Am I being mean?Follow

Oldest son is getting his driver's permit within the next few weeks and hubby and I have been looking for a car. Our son has been lusting after an Evo or a tear-drop body-style BMW, which we told him point-blank that was not in our budget.

So we're giving him my 4-door automatic 1988 BMW 325. We told him that we would let him pick any color for a new paint job, new stereo deck and speakers (no sub or amp at this time) and new rims. To put it mildly, he's disappointed. He doesn't want the "boxy" BMW, he wants the newer tear-drop style. He's also a fan of drifting so I'm not letting him drive the 5 speed 1990 BMW 325i because I know that he'd try to drift that car.

So, am I being a mean parent and not giving him what he wants? With the exception of one, I believe that none of my son's friends are getting cars. He's acting like hubby and I have totally killed his dreams and that he's going to be teased for not driving something out of Tokyo Drift.

I love my children and I want to give them what they want, within reason. Am I being reasonable?

Edit to put in number of doors.

Edited, Jun 7th 2007 1:27pm by Thumbelyna

He's getting his own car. Need we go any further?

Ditto everyone else.

He's getting a fucking car. Tell him to shut the fuck up and to go razor his legs as he sobs that no one understands him.

Ok, asinine jealous work ethic posts aside, giving the kid a car that's difficult for him to play with when he's young and into cars is just cruel. Buy him a used Prelude or a 2003 Lance ES or something that he can spend some time playing with.

Jesus your getting him a BMW and he's whining??? Step up and tell him to take it with a smile on his face and a heartfelt thank you, or no car at all. The majority of kids out there have to work to earn their first car, not have mom and dad hand them the keys. No, you're not being mean, Thumb. But you seriously need to stop feeling guilty about not getting him what he wants. Youre doing more for him than most parents would.

You're not being mean enough. Buy him a chevette and tell him the rest of the money is going to his college fun.

You are a horrible person. He needs a Hummer with his own driver, sheesh.

He'll have his own car. The hummers will follow.

I'm sure his college is paid for, the coke and liquor and condom money is probably is not! Course he can scratch out the condom money cause he won't be getting laid unless mommy buys him the 'good' beamer. QQ

Why are you giving your kid a BMW? A. he should be working to buy his own damn car. B. if you're going to buy him a vehicle you buy him a 4 banger kia. Your first vehicle should never be cool. It should always be a piece of crap that barely pushes 130km/hr in 5th gear before the wheels shake off. It promotes safe driving, has very small back seats, preferably is 4 different shades of dark blue with the passenger door primed but unpainted, and most importantly a big glowing pizza store sign strapped to the roof.

You can tell him that when I was 18, I bought my first car that I'd saved up for two years to buy. 6 months later, I had to give it to my parents because theirs broke down and they had no way to get back and forth to work. Then slap him in the face.

I never knew you were Angry Hippo's mom. Weird.

Edit: Oh, and *my* first car was an 89 Mercury Lynx. Drool in envy.

Nexa

Edited, Jun 7th 2007 2:21pm by Nexa

Were there jeans too? I was remembering that @#%^ing jacket conversation. One was a Marilyn Manson leather jacket, right?

Nexa

Edited, Jun 7th 2007 2:20pm by Nexa

The part of my brain that used to be able to do that is now full of Dr. Seuss tongue twisters.

Nexa