Sigh, some spoiled kids today. rant

[rp23g7]

So, my neighbors car is dead, and had asked if i could pick up his 17 yr old son from school the other day. I say sure no sweat.

I go to the High School, get there about 30 min before school is out and park in the student lot.

What is up with some high school kids today. How can they afford some of the cars they drive?

When i was in high school 81-84, the lot was full of 5 to 10 yr old cars. I drove my 64 Dodge, my neighbor drove a 76 Datsun, another neighbor drove a 77 Bug, there were a few muscle cars but a lot of them were beaters.

Today, the lot is full of BMW's new Subaru SRX's and other pretty new imports and some newer cars, less than 10 yrs old. Are these kids parents buying these cars for them, i know a high school kid, especially these days isnt making a $300-400 a month car payment by them selves, any of you guys have high school parking lots like this?

The cool thing? I park the Coronet in front of the office, in the visitor parking. Got a few "WOW"! remarks and stuff like that behind my back as i walked in.

I go to the kids lounge and let him know i am there and will meet him at the car in front.

I go back out and there are about 10 kids hanging out at my car, one guy in a ricer mobile checking it out. They all wanted to know what it was and what engine and how fast. The kid with the riced Honda says the engine really looks easy to work on, and maybe he should get a car like this.

Pretty neat.

 

[eagleone1983]

See it's all about education. You teach them and they will follow. Unfortunatly cars are not made to tinker with anymore so these so called gearheads of today only know how to slam in a K&N and bumblebee can exhaust system and go. Not that I can really talk I didn't even have a car in highschool all I had was a motorcycle. I waited to become a gearhead in my 20's

 

[rp23g7]

Unfortunatly cars are not made to tinker with anymore so these so called gearheads of today only know how to slam in a K&N and bumblebee can exhaust system and go.

This is true, if i were a teenager or a little older, i would look at the mess undert the hood of that Honda and go play video games too, <--- not referring to you eagle one.

 

[old tired rebel]

Times sure have changed..

 

[rp23g7]

Times sure have changed..

Indeed

 

[Meep-Meep]

Hot rodding is still alive and well, but the Holley swap has been replaced with a chip swap and somewhere 4 cylinders went missing. Not my cup of tea, but at least the spirit is there.

As to how the new cars are ending up in the HS parking lots..... How many times have you heard the statement "I want a reliable car for my son/daughter so they don't get stuck somewhere". Parents pull money out of the house and buy a car perhaps? And then welcome to the credit crisis. I got to walk to HS (when my RR wasn't running) but we have the weather for it so no big deal.

 

[Speedy Canuck]

I'm in my 20s, so I remember high school pretty well still. My first car was a '99 Subaru Outback. I bought it for 3 grand. Living up in Canada, having an AWD with some clearance really helped me out for the roughly 6 months a year that we had snow on the ground. When that car pooched (the gas tank had a leak and a spark at the shop ended it's life) I bought a new Volkswagen Rabbit. I'm still in University, but I make my $288 a month car payments. A couple of guys at my high school had nice cars, a lifted Ford Super Duty, a bunch of new Volkswagens, etc. I know a guy who bought a new Audi A6 while in University, which isn't cheap, and there is a ton of BMW's here at my uni as well. The point is, not all of these kids in high school/college/university are getting a free ride on dad's nickel. Some of them (not all of them) work their asses off and save their money to drive the cars they want. Also, living at home equates to having little or no expenses. That means that all the money from the full time summer jobs and after school/weekend jobs during the school year can be dumped into car payments.
Rp23g7, I know your post was more of a rant, and I agree with most of it. Kids these days are spoiled and have life pretty easy. Some of their parents do want a reliable car and can afford it. I just also wanted to point out that you can't lump all teens into the same bucket. Some of them put that BMW in the parking lot through their own sweat and effort.

 

[eagleone1983]

Speedy, I'm in the same bracket as you at only 26 yrs old unfortunately my friends that had the lifted trucks and nice cars were doing it off of daddies dollar. However here I am now after a 7 year stint in the Air Force and some education I not only can afford new cars but the old ones as well that cost even more than the damn new ones. Most of my old friends only wish they were in my shoes now because just like you we were taught to work our asses off for what we have.

 

[Speedy Canuck]

we were taught to work our asses off for what we have.

Amen brother. The success is so much sweeter when it is earned.

 

[rp23g7]

Hot rodding is still alive and well, but the Holley swap has been replaced with a chip swap and somewhere 4 cylinders went missing. Not my cup of tea, but at least the spirit is there.

As to how the new cars are ending up in the HS parking lots..... How many times have you heard the statement "I want a reliable car for my son/daughter so they don't get stuck somewhere". Parents pull money out of the house and buy a car perhaps? And then welcome to the credit crisis. I got to walk to HS (when my RR wasn't running) but we have the weather for it so no big deal.

I hear ya there, going in debt for the kids, Dont know about the reliable though. I would rather be able to fix a car on the side of the road, or get tboned in a older car than a new one. Can imagine what they are paying for insurance, if they are telling the insurance co. there is a younger driver driving the car.

Glad my son didnt get into that, he saw a black 79 Monte Carlo and wanted it.

Of course he but wire rims on it, not expensive though. Been a good car so far.

 

[David]

When I was in high school (graduated in 09) I drove a 98 Ram 1500 up until my senior year. I got my 71 charger I love the simplicity and style of the older cars. I showed up at school and just about everyone laughed at it except those who know real American muscle. During the summer i go to a lot/cruise in with my brother who has a Dodge Stealth. It seems like alls people do to their imports is slap a turbo and K&N on anymore. I guess I see both of sides on this one. I know kids at my univeristy and friends who have audi's or bmw's but they work there asses off to drive them. But I have seen a couple people my age driving the new challenger and camaro. I just don't see how a parent is teaching responsibility if they hand there kid a brand new car on their dime because they don't have to work for anything.

 

[69HEMICORONETR/TCONV]

I thank GOD that I lived in an era back when the American Muscle Car not only ruled Supreme but they ruled the Streets as well.

 

[Pistol Pete]

I drove a '70 RoadRunner in high school. :uwelcome:

 

[David]

Yeah that would be nice. Where I go there are just a bunch of foreign jobs and a couple of muscle cars but they all talk trash about my mopar. I had a kid in a monte carlo that wanted to race. So I agreed but no one thought I would win and guess what I beat him. So he wanted a rematch with a half car lead and still lost.

 

[64BEL]

Nice story, rp. I'm with you - when I was in HS ('78-'81), it was pretty much all '60s/early'70s cars at our school. I drove the family Raunch Wagon or Datsun B-210 off and on until I was a senior. Then I bought my first car - a '70 GTX. That car changed my life. I remember when I first drove it into the auto mechanic shop for class. We had a guy who was the "expert" mechanic who remarked, as I idled it into the shop, "sounds like it needs a tune-up". LOL - he had no clue about performance engines and cams. I then proceeded to give the class (including the instructor) a lesson on how a '69 six barrel set up works. We were really fortunate to live in that era where those cars were just 10 year old used cars and not priceless collectables that couldn't be driven. Challengers, Cudas, Chargers, Mustangs, Chevelles, Impalas - we had 'em all running around our town back then. There was even a Mod Top '67 Barracuda running around as a daily driver.

I have a young guy working for me who's first car was a '66 Ranchero a couple of years ago when he was 16. And my 17 year old daughter enjoys wrenching on and driving our '64 Belvedere. So there is hope for this young generation - as we see with some of the younger members here on FBBO.

Dave

 

[madmike9396]

im 23 and my high school ride was a 99 ranger i got my junior year and i had to work my *** off to pay 2000 bucks for it then i bought a 93 z28 for 3600 less than a year later. My friends gave me rides my previous years because there mommys and daddys bought them nice cars and paid there insurance, Must be nice :edgy:

 

[65-440]

i drove a '79 f-100 ... 302/4-speed ! oh yeah, and a long bed !!! kinda wish i still had it

 

[scotts74birds]

High school 81-82, had a '70 Buick GS Skylark with the 350. Not as popular as the Chevelles, but faster out of the hole. Torque monster! Just fine for the stoplight-hero racing circuit.

 

[Deleted member 214]

I graduated in 1975, my brother in 1974. My dad bought a car for us to use in high school we worked part time, were in band, etc. It was a battered ten year old Ford Falcon with wet floors from the rust-through. The deal was he paid for parts, WE paid for labor. My brother and I learned basic body work - it was that or wet feet! We rebuilt carbs, soldered leaks in radiators, learned to adjust points, changed shocks, did brakes, and spent three cold days one winter break trying to replace the rear leaf springs. We thought it was fun, but now I see that it was a learning experience too.

 

[gutterboy]

I couldnt even afford my own car in high school. I had to hitch a ride each day with my buddy who had a 68 Firebird. I thought it was sweet, but most people thought it was loud junk. This was in 90-91. My mom had a 76 Cordoba that got stolen right before I got my license, so much for that. Didnt get my first car till I was 19. I bought my grandmothers 82 Mercury Lynx for $1. Had it for two weeks and it had an oil leak that caused the car to catch fire while I was driving it on the highway. Pulled into a gas station and used their fire extinguisher to put it out. Promptly sold it to the station owner for $24 for parts. Bought lunch with the profit.
These kids today have it sooooo easy.