Imagine saving up to buy your first car, getting your driver’s license and being excited about actually buying a car.

What would you do if your dad made you present research to him in exchange for his help paying for a car? Would you present as much research as he asked for, or would you eventually get so frustrated that you wouldn’t even want his help paying for the car anymore?

In this story, one young woman is in this exact situation, and she has done everything her dad has asked her to do. However, it’s still not good enough for him, and she’s getting frustrated.

Let’s read all the details.

AITA my parents are making me getting my first car a frustrating process

I (20f) recently passed my learner’s test on the first try after combating severe driving anxiety for the past few years.

I still live at home while studying at uni in my final year, and my parents were very happy for me that I passed.

However, this is where the process of finding a car started.

I have been looking for cars alone. My parents are insistent on not helping me out because I need to learn the process for myself, but I had no idea where to even begin, so I contacted my best friend who’s really good with cars and got her help.

Her parents are willing to help her pay for the car but not help research which one to buy.

For context, my parents very nicely agreed years ago to match whatever I save up for my car. I saved 7,500 AUD from working casually while studying, so the car’s budget is 15k AUD.

My father requested for me to find three models of cars that I thought were the best for the price and that I liked.

I picked the Suzuki Swift and the Honda Jazz, and I can’t remember the other model. I presented my research to my father with tank size, efficiency, best year models, perks like reverse cameras and their average odometers from the listings I found.

He laughed in my face and told me that my research was elementary and to start again.

This process sounds very frustrating.

During this process, I would find listings of cars that fit my research and I’d bookmark them, and I really had my eye on this red 2016 Suzuki Swift.

I’ve showed my dad this listing a lot and he’s told me to research the model of the car and to not look at listings at all.

This lit a fire under me for whatever reason, because I had already presented my dad with what I’d researched which was in an excel format where I could compare the three of them side by side.

It felt a lot like my work was for nothing, and I’d compiled all of it over the course of days, not including me restarting it.

Her dad is really making her jump through a lot of hoops.

It’s been a few weeks since then and I still have no car.

My dad showed me a listing for a Honda Jazz today, which took me by surprise, and I told him I really wanted to buy that listing after looking at it heavily.

Again, he told me that I need to research the car more, which I have done more of and told him about my findings verbally.

He then told me that verbal wasn’t enough and asked me to make a new spreadsheet.

She just wants a car!

At this point, I could not hide my annoyance and I told him I just wanted a car, and that at this point I didn’t care about specs. I just want something that can get me places, from A to B, so I can be self-sufficient.

He told me that’s what will be my downfall, and that if I impulse buy a car, it’s going to have problems.

I do agree with him on this, I just cannot hide how annoyed this makes me because it feels like I’ve been waiting for a very long time and been doing this work for nothing, essentially, which I know is not true but it’s really feeling like it.

Please be honest with me.

AITA?

Her dad either needs to help her choose a car or let her buy a car she likes that fits the budget. At this point, I don’t think she’s ever going to get a car.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This is a good point and a good question!

Another person thinks she needs to buy a car herself.

Everyone seems to think she needs to buy a car on her own.

He could at least point her in the right direction!

Instead of doing research, she should just go buy a car!

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.