Ronnie Hamilton sits in his Christmas/birthday gift -- a 2010 Lexus IS 250. (Photo by Cody Ellerd Bay)
We've all seen those car commercials where some unsuspecting person opens the front door on Christmas morning to find a shiny new car sitting in the driveway with a monstrous red bow on top. It's an image burned into our fantasies by powerfully suggestive ad campaigns. But to whom does this actually happen?
Ronnie Hamilton, of Snoqualmie Ridge, for one. The 15-year-old Eastside Catholic School sophomore has worked hard this year and kept his grades up. He had a deal with his dad that if he held up his part of the bargain, then next year he could start looking for a car. Price limit: $25,000.
However, the car came early as a combined birthday/Christmas gift. And rather than a used car, Ronnie received a 2010 Lexus IS 250, a "built to race" dream machine with a base price of $35,475.
December rush
- Automakers average a 16 percent sales boost in December over November. Average increases for selected makes, 2006-08:
- Lexus: 29 percent
- Mercedes: 22 percent
- Subaru: 22 percent
- BMW: 21 percent
- Jaguar: 20 percent
- Porsche: 17 percent
- Ford: 16 percent
- Honda: 15 percent
- Source: WardsAuto.com
"I did not expect this. Not at all," said a beaming Hamilton, just moments after being informed that the showroom model he was "just testing out" had already been sold -- to his dad.
"We were going to have him go out and get a job, and then match his money for a down payment," says Ronnie's father, Brian Cohen. "But in the end, rather than [him] having to juggle work and studying, I decided I'd rather have school take 110 percent."
December is a popular time to buy autos. Carmakers, on average, get a 16 percent sales boost in December over November, according to WardsAuto.com. And while there are no official data available on how many of the cars bought in December will end up with bows on top, local dealers say it's a smaller number than those taking advantage of dealership promotions or year-end tax write-offs.
"I'd say 3 to 4 percent of new-car buyers [in December] set it up around a holiday," says Lin Loya, sales manager at Toyota of Seattle. He sees mostly men buying cars for their wives; often they'll come in together "just to look," he says, and then the husband will come back later to buy it as a surprise.
Luxury carmakers get the biggest holiday boost. During the past three years, luxury brands such as Mercedes and BMW have averaged sales increases of more than 20 percent in December, WardsAuto.com data shows.
The trees -- and cars -- are trimmed for the holidays at Lexus of Bellevue. (Photo by Cody Ellerd Bay)
Lexus, which popularized the concept of cars as Christmas gifts with its "December to Remember" ad campaign that began in 1998, saw a December increase of 30 percent last year -- and it wasn't just older models that sold. "Our sales events are on brand-new stuff," says Nick Wilcox, sales manager at Lexus of Bellevue, where Cohen bought his son's new car. "It's the biggest month of the year for us."
Jaguar already has had a good holiday season. Its 2010 XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition, with a limited run of 50 units priced at $105,000, sold out in pre-orders within four hours of going on sale Oct. 16.
Chris Cunningham, sales manager at Seattle Luxury Cars, says that people who give a car as a gift want to indulge. "Buying a car is a big purchase, and when you're buying it for someone else it's even harder to know what to buy," he says. "I recommend a fun car that [recipients] want but wouldn't normally buy for themselves."
13 Comments
By Seattledad on December 20, 2009 12:17 PM
Unbelievable! I'm a parent of two sons, now young adults, and have worked with at-risk teens abused children for years. What shocks me is this incredibly bad parenting decision! This teen is NOT even legal age to drive! No job? What does it teach him? That daddy will buy him anything he wants. Doesn't teach him the value of working for a living, of saving up for something you really want but can't afford on your own, and, most importantly, you can't have everything in life you want! Suggestion, here, spoiling dad? Return this overpriced car, buy your son (who by the way, I'm sure is a good young man...this criticism is reserved for this dad who used very poor judgement) a $6k used Honday Civic (reliable, good gas milage, excellent reputation) and tell him he gets the keys when he has a part time job to pay gas, insurance, and upkeep. Both of my sons, we helped buy cars, both sons worked and paid upkeep, insurance, and gas..both were excellent students (scholarships to college, etc), and gave them cars that were reliable. This is overkill, dad, and I hope and pray you rethink this very bad decision. Thanks.
By donutforme on December 20, 2009 4:05 PM
I could not agree more with Seattledad. We sent our son through Catholics schools and then scholarship to UW. Now he is an Architect. We purchased his first car for him when he turned 16, it was a used Honda CRV. He had to have a job to pay for the insurance and upkeep in addition to maintaining a 4.0 GPA.. He learned personal responsibility. To author an article like this in this economy, throws into the face of good parenting. When their are thousands of families out there that can not afford to by a car and the writer uses an example of a spoiled Eastside young man to relate the traditional incline of December cars sales. The author should have posted the picture of the parents. That way, when they are recognized at the local Starbucks, they can be properly scorned, not their son. Completely shameful!
By Shoshanna on December 20, 2009 5:00 PM
This was a disturbing article for the Seattle Times to print, particularly in this kind of economy. I was hoping that these sort of examples of shameful excess had fallen by the wayside, but no. I agree with the comments above; it's a poor message to send to your child and the overall sense of entitlement is appalling . Spending 35K on a 15 year old is ridiculous! There are so many needy families at the present time. How about volunteering as a family at a foodbank, sponsoring a needy family, working at a shelter...this would provide some perspective at least.
By Ken on December 20, 2009 7:16 PM
Wow, what a statement that this father is making to his son. Do nothing more than what 90% of other kids do, but I'll buy you a $35k Lexus "Built to race" since I want people to notice me.
Brian Cohen should be ashamed.
By Ken on December 20, 2009 7:21 PM
Wow, what a statement that this father is making to his son. Do nothing more than what 90% of other kids do, but I'll buy you a $35k Lexus "Built to race" since I want people to notice me.
Brian Cohen should be ashamed.
By Phil on December 20, 2009 8:15 PM
Is this father completely in LA Land?- maybe his kid will put a "fart muffler" on his Lexus to draw more attention to his immaturity and his insecure dad (lower case dad by intent)
By Joe on December 20, 2009 8:35 PM
And how did the paper find out about this pseudo-story? humm.
By Grandpa Scott on December 20, 2009 9:20 PM
I found the article rather disgusting. Not a single lesson learned in life. Sorry I don't find this as newsworthy............I agree with JOE. How did the times come up with this story...........
By ron on December 21, 2009 12:04 AM
what a terrible story, not worth the ink it was printed with. This is not parenting! why does the paper print such trash for stories??? This poor kid is growing up with no sense of value, of working towards something. The parents are doing him a big dis-service. Such a crazy idea, receiving such a fancy car at 15, a car 80% of the working population wouldn't, or couldn't, consider buying for themselves. The parents should be ashamed of themselves. I'd like to know how the paper found out about this and why they thought it was news worthy.
By James on December 21, 2009 7:59 AM
It's a free country and people are free to spend their money as they see fit.
However, we have people in this nation who can not afford to put food on the table for their children, and yet Hamilton's feel it appropriate to boast to the world about buying their 15 year old child a $35k car. What kind of values does this instill their child?
Tasteless indeed.
By John McD on December 21, 2009 4:48 PM
To the parent who bought their kid a used Honda: what kind of a parent are you?
Many kids go through high school without having any wheels. You should make your kid take the public transportation to get around. How wasteful to buy a teenager a car. Don't act like you are some sort of a good parent because you "made" your kid pay for gas and maintenance.
We all know how much insurance costs for 16 year olds if he were to get it solely in his name. He could only afford to pay for the insurance because your son was under your policy.
You couldn't make your son take the school bus to school even if you tried.
By GaryM on December 21, 2009 11:56 PM
Gosh, for a follow up, I want to see what he gets in the second semester for taking the garbage out. This was a terrible story to print! Very poor choice by the editors! Shame on you for printing it, and shame on the father for buying the car! What kind of messages is this sending? Since you couldn't figure it out, let me enumerate: 1) IRRESPONSIBILITY, i.e., that it’s safe and wise to give a 15 year old MALE kid a "racing package" sports vehicle, 2) SELFISH INDULGENCE, i.e., that it’s OK to give a kid a $35K luxury car when so many are needy and hungry, or out of work, 3) MEDIOCRITY IS OK, i.e, “just get OK grades and your rewards will be huge!” (Was this for a senior who graduated with a 4.0 and was a National Merit Finalist who sacrificed his summers to volunteer in the slums of Calcutta with the Sisters of Chartity….? No, just a first semester sophomore who “kept his grades ‘up’, whatever that means.)
Kid, no offense to you. You’re a victim in this story – a victim of poor judgment by the editors of this paper for printing this story in the first place, and your parents for buying you that kind of car and skewing your judgment skills for later in life.
By Suzanne on December 27, 2009 7:23 PM
What bothers me is why the media thinks this sort of garbage is news-worthy? Is it supposed to be a "feel good" holiday story? Sorry, Seattle Times, you missed it with this one.
As for little Ronnie "working hard and keeping his grades up" , that's his JOB at this point in time. Wonder what kind of perks he's going to expect from his first real employer?