HGTV star Tarek El Moussa has defended his decision to buy his 16-year-old daughter a $150,000 BMW.
The 45-year-old television personality, who previously hosted Flip or Flop with his then-wife Christina Haack, discussed the lavish gift during Wednesday’s episode of the Money Rehab podcast.
Host Nicole Lapin asked El Moussa about the purchase, which he made with Haack and his current wife, Heather Rae El Moussa.
Nicole, appearing stunned, asked: ‘I have to ask. I just saw… that you bought your daughter – for her 16th birthday – a $150,000 BMW. Is this true?’
El Moussa confirmed the report, replying: ‘Well, yeah, it is true – but for good reason.’
After Nicole gasped in surprise, the father of two explained why he believed the expensive birthday present was justified.
‘She got a 4.2 GPA. She was MVP of her freshman soccer team. She’s an absolutely fantastic kid.
‘She didn’t just get it. She actually earned it, and if you ask me, she deserved it because she worked really, really hard.’
HGTV star Tarek El Moussa has defended buying his 16-year-old daughter a $150,000 BMW
The 45-year-old previously hosted Flip or Flop with his then-wife Christina Haack (pictured)
El Moussa added that the teenager had not requested the vehicle and was surprised by the gift.
‘She didn’t even ask for that car, it was more of a surprise,’ he said.
He also insisted that safety was a major factor in the decision to buy the luxury car.
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‘That thing is built like a tank. She’s in a safe car and she loves it,’ he said.
Nicole then joked that she wanted El Moussa to adopt her, before he recalled an equally extravagant gesture for Heather early in their relationship.
‘On our second date, I showed up with a Ferrari and I bought it for her because on the first date I asked her about her dream car,’ El Moussa said.
‘She said it was a white Ferrari. So then I bought her a white Ferrari… Third date she moved in.’
Lapin responded with a playful quip: ‘I wonder why.’
In August, El Moussa and Christina Haack, who also share 11-year-old son Brayden, reunited to surprise their daughter Taylor with the new car at a California dealership.
He was asked about the recent purchase made with Haack and his wife, Heather Rae El Moussa. Pictured from left to right: Brayden, Tarek, Taylor, Christina and Heather
‘What’s more of a surprise… the car for Taylor or the fact that the three of us actually pulled this off?
‘The car is so well deserved, we love you so much Tay,’ Heather wrote on Instagram at the time.
Last year, it was announced that Tarek and Heather’s home renovation series, The Flipping El Moussas, had been canceled after two seasons as part of a major network overhaul.
Haack’s series, Christina On The Coast, was also canceled.
Known as the King of HGTV, El Moussa was one of the original stars of Flip Or Flop alongside Haack. The series premiered in 2013 and ran for 10 seasons, with its final episode airing in March 2022.
The show followed the real estate and design duo as they renovated and sold homes across Orange County, California.
