A Tennessee family has made a bold move when it comes to rewarding their son for his academic achievements. The parents, who have not been named, decided to trade in their son's 2014 Cadillac CTS with only 70,000 miles for a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition with 59,000 miles. While the Jeep is worth $26k, the Cadillac was only worth $14k, leaving the son with $0 in college expenses.
While we're all for rewarding academic achievements, this decision seems to be a bit short-sighted. The Jeep is not only far less eco-friendly, with an average fuel economy of only 17 MPG, but also seems better suited for off-roading than the day-to-day commute from college to home. Not to mention, paying $26k for a car with almost the same mileage as the car being traded in seems like a poor financial decision.
The son, while grateful for the gift, faces the reality of being saddled with student debt and no help from his parents. It seems that the family missed the mark when it comes to reward and responsibility.
In a statement, the parents said, "We're so proud of our son and all that he's accomplished. We wanted to reward him with something special, something that showcases his achievements. We know that he'll appreciate the Jeep for years to come."
While we can appreciate the sentiment behind this action, we have to wonder if the family really thought this through. In a time when student debt is at an all-time high, leaving your child with no financial assistance for college seems like an odd choice.
We reached out to the son for comment, but he declined to speak with us. We can only imagine how he feels about his parents' decision.
In conclusion, while we applaud the parents for wanting to reward their son, their choice seems misguided. It's important to weigh the consequences of our decisions, especially when it comes to finances. We hope that the family can come up with a solution that benefits the son in the long run.
