Post by Patsy Baloney on Apr 24, 2023 14:34:23 GMT -5
I got my license and became my mom’s chauffeur for a while so that I could have her car. I took her to work, picked her up, ran her errands, etc., so that I could have a car to get to extracurriculars and friend stuff.
It was a great arrangement for me! All I had to do was be on time!
I got my own car the following year. My mom bought it for me. It was old, but a solid car that didn’t have any maintenance issues. Every time I pay to get my car fixed now, I think, “This would have never happened if I still had my first car…” 🤣
In our family, I think I’d like to be able to get my children a car if they would like one and/or have a schedule that needs it. Nothing fancy, just reliable. We could probably swing that (if insurance doesn’t price us out).
Post by goldengirlz on Apr 24, 2023 14:35:00 GMT -5
I didn’t get a car until I went away to college (I rode the subway in HS), and I leased it using money from a summer job.
We’re tentatively planning to give H’s current car to DC; it’ll be 11 years old at that point. I’m not opposed to giving them a car if it helps with getting them to and from school.
Post by starburst604 on Apr 24, 2023 14:36:11 GMT -5
I got my license the day I was eligible at 16.5. My grandfather was buying a new car and handing his old one down to me. I lived in walking distance of nothing and needed rides everywhere, so I was beyond excited at the prospect of all that independence. I was responsible for paying the insurance and for gas.
In a funny related story, DD always tells us she wants a yellow Jeep someday (yellow is her favorite color). The other day at lunch with her BFF after soccer, she was talking about it and I said to her friend "Someday she's going to drive you guys all over town in her yellow Jeep!" DD says "yes, with margaritas!!" Me and H laughed so hard. Then told her if she drives around with margaritas she'll never see that Jeep again, so she changed her answer to milk. Much better.
Anyway yes, I think we'll get her a car. Maybe a hand me down car to start and her coveted Yellow Jeep as a graduation present if she demonstrates she's a responsible driver. MAYBE.
Post by mrsslocombe on Apr 24, 2023 14:42:32 GMT -5
I got my learner's permit right when I turned 16, and then my license however many months after that.
About three months after I got my license, my parents bought a new car and gave me the old one. I worked full time in the summer 20 miles away so my parents were not about to drive me there 2x round 5-6 days a week.
I actually tried to buy my own car but my parents wouldn't let me, they didn't want me driving a used car with an unknown history. I've actually never bought a car, since I got rid of mine when I moved to NYC at age 22.
I didn't get my license until I was 19 and in college. For my graduation gift, I got a check for 2/3 of the cost of my new car.
If we are still living in the same house when my son gets his license, he won't get a car as there is no place to put it. The garage is too small, the driveway only fits one car, and street parking is not allowed overnight.
Post by DotAndBuzz on Apr 24, 2023 14:45:21 GMT -5
I got a car because my grandpa had passed about 6 months prior, so my parents bought his car from the estate, knowing I was about to drive. So I got my mom's old car, she took his (which was like new because he NEVER drove it, lol). My siblings and I were spaced out such that we never had to share a car, and when I went to college I couldn't take a car until senior year, so no sharing even for that.
My oldest is 15, has her temps, and we plan on getting her a car when she is able to get her full license. No idea what, but likely a smaller used car. Civic, CRV, Impreza, Escape, something like that. I'm not looking forward to spending the money, but I'm VERY much looking forward to not being her Uber in the evenings, and having her drive her sister to school with her.
It was my parents’ vehicle, in their names, that I had the privilege of driving. I had to drive my sister to school and activities as part of this privilege. They paid for everything for it. I don’t recall them ever telling me I couldn’t drive anywhere, but I do think that it being their car vs my car (and that they could always take away or set limits on should it become necessary) was an important semantic distinction that we plan to replicate for our kids. They transferred the title to me when I graduated from law school.
We live walking distance to the high school and the train station and my husband and I both mostly work from home so if we’re still here, I don’t think having a car will be as necessary for our kids as it was when we were teens, and it will also be easier for us to make a car available to our kids as needed without having to purchase a separate one for them. We’re also much more cognizant of the environmental impact of driving everywhere now than our families were back in the 90s.
Post by W.T.Faulkner on Apr 24, 2023 14:49:19 GMT -5
I got my license when I was 16. The car I drove was my dad’s old one, and while I was able to use it for work and school, I knew it wasn’t mine.
My parents very generously bought me a car when I was a senior in college. Thirteen years, four homes, one marriage and two kids later, I’ll cry harder at giving this car up than I will at anything else!
Post by gretchenindisguise on Apr 24, 2023 14:56:00 GMT -5
My brother was given a 1979 volvo. That died and we got a new Saturn that we shared, but he didn’t get to take it to college, so I essentially had it Jr-Sr year if HS, then he got it when we went to the same college my Fr-So years and I got it back Jr-Sr yr of college and kept it until it died.
I think my parents were done driving us places and we were eager to drive, so we both got our licenses as soon as we turned 16.
I expect L to do the same. I don’t know what we will do about a car. I liked my parents stance on - school is your top responsibility and they took care of the car/insurance.
I didn’t have a car until I was in college but I was able to use my parents cars pretty easily. We had a “kids car” that I was the last to use and managed to drive into the ground (I’m the youngest of 4) and then bought a Honda Accord from my parents that they had bought from my stepmom’s cousin right before we all moved from Ohio to Colorado. That got me through dental hygiene school!
I got a new car a couple of years ago but we kept my 2008 Pathfinder so that will be the car our boys use when they get their licenses. It’s also our camping/lots of snow in the mountains SUV. We call her Pathy.
I got my license as soon as legally allowed. I signed myself up for driver’s Ed and took the bus to the DMV for my learners permit. I borrowed the family cars for several years and still biked to my job for several more. All of my friends just borrowed the family car, too. (Their family, not mine 🤪)
My DD will probably get her grandmother’s current car when grandma buys a new one. It’s a nice car! My MIL is timing it to when DD is driving which is really nice/generous.
My brother and I are 15 months apart in age and were in the same grade. My parents gave us a car to share after bro got his license but before I did.
We didn't buy SDs cars, they bought their own cars. I don't know what we will do about DS, he's only 10. I guess we will see what happens when the time comes but he will probably buy his own car as well.
Family car shared with my mom through high school.
Was not allowed a car on campus as a college freshman. My parents did buy me a used car my Sophomore year, which I used for the rest of college and roughly 4-6 months after I graduated. Then I moved to a city, left the car at my parents, and they sold it.
My son just turned 15 and he is convinced he will get his own car as soon as he can drive. He would get his license in October of his Junior year at the earliest. It would make a lot more sense for him to just share one of ours at least until he graduates high school. I WFH and rarely go anywhere, and H and I have 3 cars between us anyway.
If he wants his own car, it would be entirely on him to buy it. So. We will probably end up sharing once he realizes how much a car costs.
Shared family car. I had access to it quite a bit because my mom had me drive my little sister. My parents gifted me a new car when I was in college. I needed transportation for an off campus internship and somehow got a new car out of that situation.
DS is 12. DH’s current car will likely become his if he gets his license at 16.
The rule was that my grandparents would give us a car when we graduated high school. They did this for my cousin and my sister. My school actually took away bussing my junior year to save money, and I was an all A student, so I got my graduation present early. These were used cars in the 4-5K price range back in the 90's.
DS is a space cadet, so I hope he doesn't drive until he is 25. I have not discussed it with DH, but I never want to buy him a car. I have a feeling he will total it almost immediately. DH and his brother between them totaled 3-4 cars between the ages of 16-20. Also DH is a giant PITA when we buy cars. He wants everything and the last few years has gotten a different new car every single year. The first car was fine ish, the second one we lost money on purchasing it but made it back selling it. The 3rd one was a lease because I was tired of the cycle, but he couldn't stay within miles, so he turned that in and now has another car. One that he tells me he thinks about getting rid of and getting something cheaper, but he is underwater on it. I can't imagine how annoying he would be with DS's car.
My dad got me new car when I got my license. I have zero plans to get either of my kids a car of any kind. We live in an urban environment and they can get anywhere via public transport.
These responses are interesting to me. I didn’t get a car until I was 16 and it was a whole year later than most my friends/class. Almost everyone had one at 15. You can drive to school your sophomore year here.
We’ll probably do 15 for our DD as long as she meets certain requirements- grades, behavior, working and/or sports/activities.
I was given a car when I started college. I had picked a local state school and had wanted to dorm there for the college experience. My dad did not want me to stay at school (he had not completed college, and while he definitely wanted me to go, he wanted me there for academic purposes, he didn't see value in the social part of things). He offered to buy me a car, but only if I commuted. With the option of dorming but being stuck on campus, vs having my own car, I picked the car for sure. It was a 10 year old nissan sentra.
DS is only 9, so who knows about 7ish years from now, but I could see us giving him my current vehicle, under the condition that he would be driving himself and his younger sister to school and activities. My car will be 11 years old at that point and ready for a second owner. Then I can buy something fun. My last two cars have been purchased while thinking about car seats & kid crap. My next vehicle is for me lol
I got my license at 16 but shared my parents’ cars until they bought me a used one at 18. They had purchased a new car for my mom and given my older brother the old car two years prior. They couldn’t afford to buy another car that quickly.
My DS just turned 16 and we bought a used car for him to use. The understanding is that it is my car that I allow him to drive. If his grades fall or he proves irresponsible then we can revoke that use at any time. I couldn’t wait for him to drive. It gives him independence that he desperately wanted and relieves me from chauffeur duties.
Post by fivechickens on Apr 24, 2023 15:30:15 GMT -5
Yes I was given the car my brother had. He graduated from HS and got a brand new car.
ETA: we have 3 same aged kids so we will likely have them share a car. Although D3 has CP and will need special equipment for breaking and accelerating so maybe we will have 2 cars. D2 claims she has zero interest in driving but even so her and D1 will have to share.
I didn’t buy a car until I was 21 and it was $1600. I wanted a different car but my dad insisted the one I bought was better. It broke down about 5 miles down the road. I ended up $400 in debt getting it fixed.
We will likely buy a car for DS but not sure how much we will spend at this point or if it will be when he’s 16.
My parents made me get my license and never, ever let me use their car. If I wanted to drive, I had to buy my own car, otherwise they would drive me. So freaking stupid.
I can't be all mad because when I was 20, my grandfather died and my dad inherited the car and he gave it to me. He put some money into the car before passing it on to make sure it ran well. He also gave me some money to make major repairs when I was still in school.
We plan on letting the kids have a family car they can use when they are old enough.
I got a restricted license when I was 15 (I could drive during daylight hours by myself). At first I just shared family cars, but later that year my dad got a good deal on a used car (a super basic, no frills, compact car). They paid insurance and gas, but I was expected to maintain straight A's and have an after school job. I'm an only child.
No idea what the plan will be for DD. She's only 12, so we have some time to think about it. Now that H and I both work from home 100%, but still have two cars, I can't imagine buying her a dedicated car, at least immediately. It's not unreasonable for her to drive one of our cars to and from school; we should be able to plan our days accordingly.
DS is four years younger, so they'll never really share a car. I'm already kind of clenching at the idea of adding her to the insurance....
These responses are interesting to me. I didn’t get a car until I was 16 and it was a whole year later than most my friends/class. Almost everyone had one at 15. You can drive to school your sophomore year here.
We’ll probably do 15 for our DD as long as she meets certain requirements- grades, behavior, working and/or sports/activities.
The earliest a teen can get a driver's license in Connecticut is 16y4months (permit at 16) with Drivers Ed only. Otherwise 16y6mo.
I got a car when I turned 16. A used very unreliable car but mine nonetheless.
I am only child and it was just my mom and me. She worked full time and I had after school activities plus a part time job. My mom needed me driving as badly as I wanted to drive.
DD’s situation is different. I think she will borrow a car when she first turns 16 and then she will get a hand me down junior year.
No but since my dad traveled for work so often, I got the use of his car most of the time. My mother needed me to drive myself out to the barn because she didn't want to have to bring much younger brother and sister in the car for 40min each way every day. Got my licence at 16 right after my birthday.
Post by cricketwife on Apr 24, 2023 16:38:08 GMT -5
My mom was not willing to put us on her car insurance so we had to buy our own car and pay the insurance for it. I got my license at 17 (in a state where the driving age was 16j and bought a car. I paid $1500 for an old clunker and more than that in annual insurance. I don’t disagree with my mom’s logic of keeping us off her insurance, but we drove cars that were older and had more mechanical issues than I would like for my own kids. My oldest is only 9 so I have not really considered how we will approach this.