First Cars

The aching of parents' wallets is certainly not cured by the purchasing of a first car for their beloved children. Perhaps you, the child, are buying it for yourself and in that case I commend you. Cars that kids want these days are pretty out of the first car price-range. However lets dwell on what we can't have, it's often easier.  

What your parents think they're going to be buying you

"You need a car which you don't have to worry about crashing, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to buy you a brand-spanking new car when you've just gotten your license"   

  - every parent that has ever lived.

It's pretty much human nature to want things that we can't have. Cars are probably the most prominent example of that. I can easily whip out a lengthy list of cars I want, but I won't (right now, perhaps later in this post). 

When most kids dream of their first cars, me included, price range doesn't matter. Appearance and the 'bells and whistles' that the cars come with are the dominant decision-makers. Obviously one would dream to own a Porsche, Ferrari or even a Maserati, I will be paying more attention on actual possible first cars that may seem to be slightly extravagant. However I do advise you to check out 'My Super Sweet 16' if this is too boring for you. 

Here are the four cars currently dwindling around my brain: 

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

BMW 1 Series Hatchback 

Mercedes A Class (2013 model)

Volvo C30

One cannot simply deny that these cars are not incredibly attractive. Also, one cannot simply deny that parents will, without a doubt, buy one of these for their kids as a first car. However it's nice to imagine. I'll personally buy one of these for you if you can successfully through a tantrum big enough to get your way. 

Let's take a moment to concentrate on what life is like once you've obtained a drivers license. However first, a learners license. Once written the learners test and past, I would estimate that you're about 40% of the way closer to driving independence. After that you are allowed to drive with a legal driver in the car beside you and are able to physically learn to drive. In my country, seventeen is the age when one gets their 'learners'. At this point in time you are still very much in school mode, experiencing exams and work pressure. Getting one's learners is therefore an exiting achievement, signifying the near end to one's school years. 

One year later and you are capable to obtain your actual drivers license. With one year of practice and perhaps cheating on your paper, you are now an adult. I would say that this moment is one's initiation into adulthood, signifying the end of one's childhood and the entrance into a world of freedom and responsibility.

"But Nathan, what if you are in your 20's without a drivers license?"

I am going to be harsh here. Unless you have a medical reason for not being able to drive, perhaps blindness or narcolepsy, you are capable of it. Therefore, if laziness or fear got in the way of your attempt to obtain a drivers license, that's a self-induced problem which only you can eradicate. What I'm trying to say is that, since achieving legal driving status is such a valuable attribute in achieving adult status in the world, if you don't have a drivers license, you rely on lifts from others, making you a TEENAGER. Obviously being street-smart, responsible and independent are vital in a young adult, I believe that being able to drive makes all of those things much easier.

You could always find a job and earn the money for yourself in order to buy the car of your dreams, if your parents are into all of that 'self-reliance' stuff. I'm sure it certainly does make you feel proud. However if it's one of the cars mentioned above, you will need some financial aid. 

Cheerio Bumbleheads