Kid's first car

[GrayStangGT]

Single-cab Ranger or equivalent. Reliable, not a lot of power, not a lot of room for distractions (5 other friends, etc).

My first friend to get a license got a 91 ranger, trust me some damage can still be done in a ranger.

[Fastlane]

I told all of my kids I would match their contributions and help them with any initial repairs. I also paid for their 1st year of insurance. Both of my daughters ended up with late 90s Saturns which they promptly destroyed. I did my best but they drive like their mother. My son ended up with a 2.3l 91 Mustang notch-back. It was my eldest daughter's at one point and it has been passed around the family a bit. He acquired it with a blown engine, so we spent about 3-4 months rebuilding and getting it ready for the road. He now understands what it takes to keep a car going at least.

[Grimpala]

My oldest wants a Tahoe, my middle daughter wants a gt500, and my son wants a truck to haul his bike.

I've got an 03 Tahoe that's been reliable as hell from day one. Trying to get rid of it if you're interested.

[BLAKE]

Who buys their kids 90's Saturns? That's just mean.

[Fastlane]

Who buys their kids 90's Saturns? That's just mean.

Maybe that's why they wrecked the hell out of them in a matter of months. They do stand up well in a collision though.

[Scott Mc]

The bad thing about old cars is they don't stand a chance in a collision with a modern vehicle, my kid brother was one of those lazy, doesn't care about driving types so I stuck him in a 98 jetta (he is 6'5" lol).

[Baron Von Crowder]

The bad thing about old cars is they don't stand a chance in a collision with a modern vehicle, my kid brother was one of those lazy, doesn't care about driving types so I stuck him in a 98 jetta (he is 6'5" lol).

how the fuck does that work?

[davbrucas]

I was never given a car when I was living in my father's home. He did not contribute to much other than the basic necessities. I plan on being different for mine. My oldest is 14 and makes straight As in school, does his chores at home without hassle and is a really good kid. As long has he keeps this up I will help him all I can. I plan on giving him my current truck next Christmas. It is a lifted 13 F150 EB SC. He will have to work to pay for gas and maintenance stuff.
My sons will have a better head start on life than I did...I do feel that a child does not have to suffer and do without to learn goals and work ethic.

[mstng86]

Where do I turn in my application for being one of Dr Daves kids?

[bcoop]

That's what my parents did and I thank them for it. I made a lot of pizzas when I was 15 to earn half of $3,350. That was a fair amount of cash in 1990.

My parents didn't even offer that, but I don't hold it against them. I think it's pretty fair.

The main challenge with the matching money plan, which we really considered, was the difficulty in them having money-making opportunities without a vehicle. The alternative was they were limited to 'cheaper' vehicles.

To be perfectly honest, I'll throw more in on my end to get him something decent and reliable. The main point is trying to teach him that he has to save for things he wants, and he has to work for what he wants. This kid just does not have the work ethic I did. I hustled candy at school, and mowed yards from a young age. He works during the summers, but doesn't do much, and doesn't have any drive at all. He's 14, so hormones are going crazy, and his mind is completely absent. It drives me fucking nuts. He is everything I am not, which is great in some ways, but a nightmare in others.

I do feel that a child does not have to suffer and do without to learn goals and work ethic.

While true, I don't consider not having a car "suffering". Perspective, I suppose.


My ex wife's parents offered she and her brother something I'd never considered either. They told her and her brother that they would either buy their car, or pay for their insurance, but not both. She took the car, he took the insurance. It worked out alright for both. Just thought it was an interesting way to look at it, and it's a bargain for the kid if they take the insurance option, considering what insurance costs these days.

[Sean88gt]

I was never given a car when I was living in my father's home. He did not contribute to much other than the basic necessities. I plan on being different for mine. My oldest is 14 and makes straight As in school, does his chores at home without hassle and is a really good kid. As long has he keeps this up I will help him all I can. I plan on giving him my current truck next Christmas. It is a lifted 13 F150 EB SC. He will have to work to pay for gas and maintenance stuff.
My sons will have a better head start on life than I did...I do feel that a child does not have to suffer and do without to learn goals and work ethic.

I agree with this. My first ride was a pile of shit. An old toyota 4x4. The only good thing that came from it was spending the time with my dad to rebuild it from the ground up. Damn near everything was bypassed or fucked up. The guy I bought it from had been starting in low-range 3rd gear, as 1st and 2nd were gone. Dad and I stripped it down to frame, then re-did everything on it - customer interior, stereo, front and rear gears, trans, engine, learned to weld, do body work, paint, etc.

What I've learned since then, is that I don't care for working on cars. I've spent too much time on that. So with my kids, I'll buy newer vehicles. I'll teach them the high points, and then put the responsibility of maintenance on them, and let them determine if they want to save $10 by changing the oil themselves, or pay for the convenience of having someone else do it.
Chances are, my daughters will pay, and my son will play, because that's what he does.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I'll likely buy the first one for them, my parents did the "we'll match what you save" and then bought me a complete pile of shit that I had to spend a ton of time getting back on the road. My parents had good intentions, but forcing me to hand them my dollars on a pile that was horribly unreliable just didnt work out well.

I have it in my mind that the kids will have to turn wrenches and help clean up whatever it is that we get, and likely they will be heavily involved in the process as well. My truck, which was thier late uncle's, may be available if I can justify it.

[Tremor14]

i have had free new cars all my life and i turned out fine!

[juiceweezl]

i have had free new cars all my life and i turned out fine!

Troll mode unlocked...


My grandfather gave me 10+ year old 4 cylinder GMC S-15, and I thought I was big time. I spent a large chunk of my youth (and later my years in college) with him and my grandmother until she passed then just him. We were always very close, and I realize how many things I learned in life from being around him and working close to him. That being said, the truck was exactly what I needed but without flaws. It wouldn't get out of its own way, so no speeding tickets or racing. The transmission went out the first weekend I had my license, so I immediately had to pay to fix it. I drove it until I graduated. At that point my parents co-signed for me to lease a new celica to go to college. It was stripped down, but I thought I was the man. I eventually traded it for a truck when I got out of college and was done leasing cars. I kept that truck over 15 years before trading it on the jeep. We have 4 cars now and no notes, and I won't ever buy another vehicle that I can't pay cash for (used) or pay off in 2 years (new). My oldest is 12, and he'll either drive the jeep or my focus ('14 ST) when it's time, but he'll be working along the way to pay his insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.

[davbrucas]

While true, I don't consider not having a car "suffering". Perspective, I suppose.

I did not mean that kids suffer by not having a car...meant in general. I am not going to make them be slaves in order to teach them the value in working hard to achieve what they want in life...not implying that you are doing that either. My boys are only children once and I am going to let them be kids.