How do i convince my parents about the car I want?

kuriso

kuriso

O.G.
Aug 9, 2006
2,219
303
#1
hi everyone. i'm a 19 year old full time student that is currently also working 2 part time jobs (40 hours a week) in hopes to buy a new (used certified car). There has been two cars that Ive always wanted - a Volvo S40 and a VW Jetta. I recently found both of the cars at the dealership for around 12k each and was planning to get either one of them however, my parents and brother are 100% against it. They believe that even though it is a used certified car from the dealership, European cars are going to be expensive to fix if there are any problems later on. Do you think it is true? It hurts to see that my own family does not support in what I would like to do. The car will be paid for by me (100%) What can I do to convince them? I cannot see myself driving another car except those two. Ive always imagined myself driving a Volvo when im older..i'm very mature and always thought Volvos are reliable and classy looking. Does anyone here own a VW Jetta or Volvo S40? I NEED HELP! :crybaby:My family are so angry at me even though I havent even bought the car yet.I was only considering it but.my dad already shouted "why can't you just like a Japanese car!?"

:sad::sad::sad:
 
#2
Japanese cars will probably be more reliable, but if you are paying for the car I don't see why you shouldn't get what you want. My mom has a Volvo and she likes it. She had another Volvo before that she kept forever. She loves Volvos. I have known other people who had them and liked them and known people with VW's who liked them too.
 
#3
my family and i have driven volvos for years. they are very reliable, VERY safe and rarely break down....but you're family's right. when they DO break the parts are 2-3x more expensive than american or japanese parts. the labor is also more expensive b/c european luxury cars are build differently and you definitely want to find someone who specializes in them.

if you're getting an S40 with low miles and you keep up good maitance, you're probably not looking at doing any major work to it until 150,000 miles. after that you have to decide if putting money into repairs is worth it. that said i drove a '92 720GL for years....it had almost 300,000 miles on it before it got too expensive for me to justify keeping it. i still sold it for half what i paid for it and it's still being driven around my town.

i would use the safety angle of volvos to convince your parents (but like someone else said: it's ultimately your money. get what you want!). i would choose a volvo over a japanese or american sedan any day for that exact reason. you can feel the difference when you're driving. after i sold my volvo, i looked at hondas and toyotas b/c i could afford a brand new one. they felt like driving tin cans...a gust of wind shook it. my volvo was so heavy, sturdy and safe.

my husband has a lot of the same issues as your parents and i ultimately ended up with a subaru wagon....it's a nice car and feels pretty safe but my next car will be a volvo. there's no comparison.
 
#4
My grandparents have the Volve S80 and love it--such a great car.

My fiancee's brother is the GM of a transmission repair shop, and he does not recommend VWs at all. He says that even newer ones are in his shop alllll the time getting fixed. Its too bad too because the new Jetta and Passat are soooo cute!
 
#6
hMm. I don't really know what to say since you're paying for it yourself. For my first car, I got a civic that my parents paid for me so I couldn't complain. They paid the car in full, paid for my insurance and also paid for my gas. Now, I'm driving a BMW X5 and my mom was against it at first because she was wondering why I (a person with no kids) would need an SUV for. Not to mention, one that was a BMW at the age of 23. I told her that I was going to pay for it myself and after that she was like, well it's your money you can do want you want. I guess maybe you can tell your parents your not asking for their help in paying and only want their support in the decisions you make regarding your life?
 
#7
my mom has been in the car business for over 10 years now and for the past 5 or so years she's been working for lexus. before that she was mostly lincoln...

when it came time for me to get a car i wanted a bmw. my mom wouldn't let me. my first car was a lincoln ls and in november of last year she got me a lexus rx. if i told her i wanted a volvo she's probably laugh and think i was joking. she gave me the same speech your parents apparently gave you when i said i wanted a bmw. european cars really aren't that great in THAT sense... but they sure are pretty huh?
 
#9
it's your money, so you have to use it how you see best fit, but i'd stop and consider the concerns that your family has, since they are valid. since Ford took over production of Volvo passenger cars in 2000/2001, the repair rate of Volvos has increased, and VWs have always had horrible reliability. my family has always been a Volvo family, but we will not own another as a result. Both of my parents drive European cars (BMW and Volvo) and it costs MUCH more to get them repaired than the average car, even though neither of theirs have had serious problems. average maintenance is just more costly. since, assumedly, you'll pay for maintenance yourself, you should consider this when choosing a car, since it can pile up quickly.

i had always seen myself driving a BMW when i graduated high school (i drove a hand-me-down Volvo until i graduated, when i got a new car), but when it came time to choose, it just didn't seem like a responsible decision. my dad REALLY wanted me to choose a BMW or Land Rover, even though he knows first hand that it costs a fortune to repair a BMW and Land Rovers have the worst repair rate of all brands (VW is second, i believe). instead, i chose a Toyota 4Runner, and i haven't had a single maintenance cost except regular oil changes and tires since i got it as a brand new car 3 years ago.

my parents were very wary of me choosing a Japanese car since no one in my family had ever had one, but i've had such a good experience that my mother, who has driven Volvos for almost two decades, is going to buy a Lexus in the next year. it's your money, and if you're willing to take on what could be a very costly risk, then stand up to your parents. but i'd do a lot of research before you assume them wrong, even if they are going about convincing you in the wrong way.
 
#10
It's your money so you should be able to do what you want. I would print out some research for your family like safety ratings and such on the two cars. There will usually be ratings for a whole bunch of different areas. (you could try edmunds.com)

Maybe just make it clear that whatever things may need to get fixed on the car (if it ever were to need fixing) that you would take care of it. I have had many European cars and all have been very reliable with excellent safety and service records.

Believe me, some family members just have ideas in their heads. When I was younger I had to talk some sense into my parents to help me get an Audi, but I printed up all the info and just kept pushing and it worked out just fabulously.
 
#11
European cars are more expensive to fix... have you looked at Honda or Toyota? They are reliable and last forever. I would also read up on the Jetta, it is not rated very well for reliabilty.
 
#13
Convince that it is a necessity. That public transport is dangerous and it's safer and better if you have your own car. Promise them that you won't stay out late or take advantage of it!
 
#14
Roo said:
European cars are more expensive to fix... have you looked at Honda or Toyota? They are reliable and last forever. I would also read up on the Jetta, it is not rated very well for reliabilty.
Click to expand...
ITA! For 12k, you could get a Honda or a Toyota and have more peace of mind. Used cars tend to give people problems....
 
#15
European cars are more expensive to fix. My first car was a Jetta, and even for the littlest repair it was never under $400. However, that was in 1999, my family still has the car and it runs like a jewel and looks as good as the day I got it. I loved my Jetta, it's a fab car.

I now have a Chrysler and the upkeep is definitely cheaper. Even for the regular stuff like new tires, oil changes, brakes, if I take both cars in at the same time there definitely is a noticable price difference between two.

For 12K, you might want to look at a Honda or something similiar. They have a great rating, and I think they're cute cars.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back