So, basically, question is how old were you when you got your first car?

Was it new or used?

Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too?

Thinking of saving up for a new car...entering first year of uni and 2 jobs?

Or am I being unrealistic? haha

feel free to post opinions ! =]

I was sixteen, turning seventeen.
That was a little over 1/2 a year ago.
I been saving for 2 summers and over the school year when I worked on holidays and weekends.
Bought a new car and I made a huge down payment and my parents are paying the monthly payments for me. Not a lot, a little over $100 a month.

I don't know about realistic or unrealistic though since I'm still in high school and don't know what working 2 jobs in college would be like.

i got my first car when i was about 18. three months before graduation.

I got my older brother's 2000 Integra LS 4dr when I was 18 years old. I got it around July 2008 when my brother bought himself a new Infiniti G37. The Integra was well maintained and currently it has around 76,xxx which is good since most 2000 Integras I've seen have pass 80,xxx miles. I'm planning on buying a new car in about 2 or 3 years when I save enough money.

wel i couldn't afford a car at 15 so i had to ride a dirt bike to school everyday. got my first car around 17

i got when im 21..

haha my mom's car..

this car under my mom's name and she paid for it coz i still studying..

i think i will buy a new car for myself after a year working

I got it for my sweet 16
xD
an no, i'm not spoiled +_+

where did you put all your gear ? I want to take my bike to school when it starts but my locker is tiny, i'll probably use my brothers car for storage.

anywho.... first car 1989 integra for about a month (my dad is a dealer) when i was 16 (to learn stick) then a 2000 audi a4 then a 2003 s2000 now I don't have a car.

When I was 16 (and still didn't have a license yet xD).
Used 1998 Honda Civic. My parents bought it for me
I haven't really thought about getting another car yet. The time will come.

So, basically, question is how old were you when you got your first car? 16.5

Was it new or used? 1st car which I had for maybe half a year? reallyyyyyyyy old. as old as i was. then it died so my dad gave me the car he was driving 2000 honda accord lx, and bought himself a new car lol

Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too? see previous...:x parents bought it

Thinking of saving up for a new car...entering first year of uni and 2 jobs? not sure :/

So, basically, question is how old were you when you got your first car? 15 and a half

Was it new or used? it was a used 1995 nissan 240sx automatic, it sucked.

Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too?

i saved up around $3000 in about 5-6 months having a job freshman year of highschool. My parents helped me out out by paying for my gas and liability insurance.


Thinking of saving up for a new car...entering first year of uni and 2 jobs? it depends on what kind of car you want and price.

-21
-used Acura RSX
-Took out a loan for 7k

-18
-03Infiniti G35
& now 2009 is250

got my 2007 volvo s40 when i was 16 going on 17.

18. A new car. Initially car was to be shared with brother but he just left to study in another country. So there. Cars here are mad expensive so my mum paid for it. I repay her by driving her around!

Been driving my mom's and dad's car for my first few years, but parents got tired of sharing with me haha.

But now I happily own a 09 WRX

How old? 17.5
New or Used? New
Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too? I paid 15k, they paid ~10k-ish.

my parents had invested in a car for me when i first entered high school... ierno so yeah the second i got my license i had a car
but
as far as my own car that i picked and helped pay for wasssss
when i was 18, but it was an early 19th birthday fusion xmas present

new car .... my dad payed for it ....
my dad only got it cause he didnt want me practising in his car ...

16, almost 17.
Don't have it yet, but I'm in mid buying. Saved like 3 summers for it and now I have 2k. (Spent too much money in between then and now. T.T)
1994 Civic. Yay? D

I was 22
Had $3,000 saved

I said to myself which ever comes first: Miata or a 240sx, manual, not caring about color.
It had to be in good condition with a maintenance record.

Miata came first, bought it in S. Jerz. Checked the car fax, had 12 owners before me. First titled in PA.

I was saving away as much as I could from my first job after college. Bought her for myself in the month of my birthday.


Asked my rents to buy me a Prelude in HS.
My parents promised me a car when I got into college ("a better one").
Then they promised me one when I graduate as a graduation present, IF I pay 1/2 of my college loans, I agreed.
Graduated college, asked them for my car, they promised me one when I find a job.
Found a job, then asked them for the car, they said no, and to take a family car.

I asked after the car again after I got my 2nd job, they said no because of financial hardship.
Actually, this is when they made ME pay ALL of my college loans (approx knocking down $650 a month).

So now I'm paying all of my college loans AND had to pay for my own car.
I'm not complaining. I'm old enough to manage my own responsibilities and finances.
I'm a big boy now, I have to pay for all my own things.
I stopped asking them to buy me a car.
I will buy my next car and pay off my college loans.

Basically I put myself through college and bought my own car.
Of course, without the help of my parents, it would have been harder. (My evil other half says not really, because I did get a full ride to Temple). Either way, I'm a big boy now and I feel embarrassed to ask my parents for a car. If anything, I'll buy my own car and ask my parents to pay my college loans because they fell through on their deal.

No more college loans = $650 /month free'd up. Hellllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooo lots of options.

This is why I hate on all the kids who's parent's bought them nice BMW's and Lexus's. I am jealous and bitter. I have no respect for the kids who's mommy or daddy bought them their car, I forgot who said it, but if you didn't buy your own car, you have no bragging rights.

I could have damn well saved $3k in HS to buy myself my Miata. I don't know why I didn't. Great little car.

I was 18 (now 21) and because I finally got my license.
The car was bought brand new in Dec. 07 and I didn't get it until May 08; my parents paid for it.

amen to that! there's a kid down the street from my house that has a turbo'd S14 AND an '08 STi...and he's only 16! spoiled? yes.

but dude, big props on being able to sustain yourself throughout college AND still have cash to afford a car.

^

i agree, must have been hard !

--

well i wanted to get IS 250 RWD, ambitious yes lol

guess i wont be getting it in the next 2 years, just gotta keep saving

I was 19

It's used (around 50K miles) so it was cheap-ish ($10k) and my parents got it for me so I could drive to college

2007 Honda Accord whom I've named Sloane (my baby )

To the op: I think I would be very difficult to have two jobs and be a full time student. Where will you find the time to study?

was 16 and learned a lot from it

how old were you when you got your first car? 19

Was it new or used? used, looks new though hahaha

Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too?
My parents paid for it but I technically am paying half. T_T

I was 16, just about to turn 17 when I got my first car. 1991 Toyota Cressida. It was made the same year I was born! =)

My car was VERY used haha. It barely even started when I first got it & there was rust everywhere!

My uncle gave me it. But like I said, it was in pretty brutal conditions. But having the great father that I do, he spent the summer working on it && fixing it up to almost new condition. Even gave it a nice new paint job. =)

I only got it at such a young age because I have a large family & my father was getting a little tired of driving us around when I had my G2. So he got me a car to do it for him. xD But I'm not complaining! It has become my baby.

Got my first car at 18,
Brand New 2009 Corolla S
Parents paid for it, getting a new car when I get my full time job~!!!!

I got my first car at 18, shy three months from turning 19. It's a new Nissan versa SL and I'm paying my parents back every cent when I'm financially independent. Still a long ways to go. :{ Will probably pay them back slowly when I get a legit job, none of those mall jobs or tutoring gigs. Bah. Money sucker. :"{

Edit:
Laxntiga: I take my hat off to you. That's amazing.

parents bought a new es330 when i turned 17. and silly me thought hurr durr lexus, which i ended up regretting 4~5 months later

20.
1992 MR2.
Parent paid for it, but I DID have more than enough money to pay for it. Bought it for me as a early 21st birthday pressie. Very zippy, but I wish it had a bigger engine...

got my first car at 18 .. nice and young ^^ just finished HS and landed myself with 3 christmas jobs, two of which paid really well. My proper job put me onto a part-time contract where i got set hours, my christmas casual job paid higher wages, then whatever time i had left over i helped out at my aunt's resturant for $10/hr hahas~~
it was a new Suzuki Swift, '08 model .. 2 more weeks and it would`ve been an '09 car, what a bummer i didn`t even think of that.
i chipped my whole life savings of $5000AU, i owed my dad $15 000AU, i`m slowly paying it off. yay to no interest lol.
i`m in second yr uni and i still keep 2 jobs.

My brother has already got his first car at 16, second hand 1995 Honda Civic VTi-R. He paid for his car himself, $7500AU.

both me and my brother has been working since we were 14.

then again, there`s the insurance .... $$$

I got my first car last month, I'm 18.
It was my mama's used '04 ES330 and yes, I make the monthly payments myself, even if it's a huge pinkberry to pay for that AND school. I didn't save for it at all - my mama paid while she drove it and I pay for it with each paycheck.. I don't pay for insurance though, but I do buy my own gas..
I don't know if it's unrealistic, but.. a new car is kind of.. :/ esp if you're still in college. just get a nice used car that'll last you for a while and then you can upgradeee (:

I actually just got my first car, I'm 15 almost 16. It's a hand-me-down from my cousin, because he's getting a new car. It's a 2000 Volkswagon Jetta, and I think it's pretty good for my first car. =)

lol idk about you, but i felt like a grandma whenever i drove my es around town

i was 15 going on 16 when i got my first car.. my daddy is nice... =] and i used to be a daddy's girl XP .. but i drive nothing now since im away at school.. sucks.. omfg.. i miss my car.. it was a red chevy impala.. while everyone else in my family drove a toyota of some sort lols.. jkjk.. we have nice cars.. my bro just bought a lincoln.. omg i wanna drive it =[ ..

bmw x5 hollaa. like at 17

how old were you when you got your first car? 20, just got it exactly 6 months ago

Was it new or used? its a used 06 civic but looks and runs new

Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too?
yes i saved for my down payment all on my own, and still making payments.
i love my car and im very glad that i paid for it myself, its a rewarding thing...working hard saving up for something
that you can call your own.
i plan on having this car last me til grad school then its time to upgrade to the infiniti g35 xD.

So, basically, question is how old were you when you got your first car? WHEN I WAS 16.

Was it new or used? NEW TOYOTA CAMERY 2004

Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too? GRANDPA

i was 19 when i bought my first car

used 2001 dodge neon

saved up for it

Was 19.. a 99 mazda 626 for $3,000 that I payed myself.

Eighteen! And paid $2500 and my parents paid the rest.

I got my first car at 16 for my birthday. It was a used BMW 325i.

Got my first box at 18 yrs of age. It's a 97 Hyundai Excel in green. My guy friends call it a lime. Douchebags =.="

my cousin gave me a 1995 honda civic like a few weeks ago.
im 15 and i still haven't gotten my license yet.
so my dad is using it for now and fixing up LOTS of things =)

New 2009 Corolla S at 19. I had been wanting a car for a while, and was actually planning to look for a cheap, used car that I could get for a couple thousand dollars... my parents really rather I drive a new car though, because they would feel a bit less worried about me, and also hopefully a new car would last me longer without giving me problems. So we shopped around and I settled on a Corolla S, and they put paid the down payment and are paying the monthly payments and insurance as well. I do feel bad that they still have to pay for so much stuff for me, so I'm trying to save up money to give back to them. I told my mom that I will eventually pay her the amount that my car costs, so hopefully I'll make good on that.

I really respect those of you who put yourself through school and bought your own car by yourselves. College already makes me busy enough, it would be so much harder if I had to also worry about paying off my car right now.

So, basically, question is how old were you when you got your first car?
Eighteen.
Was it new or used?
Used.
Did you save up for it yourself or did your parents help you a bit too?
It was a family friend's hand-me-down, my parents decided it was the car for me - I paid for it.
Thinking of saving up for a new car...entering first year of uni and 2 jobs?
I suppose that all depends on your course load and dedication. =X

I was 18. Bought a 07 used Accord LX. 12k

Got my first car the day after I turned 19.

Used of course.

After a year and a half of working, I managed to save up to $5000, but my mom just wanted me to pay $4200 and my dad paid the rest. It was $9045 lol

I was 20 years old and in Japan... took over payments from a coworker for a 1994 Honda Prelude at $2,200.

First year of college and two jobs for a brand new car? I've never seen it done when I went to college. Everyone I knew worked one part time job and drove beaters that their parents split the cost for. The only folks I saw driving brand new cars had their parents flat out buy it for them. More power to you if you can pull it off.

Just don't forget the dealership transaction costs (taxes, shipping and other crap). Or the DMV registration costs. Insurance costs, too. Maintenance costs for brake pads, engine oil, rotating tires, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, new tires, etc. If you don't know how to do those things yourself it can cost anywhere between $80-175 at a Jiffy Lube when you take your car in for a 3,000 mile/3-month oil change, depending on what else needs to be done to the car and what kind of oil. And you gotta have a cushion of "oh WTF" expenses... you never know what'll happen.