What Would You Tell Alex?

Biggunna
Sep 29, 2009 at 12:50 am

I got my license at 16 and saved up till I was 18 to get my first car. When I was his age I had to walk two miles uphill in the snow to go to school,I have friends that can vouch that it’s not just my old man story. I remember the day my buddy saw me walking to the dealership. He offered me a ride home and had a few girls in his car. I told him “nah I’m going to buy a Mustang right now but thanks, I’ll see you at the party.” That night he shit his pants when I pulled up in that car because he thought I was joking to impress the girls, which I did anyway. Moral of the story, drive the wheels off of that minivan and save up for something you really want instead of just “a car”.

XXXJesseXXX
Sep 25, 2009 at 10:25 am

speachless

camronsfbird
Sep 25, 2009 at 10:20 am

i would tell alex to tell his rents to suck on the mini van…an get a sweet car of your liking

sp1ff
Sep 25, 2009 at 10:08 am

To be honest you should drive the minivan until you’re 18 because insurance rates absolutely suck for 16 year olds.

gma_car_drvr_08
Sep 25, 2009 at 7:03 am

Well my rents bought me a 95 LeSabre for 1900 bucks when I was 16. Obviously it wasn’t my ideal first car, but whatever it worked. When it died my dad let me use an old black and rusted out Chevy Scottsdale. I just kept saving my money and eventually instead of buying a crap car with my own money in the first place I got a slightly better crap car. A sunfire. haha. you can check out my ride page if you want, but let’s just say this. . . I was a senior in high school when I got my sunfire and it’s taken me until my second year in college to get to where I’m at, but it’s a fun ride and you can have a car that you like, too, just wait. Rock the minivan. Make use of it and make the jokes before anyone else. It’s how it works.

ridnlow_vc
Sep 24, 2009 at 9:01 pm

dude go to this link and tell your parents that you wanna do this then they say no then you say well gimme a car http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CewacsP6TSY&feature=related or go to mautofied.com you can find some good deals there too lol

Pablo7
Sep 24, 2009 at 8:07 pm

bro when i first started driving i had a purple car when that broke down i had to drive my moms nissan quest minivan it was a nice minivan but still a minivan. i was pulling up to college in a minivan lol but because i dint rush into buying a new car i just waited a lil until i was sure it was time for my car and my parents that said i dint need a new nice car helped me buy my ACURA TL and all those kids that tried to be funny and said dumb things cant say anything now when i drive by they just stare lol so dont rush it bro work with wut u have for now in some time the good nice car will come just keep saving so u can get the car that u want and turn some heads =]

The_Kingz
Sep 24, 2009 at 12:07 pm

i got a 1990 integra im trying to sell for 1000 but it has a blown head gasket and its not in the best shape…if u want it just let me know if u want it..its a great project car and a good way to prove to your parents that u want this car but if u dnt want to put that much work in it i got a 2000 chevy malibu i want to sell for 6000 its only problem is its purple other than that its a great car…e-mail me if u want it blakboi95@yahoo.com

405monteC
Sep 24, 2009 at 12:03 pm

man it just depends how much money you got saved and what kind of car u wanna get and what u wanna do u not to young just be smart about what you get i got the car on my profile when i was 17 and i customized all that im 19 now.just tell your rents its your money u can do what u want with it

dallastx214
Sep 24, 2009 at 11:58 am

i say u wait dude
dont rush into getting a piece of crap ur gona spend more time under it than actually in it
i got my first car wen i was 17 almost 18 and i kinda rushed into it, i regreted buying it after 2 weeks, it was a 96 crown vic
now im 20 and got a me new truck
save more money

RavenAegis45
Sep 24, 2009 at 11:51 am

well it is true youv’e got a car sort of speaking but again its not entirely yours. i’d say just wait a little longer till your 18 and by then i’m sure you’ll save up enough money to buy a better car than you can afford now, plus every car needs maintenance even mini-vans So, hone your skills on this car discretely and then when youve got the cash buy something you’ll love to call your own. waiting sucks but its well worth it in the end

ROUSH_STG2
Sep 24, 2009 at 11:27 am

This guys thinking “FML”

lovenpain
Sep 24, 2009 at 11:16 am

Dude quite crying! Buy a car if you can. Or just take what you can get! I would rock the mini Van!! LMAO!

stav20
Sep 24, 2009 at 11:13 am

well tell ur rents that ur responsible n that u deserve your own car becaus euve worked hard to earn the money for it and if they dont let u turn into the emo kid in the pic till the get u one haha

Raszaron
Sep 24, 2009 at 7:01 am

The station wagon was my Dad’s daily driver by the way, so while he looked “oh so cool” in it, he was annoyed that I just went out and modified it without his permission. I saved enough money and with the insurance money from the accident with my Cougar, I was able to get my Monte Carlo 6 months later!

And for those of you interested in what happened to the LTD, my younger brother got it, added even more speakers to back end of it (it had 4 – 15″s, 2 – 10″s with 3 amplifiers and 2 – crossovers, plus all the dash and door speakers) My dad no longer drove the car!

Raszaron
Sep 24, 2009 at 6:53 am

I was forced to drive a 80′s Ford LTD Station Wagon when some old dude wiped out my Cougar. So, I made the best of it, had some cheap but cool rims put on it, bought used stereo speakers and amplifiers from a pawn shop, and a new head unit, wired it all in myself. Totally cleaned the paint and buffed it all out, had a friend help tint the windows, and tweek the motor as much as we could. Made for a fun ride that we had a blast in during high school. Plus it drove my parents nuts when they could hear the stereo coming from a quarter of a mile away!

So, have fun with it, make it your own, and save as much money as you can while having patients to get a car that you actually want!

Slammed96ss
Sep 24, 2009 at 6:52 am

minivan burnouts get you laid

KibaStryker
Sep 24, 2009 at 5:23 am

Drive the mini van! See how many people you can tote around. Plus find some people that know something about cars and junkyard turbo the thing. Had friends that did that in high school, and it was crazy fun. And the burnouts were epic.

KustomKiely
Sep 24, 2009 at 4:29 am

The kid in the picture hates his life. Its all over his face.

potatoes4
Sep 24, 2009 at 12:55 am

well what are planning on buying, if you live in a weather controlled area like colorado 4×4 or AWD is almost a must, if you live some where like Vegas or california any car will do. If your looking at trucks or cars, take the CarFax report to your parents, with the 5 star saftey approval, make sure that you can afford the insurance, look at every insurance company to find the right coverage for your budget, and you need to factor in gas, and wear and tear parts, and maintainance, But you can definatly talk your parents into a car

JDriver77
Sep 23, 2009 at 10:00 pm

thats not a guy!

XTZTwinTurbo
Sep 23, 2009 at 9:43 pm

it’s more interesting to not have a car. at least you can come up with dynamic ways to get around. It’s expensive to own a car, and that Emo picture of that puss, is just adding to my, “get a life idiot” opinion!

greenstang2003
Sep 23, 2009 at 6:48 pm

What ever you do, dont rush it and get some piece of shit, just because you want a car, Its nice that they want you to wait, because the longer you wait, the more money that you’ll have for a car. Hell, my parents still dont even know about my 69 mustang, Ive been hiding it all this time at a friends house. Anyway, my point is, Just deal with it, i know it sucks because your in highschool and its fun to pull up in something nice, but just imagine if you keep saving, what kind of car you could get. Or you could ask your parents for a project car, and take your time building it, that way when your either upperclass man in highschool or going off to college, youll have a nice ass ride. Caugh, Caugh, Mustang. LOL

K-Dawg406rs
Sep 23, 2009 at 6:35 pm

Buy a cheap beater with whatever cash you have, leave some money for insurance, and making sure the thing is safe and legal. Get yourself a job anywhere, minimum wage is 7.25 an hour and as long as your not havin to pay anything but gas insurance you’ve got it made.

Bigtime070516
Sep 23, 2009 at 5:44 pm

go get a cutlass from the 80s………………..easy to work on parts everywhere for cheap……………….most of the 80s gm cars have interchangeable parts

RockstrMentality
Sep 23, 2009 at 5:43 pm

Same thing happened to me. I was driving my moms car and i got sick of it, but she told me i wasnt allowed to buy another car so i pretty much told her to fuck off and i bought a 400 hp mustang, paid cash and i pay for everything including my own insurance which is really expensive when you’re a 17 year old male with a speeding ticket, accident history, and a mustang
plus your parents cant take your car away from you if its in your name.

scottbowen
Sep 23, 2009 at 5:06 pm

I feel his pain, well you may wanna hit page so you can see what I mean!

itsachevy
Sep 23, 2009 at 4:33 pm

if you could get into an auction. find some one with a dealers card or something. usually you could just go to one and some guys charge u like 50 bucks to let u use there’s. find you an old rear wheel drive corolla like an 83. you could pick those up for cheap. i got one for 80 bucks in a military auction once. nice car to work on if you look forward to working on a car. next go to the junk yard pick up a turbo (off a the old Volvo or Saab have them) for less than a hundred bucks get it custom set up your self. get a five speed. the corolla makes a fun car to drive and mod. if you do it right get ready to make some donuts.

satty12
Sep 23, 2009 at 3:48 pm

My parents tried the same thing with me, I had started saving for my first car when i was 12 doing odd jobs and such then started working for my friends father at 15 doing construction in the summer and worked at Kmart of all places when i was 16 i bought my first saturn in cash then paid out the ass to get it running and road legal so i all could do modding wise later with the little money left was put in a better stereo system. My parents wanted me to drive around in the 98 ford windstar that my mother lovelingly beat the crap out of and would not be seen dead driving with a slipping trainy both sides were concaved in she beat that thing to hell so if you can get your own car pay everything you need to get it on the road even if it isnt the most badass ride and get a saturn cheap reliable and DOHC engines are quicker than a SOHCvtec honda anyday.

Americancompact
Sep 23, 2009 at 3:39 pm

go for it man, i drove my moms minivan for a long time after getting my license when i was your age, then i bought my own car, and i was the happiest kid around.

Y2K_TJ
Sep 23, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Buy a jeep! I wanted a little honda hatch so i could race but my parents knew that was the only reason i wanted the car so they got me my jeep and i really like it. Its not fast but there are so many things you can do with them and do to them. Its 4 wheel drive and its stick so its a awesome combination. Good luck with whatever happens.

JUiCEd_08
Sep 23, 2009 at 1:37 pm

look at INFINITI G20s ’95 and up, or even better ’99 and up, pretty reliable and you can learn to fix stuff yourself, good deals out there.

thrasher86
Sep 23, 2009 at 1:21 pm

man having your own car sucks!thers gas, taking care of it, insurance, trying to make it cool, rims, all sorts of stuff that at 16 i wouldnt want to spend. so my advice is buy a ps3 and a nice tv instead and enjoy your youth and rock the mini van.its free and it can beat a civic off the line….well mine did.

the94camryman
Sep 23, 2009 at 1:17 pm

Sit down with them and have a nice long talk. Tell them that owning your own car will teach you responsibility. The reason they think what they do is because they feel like you will not be able to afford maintainance, gas, registration, licensing, and any wrecks that you will eventually. Accidents are enevitable, so be prepared for that. Prove to them that you can afford it. If they still say no, then save your money for a while longer and when they do say yes, you can purchase a better car.

Bikerxgames540
Sep 23, 2009 at 12:57 pm

Umm if you got the money and can afford the car, your parents can’t say shit. If you legally own the title, they can’t do a damn thing about it because it is legally yours.

Fireball Tim
Sep 23, 2009 at 5:53 am

Let’s look at the facts, Alex.(My son is 22, is just went through this. FACT#1. The van is owned by your parents, so if it falls apart, THEY have to fix it, not you. You get to watch, and that’s cool. FACT#2. If it needs gas, THEY pay for it and not you. That’s cool also. FACT#3. A van is a hot pimpin’ love machine, period. You can fill it fulla CRAP, take your friends CAMPING (At least that’s what you’ll tell your parents) and you don’t have to worry about anyone stealing it. If it’s YOURS, you can do whatever you want to it, right? Think about THAT one! Responsibility doesn’t come from someone giving you something. Responsibility comes from realizing that you have choices no matter what. You can choose to look at this as a bummer, or you can choose to look at this van as a SMOKIN’ HOT BABE MAGNETIZED LOVE POTION FREEDOM MACHINE. (SHBMLPFM) Just call it the LOVEBUS and make your friends jealous ’cause they don’t have one. They have “normal” cars. SUCKAS!!!!!!!

KrashKadillak
Sep 22, 2009 at 10:10 pm

Alex – be patient. Be grateful to your parents that you have a vehicle to use. Owning a vehicle is expensive. After the cost of the vehicle itself, there’s fuel, maintenance, tires and brakes, insurance – it never ends. I’m sure at your age your resources are limited. Put up with the ‘embarassment’ of driving your parent’s minivan and continue to save up for an even better vehicle when the proper time comes. I did that while I was going to high school, and when I graduated was able to purchase (on my own) a pretty nice car. Hey – if your parents see how responsible you are, they’re going to give you much more in return – maybe even help you out with the new wheels when the time comes. Also, don’t forget to put some gas into that minivan and wash it once in a while.

nissanchick860
Sep 22, 2009 at 9:49 pm

If you already have a vehicle to drive, I don’t see how you NEED another vehicle. Many many many of us when we were teenagers/young adults had to drive something less than desirable until we were in the position to move onto something better. To me, that makes the next car that much more special, because it’s something you had to work towards. I did my dues in a ’93 Sentra all throughout college until I was in the position to get what I really wanted, and I fully believe that made me appreciate the car a whole more than if my mom just let me get whatever I wanted when I was a teenager (we weren’t in the financial position to do that).

ILLY-Sase
Sep 22, 2009 at 9:05 pm

Tell them that you need your own car because It will be YOUR car. Something for you to own and to take car of. Express to them your love for automobiles and desire to take up autos as a hobby…or maybe even a Career. Your ability to save up your own money shows a great deal of responsibility. I went the same route. When I was your age I purchased my 1st ride also, just in time for me to get my license. Good Luck lil bro. Hope you get what you want!

Brookepees
Sep 22, 2009 at 6:59 pm

hello i an 18 and i have a car but it is not very well.i see your car and you i like it i ask why your face not looking not happy.

Force Factor supplements

retroman
Sep 22, 2009 at 6:50 pm

I’d say enjoy not paying insurance or repairs while you can. If you truly want something to wrench on and your folks have the space, buy a gokart or ATV. Hey, ICE motors are pretty much the same no matter where they reside. It’s good to get practice in on something cheap anyway. Fixing and modifying smaller engines is cheaper and leaves more room for error. That’s where I got started. When my parents weren’t looking, I would take the governor off the old John Deere so I could mow the lawn faster. I wouldn’t recomend sneaking behind thier backs though. It’s not a smart idea. Anyway, I’m going to leave you with a little vid that should add some cool factor to that minivan your driving. There are some cool things that can be done to them like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sBvGR1pIoA

carguy1215
Sep 22, 2009 at 6:11 pm

Just keep looking for a car you want and bring it up and eventually, you’ll find some common ground. I wanted a Lincoln Town Car, but my parents wanted me to get a Toyota or a Honda; you know something reliable, fuel efficient, and sensible. I just kept looking for Town Cars and bringing it up. Once the engine in my dad’s 93 Camry that I had been driving died, my parents said for me to get serious about getting a car, a Toyota or a Honda, of course. So, I showed them a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis on ebay. It had about 7600 miles on it and was two towns over, so my dad agreed to go let me test drive it. Two weeks later, I had a fairly new Grand Marquis of my own. My parents got their reliability and I got a something similar to a Town Car. So, just keep at it, eventually you’ll come to a compromise.

Ryan Porter
Sep 22, 2009 at 5:39 pm

Rock on for all the feedback. I was a little afraid of what people might give as feedback.

dgaf88
Sep 22, 2009 at 4:42 pm

This:

Alex, fuck that “it gets better, hang in there kid, at least you have something to drive” bullshit. Go up to your parents, grab your nuts, and tell them to go fuck themselves, you’re buying a car and thats it. Work hard, make money and get what you want and don’t let anybody get in your way.

FoxyFoss
Sep 22, 2009 at 4:03 pm

When I was 17 my dad ‘gave’ me the biggest POS that he own. I had the option to either walk or to drive his loaner. The car he loaned me was a Mercury Marquis (that was the same age as myself) and the side was beat from the front fender all the way to the back door lmao! I HATED this car! But I drove it to school and work everyday. I saved every dollar possible just waiting on the right time to buy a car of my own. Looking back now I think staying patient was the most difficult part of it. The transmission finally went out a few years later. But I had saved enough cash by that time that I bought a newer Mustang GT! It felt great to have paid cash for some like that and call it my own. My advice is to be patient and save as much money as possible. Good Luck!

gfaules
Sep 22, 2009 at 3:57 pm

All of us have been there and experienced the frustration that accompanies getting our self into what we thought would be a cool first car. The truth is if we were born with a silver spoon in our mouth we would grow up not ever having had an appreciation for what the pride of ownership is all about let alone the satisfaction of having worked hard to make it a reality. It’s also important to remember that at the age of 16 there are a lot of things we want and our parents are always trying to give us the cheap way out. I remember wanting my first girlfriend at 16 but my parents kept asking me why I needed a girlfriend when I had a perfectly good hand? Hang in there… it gets better. So my advice is try and understand that your parents mean well and their advice isn’t all bad and in the end like everyone else, some day you’ll have YOUR own ride that you can do what you will with.

Rob Einaudi
Sep 22, 2009 at 3:54 pm

gold94corolla, my e-mail address is on the right nav, and you can also PM me on my member profile. But this one came in through the feedback box

http://www.cardomain.com/contact

TOPlamborghini
Sep 22, 2009 at 3:46 pm

i think “desire” was the word that i was looking for

swensonhimer
Sep 22, 2009 at 3:33 pm

Thats exactly how I felt. I despised the van when I was driven to school in it. But when it came time to drive it I made the minivan my own. The money I saved on not buying a new car allowed me to put in a booming system. A coupe years later my dad was still so happy that I still had it and fronted me some money for new modifications, a VG30DETT. Like most things, its whats on the inside that counts, and my friends and I have gone on some awesome roadtrips in the van.

The minivan is a huge canvas for creativity, check out my ride page to see how far I have come.

Minivans rule

gold94corolla
Sep 22, 2009 at 3:20 pm

lol which inbox was that?? I guess I’ve never found it, since I never got a response via any of the other methods of contacting you….

You always want what you don’t have. Trust me (us), be happy you have anything now, you will have the rest of your life to do what you want, enjoy what you’ve got while you can.

Most people do their most stupid things at this age, so it is better to just get over it rather than make mistakes that you have to deal with forever…. plus it will save you money.

Otherwise, it sounds like a Corolla is perfect for you lol.

speedfreak_123
Sep 22, 2009 at 3:00 pm

i had the same problem, the only thing is that in my house there was an old volvo 240 so I saved a lot of money and started working on it since I was 16, so the first day of my senior year it was fully painted white, tinted windows, 4 12s in the trunk with white rims, check it ou at my ride page. Hey dont worry the time will come plus what everyone is saying is true, having a car is EXPENSIVE!!! and if you like to modify them they become money pits..I wish my parents would drive me everywhere……:(

dragorphan
Sep 22, 2009 at 2:59 pm

mini vans are better than walking. find a job and use the van as long as you can. the other guys on here seem to have the same thought that i do. the van can get you to work so you will have more money for that car of your own when the time comes. plus if you have more to invest in your first car it will higher quality from the start. P.S. when you go to find your first car find a friend or neibor that knows about cars to help you get the best buy.

TOPlamborghini
Sep 22, 2009 at 1:53 pm

im 15 and have no car, and ive had a passion for cars ever since i was a baby. but dont sweat it. If you have like NO absolute way of getting your own car, try getting a job working on cars to occupy that…. (i cant think of a word, but i know what i mean hopefully)..

Im taking auto tech at my HS to satisfy my ( same thing)

FordRulesAll
Sep 22, 2009 at 1:44 pm

Save money and buy your own car. Until you are 18 they are the bosses and that’s how it will be.
-And now you are asking for a car but when maintenance, gas, taxes, emissions, and insurance come in then you will wish you were driving that minivan your parents paid for. Not trying to be negative, just real.

PureBusiness
Sep 22, 2009 at 1:28 pm

Show them how sad you appear in the pic you submitted in front of the whole world Just for a shot!

NSGrandAm
Sep 22, 2009 at 12:53 pm

Drive that minivan as long as possible. You’re 16, nobody cares what you drive at that age, it’s just cool to have a means of getting somewhere, especially when someone else is paying for the maintenance and such. Whatever money you have now for a car, save it. And save more. When your parents stop providing you the vehicle you need, or see that your responsible enough for something of your own, you’ll have plenty more cash to get yourself into something much cooler. Took me 10 years to get what I wanted, I could have made it there much sooner if someone was paying for me to have a vehicle to drive along the way.

___nes___
Sep 22, 2009 at 12:34 pm

Alex tell your parents you need your own car to become a more responsible person because it will teach you to appreciate things and all that. That should work!