Ethical dilemma: would you sell an M3 to a 16-yr old?

[Dr. Dre]

Once you sell the car why do you care? It's not your car anymore. Don't fall in love with any of your possessions. If you need to sell it, sell it.

[Transfer]

$2000 surcharge for rich kid tax. haha! I had a $3000 POS for the first 5 years of my driving life.

[6ixSpd]

Lol, it should none of your business what he does with it/his life afterwards. Cash the check and move on (assuming it's from an adult)

[Darth One]

a 16 year old's money spends just as well as anyone else's.

[cjm41]

Originally Posted by Transfer

$2000 surcharge for rich kid tax. haha! I had a $3000 POS for the first 5 years of my driving life.

$3,000. High roller!

My first few cars:

$800 - 86 Firebird
$2500 - 89 Trans Am
$650 - 86 318i
$200 - 84 325e
$250 - Audi Quattro 4000
$4000 - 94 Bronco
$9500 - 93 Mustang

That was High school.

After that I have a run of 25-60k cars to include a new 535i, a couple new trucks in my 20s into my 30s.

Paid for every single one myself. Grew up in an upper-middle class home. Was simply forced to pay for my own stuff.

I don't know what the situation of a 16 year old buying an M3 is. I'd imagine when the kid is asking for gas money 3 times a week, or the first time they go to pick the car up from the shop after a brake job, they'll second guess their decision, money or not. Haha.

Not the OPs problem

[m3jala]

Just stick with facts. Is his signature legal tender or not. If it isn't, ask that the deal be done via the guardian.

[Ikejones]

I met a local kid the other night that drives a E60 M5. It was def beat on, had high miles, and he got it for a low price. In talking to him, sounded like he beat on it pretty hard himself. Almost hurt to see such a sweet car treated like that. Found out the kid was 17. Crazy to me that any parent would let someone have a car with such power.

Money is money, so id probably sell, but i would hate to see such a nice car go to someone so young that wont value it like an M.

[TomHudson]

How many rich kids are doing YouTube channels with exotics?

Used to have an RZ500 back in the day, didn’t sell it to this kid because I thought he would kill himself. Didn’t sell the bike until the following year, and lost out big time.
I’ll never make that mistake again...

[thompsac25]

I sold my previous e92 DCT M3 to a 17 year old kid. The title went into his father's name, and neither parent seemed to know what kind of car their son was getting into. As soon as his mother saw my car in person, she instantly started yelling at the kid, saying that it was way too much car and too expensive for a 17 year old with no job (which I completely agreed with, but I was also trying to make a sale). I also believe that he lied to them about the price of the car, but they had already driven 10 hours to come pick it up and weren't going to go home empty-handed. The whole situation pissed me off because the deal almost fell through, and I was supposed to be picking up my 6MT M3 the following day.

Needless to say, less than a year later, I found out that he crashed the car. Saw a pic of it, which broke my heart. Probably $7-8K worth of damage.

Did I feel bad ethically? No. I felt bad for the car more than anything. It was mistreated (he posted pics of him rolling blunts in the car), and ultimately ended up in a ditch. No M3 should be treated that way.

[fatalelement]

Lawyer here, please don't do this unless you really know the person well. As others have stated, minors can only be held to contractual terms for essentials (food, medical care, etc.). A car does not count, so if he reneged on the agreement, you can't take him to court over it. While that doesn't allow him to steal your car, it does mean he can void the sale quite easily. I would really recommend not selling it to him unless his parents are willing to actually be the person to whom you sell the car and then they can transfer title to him.

[wyatth]

I see the ethical and legal issue, but practically speaking you do no good to deny the sale since they'll just go buy one from another seller.

[m3jala]

Originally Posted by fatalelement

Lawyer here, please don't do this unless you really know the person well. As others have stated, minors can only be held to contractual terms for essentials (food, medical care, etc.). A car does not count, so if he reneged on the agreement, you can't take him to court over it. While that doesn't allow him to steal your car, it does mean he can void the sale quite easily. I would really recommend not selling it to him unless his parents are willing to actually be the person to whom you sell the car and then they can transfer title to him.

Thanks for chiming in. This.

[Humdizzle]

I'd give him a high five and show him how to turn off the traction control. lol its not like the e92 is some uncontrollable beast and it is a pretty safe / well built car. He'd be more likely to wreck a craigslist 335i w/ jb4.

[3Pedals_6Speeds]

Maybe your buyer will at least turn the wheel as impending doom approaches:

[BayE30]

^ what a classic. stupid ass kids.

[MaximusB]

“With great power comes great responsibility"

Spider Man’s uncle

[monterey]

my friends say i cant give my car to my son as his first car and he is 20. i think you are being responsible not to put a 16 yr old behind the wheels of a car with over 400 hp.

[scrammer]

Originally Posted by pcohen15

I'm selling my car for the first time literally in decades because I've been leasing for what seems like forever. I get a lot of texts, no phone calls, so its somewhat difficult to determine -- without outright asking -- the age of the potential buyer.

Had a long session yesterday with somebody who seemed knowledgeable. Asked the right questions, then writes that he's 16 and this will be his first car.

Despite my eagerness to sell the car, I started to think about a 16 year old blasting around in an M3. Maybe getting in an accident in the car I sold him.

I already wrote him that if we meet so he can see the car, one of his parents has to be there as well. Am I being an old geezer or thinking responsibly?

Do I tell him D2 is the only setting that works?

What would you do?

in 2007 I sold my 2005 E46 M3 zcp to a kid who was 16 and I mentioned to his dad that when I was his son's age I had a 90 horsepower GTI and I got myself and lots of trouble ... i said this car is a world-class sports car with 333 horsepower, he said don't worry about it my kid will be fine... apparently six weeks later the car was a write-off!
once you're a parent your perspective changes immensely

[thkfast]

When I was in college (in the 80's) I sold a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 to a kid a few years younger than me. Six months later, I learned he was drunk driving and lost control of it on a twisty road -wrapped it around a tree. He and another high school buddy were killed. The parents demanded the car be crushed, destroyed and disposed of. It was a long time ago, but I do remember his father being involved in the negotiation for the sale price, so I didn't feel any personal guilt or regret.

That kind of experience may impact people differently.

[scrammer]

Originally Posted by 3Pedals_6Speeds

Maybe your buyer will at least turn the wheel as impending doom approaches:

that kid missed every Apex in the video by at least 10 ft ...
at least he had a car that could protect him and prevent any injury past his pride

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

My friend , remember the S65 has *420 HP* under the hood .
Think that's clearly the difference with a 1973 Camaro ...

On the other hand , Personal I think 16 is too young to drive a car . In Europe 18 is required .
Of course at 16 , the cash comes from the parents..

The M3 is much safer. Traction control, ABS, air bags, etc. It might be powerful but there are many technologies present to make sure you keep it sunny Side up.

[wildwestm3]

First off, its great to her someone thinking about more than the money. Good on ya, my faith in humanity is restored! That being said, it isn't your responsibility, it is his parents. If you don't sell him your car, he/they will just buy another one. You will be selling it to his parents. If they choose to give it to their kid, that's on them. If they are dumb enough to put their young son in a fast car, take solace in the fact that you'll be providing them with one of the safest ones out there. At least this car is engineered to be fast (handling, brakes, safety features). If they don't buy your M3, he may end up in some supercharged mustang with crap brakes and two old school airbags. My two cents...