How did you afford a car when you were 16-17?

[toph99]

I have been looking for a beater to drive around for a year or two, and insurance is nuts! over 150 a month for a 12 year old S10 or Ranger! i'd have to work 21 hours a month just for insurance. Of course this would be if i had it under my own policy, but i'm not looking to spend more than 800-900 on a vehicle. Not to mention i'd have to get it emissions tested, so i'd end up spending a bunch on exhaust :disgust: how did you all pay for your insurance and such?

 

[iamwiz82]

i didnt get a car til i was 18

 

[NetworkDad]

I got a full time job at the age of 15. Welcome to the real world.

 

[TopGun]

21 hours a MONTH? That's nothing. I was working 35-40 hour weeks when I was 16. Payed for my own car and insurance no problem, and alot left over for fun stuff.

 

[RossMAN]

Worked my ass off and found a nice deal on a great condition 1985 Isuzu I-Mark for $1,800, what a fun little car.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: toph99
I have been looking for a beater to drive around for a year or two, and insurance is nuts! over 150 a month for a 12 year old S10 or Ranger! i'd have to work 21 hours a month just for insurance. Of course this would be if i had it under my own policy, but i'm not looking to spend more than 800-900 on a vehicle. Not to mention i'd have to get it emissions tested, so i'd end up spending a bunch on exhaust :disgust: how did you all pay for your insurance and such?

21 hours a month?

When I was in High School with a full load of classes I was doing at least 30 hours a week, that's 120 hours a month.

 

[nyeturo989]

I'm 16 now... and my daddy bought me my car... and pays my insurance... and my gas....

 

[SpongeBob]

I started working when I was 14, bought a $3000 car when I was 16, and drove it until i was 21. That insurance sounds pretty high, all you need is No-Fault if you're driving a 12 year old truck. Shouldn't be more than $1000/year if your record is good.

 

[Chaotic42]

Birthday loan from my dad at 17.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: SpongeBob
I started working when I was 14, bought a $3000 car when I was 16, and drove it until i was 21. That insurance sounds pretty high, all you need is No-Fault if you're driving a 12 year old truck. Shouldn't be more than $1000/year if your record is good.

I disagree on the insurance. I think $150/month sounds right, I had a perfect (albeit new) clean driving record and paid $150/mo for liability only for a very long time.

Now I'm 27, married, driving a BRAND NEW 2002 Honda Accord SE and pay $75/mo for FULL COVERAGE comp & collision insurance, LOL.

 

[Ryan]

I work over 30 hours a week, am a full time college student, and my car insurance is 1200 every 6 months! Beat that! I also drive an '89 Maxima that my dad bought for me, but I'm paying him $150 a month 'til it's paid off. Also, I have to pay $50 for rent in my parents house. But, I have one thing that helps me - We have no emissions laws here in FL

Here's a breakdown of my monthly expenses:
$200 - Insurance (full coverage)
$150 - Car Payment
$050 - Rent
$040 - Gas
$100 - various stuff
______________________
$540 a month!!!!!

 

[Scouzer]

I can expect to pay $275/mo for insurance and thats liability only. Thats with all discounts from driver's training and having my parents plans with the same company as me.

 

[toph99]

with the courses i'm taking i can't do more than 13-16 hours a week during school. And this is in canadian dollars I was doing 24-30 hours a week last year and with school and volunteering, i just couldn't handle it.

 

[SpongeBob]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: SpongeBob
I started working when I was 14, bought a $3000 car when I was 16, and drove it until i was 21. That insurance sounds pretty high, all you need is No-Fault if you're driving a 12 year old truck. Shouldn't be more than $1000/year if your record is good.

I disagree on the insurance. I think $150/month sounds right, I had a perfect (albeit new) clean driving record and paid $150/mo for liability only for a very long time.

Now I'm 27, married, driving a BRAND NEW 2002 Honda Accord SE and pay $75/mo for FULL COVERAGE comp & collision insurance, LOL.

Wow, things must have changed then. I paid $800/year for liability on my '91 Geo Prizm when I first got it. It was only 5 years old then too.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: SpongeBob

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: SpongeBob
I started working when I was 14, bought a $3000 car when I was 16, and drove it until i was 21. That insurance sounds pretty high, all you need is No-Fault if you're driving a 12 year old truck. Shouldn't be more than $1000/year if your record is good.

I disagree on the insurance. I think $150/month sounds right, I had a perfect (albeit new) clean driving record and paid $150/mo for liability only for a very long time.

Now I'm 27, married, driving a BRAND NEW 2002 Honda Accord SE and pay $75/mo for FULL COVERAGE comp & collision insurance, LOL.

Wow, things must have changed then. I paid $800/year for liability on my '91 Geo Prizm when I first got it. It was only 5 years old then too.

Damn you got a killer deal, I had shopped all around State Farm was the best but also the most expensive. I went with Farmer's. Now I'm with American Family.

 

[SerraYX]

I found my '87 Mustang (65k miles, no significant problems) for $1,200. Put about $500 into making it look good.

Parents paid for it and insurance as a reward for Suma Cum Laude title/getting full tuition at college (which saved $104k over the next 4 years).

 

[waggy]

heh i was lucky. my dad own's a car lot so i got a 1980 honda accord for $50 (back in 90 or so).

i also worked for my dad's lot so i got insurance there.

 

[tm37]

ITs called a Ford Maverick!:Q

 

[Jzero]

I drove my parents' cars and were covered under their insurance, that's how I did it. I didn't buy a car until my Soph. year in college, and even then it was a beater, my dad put it in his name and continued to insure me under his policy just to save money.
The only reason I could "afford" it then was becuase my parents made a deal with me when I was very very young that if I got a scholarship for college, my parents would buy me a car.

 

[Aves]

I didn't buy my first car until I was 21 and I'm still paying for it.

Only one more month. w00t!

 

[Bignate603]

I inherited a car and got my rents to spring for insurance. I convinced them that otherwise i would have to work an insane amount and my grades would suffer.

 

[cchen]

I worked and saved. I'm 18 now, on my second car. 1990 Miata, only cost me 2750, low mileage and mint condition, insurance runs me about 1300 a year

 

[Cyberian]

How did you afford a car when you were 16-17?

Got a job scrubbing pots and pans on night shift at a local seafood restaurant.

(McDonalds hadn't been invented yet.)

 

[Deeko]

21 hours a month? How lazy are you? I'm working 35-40 hours a week, that was during HS, and I've been doing that since I was 14. I have a '94 Grand Am, paid $3000 for it...my insurance runs me about $100 a month. I easily afford it, plus a cell phone, plus my internet, plus a girlfriend lol, with money left over to spend on myself.

 

[Kelvrick]

Got a car when I was 18, 93 camry le 4 banger. Costs me 728 a year.