HGTV dad defends buying $150K BMW for his 16-year-old — says she ‘earned it’

THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?

SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do)

HGTV star Tarek El Moussa defended purchasing a $150,000 BMW X5 M for daughter Taylor’s 16th birthday.
He cited her 4.2 GPA, soccer MVP honors and safety features, and said she would have been happy with a used Honda.
He also recalled buying now-wife Heather a Ferrari on their second date.

LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time)

Remember your first car? Maybe it was a used Honda, a relative’s old Chevy, or something your father assured you had another 30,000 miles left in it. HGTV star Tarek El Moussa had something a little different in mind for his daughter.

El Moussa defended buying teenager Taylor a $150,000 BMW X5 M for her 16th birthday, telling Nicole Lapin’s ‘Money Rehab’ podcast that she earned the extravagant present through hard work.

“She got a 4.2 GPA,” the television personality said. He also cited Taylor’s MVP honors on her soccer team. According to her father, she didn’t request the BMW and would have been happy with a used Honda.

Apparently, Dad looked at the Honda and decided it didn’t quite convey the proper appreciation for academic excellence. El Moussa also argued that the vehicle offers protection and monitoring features:

“That thing is built like a tank,” he said.

The August birthday surprise involved Taylor’s father, mother Christina Haack, and stepmother Heather Rae El Moussa. A powder-blue BMW decorated with a huge pink bow prompted an emotional reaction from the teenager. Getting three adults in a blended family to coordinate a spectacular gift might qualify as an achievement of its own.

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A post shared by Heather Rae El Moussa (@theheatherraeelmoussa)

The present sparked criticism from people who questioned whether a new driver needs such an expensive high-performance vehicle. El Moussa rejected suggestions that the gift would spoil his daughter, pointing to her grades, athletic commitment, and financial education.

He also said Taylor already has investments in stocks and real estate. So apparently the college fund is not in immediate distress.

But the truly entertaining reveal concerned the star’s dating history. He told Lapin he bought Heather a white Ferrari on their second date after learning it was her dream car.

“Third date, she moved in,” he recalled. Most men are still deciding whether to order dessert; Tarek was arranging Italian automotive deliveries.

He acknowledged his daughter’s upbringing is far wealthier than his own, and that she has traveled privately since childhood. El Moussa says she appreciates the privilege and works hard.

It’s his money, and the family’s free to make the choice. But parents across America are entitled to wonder when a good report card started requiring a performance SUV. At this rate, college graduation may require contacting Boeing.