Hi me and my wife currently have a model x and love it so we have decided to get my 17 year old son a Tesla Model S or X for his first car. He is headed off to college next year and we would like to reward him. I am currently debating between a model s or model x. I am planning to custom order and surprise him for his 18th birthday with it in December. We do know that this is a huge gift, but we believe he has earned this, we are using his college money that we had saved because he got a 4 year full ride scholarship to Stanford. Should I get him a model s or x?
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Freedom101
Member
Neither. Get him a used Nissan leaf. A model S or X is way too expensive/nice of a car for an 18 year old to appreciate if they haven't earned it themselves by buying it for themselves.
Awesome that he got a full ride scholarship and you should be very proud (so should he), but just because you can buy your kids something doesn't mean you should. I'd consider using the college money you saved for him to assist him with his first large investment (maybe a rental property?). Teach him how to afford his own model s/x rather than buying it for him.
Just my 2 cents and not trying to be offensive in any way.
Awesome that he got a full ride scholarship and you should be very proud (so should he), but just because you can buy your kids something doesn't mean you should. I'd consider using the college money you saved for him to assist him with his first large investment (maybe a rental property?). Teach him how to afford his own model s/x rather than buying it for him.
Just my 2 cents and not trying to be offensive in any way.
eye.surgeon
Active Member
Wow ! Wow !
For a kid who is that smart, I am sure buying him a Tesla won't spoil him. Not that he needs one
Congrats.
⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️
Village Idiot
Why not? It's not like he has a lot of options for a safe, long range, electric vehicle. Maybe get him an X, because it's probably safer. Plus he 'll be able to pull the boat you get him for college graduation.
Tiger
Active Member
Yeah, Tesla is safer than Leaf, better safe than sorry. Just don't give too powerful one because his roommates will help him mess it up. But yes, as he probably does not need one, a smarter choice would be to buy investment property or smth. Even better, a smat kid, discuss with him before buying anything.
Read also this, when young and able, does not necessary mean you should: Financially Irresponsible or Worth It?
Read also this, when young and able, does not necessary mean you should: Financially Irresponsible or Worth It?
Most young drivers get themselves into trouble pushing too fast for conditions a few times before they really learn - certainly I did (though unexpected gravel on the road and a lack of antilock brakes contributed greatly to my biggest incident - which still wasn't all that bad.)
Giving an inexperienced driver a car with the raw power that any Tesla has will exacerbate this problem. I applaud the idea of going electric, and the Tesla will be the safest car in terms of surviving, but I'm really not convinced it's a great choice for anyone's first car.
Depending on the circumstances and his needs, I like the Leaf suggestion above. If he needs the ability to drive long distances, I'd suggest a used Volt instead.
Giving an inexperienced driver a car with the raw power that any Tesla has will exacerbate this problem. I applaud the idea of going electric, and the Tesla will be the safest car in terms of surviving, but I'm really not convinced it's a great choice for anyone's first car.
Depending on the circumstances and his needs, I like the Leaf suggestion above. If he needs the ability to drive long distances, I'd suggest a used Volt instead.
brucet999
Active Member
Put the college money away for grad school.
Why would you get him any car at this age, especially one kept at a college campus 2,000 miles from home? A freshman away from home for the first time does not need any extra distractions.
As the saying goes, "What could possibly go wrong?"
I'm sure you'll make the right choice, but just make sure to remind him that if he would gotten into Harvard, you would have gotten him a Buggati.
skitown
Member
I am a Stanford grad and a university professor. Assuming this is a serious question, I would consider the possibility that young college students who have (nice) cars can find themselves under intense pressure to drive their friends around and do things they might not otherwise choose to do. This pressure could potentially undermine your son's very valuable Stanford education. Of course, every child is different, so my observations may not apply to your son.
For what it is worth, another alternative (in addition to a Leaf or Volt or Bolt or Fiat 500E) is an unlimited Uber/Lyft account.
Congratulations on your son's success.
For what it is worth, another alternative (in addition to a Leaf or Volt or Bolt or Fiat 500E) is an unlimited Uber/Lyft account.
Congratulations on your son's success.
I don’t think he has enough life experience to appreciate the effort it takes to earn enough money to buy such a car.
How about you invest it in Tesla stock and buy him an electric bicycle for now. Let him earn his degree first.
PrGrPa
Member
It's a very generous idea. Though I'd be more inclined to offer something less extravagant and put the remaining cash into a sensible investment account for a post-graduate reward.
Not sure how it works in the USA but turning up at a British university with a flashy car is likely to turn into a headache rather than a joy. Aside from the pressure to drive everyone everywhere there's the typical parking rash that develops in student parking lots. There are also the perception problems of looking entitled and perhaps knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
Not sure how it works in the USA but turning up at a British university with a flashy car is likely to turn into a headache rather than a joy. Aside from the pressure to drive everyone everywhere there's the typical parking rash that develops in student parking lots. There are also the perception problems of looking entitled and perhaps knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
Model X would be more useful driving his new found friends around.
Model S, on the other hand, would let him arrive quicker at the uni.
Overall I think you should let him decide instead of making it a surprise. I suspect that he'd pick neither.
Model S, on the other hand, would let him arrive quicker at the uni.
Overall I think you should let him decide instead of making it a surprise. I suspect that he'd pick neither.
silverwolfe08
Member
Why not just give him the money you had saved for his college tuition? Or maybe give it to him on the condition he graduates? That way he can use it for whatever he wants, because like you said, he earned it by getting that scholarship. If you get him a super pricey car, you're taking away any opportunity he has to decide the best way to use his earnings. Just my 2 cents.
Benefit of the doubt and all that ...
Save the money. Keep it for graduate school, investment for a future start-up or as a chunk to help buy a house.
Save the money. Keep it for graduate school, investment for a future start-up or as a chunk to help buy a house.
First - Check on charging availability.
Second - Check on freshman car policies.
Third - Be aware that a lot dorms have VERY tight parking and Teslas are difficult to get repaired.
A Volt would be a better choice since for normal college student driving they have plenty of EV range, but if charging is limited they can still be operated on gasoline. It will teach your student both EV technology terms and ICE technology. It fits well in a dorm parking stall, and is fast and cheap to repair minor collisions.
To be brutally honest, pure EVs are easy for homeowners to use. For those who rent, or live in dorms, things are seldom as easy.
This is why I sent my daughter to university with a Volt instead of a battery EV. Her campus does allow freshmen parking stickers but not all do.
She's a sophomore/junior now, and recently tagged a parking pillar as her first collision. It will cost <$500 to fix so we won't even use insurance. (argghhh!!! It even has collision warning indicators. I guess they went off so often she started to ignore them).
Second - Check on freshman car policies.
Third - Be aware that a lot dorms have VERY tight parking and Teslas are difficult to get repaired.
A Volt would be a better choice since for normal college student driving they have plenty of EV range, but if charging is limited they can still be operated on gasoline. It will teach your student both EV technology terms and ICE technology. It fits well in a dorm parking stall, and is fast and cheap to repair minor collisions.
To be brutally honest, pure EVs are easy for homeowners to use. For those who rent, or live in dorms, things are seldom as easy.
This is why I sent my daughter to university with a Volt instead of a battery EV. Her campus does allow freshmen parking stickers but not all do.
She's a sophomore/junior now, and recently tagged a parking pillar as her first collision. It will cost <$500 to fix so we won't even use insurance. (argghhh!!! It even has collision warning indicators. I guess they went off so often she started to ignore them).
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