Tarek El Moussa isn’t second-guessing his decision to buy his 16-year-old daughter, Taylor, a $150,000 BMW. During the Wednesday, October 28, episode of the “Money Rehab” podcast, the HGTV star explained why he felt the teenager deserved such an expensive gift.
“It is true, but for good reason. She got a 4.2 GPA,” Tarek, 45, said. “She was MVP of her freshman soccer team. She’s an absolutely fantastic kid and didn’t just get it. She actually earned it, and if you ask me, she deserved it because she worked really, really hard and didn’t even ask for that car.”
Taylor got the surprise of a lifetime in August when her parents, Tarek and his ex-wife, Christina Haack, reunited to give her the new BMW at BMW of Murrieta in California. Tarek’s wife, Heather Rae El Moussa, was also there to celebrate the big moment.
But the gift wasn’t just about giving Taylor a flashy new ride. Tarek said her safety played a major role in his decision. “It was more of a surprise plus, for me, safety. That thing is built like a tank,” he explained about the vehicle. “The biggest thing for me was safety. She’s in a safe car, and she loves it.”
Podcast host Nicole Lapin asked whether Tarek had considered putting the money toward Taylor’s future instead of spending it on a luxury car. The Flip or Flop star said he had already taken steps to help his daughter get started financially.
“She’s invested too,” he said. “She has stocks. I got her in some real estate. Here’s how I look at it: She needs a safe car. This car is pretty darn cool.”
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Lapin also wondered whether giving a teenager such an expensive car might spoil her. Tarek wasn’t too concerned, noting that Taylor has already shown she’s willing to work hard for what she earns. He also has the ability to keep tabs on her driving habits.
“If she was going to be a spoiled brat, she probably wouldn’t have gotten the 4.2 GPA, and she probably wouldn’t have been MVP of her soccer team, and she probably wouldn’t have done the extra coaching,” the HGTV star said. “For me, this is a reward for all the work she’s done and, honestly, I more [so] gave it to her than her asking for it. She would have been happy with a used Honda.”
Taylor isn’t the only person in Tarek’s life who’s received an impressive set of wheels. During the podcast interview, he also looked back on surprising Heather, 39, with a luxury car early in their relationship.
Tarek recalled buying her a white Ferrari after learning it was her dream car on their first date. “I showed up with a Ferrari, and I bought it for her because on the first date, I asked her [for] her dream car,” he recalled. “She said it was a white Ferrari. So then I bought her a white Ferrari. Third date, she moved in.”
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