# How would you react to a surprise gift of a new car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482 "2011-11-19T20:35:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/41 "2011-11-21T23:44:24Z")
That would just never happen, unless we were suddenly very wealthy. Even then it just wouldn’t happen. So I would look for the camera. ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/42 "2011-11-21T23:51:26Z")
IF we had the money to buy a car with cash and IF we needed a new car and had been talking about getting one and IF it was the car I wanted, I’d be thrilled. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/43 "2011-11-22T01:07:02Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > That doesn’t qualify as a gift. But it’s mostly what we’re talking about: the commercials where a husband surprises his wife with a new car. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/44 "2011-11-23T15:09:42Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I sure as hell wouldn’t act like this [spoiled bitch.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JvtlB_NzI8) No, no. I think you may have posted the [wrong link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=u7ykMnbI-Ew). ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/45 "2011-11-23T18:26:06Z")
If someone gifted me with a new car and had the financial means to afford it (like Oprah) I’d jump up and down with glee and say “Gimme the keys.” As long as it’s comfy and safe and has air conditioning, (and good gas mileage), it’s all good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/46 "2011-11-23T18:50:32Z")
I do not drive. Can I have the cash instead? ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/47 "2011-11-23T21:38:38Z")
Mannnnnnnnnnnn, so many qualifiers: IF it’s a car I like, IF it gets good mileage, IF it’s the right color, IF it’s a Camry, IF, IF, IF. It’s a CAR. I hope for everyone’s sake, it’s paid for. But as I said, if my husband got it, it’s NOT paid for, and I am the one who is gonna have to juggle money for 84 months or whatever the damned loan is for. IF you have special requirements (for me, it’s how the damned thing is paid for!), then it is NOT a gift. My only hope is that the stupid murder trial doesn’t cost too much. IF I lose the trial, I’ll end up losing the car, too, and I’ll have all these bills hanging over my head while I rot in prison. Oh, and my husband will be dead. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/48 "2011-11-23T22:29:43Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > If he had his shit-eating grin in place, and said something like, “Oh, don’t worry, it’s all worked out!” I’d probably kill him. > > No, really, I’d kill him. > > … > > There’s a LOT more to the conversation, but I’ll spare you. And since he’s been guilty of this in the past, if he was audacious enough to pull the same stunt with a freakin’ CAR, I’d have to kill him. > [@VOW](#): > > My only hope is that the stupid murder trial doesn’t cost too much. IF I lose the trial, I’ll end up losing the car, too, and I’ll have all these bills hanging over my head while I rot in prison. > > Oh, and my husband will be dead. I am so not going to be the one who tells you what your husband got you for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/49 "2011-11-23T23:56:11Z")
I did buy my wife a new car as a gift about four years ago. However, she picked out the car she wanted, so it was not a surprise. But I paid for it entirely myself, out of the money I had set aside as “money to do whatever I want to do with”. (Each of us has an account like that; we also have joint accounts for the normal household expenses and savings.) Paid for in full, so no payments. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/50 "2011-11-24T13:19:57Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > I am so not going to be the one who tells you what your husband got you for Christmas. It _is_ that time of year. Why not say it with Hallmark? Seasons Greetings! As friends, you know we just click Hope your new X-mas Benz does just the trick Your hubby put it on Chase You’ll bash his head into Paste Best o Luck with your Case (…Or your attorney has a big dick…) ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/51 "2011-11-24T17:24:53Z")
Ok, so my husband kinda did this. Kinda. We had agreed that we would buy a used Mini Cooper soon after we had moved to Bainbridge. He knew I wanted something newer (like 2007 or newer) and he knew which colors I liked and which I hated. The day after we get here, he says, “Hey let’s go in to the Seattle Mini dealership and see what they have.” I said “Gee it’s kinda far away. Can’t we just check on Craigslist instead?” But he insisted that we go, so we ended up going. We get there and we see a blue and white Mini in the window. “What do you think of this one?” “It’s beautiful. But look, it says it’s already sold to…“Mrs Jackal!!!”” He had bought me a brand new car. Never had a brand new car in my whole life. Never had ANY kind of car in my whole life. I gotta be honest, I was totally thrilled. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482/52 "2011-11-25T02:07:36Z")
Oh…a Benz. You say he got me a BENZ? Uh, a roadster? Red, maybe? Maybe I’ll just have to beat him up really, really, really bad… ~VOW [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-react-to-a-surprise-gift-of-a-new-car/603482.md?page=2)