How was your first car funded?

[aspirated]

I turned 17 last September, but I don't have a car/licence yet. It's simply not possible under my current circumstances.

I have many friends who've had rather nice, new cars bought for them by their parents, with insurance for the year, including a £15k R Line 63 plate Polo 1.2 TSI. I have friends younger than me who drive, but none self paid. It just seems impossible these days if you want to remain in full time education.

So, would you feel a certain responsibility to get your 17 year old on the road?

Do you think first cars funded by parents really count as first cars?

And if your parents did buy your first car for you, how old were you when you bought your own car, and how was the transition? What were your circumstances? (e.g. full time job/education etc)

Title explains my main question really

[anthonysjb]

Parents

[SMcP114]

I wish my parents bought me my first car. It might have been decent if they did.

Don't worry about a 15k Golf, 17 year old girls don't know how much a Golf costs anyway. They're just looking somewhere to drink their WKD out of the rain.

Edit: Polo. Not a Golf.

[Blib]

Passed my test at seventeen and my parents bought me a brand new Fiat X1/9, in gold.

Spoilt? Moi???

[edc]

Birthday present during 2nd year if uni. I think my dad's ulterior motive was so that he did not have to do the long drive a few times a year to help move my stuff! Car was second hand and cheapish small engine hatchback. Typical first car fayre.

[turboteeth]

I sold my home computer to buy my Metro in 1996 - a lot of my other mates had cars given to them but all generally sub £1000 bangers! Think my parents helped towards the insurance though - £900 from memory on a £900 car

[rehab71]

My Dad bought and insured my beautiful little 1981 Mini HL

[Riknos]

part time work at a Cinema whilst in college. Whilst all my friends worked at supermarkets, I was working at the cinema and making more than them (but still crap money) managed to save up £3000 for my car doing that, wasn't the most expensive car in the college car park (better than average though!) but at least I earned the money myself, so appreciated it more. People who don't earn their own things really never appreciate them as much as those who work hard for them (this includes things like jobs, homes, possessions or even relationships!)

[mattshiz]

My student loan bought me a mx5

[SidewaysSi]

I worked every Saturday and added it to money from every birthday and Christmas since I was about 5, managed to get my first car and insure it. Parents didn't buy me one and thankful they didn't.

It was a Citroen AX 14TRS and god I loved it. Probably more than I would have if I was given it. Even in those days I had no interest in new cars and I certainly thought I was the man in the know, even when some kids were driving new cars bought by daddy.

[roystinho]

Grandad left money in his will to buy mine

[RikST]

Few years ago when I passed in 2008...

I ended up lucky with my first car I guess... At the time my brother was looking to sell/ scrap his mk2 Golf Driver 1.6, after much begging he pretty much gave it to me...l needed a bit of rebuilding though to get it road worthy... Had 4 odd steelies, no exhaust, no carburettor, no grille, and awful paintwork...

But as a determined 17 year old, every spare bit if cash and time after getting home from sixth form went on getting it ready for the road, best purchase was a set of Mk2 Golf GTI BBS RAs and a Red stripe 4 lamp grille from our local VW breakers for £70! Bargain!

Polished/ mopped it myself and to be fair having a mk2 Golf GTI replica as a first car was pretty special!

Still miss that ca, would do anything to have it back! lol

[Siscar]

My parents owned my first two, then gave me a car for my 21st after which I've paid for everything myself.

[weeredmetro]

The cost of insurance meant I was only able to drive as a named driver on Mum's Metro for the first 2 years after I passed my test (note: not fronting, it was her car and I could only use it evenings and weekends when she wasn't working)

When I was 19 and a half, it needed a lot of welding to pass its MOT, Mum decided it was time for a new car and I was given the Metro.

I had to work a summer job in a bar, and basically my entire summer earnings paid for the insurance (just under £1000)

This was ten years ago and insurance has gone up since, so I have no idea how young drivers cope with insurance nowadays.

[Drive Blind]

first car was when I started working properly after 4 years of uni. And that was only worth 750 quid.

I don't know anybody who got a car bought for them - in fact I thought I was very, very lucky to get my lessons paid for me by the parents.

[Tumbler]

I bought my daughter a bit of a wreck of an MG Midget for her 16th birthday, it didn't run and the bodywork needed a fair amount of attention, she then had a choice, if she put the time in and restored it, I would pay for her lessons and help with her insurance.

4 years on, it's still on the road and a great little run around for her when she's home from Uni.

[aspirated]

I agree, although my friend with the new Polo is quite humble and doesn't show off/act like he earned it...it just digs deep as almost everyone my age with a car doesn't take interest in them like me, life I guess.
Hopefully i'll be able to get a full time job over summer and save up insurance is ridiculous at £2k minimum though, screw you Manchester

[Morningside]

I borrowed the money off dad and payed him back weekly (Vauxhall Firenza)

[johnster1991]

Doing a Saturday job from the age of around 14 for £20 a week meant I could afford my first car, a £1500 1.1 106.

[Quhet]

First car that I had use of was my mum's.
The first car that was properly mine was £1500 and funded through my savings