# Would you give anyone a brand new car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 2, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967 "2010-03-02T05:47:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/1 "2010-03-02T05:47:37Z")
Let’s say you got married and your wife needed a car. Maybe your kid is at an age where he needs a car. Maybe some relative could really use a car. Is there any circumstance under which you would buy someone a brand new car? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/2 "2010-03-02T05:49:12Z")
yes ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/3 "2010-03-02T07:14:15Z")
If I had the resources I would buy anything for anyone. Even strangers. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/4 "2010-03-02T11:39:21Z")
In my current financial situation, I wouldn’t buy myself a brand new car, let alone another person. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/5 "2010-03-02T11:49:06Z")
Not buying my kids a new car… I know people may disagree but i always thought that you’d appreciate it more when you could buy a new one yourself. Fric and Frac will get either a used Honda or Toyota… ---
**Author:** ![HotSmoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d9b06d/32.png) [@HotSmoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotSmoke)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/6 "2010-03-02T12:26:58Z")
It would depend on my financial situation and who the person is. For family,yes,absolutely I would buy any of them a new car,especially if they needed one and couldn’t afford it. For anyone else,I doubt it,unless they could give me a compelling reason as to why I should buy them one. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/7 "2010-03-02T12:35:40Z")
You might as well ask whether I’d give anyone the Hope Diamond. Sure, if I could afford it and the person meant that much to me. Otherwise, they’ll have to settle for a few rhinestones. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/8 "2010-03-02T13:02:25Z")
Yes. We wanted our kids to have safe and reliable transportation, so they both drive new cars. They don’t actually own them, but they probably will someday. There aren’t many other people I would consider doing it for, though, unless a family member hit a really rough spot. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/9 "2010-03-02T13:09:04Z")
> [@HotSmoke](#): > > …I would buy any of them a new car, **especially if they needed one** and couldn’t afford it. Um, nobody _needs_ a **new** car. If I had a minor kid who “needed” his own transportation (i.e. if it would be easier on the whole family to have three cars instead of two), then the kid would be driving a used vehicle. No sense spoiling him, and kids are the most crash-happy drivers out there; I can’t think of a good reason to assume all that risk, as well as the higher insurance rates that would come with a brand new car. > [@Try2B Comprehensive](#): > > Let’s say you got married and your wife needed a car. The idea of buying a car _for_ my wife is a bit strange to me. We both have jobs and get our paychecks deposited into one account. She makes less than I do, but I entered into the marriage fully aware of that; we are equal partners in our household, and I never complain when she wants to spend some of our shared wealth on herself. I appreciate buying/owning a brand new vehicle for myself, and fully expect that when the time comes to replace her current vehicle, we’ll be getting her something brand-new as well. ---
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/10 "2010-03-02T14:59:06Z")
The OP may find the following thread enlightening: > **[Have You Ever Bought/Received a Car for Christmas?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=544780)** > > I see these ads on TV every Christmas season. They usually involve brand new cars with big red bows on them, or a smooth voice-over telling you that there’s no better gift than a \[insert brand/model here\] this Christmas. Whenever I see these,... ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/11 "2010-03-02T15:50:34Z")
Poll types questions are not really debates. Off to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/12 "2010-03-02T16:02:08Z")
I would probably not buy anybody a new car as their very first car, and I know that I would have done my first car a horrible injustice had it been new. (I did it a horrible injustice anyway, but that’s another story.) For a wife – as was said by **Joe Frickin Friday** , my wife is my equal partner, and if she wanted a new car and we could afford it, I’m at a loss as to why I would take it upon myself to say she couldn’t have it. And with a relative, well, I guess it depends on whether or not I’m making payments or if I’ve bought the whole thing off. If I can afford to buy it in cash, I don’t think it would matter much to me whether the car was new or used, and I’m likely to prefer the relative to not have to deal with used car headaches if I can help it, so, yes. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/13 "2010-03-02T16:02:51Z")
I’ve never even bought myself a brand new car (nor do I think I ever will–not because of lack of money, but because I personally don’t see the point) so I doubt I would buy anyone else a new car. A lightly used one? Yeah, that might happen. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/14 "2010-03-02T16:07:30Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Is there any circumstance under which you would buy someone a brand new car? Why not? If I were filthy rich I would. Although, there is a LOT to be said for Junior having a used car for the first one, 'cos kids tend to put a lot of hurt bumps on 'em. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/15 "2010-03-02T16:43:36Z")
I DID buy my wife a brand new car. Paid cash for it. About two years ago. Well, technically all the money in our household belongs to both of us, but for bookkepping reasons we each have a certain amount of money put aside separately that we call “mine” and “hers”, that we can use for whatever we want. She needed a car, so I used some of mine to buy her one. The year before, I bought myself a new car. Paid cash for that, too. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/16 "2010-03-02T16:59:02Z")
yes, of course, new cars smell nice. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/17 "2010-03-02T17:13:41Z")
I’d buy my partner (if I had one) a new car if he needed one and we were in a stable relationship and I could afford it. I’d buy my parents one if they needed me to. When I turned 16 I got a hand-me-down family Taurus. That was scrapped when I went to college. When I was 19 my dad decided he didn’t like me living away from home at college, and he didn’t like paying for my dorm, so he bought me a new Escort to commute in. I did end up paying for everything else on the car, including a new transmission. But it was my dad buying me a car. (yes yes, I was babied. I’m worth it!) So, turnabout’s fair play and all that. I think I owe them a car 🙂 ETA: There are very few other people I would even consider co-signing with. I think maybe my brother and my very best friend, but that’s about it. All you others are on your own. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/18 "2010-03-02T17:24:53Z")
> [@Joe Frickin Friday](#): > > Um, nobody _needs_ a **new** car. I agree, but it sure beats a beater. 😃 My first few cars were old, beat up pieces of crap. Now that I can afford to own _reliable transportation_ I trade-in every 3 or 4 years. It’s nice to know your car will start in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/19 "2010-03-02T17:45:49Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Now that I can afford to own _reliable transportation_ I trade-in every 3 or 4 years. It’s nice to know your car will start in the morning. 😕 My 2002 Maxima has never failed to start. It’ll be eight years old this fall, and I’ll probably keep it for at least another two years after that. I suppose if I were truly swimming in cash I might replace more often - not for reliability reasons, but just cuz, hey, a new car is _nice_ - but I have other cash sinks to consider. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967/20 "2010-03-02T17:47:13Z")
I’d feel pretty good about a 4 year old, well-maintained car starting. Your choices aren’t brand new and beater. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-anyone-a-brand-new-car/530967.md?page=2)