Pat:

All of my siblings and my kids bought their own cars. I never considered providing a vehicle as a part of parenting, as a matter of fact, I thought it was just the opposite. I don't think kids have the same sense of pride and accomplishment when a car is given to them that they do when they pay for their own. It's more "theirs" in a way. At least that's how I felt and how my kids felt.

 

That's how I feel, too.

My grandfather gave me my first car - more because my grandmother couldn't drive anymore, and everyone knew it but her than any other reason; they lived in Nashville and we lived in Dallas, so there was no way for her to get it back.  It was in very good condition for its age, but it was still an 18 year-old 1966 Plymouth Valiant - and I was responsible for maintenance, gas, and insurance.  Had Grandma's doctor not told her to stop driving (and more importantly, told Grandpa she had to stop driving) it would never have happened.

I bought my first car. It was an 83 chevette with 60k on it for $750. It was awesome until my first husband (known as idiot #1) killed it. We will probably allow the boys to get our vehicles, but they will "buy" them for a small price. ds1 is almost 12 and already scoping out the truck and the car. i think ds2 wants my car (he is 8). At least I have a little while before that happens!

 

I had a type of van back in the nineties and the it was a dodge visitia it was beat up looked like a trash can on the out side and it was great hardly no maintnace on it I had to turn around and sell the sucker because of money problems out kid put us threw so never hadf a car since then of my own always had to use the hubbys so Im fighting for a car now maybe dad break down and let me have one sadan instead of a beater pickup i had..

If possible, yes, but it isn't always possible. I did get my driver's license at 16 (considered a rite of passage then) and Dad did buy me a car. He paid $50 for it from a junkyard and I had to replace the transmission in it before I could drive it. When I say "I replaced the transmission" I mean that literally - I wrenched the bolts, lying in the dirt underneath the car which was up on jack stands. The title was in Dad's name to reduce the insurance, and as long as I got to use it I didn't care about that.

Since my parents had "set a precedence" by paying for my older sister's insurance, I had to pay the difference between hers and mine which was much higher since I was a male under 25.

I think it was a good experience. I didn't take the car for granted, didn't "hot dog" it because I knew that if I broke it I'd be the one lying in the dirt (or snow) doing the repairs.

Walt 34 thats cool way to go..

 My parents paid $2000 cash for my first car--a '95 Oldsmobile (in 2004). I legimately needed a car as I had to be at high school early in the morning for a college class so the bus wouldn't take me. The school was 10 miles or so from my house. Living out in the country, there wasn't really anywhere to work aside from babysitting. I used that car through college.

Once I set up here on my own, my dad took it back and is using it to drive to/from work. It is the car that keeps going and going. :-)

My parents had a strict policy. They would not purchase a car for their children. My husbands family was the same way. We each had to buy our own "first" vehicles. When our son was of age to drive we allowed him to drive one of our vehicles, mistake. He did not respect it. He treated it poorly, and it showed. I truly believe that purchasing your own first vehicle builds responsibility, and helps a child/person realize nothing is free, and if you have to pay for it yourself you are more likely to respect it and treat it kindly as you yourself have an investment in it.

 My mom bought me my first car in high school, but it was a nessacary thing.  I was very active in marching band, pep band, MESA, cross country and mountaineering club.  I also worked a part time job.   I think she just got tired of driving me everywhere and picking me up at two in the morning after competitions!   I was responsible for maintenance and gas.

I don't think that I would do the same thing.   It implied a sense of freedom that I really wasn't ready for and it also allowed her to step back out of my so that at 16 I had no accountability except for what I gave myself and I made some stupid decisions because of it.

I bought my own car when I was a senior in high school.  Had to sell two cows to pay for it.  I still have the car and it still runs.  Right now it is in the process of getting some much needed restoration.  My $1200 investment is now worth about 10 times what I paid for it, and I have driven it for over 35 years.