21-year-old has Kia repo’d due to nonpayment, wants mom to help him get into a BMW 3 months later
A customer recently asked an industry expert at Legacy Motor Cars in Atlanta, Georgia, for advice. She has an interesting but not-unusual storyline: a child wants their parent to help them get into a luxury car. Her son’s BMW situation, though, has some enlightening context and answers anyone with a young driver in their house should watch. The filmed conversation is embedded below.
The mother shares that her 21-year-old son had a 2019 Kia Optima. He purchased the car in December 2022. By September 2024, though, the sedan was repossessed due to nonpayment.
At the time of the call a few days ago, he didn’t have his own car. Instead, he’s driving Mom’s vehicle. “And he needs to get his own,” she explains.
He has a steady job, and the car payment was under $550, so why the repo?
Yusef Benallal, the car dealer, asks for context. Typically, repossessions happen for one of two reasons. One: Because the driver went into a loan with a higher-than-sustainable car payment considering their other bills. Two: Their financial situation changed suddenly, like an accident, illness, or job loss.
In this case, she says, it was likely just a struggle between what he was making and what he felt he had to spend to live independently.
Son wants a BMW while living rent-free with his mom
The 21-year-old is back home, making $3,500 a month. Since he doesn’t pay rent right now, he tells the car dealer he has $3,500 to put down…on a BMW.
Mom starts in on her son’s choice when it comes to moving forward. “Right now, you need something to get you from Point A to Point B,” she tells him, “Not necessarily for the aesthetics, for the flash of it.”
The car dealer agrees with Mom, then shows son the math
First, Benallal asks the caller’s son where he works: FedEx. The car dealer explains that he’s familiar with some benefits, programs, and resources the company offers its employees. He suggests the 21-year-old look into additional career opportunities, including training and scholarships, to work his way up into a better place in the company.
Then, he says, after elevating and getting into a better spot financially, the 21-year-old might consider a BMW.
“The problem is when people make $3,000 to $4,000 a month and they want to get into a car that’s going to cost them $1,500, $2,000 a month…” he explains, “It just wouldn’t be a smart move for you to make…Listen to your mom.”
Ultimately, the young man agrees to get into a Toyota or a Honda instead.
