. This is a sure fire way to learn about responsibility.

I wanted to buy my daughters first car and my husband was totally against it,
So we let her drive our old beater and thank god we did because like a lot of 16 year olds she had a few finder binders. When she had her graduation party from high school she used that money and money she saved from work for her very own first car. She takes beter care of it I noticed, maybe because she used her own money.
Boys are even worse I hear all the time from my kids about friends that got nice new cars
And then totaled them or got caught drag rasing and got them taken away .

Before getting him a car its important to train him or say educate him about safe driving. I could recommend http://www.drivereducation-online.com where your son learns how to drive safely.

Haha its funny how all these people answer these questions all saying the same thing... well its too late now dad I'm 17 a senior and now what ha 2 tickets I haven't even paid off because I didn't have my I.D. that I should have had in the first place. But oh well life goes on. -ricky