.

[Three4Cy]

I had a car. I made the payment, and paid for gas. I was in sports, had a job, and both parents worked, so I needed a car.

My kids both have cars and are expected to work enough to cover the cost of putting gas in the car. Right now, my 15-year old can't work, so I cover her gas, but it is $20/month since she can only drive to school and back on her school permit. Once she turns 16, she will be expected to get a job and make enough money to cover filling up the tank.

 

[heitclone]

Initially, I just drove the 3rd vehicle that my parents owned but got a car soon after my 16th bday. I'm an only child so that probably made it a little bit easier but my parents rule was that they would pay for my car as long as my grades were good and I had legit excuses not to work. I attended a small school where everyone participates in basically every extracurricular activity so with playing 5 sports, being in band, speech, student council,groups like ffa/fha/hosa and sports camps in the summer, I had very little time for a job. I really only worked side jobs in the summer for friends parents who farmed. I was very lucky my parents allowed me to be as involved as I was.


I have a really odd history of vehicle "purchases", I'm 41 and I've never paid a car payment on any of my primary vehicles (wife's current car is the only payment I've made...but she makes way more money so thats in name only haha). My first vehicle was totaled in a wreck in college, it was the other drivers fault so insurance allowed me to pay off and find basically the exact same vehicle I had wrecked with less miles and at a much lower price. I drove that car for almost 15 years until my mom borrowed it to haul some things one day and totaled it an accident. By that time, insurance didn't cover much but my mom had an extra vehicle after my dad passed so she just gave me a replacement that I've been driving since 2013. Again, I'm a very lucky guy.

 

[browns4cy]

Had a slew of cheap cars in school. Then had a few nice ones 18 through 25. Now wife gets the nice one I drive cheap beaters for work and have and older Silverado to pull the boat. In 2 years when son turns 16 when will get one of the 3 cheap cars we have but probably the 03 Chevy and in will update the truck to a newer truck

 

[CyCrazy]

82 Grand Marquis, she was a boat. Wish I still had it.

 

[CloneinWDSM]

Got a hand me down at about 14 to drive to sports and school. Crashed it at about 14.5 going to baseball after my 8th grade year. Fun times

 

[Busch__Latte]

My dad gave me a car for my bday. A few months later he wanted me to get a job and pay for the car. I told him to sell it because I wasn't paying for my bday present. So I went without one and it sucked. Luckily my grandpa gave me a car as a graduation present so I had one for college.

1. I don't believe high school kids should have to work, let them enjoy life since they'll be working soon enough.
2. Yes high school kids should have a car, unless you want to alter your life and give them rides every where (no thanks).

While this is a nice idea, it's not practical for most people.

 

[isufbcurt]

I agree with #1 as long as they're doing something that's useful with their time like sports, volunteering, coaching, tutoring, etc. I used to agree fully but I've watched way too many kids come out of high school having not had to really work for anyone or listen to anyone except their parents and it isn't good. I think it's good for kids to have to take direction from people who can just fire them at an early age. Also, those kids will be much more likely to work part time in college which helps with the bills. I wasn't going to work when I went to ISU because I figured I had two years to have a bunch of fun. I couldn't take it and had a job midway through the first semester.

I agree for the most part. I don't think a kid should have to work in college either, if they want to fine, but I am not suggesting it. I am fine with them working summer jobs.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Did you play this song when you drove it?

The name was actually a nod to the greatest teenage drama of all time, "The OC"

 

[CycloneDaddy]

1976 Toyota Corrola 4 door with faux wood paneling that was rusted out. My friends all had nicer cars so I never had to drive.

My kid got a car at 14 1/2 for school permit.

We have kids in the neighborhood that are 16+ and havent even got their permit, odd ducks.

 

[Bigman38]

'89 chevy suburban, it was a win for everyone since we lived in the country and both my parents worked full time jobs. Taught me a lot of responsibility since it gave me the ability to get a steady part time job, pick up/drop off my brothers, gas was my first real living expense, etc.

 

[isufbcurt]

The car I got from my grandpa was a brown 4 door 1984 Pontiac Bonneville in excellent shape. Some football teammates named it the ghetto cruiser.

 

[jbclone10]

My mom bought my first car when I was just turning 16. She paid for the insurance and I paid for the gas. I felt obligated to make payments to her on the car and did so with my high school part time job my junior and senior years. Those payments were random amounts each month due to tips and how much I was working so it wasn't much. When I was packing up to go to ISU, she gave me a check for all of the payments I made to her. Was a very nice surprise. She said she kept a running total and knew that I'd need the money in Ames.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

I have a '3rd' right now

You have my sympathies!

 

[ImJustKCClone]

My dad gave me a car for my bday. A few months later he wanted me to get a job and pay for the car. I told him to sell it because I wasn't paying for my bday present. So I went without one and it sucked. Luckily my grandpa gave me a car as a graduation present so I had one for college.

1. I don't believe high school kids should have to work, let them enjoy life since they'll be working soon enough.
2. Yes high school kids should have a car, unless you want to alter your life and give them rides every where (no thanks).

If you had three teenage boys on your insurance, you might re-think this.
We did start letting the oldest drive to wrestling weigh-ins (which were always at oh dark thirty and I am NOT a morning person).

Side note - did your brother have a car? Or am I remembering someone else had a twin?

 

[isufbcurt]

If you had three teenage boys on your insurance, you might re-think this.
We did start letting the oldest drive to wrestling weigh-ins (which were always at oh dark thirty and I am NOT a morning person).

Side note - did your brother have a car? Or am I remembering someone else had a twin?

I don't have a twin. I am unique, the one and only lol.

 

[Tailg8er]

I went through 3 cars in high school - 2 complete junkers & a pickup I think I paid ~$1,500 for. I had to pay for each, including insurance and gas.

Plan with my kids is to buy them a reasonable car for their bday, and expect them to pay for insurance/gas/upgrades. I worked all through high school, even during football/track seasons, and think it was a positive in my development. My girls will be expected to do something productive, as the other poster phrased it, whether that be sports/extra curriculars, job, baby sitting, volunteering, etc.

 

[PineClone]

Yes. Sort of a tradition in our family that you get a car when you turn 16. Spent many hours with my sons in the garage fixing things, upgrading, installing stereos, etc. Our youngest just turned 16 and we found him an older Subaru Forester. Not exciting, but we installed a 2" lift kit in the garage this past weekend. Found some used wheels and will put some off-road tires on it. He's a mountain biker so it will serve him well both in the hills and when he goes off to college.

 

[Dr.bannedman]

I did. got a loan for a 98 monte carlo. washed dishes at a nursing home to pay for it. wish i had played more sports and hitched rides instead of scooping soften'd food for $7.25/hr

 

[DFWClone]

My parents got my brother and I both cars. They fell into the bucket “sick of driving us to sporting events, work, school, and friends houses”.

 

[1100011CS]

Yes. Sort of a tradition in our family that you get a car when you turn 16. Spent many hours with my sons in the garage fixing things, upgrading, installing stereos, etc. Our youngest just turned 16 and we found him an older Subaru Forester. Not exciting, but we installed a 2" lift kit in the garage this past weekend. Found some used wheels and will put some off-road tires on it. He's a mountain biker so it will serve him well both in the hills and when he goes off to college.

Trying to imagine a Forester with lift kit and off-road tires. Got a pic?