DH ana I  buy the kids cars but that how we were Raised only our DD Lainey doesnt have her car the animal she was married to took it and totalled it  ...  so when she came home with the kids before she met her husband we brought her another car she  loves that car cause her Daddy picked it out for her ... 

I have my first car its our Jeep she was brand new had 8 miles on her she had two motors and last  year they had to replace her 3 wheel drive DH loves it  he used to survey for 15 years John drove for 4 years and now it takes us up to the top of the mountain ..   DH has the pickup his Dad gave him he died the next week it up in a barn DH loves that truck she green and white 47 Ford  runs like a tank ,

I bought my first car; it was a miserable experience.  My uncle & cousin had bought it and fixed it up.  Then my cousin moved back to TX and my uncle didn't need it.  My mom told me about it b/c she thought it would be good for me and then she wouldn't have to drive me to work, which was 30 minutes away.  So I gave my uncle $1000 for it out of my savings and it was nothing but trouble.  Something to do with the carborater idle needing adjusting *all* the time; the engine or whatever would get too much gas and the car would stop -- wherever it felt like stopping, often at an intersection with a ton of cars behind me and I literally could not push it.  I hated that car.  I spent another $1000 trying to get it fixed, with no help from my parents at all, no guidance, wouldn't even come with me to experience the problem, the stalling out, every time I drove the car for more than 20 minutes.  I would have to leave for work 1 hour before I was needed b/c if the car stalled out I would have to wait about 20-30 minutes before it would start again.  Did I mention I hated the car?  And that my parents were NO help to me at all.  I was 17 and that car didn't make it but 1 year with me.  What did they expect me to know or do without some parental help?

My second car I loved.  My parents did give me this one.  I was 20 (my friends & parents drove me wherever I needed to go for almost 3 years b/c of my lack of vehicle during this time) and I drove it for 6 years.  It was my dad's; a 94 ford thunderbird.  He wasn't able to get in and out of it anymore.  He drove it almost 6 years before me.  We put about 150K miles on it together.  When it finally died, it had had a good life.  It was taken care of and the body and interior were still in good condition; the guy that got it was happy.  He has his own car of the same make and model and he figured between the two of them he would have enough parts to keep 1 of them in good condition for another few years.  It was a good situation for us all.

ETA: My first car experience was so horrible that I have vowed never to let my own DD get into the same situation.  I would rather buy her a car -- used is fine or maybe one of my older cars if I have more than 1 at that point -- than for her to be in the situation I was in.  Up until that experience I had been raised that kids buy their own car and that's even what I did.  But I do think kids should be responsible enough to contribute to the car.

My first car was in 1973.  I don't remember what year the car was, but I do remember it was a Dodge and you changed gears with push buttons.

our DD is 17 she had her permit since she was 16 she went about 3 weeks ago got her license last week .. DH picked out her car she getting it this weekend when her Daddy get home he is in Texas with cousin on Farmily business  ..  She doesnt have a clue . She is teaching 3 and 4 year old in Bible School she will be starting her 3 year in college we thought she go away by now but no she stays close to home .. 

DS is almost 14 all her wants us to do is drive  he wants a truck ... a boy and pickup , come comman than Boy and dog around here .

My 1st car was an impala chevy but I bought a new toyota so could not afford to keep 2 cars so I sold my impala to my brother for $100.00 within 2 weeks a man pulled out of a driveway hit him and totalled the car he got $500.00 from the wreck so he made a little profit.  Just wish he was still living so we could talk about it. Glad nither were hurt.

Growing up there was no question of the parents buying any of us kids a car. They barely had the money to keep their one family car running. We all shared it, at one point that was 4 drivers to 1 car. I think this helped us learn to share, make do, and respect the investment. If one of us had wrecked the car, there was no replacing it! My brother, 1 year older, bought a couple of cheap cheap cars in high school and fixed them up so he'd have his own wheels. they'd last a half a year or a year. Then he'd need another. I was saving my money to go overseas and at one point had to make the clear decision to either buy a 1966 Mustang convertible (it was beautiful) or pay for my exchange program. I went to test drive the car one last time and it wouldn't start. I immediately saw the cost of repairs and gas in my future if I bought the car. The exchange program was the price of a plane ticket and spending money and would not break down, require fuel, maintenance, or insurance....so I went on the exchange program. My 19 year old godson asked if I'd buy him a car. I said "nope" because it is handing him debt he does not need. He'd have to pay insurance, gas, upkeep, and parking (he lives in a city). I told him I would not buy him a car or give him my old one because I liked him too much to tie him to an ongoing expense. I do have friends whose parents have bought them cars or who are buying their kids cars. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. Not getting or giving a car is what worked for me. That said, at 23 I finally got my first car...at 1980s chevy 3/4 ton van. I needed something to live in while I did fieldwork. It was a beast and expensive. I ended up selling it 2 years later to make rent but it got me through my masters degree. It also educated me about basic maintenance because I had a good and merciful mechanic who would do things like slowly explain that bearings need grease then hand me a cheap grease gun and show me how to do it.

My Dad bought me a brand new 1968 Mustang. It was an early granduation present. He was a nervous wreak for me to drive. He fley that I had to have a new car to be safe. The one rule was that if I was ever caught driving with out my seat belt, then I would loose the car.  I still wear a seatbelt everytime I am in a car. Guess it worked. He couldnt afford the car but was so proud to buy it for me. I was the only child so he spoiled me a bit. Just thinking about it makes me miss my Dad, Babs

Haven't read all the posts so if this is a repeat... I like Dave Ramsey's idea...the kids save l/2 and the parents pay l/2. I can honestly say I never had a car that was just my own. The first car I 'bought' was the first year dh and I were married. Very few gals in college had cars. Hey! That's the way we met the guys! :) Remember...this is the older generation speaking!

My parents bought my first car, it was a 69 mercury comet. Step-dad put electric bucket seats in and had me adjust it to where it felt comfortable and then cut the wires so that the seat couldn't be moved and no one else could drive my car since I am really short. It had to be washed and waxed every week and if he found it dirty, he would take the car back. I drove that car for 3 years until I got married and gave it to my sister to drive.

 Wow!  Gave me a wonderful trip down memory lane.  Dad bought my first one, sure wish he was here to b#*%@* me out about the way I was keeping it up.  This is making me tear up.