I Need Advice ASAP!

[91 EX-R]

My dad wants me to sell my car! i told him i dont want to but he keeps saying things like "cars are a waste of money" or "cars are money pits".

i dont know what his problem is. i am turning 18 in a couple weeks, i am good in school, and i have a part-time job to support my car. but he keeps telling me to wait till i get out of college and find a steady job to drive a car! i cant wait that long!

Please everybody, help me out here. put something i can show to my dad or something i can use to try to keep it. i dont want to give it up yet.

[deevergote]

Well, it's more than a car... it's a hobby and a learning tool. By playing with your car now, when you don't absolutely NEED it, you'll be prepared to own and maintain cars for the rest of your life.

[blackice]

Your dad's reasoning doesn't make sense to me at all, college is a time for lots of big changes that have to do with taking more responsibility for your own stuff and living your own life...moving out, paying for your own things, having your own car etc. Besides if you are in college it makes things a hell of a lot easier to get around town rather than depending on friends or family for rides everywhere. If you are being responsible with it and have a job to pay for insurance, car payments, maintenance, and everything I don't see any reason not to have a car, especially when the car is a cheaper older car like a cb7.

[accordtypeR]

Honestly from reading your thread I think your dad doesnt want you to grow up. You mentioned that your turning 18yrs in a couple of wks ( happy Bday ) and owning a car for a teenager is a PRIME source of independence. I think thats your dads fear.
Put it this way if youre not asking him for $$ to maintain the car and its not affecting your studies then he shouldnt have a problem. In his eyes youre maturing faster than he expected.


This is what I think. Please dont feel offended !!!!!!

[tunerman]

Seems like your dad wants you to focus on school more. That's the same with my dad, but my grades are good, so he can't say cars are a bad thing for me. Tell your dad that you'll focus on school first then the car later, he'll understand that you're mature enough to make your own choices then. I've had this same problem for a while, but it always get worked out.

[qbodsyt]

hey man, I was in the same boat as you at 17 and a half. I bought my first Cb7 at the same age. I had a decent little side job that would help pay for the bills, I don't know about you, but my parents didn't pay for anything car related. My first Cb7 was in really good shape, bought it from a friend of the family, and it served me well. I drove it for 3.5 years and loved it. I also sold it for nearly as much as I paid for it originally. That's a good endorsement for the CB7 as a good choice for a young guy.

Now for a plug for your dad's argument. Cars are money pits....no one can argue that. Even a terrific car like the Honda Accord costs serious money every year, and its a depreciating investment. I sat down and calculated how much it cost me over 3.5 years to insure it in my own name (which where you and I live is very costly) fill it with gas every month, and repair it when it broke (I did very little work myself on my first car...didn't know how, didn't want to trash a mint condition car with hack work) TOTAL: 20-25k.

Now I don't have a choice, I'm 21, I have a job that requires me to put on 2000+ kms a month driving, I'm in college part time, I have to have a car. But if I hadn't chosen to have a car for the year to year and a half I didn't have to, I would have an extra 10 gs easily. Thats tuition, or even a downpayment on a house.

Don't get me wrong, I fully support having a car, and I don't really regret having mine, I was the only guy in my group at that age who had his OWN car and it was awesome. But I wouldn't argue that point with your dad, just assert your independence (if in fact you are independently paying for your car, then you have the right) and the other guys are right, you do learn a lot, so there's many benefits to car ownership. Good luck

[91 EX-R]

i want to thank all you guys for the good respones.

and to add to what i said earlier. i am in my last year of high school with a 77% average (not great but not too bad) which wont make it hard to get into the college i want. i just started my job the schedule looks i will be pulling in close to $400/month which is more than enough for insurance and other costs.

i agree with accordtyper the most even though everyone made a good point. i think he is scared that im growing up too fast.

BTW: thanks for the wishing me happy Bday.

any one else want to add to this?

[Dinner_Time]

JUst because you HAVE a car, doesn't mean you're going to be putting all of your money into it. In some people's cases they might, but I suggest not modding your car until you CAN afford to. You need a car to go places, get to work and back and all that other jazz. IF you sell the car, then he'll just start complaining how he has to take you everywhere and why does he always have to be your "taxi." My parents loved it when I got my lisence since they wouldn't have to drive me everywhere, then once I had my own vehicle they loved it more. Now with my second car it's all mine, paid by me, everything under my name they can't tell what and what not to do with it .

[91 EX-R]

c'mon guys anymore help?

i don't want to give up my accord yet.

[qbodsyt]

what do you want man? at least three distinct views have been expressed.....you have to make the decision yourself. if you own the car yourself and are paying for the insurance, gas and maintenance yourself, and plan on continuing doing so, then thats all you need. unless your dad is going to kick you out of the house unless you get rid of it, then keep it if you want it. either way you'll still have to make the final decision.

[jyoungblood87]

put it like this...this wont be your last car...to keep ur car, ur gonna have to dish out alot of bullsht money for insurance, gas, yadi yadi yada...u will save alot of money if u didnt have the car...but i personally think its worth having...just the memories of the first time learnin to drive stick...turning ur car...buying POS parts on ebay...going to the street races in philly...whoopin some hot shot's mustang's ass on the street...dippin cops...turning heads...all that...these experiences out weigh the reality of droppin a lot of dough into ur car...but ur gonna do that with any car u get...ya kno

[HondaB18]

Wasn't there a similar thread like this a while ago?

[96ludes]

Who knows, maybe your dad always wanted to tune his own car when he was a kid and his parents never let him. Now, you're of age and have your car and are going to get to do what he didn't, and he could be a liitle jealous. I don't know, but selling your car is not really a great idea unless it's a lemon. Express things like "dad, how will i getback and forth from study groups, and the school library when studying?", "how will i get to the store at 2 a.m. to buy Red Bull when i'm preparing for an exam?" Sugar it up a little.