amen. I don't care much for anyone who feels they deserve ****. I'm of the opinion, you don't deserve anything unless you earn it yourself. Otherwise it's a gift and you should feel humbled to own it

 

This is not against the Kids Wanting / Having the Car, This is more about the Parent and what they are thinking.

Case in Point, and the reason I wrote the original post;
I have an 18 year old friend that has a really nice car with about 10K in mods. He has already totaled 1 car and torn up another. (hit twice). He still is pretty clueless on driving, tails people by 10 feet at 55mph, Slams the breaks in the rain just to slow down.. I could go on.
Anytime something breaks, He cries to his parents and they fix it, or buy him something new. Its breaking them.
To top it all off, he is used to getting everything he wants, and is failing out of school “Because its too hard” all along eyeing a new H2 or SUV of the Month..
It just makes me wonder how much better in life he might be doing if he actually had to get a job and work for something…

 

So you started the thread to ***** about your friend because you don't think life is fair?

I'm just finding it hard to find the maturity of yourself.

Like I said, cards get dealt the way they get dealt, you can't change it, accept it and move on, if you keep going over it, it will only make you more angry at the world.

--Brandon (doesn't completely understand the reason this thread was started yet)

 

it's definetly a parenting issue at hand unless the kid steps up and works and works and works and works to buy a nice car himself. I'm not sure I'd like that sorta tradeoff though - working so much that the only time you get to drive your nice car is to and from work. I just wanted something I could drive when I was 16. Getting your license and that sorta form of independance was too cool and new for me to care what I drove.

My experience has been that people in highschool who are popular and cool, later in life aren't viewed in the same light. And usually visa versa.

I have all sorts of friends that were like the living Beevis and Buttheads and were fun and popular. 10 years later though they're out doing the same crap working the same jobs etc. It's kinda sad really. I mean as long as they're happy it doesn't matter, but it feels weird to see how yourself and others have evolved in life and they just haven't

 

Couldn't agree more with that.

The "losers" in HS end up being the normal people and the "popular" people in HS end up being the "losers".

 

I think all he is saying is appreciate the $30,000 car given to you, other wise when you enter the working world you may be in for a shock when you realize just how much work goes into $30,000.

I'm 23, when I was 16 my parents gave me $5000 to buy my first car, the car I got was a 92 Z28 for $9500 and I had to make payments on the $4500. My second car was a 98 Camaro SS, My parents cosigned on the car but I had to make payments. ALtough sometimes they covered me if I fell behind. I then bought an Audi S4 when I was 22, I bought it on my own, blew the tranny, paid $3500 out of pocket and traded it in on the Z.

With all that being said my father could have handed me the keys to a new vette, instead I had to work my way up. Granted I was very fortunate for the $5000 I was given, I never really realized it until I had to come up with $3500 to pay for my blown tranny. In retrospect it really depends on the individual and how the react to the situation. SOme people are grateful some are snobs.

I dont know about all of you but I have my own problems to worry about, no reason to worry about someone elses, not to mention there is a lot more to life than material possessions, money doesnt buy happiness, and you need to look at what you have before you look at what you dont.

 

I plan on buying my kids a Civic or some SUV perhaps (when I have kids).

I remember how I drove and that age, and I think it is IRRESPONSIBLE (yes I said it) of any parent to get their child a vehicle as dangerous as the 350Z is.

High School kids do not have the experience or maturity to deal with that sort of vehicle, and trust me, I didnt when I was 16-21 (and maybe I still dont), and I was way ahead of the curve.

If you love your kids you will get them something they wont be so likely to kill themselves in.

Now I know I am pissing off a bunch of highschoolers, and I would have been pissed myself at that age, but in 10 years you will find that I was right.

I drove my Dad's Town car like a moron, and Thank God I didnt have a Z, I probably would not be here....

 

Take note that you are applying stereotypes.

And I don't believe there is a "right" or "wrong" in this discussion, you would never know what would have happened if you would have went down a different road...well, until someone comes out with a time machine.

 

I glad I wasnt a spoiled punk kid. My first car (I bought it too) was a Chevy Vega and then I moved to the all to powerful Ford Pinto. My parents worked hard when I was young and Now Im doing it too and reaping the rewards . I see it all to often that this is not the case with todays kids. Sad really.

 

I dont think its a stereotype to say that kids dont have driving experience and are immature. Heck thats the DEFINITION of being a kid.

To me its not about the money. If you are rich you can get your kid a Cadillac SUV.

But no matter how rich you are, at 16, 17, 18, and so on, you just do not have what it takes to handle such a vehicle.

Exceptions to this rule would be children who have parents who raced professionally and have been taught how to handle high powered vehicles since an early age.

Thats pretty rare.

Also, I guarantee I would have crashed if I had a sports car at that age. My friends and I all drove like idiots!

 

Well, you may be comfortable making that accusation and leave yourself open to be wrong, but i'm not.

There are exceptions.

I have thought about this before, how many males 16-20 get in wrecks? I wonder what the percentage is, not that males are better drivers, but they usually have less to distract them when they are driving than females.

That...could have put the stereotype on 16-20 year olds, the high rate, yet no one has found out why there is a high rate...other than the recent study that found kids brains aren't as developed...go figure.

The keyword you aren't understanding is I and me, just because you might have done something, certainly doesn't mean someone else would have done the exact same thing.

--Brandon (just trying to understand and defend both "sides" to this)

 

That's exactly how I viewed this whole thread...no matter how much teens scream and yell about how mature they are, the fact of the matter is that they've been driving for a very short period of time. with the exception of the aforementioned driving-school types, many of them just don't have the experience to spot potential disasters. When combined with the general air of invincibility that all teenagers have, it's a recipe for distaster.

And that, quite simply is the reason i think it's ridiculous for parents to be buying a Z for their kids the minute he turns 16. No matter how mature the kid happens to be, it's still a lot of car...and the temptation to do something stupid is just too great. Generally speaking, I don't have a problem with parents finding a car for their new drivers...it's choosing a totally inappropriate car that bugs me.

--CP2

 

IMO it's better to start out driving slower vehicles and work your way up. That way you can always look forward to better performance down the road with faster cars.

If you start off fast though, everything else will feel slow and boring. I saw someone selling a 900HP 2001 viper for $70k a couple weeks ago. As an extreme example if that was your first car, assuming you live to talk about it, every car you drive from that point on you'll turn your nose up at because it's not as fast.


I might get a bunch of crap for this, but I actually like driving different cars for different reasons - including beat up old trucks, SUV's, jeeps, etc

My girlfriend has a jeep and it's fun to drive because I dunno, it's a jeep. My stepbrother has a POS abused truck that's fun to drive because you can abuse it and not worry about it. Right now my Z is in the shop getting door replace and I'm driving a rental SUV that's fun to drive because it has such a soft suspension and the body sways all around taking you for a ride.

Some people on these boards purposely own a slow car to contrast their Z or other fast cars. It makes them feel faster when you drive a slower car every other day.


and I totally agree with what CelticPride2 and tacomaboy said

 

I had a used prelude for my first car had 70k miles on it... But have great memories of it...

As far as kids getting cars from there parents, more power to them... If parents are able to pay cash for a cool car for there kid, why not? I'd be stoked if I was 16 and my parents bought me a car.. hell any car for that fact.. With my prelude I had to work over a year to save up enough money to buy it. My parents didnt give me squat...

I will say this tho... I have a friend that I grew up with and his parents did have money.. This guy goes thru cars every 1-2 years since he got his license... I've never meet someone who is never happey with what he gets, he gets bored with the new cars fast and wants another one... I think people who have to work and save up to buy there own car will appreciate it more then someone who is just given a car... Just my opinion..

But I don't look down on anyone who is given a car... not there fault there parents want to spoil them... Im serious, If I was 16 and my parents said heres the keys to a brand new 350z, you think I'm going to turn them down? HELL NO... I seriously doubt any of you guys would either....

 

Just wondering, what is your door getting replaced for?

 

I am not generalizing or prejudicing based on sex or race.

I am telling you that with age comes experience. And until you have more experience you should not have a fast car. Its too risky.

That is absolutly NOT prejudiced.

You compare 16-20 White males to 30-40 white males and you WILL have a higher incident rate. Why do you think insurance charge more?

Its not because they are young, but because they are immature and inexperienced. And I am using myself as an example not for proof, but so others would not think I was hypocritical.

I stand by my argument.

 

Ya but can't a teen kill himself just a easily in a $15k civic as he can in a $28k 350z? I mean both cars can do 100 mph, given the civic will take a little longer to get there, but crash either car at 100 mph your going to be dead...

You might say a teen would be more tempted to race if he was driving a 350z then a civic.... well have ever been to a street race? Lots of teens in civics racing out there...

Actually the opposite argument could be used that a teen with a awesome car like a 350z would be more carefully driving it vs a crapper car he doesnt care anything about....

Your arguments would be more valid if you were using them to justy that teens have to have 2 years driving experience before they were given there license, and able to go out on there own..

 

http://www.geocities.com/sentry65/350z/car.jpg

girl backed up into my door in a parking lot while I couldn't move because of parking lot congestion. Didn't hear me honking because she had music blasting and all her windows rolled up.


I resisted the urge to post a thread about it like so many people do for every little scratch/paint chip they get. I bet a clear bra would have helped though

 

Guess what, Im 17, Im getting a 2005 Pikes Peak White Touring 350z, jealous? Good.

 

I think we're all jealous man