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My brother's Father-In-Law passed away unexpectedly and he had always told his Grandson he was getting the Nissan pickup on his 16th birthday... they would do oil changes and detail the truck together... this was a 16 year old truck in great condition...
Anyway, Grandmother and my Sister-In-Law decided it was not safe for a 16 year old to have a vehicle with ABS and Multiple Airbags, etc... so they quickly sold the truck and gave him the money...
Kind of sad since my nephew had such good memories with his grandfather and that truck and what can he buy that's decent for $2200?
Most people don't know the full story behind a family's financial situation and why they have chosen to do things they way they do in THEIR family. Guess it's easier to make snap judgements looking from afar and assuming all young people these days are lazy mooches. Frankly from what I've seen it's quite the opposite.
I only commented when I knew the particulars... no snap judgements
The average teen does not have the know-how to maintain their own vehicle, providing a reliable, low-maintenance vehicle is the sensible course of action to most parents.
I had beaters in college and it was no joke. Always breaking down, and often in very unsafe circumstances. No thanks, I wouldn't do that to my kids.
The average teen does not have the know-how to maintain their own vehicle, providing a reliable, low-maintenance vehicle is the sensible course of action to most parents.
I had beaters in college and it was no joke. Always breaking down, and often in very unsafe circumstances. No thanks, I wouldn't do that to my kids.
I guess we grew up differently... I was always working on my truck just as my friends worked on their vehicles... first thing I did was brakes... then the clutch, water pump, alternator and later the radiator...
Parts were very reasonable... got the radiator from the wrecking yard.
For us it was more than transportation... it taught us the basics of problem solving and auto repair and saved us money too!
By the way... I later sold that truck and made a profit...
On the other hand you are right... I bet most kids wouldn't even know how to change a tire or check vital fluids today... one young lady left her lights on this week and she was clueless where the battery to her car was located.
I guess this level of ignorance is OK today as cars become more disposable.
My 8 year old niece knows how to change the tire on their Dodge Durango... I went through all the steps with her last summer and not too long ago, her Mom had a flat in an area with no cell coverage and my neice suggested they change the tire so they could get home and they did it together.
I guess we grew up differently... I was always working on my truck just as my friends worked on their vehicles... first thing I did was brakes... then the clutch, water pump, alternator and later the radiator...
Parts were very reasonable... got the radiator from the wrecking yard.
For us it was more than transportation... it taught us the basics of problem solving and auto repair and saved us money too!
By the way... I later sold that truck and made a profit...
On the other hand you are right... I bet most kids wouldn't even know how to change a tire or check vital fluids today... one young lady left her lights on this week and she was clueless where the battery to her car was located.
I guess this level of ignorance is OK today as cars become more disposable.
My 8 year old niece knows how to change the tire on their Dodge Durango... I went through all the steps with her last summer and not too long ago, her Mom had a flat in an area with no cell coverage and my neice suggested they change the tire so they could get home and they did it together.
It has nothing to do with ignorance. Cars are a lot more complicated now. Some kids are interested in doing basic work themselves, some are not.
All three of our boys got cars, which we paid for. None of them were brand new. When the oldest boy was in high school, his school did not offer busing. We lived almost 10 miles away. It was a pleasure to see him get his license.
The younger two boys did have busing available, but not after sports practices. Getting them cars was for our convenience as much as their's.
People need to think of the wherefore and the whys behind some of these indulgent purchases.
It has nothing to do with ignorance. Cars are a lot more complicated now. Some kids are interested in doing basic work themselves, some are not.
Which still leaves the question why are more parents buying these complicated vehicles for their kids instead of letting the kids buy what they can afford and maintain?
If anything... cars in the last 30+ years are far easier to maintain... no more fooling with timing, points, condensers, spark plugs, wires and even belts for the most part are self tensioning.
Also, the standard oil interval was 3,000 miles back then.
Which still leaves the question why are more parents buying these complicated vehicles for their kids instead of letting the kids buy what they can afford and maintain?
Because they are safer and EASIER to maintain.
Yes, sometimes paying for something is easier.
Yes, my time is valuable, as is that of my child, and paying the nice guys down at the local shop to fix my car is also doing good thing for my local economy, on the very rare occassion it needs to be fixed.
If we just follow that line forever, why not make the kids grow the food, or sew their own clothes, or build their own computers....
Which still leaves the question why are more parents buying these complicated vehicles for their kids instead of letting the kids buy what they can afford and maintain?
If anything... cars in the last 30+ years are far easier to maintain... no more fooling with timing, points, condensers, spark plugs, wires and even belts for the most part are self tensioning.
Also, the standard oil interval was 3,000 miles back then.
You do realize that just because you enjoyed doing that sort of thing as a kid, not all do, right? And this is coming from someone who's kid DOES do all the maintenance on his car. There is nothing original on it almost - including the paint job he did. But you really have to enjoy that sort of thing. It's not for everyone.
I live in an upper middle class suburb. Not even one of my friends purchased a new car for their child, not even one of my son's or my daughter's friends received a new car from their parent or grandparent for either HS or college graduation. Our 27 year old daughter uses my husband's old 1999 Ford Escort and our 31 year old son has never owned a car (disclaimer, he now shares his wife's car).
It is true that many parents helped their child buy a good, but fairly inexpensive, used car or gave them their old car when the parents purchased a new car but it was mainly so that their children could get to and from their part-time jobs.
Relatives of mine had a family income of about $250,000 per year, when their children were graduating from HS & college. They had plenty of income to buy them new cars but did not. They did buy each child a good 5 or 6 year old used car or gave the child their old car when they purchased a different car. When the adult child had a good income they purchased their own new or used car.
Ultrarunner, we obviously live in much different circles.
I also live in a very upscale area and my kids go to an expensive private school. The vast majority of parents do buy cars for their kids but very few of them are brand new cars, or luxury nameplates. There are a few brand new luxury nameplates in the student parking lot but the vast majority of the kids (remember these are rich kids) drive modestly priced cars that are 2-5 years old.
Our income is considered high and our kids first cars were 1-used Scion xB, 2-used Yukon XL. Both were cars that my husband and I already owned. In this family the kids drive the old cars and the adults get new ones.
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