Ungrateful offspring....
Discussion
I always thought I'd be driving around in the most awesome and fantastic first car. Truth was my Dad managed to get hold of an 88 Fiat Panda 1000 for nowt as it was headed for the scrap yard. Needed a ton of welding to get it through an MOT and it looked like an absolute heap, but I adored it and was never in the house when I could be out driving. I learned so much about car handling and control blasting that little thing about. It didn't even have servo assisted brakes IIRC. It was a shed that a lot of people took the piss out of, but it was MY shed and, unlike all of my mates, I didn't have to ask permission to borrow my parents' car.
I considered myself very lucky at the time, and I do now, as my parents never had much. I also know that if I had reacted like OP's son then my Dad would have been really upset, but probably also would have beasted me in the way only people who have an Army dad know that Dads can beast their sons for being an ungrateful little s
t.
I would keep the car for yourself to rub his nose in it. Once he has a licence but no car I'm willing to bet he'll be happy to drive anything. Then let him sweat for a few more months and MAYBE give it to him for his 18th.
I considered myself very lucky at the time, and I do now, as my parents never had much. I also know that if I had reacted like OP's son then my Dad would have been really upset, but probably also would have beasted me in the way only people who have an Army dad know that Dads can beast their sons for being an ungrateful little s
t. I would keep the car for yourself to rub his nose in it. Once he has a licence but no car I'm willing to bet he'll be happy to drive anything. Then let him sweat for a few more months and MAYBE give it to him for his 18th.
samuelellis said:
TartanPaint said:
Keep it in your name. Do not give it to him. It is YOUR car. His birthday present shall be driving lessons, not his own motor.
He shall ask for it every time he would like to borrow it. He will very quickly appreciate what must be done to earn the privilege of having access to a vehicle. Maybe, if he's not a dick, he can have it for his 18th.
TBH i would say is birthday present should be bugger all for being so ungrateful - its a car, its freedom - so what if it does not have a CD player, its stupidly easy to fit a cd player to a car that ageHe shall ask for it every time he would like to borrow it. He will very quickly appreciate what must be done to earn the privilege of having access to a vehicle. Maybe, if he's not a dick, he can have it for his 18th.
I recall the endless arguments with my parents when I asked to borrow the car. They'd bring up everything I'd done to piss them off that week, and ask if that was the sort of behaviour that deserved to borrow the car? Every. Damned. Time. Did I learn to appreciate what it cost them to own and insure a car a 17 year old could drive, when they'd much rather have had something nice instead? No, probably not, I was 17, and thus a knobhead. But did I stop taking it for granted that I could have the keys any time I asked for them? Yes, very quickly.
Do it up a bit and take it on a few track days or even an Autosolo (about £30 and no helmet, protective gear required). Let him see YOU enjoy it for what it is.
... then scrap it out of spite
Editted to add: In fact, as you're in Bristol (like me) then come along to our Autosolos
http://bristolmc.org.uk/autosolo_profile/
... then scrap it out of spite
Editted to add: In fact, as you're in Bristol (like me) then come along to our Autosolos
http://bristolmc.org.uk/autosolo_profile/
currybum said:
Am I the only one who will be making sure my offspring is in a modern car with all the safety gizmos on offer?
Between 17-20 they are likely to be involved in an accident of some sort, so it would be a shame to waste 17 years of school pick-ups, birthday parties and education investment because I put them on the road in a tin foil box while everyone else is in super strong boxes with more airbags than wheels.
Hopefully by that time they will be all driven by computer anyway.
Do airbags, ABS and other such safety gizmo's not give them a sense of indestructability though?Between 17-20 they are likely to be involved in an accident of some sort, so it would be a shame to waste 17 years of school pick-ups, birthday parties and education investment because I put them on the road in a tin foil box while everyone else is in super strong boxes with more airbags than wheels.
Hopefully by that time they will be all driven by computer anyway.
My parents gave me £500 to buy a car in 2000, that bought me a Rover Metro that smelled off piss with none existent rear arches. I absolutely loved it and was extremely grateful to them.
It had no ABS, power steering or airbags. I drove it accordingly.
We sold our 2001 Polo to a single Mum buying for her 17 year old son. On arrival he was only half interested until he saw the seats. It was a Polo Match which black cloth seats with bright red centre sections. (Never to my taste but it was a good deal when we bought it). Suddenly the car started to be cool. Then when I threw in the IPod adaptor he was thrilled.
When I was 17 I just wanted any set of wheels as, living in a rural area, it meant freedom!
When I was 17 I just wanted any set of wheels as, living in a rural area, it meant freedom!
Davey S2 said:
This.
A second class ride is better than a first class walk.
I had a burgundy Citroen BX with an interior in 'hearing aid' beige for my 18th.
Forget about a CD player, it didn't even have self cancelling indicators.
Thats cool as heck.A second class ride is better than a first class walk.
I had a burgundy Citroen BX with an interior in 'hearing aid' beige for my 18th.
Forget about a CD player, it didn't even have self cancelling indicators.
Bet none of your mates cars had had go go gadget wheels eh?
My mother bought me a 1988 polo breadvan when I turned 17. I was over the moon with it! I got a job and when I got paid, bought me a CD player and st speakers and had the best time fitting it and cruising around with as many people as you could fit in the back.
Downhill with some wind behind you and a very long straight, you'd see 100mph. No servo assisted brakes. Stopping was always an adventure. I crashed it. Several times.
Your son doesn't know what he's missing.
t speakers and had the best time fitting it and cruising around with as many people as you could fit in the back. Downhill with some wind behind you and a very long straight, you'd see 100mph. No servo assisted brakes. Stopping was always an adventure. I crashed it. Several times.
Your son doesn't know what he's missing.
Edited by Jazzy Jefferson on Tuesday 12th January 15:56
Must be a generation thing, My boy is 4 and i think we have spoiled him to much so far, so this year we are planning to rectify before he get's to old and the rot has set in.
At the weekend we met up with friends who have twin 16 year old daughters and friend has said He'll buy there first car when they have the money to buy insurance. He's talking Ford KA, they said no way , they wont drive it and would rather walk than drive a heap.
At the weekend we met up with friends who have twin 16 year old daughters and friend has said He'll buy there first car when they have the money to buy insurance. He's talking Ford KA, they said no way , they wont drive it and would rather walk than drive a heap.
djt100 said:
At the weekend we met up with friends who have twin 16 year old daughters and friend has said He'll buy there first car when they have the money to buy insurance. He's talking Ford KA, they said no way , they wont drive it and would rather walk than drive a heap.
<shrug> "Oh, OK. If you're sure."romeogolf said:
I remember being 17 and my priorities for a car were similar to his. My car had a tape deck with an aux-in converter on it which suited me fine, but I wanted something 'cool'. All my mates were bought new-ish Minis, Polos etc. My dad got my a SEAT Arosa and I spent 6 months telling everyone "but it's basically a Volkswagen..."
While your priorities are to teach him maintenance, his are to get from A to B with a perceived level of 'coolness'.
If he has no interest in maintenance or fiddling with an older car, your goodwill gesture isn't going to go down how you'd hoped and you may have done better giving him £150 "towards" his car which he can choose himself.
Although, either way, he should have at least said bloody thank you!
I largely agree with this, although buying him a car is an incredibly generous gesture, he’ll likely be wanting the latest Corsa or Golf that all his friends will be driving. He’ll imagine the Polo would have his friends ridiculing him – so I can understand where he is coming from.While your priorities are to teach him maintenance, his are to get from A to B with a perceived level of 'coolness'.
If he has no interest in maintenance or fiddling with an older car, your goodwill gesture isn't going to go down how you'd hoped and you may have done better giving him £150 "towards" his car which he can choose himself.
Although, either way, he should have at least said bloody thank you!
That being said to call it a POS and not even thank you for your effort is simply ungrateful and rude.
I didn’t have a car bought for me when I turned 17, but if I was lucky enough to have and didn’t like what had been chosen for me I would have still thanked my parents and made the best of a bad thing. It gets you on the road for your first year of driving, and for your second year you can sell it and use the cash towards something you’d prefer.
If I were you I’d hide the car away if possible and wait until he’s passed his test and realized that buying, insuring and running a brand new car with a CD player isn’t all that easy at 17.
Not a nice reaction from him... But I can see why he wouldn't necessarily be happy with it and 17 year olds aren't always able to react calmly.
Any reason you didn't go for something more modern like a Focus? Early 2000s models available for about £300 with MOT and will probably cost less to keep running.
I just sold a 2008 Lacetti in pretty good condition for £800, and I did well - you can get them for half that sometimes.
30 year old Polo, though.... Really?
Think back to when you were 17, what would a 30 year old small/budget car have been? That's how it looks from his point of view.
On top of that - he missed out on searching for his first car. Some people might not care but I would have.
Any reason you didn't go for something more modern like a Focus? Early 2000s models available for about £300 with MOT and will probably cost less to keep running.
I just sold a 2008 Lacetti in pretty good condition for £800, and I did well - you can get them for half that sometimes.
30 year old Polo, though.... Really?
Think back to when you were 17, what would a 30 year old small/budget car have been? That's how it looks from his point of view.
On top of that - he missed out on searching for his first car. Some people might not care but I would have.
Maty said:
currybum said:
Am I the only one who will be making sure my offspring is in a modern car with all the safety gizmos on offer?
Between 17-20 they are likely to be involved in an accident of some sort, so it would be a shame to waste 17 years of school pick-ups, birthday parties and education investment because I put them on the road in a tin foil box while everyone else is in super strong boxes with more airbags than wheels.
Hopefully by that time they will be all driven by computer anyway.
Do airbags, ABS and other such safety gizmo's not give them a sense of indestructability though?Between 17-20 they are likely to be involved in an accident of some sort, so it would be a shame to waste 17 years of school pick-ups, birthday parties and education investment because I put them on the road in a tin foil box while everyone else is in super strong boxes with more airbags than wheels.
Hopefully by that time they will be all driven by computer anyway.
I know what people are getting at re the old s
tter, but I suspect once 6,4 and 2 Ace are old enough I'll do precisely what currybum is suggesting. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff