[Sennen]

I have been out for lunch with my brother and niece (god daughter) today to discuss contributing (read pay for) her first car for her 18th.

She has had her heart set on an UP GTI after seeing mine but apparently the Insurance would be very costly...... didnt even ask how much as I would probably get roped into paying for that too!!

Anyway it seems it has been narrowed down to a new Mini of some description.

Last time I looked I was sure you could get a new one with a bit of dizzy for circa £16k but apparently they now start at £22.5k

It gets worse...... she, like all the youngsters it seems nowadays wants an Electric Mini and they start at £29k

Time to start back peddling...... thought I might be in for less than £20k when I opened my big mouth and made the offer a couple of years ago but nigh on £30k is definitely off the table.

I frantically started to google ranges for the Mini and apparently the wretched thing has a maximum range of about 130 miles and in the real world people are struggling to get 100 miles which is lunacy.

Time to appeal to 'Dads sensibilities' ...... do you really want your daughter stranded at the side of the road when it conks out and you do realise when she goes to Brighton Uni (which is the plan) it is likely she will need a charge enroute

Job done....... Mini cooper base jobby it is and as I pointed out at 45 mpg you can get alot of miles for £6k!!!

[JD6]

Sounds like an expensive lunch!

I would have thought that even a Mini Cooper could be tricky to insure for a new driver. They're fairly swift. It looks like the more basic Mini One is no more. If she was after an Up GTi, how about a basic Up with some go-faster stripes on it? Or an older Mini One

My experience of the Mini Electric fitted with your impression - the one I borrowed had a range of around 100 miles in my hands...

[Pond]

My daughter's about to start learning to drive.
If I take you out for lunch will you buy her a new car please? She's not fussy, a used Fiat 500 (in pink!) will do.

PS quite happy to add you as a 'godfather' if it's a deal breaker...

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by JD6

Sounds like an expensive lunch!

I would have thought that even a Mini Cooper could be tricky to insure for a new driver. They're fairly swift. It looks like the more basic Mini One is no more. If she was after an Up GTi, how about a basic Up with some go-faster stripes on it? Or an older Mini One

My experience of the Mini Electric fitted with your impression - the one I borrowed had a range of around 100 miles in my hands...

Apparently the range now starts at 'Cooper' level, bloody hate all minis if I am honest but you have to get them what they want.

What she most likes about my UP GTI is the Tartan seats...... thats girlies for you

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by Pond

My daughter's about to start learning to drive.
If I take you out for lunch will you buy her a new car please? She's not fussy, a used Fiat 500 (in pink!) will do.

PS quite happy to add you as a 'godfather' if it's a deal breaker...

We have been very close since she was born..... the daughter I never had but my god they seem much harder work than boys!!!

Plus I paid for the lunch too !!!

[TouringPleb]

What happened to the days of your first car being 4-6 years old, and a couple of grand?

[KRS_SN]

Kids of these days...
I hope you don't mind but I have half a mind to suggest a Tongue in cheek Christmas gift
https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/...xoCUAoQAvD_BwE

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

What happened to the days of your first car being 4-6 years old, and a couple of grand?

The same thing that happened to the previous thing of a first car being about ten years old.

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by Sennen

We have been very close since she was born..... the daughter I never had but my god they seem much harder work than boys!!!

Plus I paid for the lunch too !!!

Girls harder work than boys. My son's not yet two but I'm pretty convinced you're right. He's about 5% of the child-raising effort here.

[JR1664]

Nice sentiment and a lucky girl. Both of my daughters now have minis but their first cars were a Pug 107 and a Corsa, insurance cheaper by far.

They got all of the scrapes, scratches, bumps, damaged alloys, car fulls of friends dropping fast food in them out of the way, more so if its a Uni car - parking in Brighton is also a 'mare, one went there. They all seem to love it however, mainly for the night life.

Good, solid reliable cars though.

[simon.]

Have a Mini Copper as a rental atm, great and fun car, not little anymore mind.

My daughter is 17 next year, started looking at cars. The little KIA and Hyundai seem great 1st cars, reliable and cheap to run and insure. KIA looks sporty too.

Mini is daft money. She likes the above and also the VW Polo. That would be 5/6 years old and see how she goes.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

Girls harder work than boys. My son's not yet two but I'm pretty convinced you're right. He's about 5% of the child-raising effort here.

I think 1 to 14 girls are easier, from 14 to 21 then boys are easier, and after that is in the lap of the gods!

When you get older and need help with stuff, the girls definitely do more from my experience...

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by simon.

Have a Mini Copper as a rental atm, great and fun car, not little anymore mind.

My daughter is 17 next year, started looking at cars. The little KIA and Hyundai seem great 1st cars, reliable and cheap to run and insure. KIA looks sporty too.

Mini is daft money. She likes the above and also the VW Polo. That would be 5/6 years old and see how she goes.

Minis are crazy money I agree, 16k I would have thought was about right for a base model but like everything else prices seem to be spiralling out of control at the moment.

She is a good girl and I dont begrudge her what she wants but I have told 'Dad' if she wants any extras or a non standard colour then he is going to have to dip into his pocket!!!

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by KRS_SN

Kids of these days...
I hope you don't mind but I have half a mind to suggest a Tongue in cheek Christmas gift
https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/...xoCUAoQAvD_BwE

My brother, sister and I could not have even dreamed of getting any car at 18 from our parents let alone a new one....... times change I guess and I cant take it with me.

[Scoobyd]

Any brand new car for a first car seems crazy to me. What's wrong with a reliable used model to get that first year or two of real world driving under the belt? My first car was a £100 Cortina and I loved it. Simply because it was my first car! Kids these days… spoilt rotten! You have to get them what they want? Like hell you do.

[davyk31]

Take a look at insurance as none of the Minis are a low group. I got my daughter a 1.5 petrol Cooper which is group 18. For reference Polos start at Group 1 and even the reasonably decent powered ones are Group 8. It could well be an Up Gti isn’t any higher than a mini would be. Also a basic Mini isn’t that great looking, you definitely need a few options and upgrade wheels.

[Pond]

Originally Posted by Scoobyd

You have to get them what they want? Like hell you do.

Absolutely! My first car was a 7 year old Capri, which I got a bank loan for, underwritten by my parents. It was truly awful but I loved it because it was mine and I paid for it. In the mid '80s my parents couldn't afford to buy me (or my sister) a car.

I think the 'bank of mum and dad' era may be drawing to a close, thanks to many factors in the economy at present. At least I hope so; as buying your kids (or nieces and nephews) cars doesn't really help them to appreciate money in the long run IMHO.

Car are, historically, the second most expensive purchase you make. Gifting a 17 or 18 year old one doesn't really help instill the work ethic IMO.

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by Scoobyd

Any brand new car for a first car seems crazy to me. What's wrong with a reliable used model to get that first year or two of real world driving under the belt? My first car was a £100 Cortina and I loved it. Simply because it was my first car! Kids these days… spoilt rotten! You have to get them what they want? Like hell you do.

Luckily I am in a postion to help out, I suspect you dont have children........ they can be an expensive lifestyle choice.

My brother and I were not given any financial assistance when we left school but agree that I may have swung too far the other way with my son and god daughter. it does give me pleasure helping them out though and giving them the start we could only dream of.

[Sennen]

Originally Posted by davyk31

Take a look at insurance as none of the Minis are a low group. I got my daughter a 1.5 petrol Cooper which is group 18. For reference Polos start at Group 1 and even the reasonably decent powered ones are Group 8. It could well be an Up Gti isn’t any higher than a mini would be. Also a basic Mini isn’t that great looking, you definitely need a few options and upgrade wheels.

The insurance is down to 'Dad', I dont want to know, if he hasnt done his research properly then he is going to be in for a shock

As said above any options are also down to 'Dad', the 'Bank Of Sennen' is now well and truly closed

[boba-fett]

Mandatory first car should be the likes of:

106
AX
Fiesta LX
Jazz
Suzuki alto
Most Rover's
Max 1.3
Black wheels and Peco.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Pond

Absolutely!

Car are, historically, the second most expensive purchase you make. Gifting a 17 or 18 year old one doesn't really help instill the work ethic IMO.

That's a big statement and generalisation. I think work ethic comes from a lot more than just what you are given by parents, as they may also be giving you encouragement and work ethic along the way.

Me, given £50 towards the deposit on my first house and a free loan (as my 21st birthday present!) for my first car (a mk1 Cavalier 1600 GL, 8 years old)

My kids - £50k towards their first homes and a share a brand new (pre reg) Corsa 1.4 Design (and subsequently a 206 when sharing became impractical). I'd say they still both have a great work ethic because they understand that getting started in life (which they were helped with) is just that - a start. And they also know it wont be happening again....I'm pretty sure the latter message has hit home as hard as the free handout!

Both doing pretty well in life as we speak although both also seem to have grasped that there is more to life than work...

[Ennoch]

It all depends on what wealth someone has and how the kid's been brought up; they can have zero appreciation of money despite not having much or have a great appreciation of it despite having lots. I guess I was probably in the 'spoilt' category growing up as I got to go away on adventures every weekend, race mountian bikes on a £4k bike at 14 and then got a car as soon as I turned 17. Yet I appreciated every single thing and knew how much time and effort it had taken my parents to earn it. Of course I didn't know what work entailed (nobody does until they get there) but I had an appreciation of the time my parents spent supporting me. Now my car wasn't anything fancy but it was still better than the average, when all my mates were running around in knackered old 1 litre novas and AX's, I had a 6 year old 1.8 Fiat Bravo that was mint.

Now, for some a gifted new car may be the high point for them, especially if they're going to end up shuffling shelves in Tesco for an eternity but what if they're going to uni to study law, or engineering or indeed any other career with a well paid job at the end of it? It's all about perspective. If you've got it, spend it. I must admit I thought 'bloody hell, a brand new menu for a kid?' when I read this first but it was only jealousy, I have no problem with the act!