I'm 17 years old & right now, the car I'm really looking at is $7000 dollars. It's a efficient & gets great gas mileage...anyway, that's not the point...um, I honestly haven't asked for much from my parents & I really want this car. I know I'll pay for some of it; (I babysit a lot, this past summer alone I made $700 off of babysitting), & they want me to pay for half. I don't think I can pull off $3500, especially when there's going to be tax as well, and I'm busy buying other things for myself...hanging out w/ my friends, getting some clothes...I'm a good student! I take AP Classes & I get a lot of homework, but I still can't ever turn a babysitting gig down; I babysit at least 5 days a week. It gets hard, but I really am working hard for this car & yet I still don't think I'll be able to hit $3500. Is there anyway to convince them to kind of just BUY it for me? I know that sounds selfish, but I'm making what I can, & now school's getting in the way of reaching any goal amount...
2006-12-09 13:44:59 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
Thanks for any input, I appreciate it--
2006-12-09 13:46:13 · update #1
In total so far, I have saved about $1400 in about a little over a year of babysitting...it's not like I'm spending everything I get. Like you guys have never been teenagers...we NEED to buy things sometimes. I don't spend a lot, but I do spend.
2006-12-09 14:03:51 · update #2
I realize and admit that my parents are being very generous about the whole driving situation, and what they're going to be paying for me, so I think I want to give up on this question. Unless, of course someone out there will ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION I ASKED. If you do, and not go off on "oh, earn your own car" "oh, i had to blah blah blah..." you'll win my approval. Thanks.
2006-12-09 19:01:39 · update #3
Use their car all the time and make it at inconvenient times. They will come to the conclusion that you need a car!
2006-12-09 13:54:17 · answer #1 · answered by Martin Chemnitz 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I'm 16, I go my license and what my parents first said was... :You'll share the cars we have (2 cars) and can use them when you need." Well that lasts for like a week, once they see you "really" need one, and its just not a "want-to-have-it" they'll be nice and help you out.. (Hey I got a 99 Explorer that way) I too babysit and really dont ask much from them, other then the occasional "mom can I borrow 20 bucks??" Try maybe getting some kind of school sport, cause then trust me they dont want to go back and forth to pick you up. Oh! and DONT no matter what, nag to them about it.. Cause they'll just get "turned off" of the idea of getting you a car... Just let time take its course, and hey if you dont get that car, they will ALWAYS be others for a cheaper price with more avlbe. (Just look at me, I bought this 99 Explorer, and now for the same price I could have gotten a BRAND NEW Civic!) So like Dori in Finding Nemo(r) says, "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming." LOL :)
2006-12-14 16:38:43 · answer #2 · answered by Jafch1 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You said it yourself--you're busy buying other things for yourself. If you really, really want this particular car you'll make some sacrifices to meet your parents half-way or close to half-way. You might also try raising your babysitting fee or finding a part-time job that pays better. $700 for a whole summer's work is not a lot of money.
I think it's great that you'rea good student and you show a lot of responsibility. I think you should sit down with your parents and crunch some numbers. Go over how much car insurance is, how much it will cost you on average for gas, and work out a plan of what to do in case the car needs repairs. It might help if you research this information before hand so when you talk to your parents they can see you've put a lot of planning ahead into it. You might be able to convince them to pay $5K and you pay $2K. You might also try and see if you can find a slightly cheaper car. Good luck!
2006-12-09 13:55:42 · answer #3 · answered by ivybear98 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, I think that that's the point. That it's tough to afford the stuff we want. Being a good student and demonstrating a capacity for responsibility are good ways to earn respect from your parents. Maybe you can work out a payment plan with them. And repay them back over time. On months that you have a lot of babysitting gigs, you can pay them a specified amount. On slower months, you get a (previously agreed to) reduction and extension in repayment length. I think that suggesting this to your parents will show them that you are thinking responsibly and realistically and hopefully they will want to "do business with you" in this regard. Good luck.
2006-12-09 13:52:28 · answer #4 · answered by Shibi 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
it is not just $3500 for them. are you going to pay the $1000 a year insurance, the $1500 a year service costs, the $50-$100 a week petrol costs, $300 a year for new tyres cost, and thelist goes on, a car is an ongoing expense, and you have proved that you would rather buy clothes than pay for the cars upkeep. this is why they wont help you, because they know that it is THEY who will be paying all these annual expenses, while you complain that you didnt realise a car costs so much to maintain.
2006-12-09 15:20:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Most parents have the 'we pay half, you pay full insurance' policy. I don't know why, but that's what happened with me, too.
If you're really in love with this car, tell them you'll pay them back for what ever you can't pay right now.
You can always try the extra chores bit, and you can always make sacrifices! Would you rather have the new clothes, or the car?
2006-12-09 13:51:19 · answer #6 · answered by jerzy03 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well, i can say this much, yes i have been a teenager and yes, my parents were a lot like yours are.
I never really got what i wanted, so instead i decided to take that hard earned money of mine and bought my own car.. It was $400.00.. I shopped for it myself, but took my father to test drive it and make sure i wasn't getting ripped off. It was one of his proudest moments that he had with me, when i showed him what a responsible person I could be. After that, they wanted to do everything for me. But I couldn't let them, because i was so independant after that experience. I bet they would be willing to help you out a little, if you comprimised on a more affordable car, that was about half the price of the one you want.
2006-12-09 15:02:11 · answer #7 · answered by Deu 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
"I don't think I can pull off $3500, especially when there's going to be tax as well, and I'm busy buying other things for myself...hanging out w/ my friends, getting some clothes..."
There's your problem right there. STOP SPENDING MONEY. Tell them that you'll use the car to go get a job and pay them back.
2006-12-09 13:53:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
The best way is to get a job and pay for it. I also got a car when I was 17. I cost me $350. I just bought an $7000 vehicle 2 months ago. I also live on my own, have a job, and pay for my own insruance, gas and car payment. By the way, I'm 21, not 17.
2006-12-09 13:52:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
What you can do for now is to maybe look for a car within your budget. Then later when you have a good job you will be able to get yourself the car that you really want. Who knows maybe at the time they will be able to co-sign for a loan for you.
2006-12-15 10:18:48 · answer #10 · answered by witchypoo 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋