I'd say fix the problems (water pump and coolant hoses #1, trans fluid #2, brakes #3) and then let the maintenance and more minor things wait a little while.


I got my 740T from my parents and knew I had no choice and wasn't going to get anything else unless I paid for it.

I think it comes down to why don't they want it? Do they have cars and not need one? Do they think it needs too much work and can't do it themselves?

If they just don't think it's cool enough for them, then they can walk and it can rot in the driveway for a few months until it looks better than a bus/bicycle. (Though if you can get around with a bicycle, who needs a car at all?)

Happy bricking!

Hi all

Here she is.


I am naming her after my 60 years old cycling buddy. She climbs hills better than the most guys I know including myself and she can do 100 miles ride day after day. That's her previous Ironman bib number. Just poifect, nothing more and nothing less.


Thumbs up from my new Volvo friend!!! Thank you all!

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"The more people I meet, the more I like my dog" Posted by Art Benstein
The more cars I drive, the more I like my 240s. Swedish Baklava

My parents had a very pragmatic approach to all things financial...and a car for the kids is just that. When I was about to go off to college my parents offered me the same deal they had my sister even though 4 years had passed: We will match you dollar-for-dollar on any thing you want to buy up to $2000.

There were a couple of caveats, though. Their portion would cover no part of the insurance (but they would let us remain on their policy if we paid our portion) or tag/title/tax. Their portion WOULD apply to repairs in the first 12 months (again, on a matching basis). These are the parents that bought an '83 S10 and an '86 Aerostar new...both terrible cars.

When I bought a very nice condition, but in need of a few repairs, 1981 Corolla wagon with 125K miles for $1500 ($750 their, $750 mine) they thought I was nuts. In their minds cars died 1 mile over 100K or became money pits. I proceeded to replace the leaf springs and do a full tune-up including all fluids for about $400. This was 1990. The starter was also replaced professionally for $180 early in 1991.

In late 1991 I sold the car to my sister whose 1984 Escort had exploded into its base components at 85K miles. I decide to go motorcycle-only while she drove that car until 1998 and 210K miles. The Aerostar blew its fifth transmission at 90K miles and the S10 holed a piston at 88K miles and the fourth clutch was on its last legs. Both died long before the little wagon was traded in...still running great.

My next car was a 1976 Volvo 244 that was given to me in 1996. That started the obsession that lives on today. It was a terrible car as it had spent about 5 years sitting in field having the wiring chewed on by all kinds of critters but it taught me so much about the model and introduced me to the Brickboard.

Here is how it went for me.

I bought a 760 Turbo (1990) in 2000 simply because we needed another car and it seem interesting to me. When my oldest daughter was ready to drive I taught her how to drive and she pretty much knew she didn't have an option. I told her to get out the manual and change a tire and come get me when she was done. About 45 minutes later the tire was changed and she was pretty proud.

Four years later my second daughter was ready to drive, knew she had no real choice, took two hours to change the tire because she spent the first hour trying to talk her way out of it. Changed it and was pretty proud.

The second daughter is now driving it to college, with 326,000 miles. Original head, transmission and turbo. It's been an amazing vehicle. Her friends make fun of her dad and how cheap he is.

They both always commented how much nicer the car really was when compared to their friend's Honda civics, etc.

I just tried to reason with them about how truly unimportant a car really is. I never thought it was a good idea for the kid to have the nicest car in the family. That's why they got the 760 and the 850 and I kept my 240's for the parents.

I always loved this picture.

Hi all, message from my friend... Thank you all.

"I have been trying to convince.....Am going to talk to my son one more time, i will let you know the outcome! Hope y'all had a nice Thanksgiving. I worked, but we all brought in good food to share. Today is my first day off - been working lots, people sick and calling out at both jobs."

It is a waste of time to try to convince your offspring that the car they grew up in is cool. They will not realize or appreciate it in their teen years, but will by the time they reach their mid-twenties. I have been through this with 2 daughters.

My best advice? Get them something they (or you) can afford and expect it to last only a few years. Shy away from a Volvo - they won't like it no matter how you try to convince them.

I think the current "hot car" that you both will agree on does not exist.
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"Differences of opinions should be tolerated, but not if they're too different' - Sharon Craig

Hi CB, Dan, James, Senn14, Tony, aleekat, Sean and riverband,

Thank you so much for sharing your stories and thoughts. They are uplifting and very powerful!!! Thank you all.

Never buy a kid a car. They won't appreciate it. They won't take care of it. They are going to wreck it.

If your friend is committed to getting another car, she should get rid of the Volvo and let the kids figure out what they are going to do to get around.

Greg

My father offered me a choice, many years ago: drive his 10 year old Volvo 245, or buy my own car, pay for my own insurance, and handle my own maintenance. I chose the free option, despite being embarrassed to drive a gold station wagon. (Obviously, I made peace with the car.)

My girlfriend's parents offered her one option: take the bus and save your money until you can afford to drive.

Anybody who gives a long-tailed Muroid rodent's posterior about what their kids want for their first car has given them too much power in the relationship.

Drive this into their heads:

The absolute worst investment is a "NEW CAR". Hell, you're upside down the day you drive it off the lot.
2-3yrs old at a minimum.
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Post Back. That's whats makes this forum work.

Ask them what car they want, then run through the Fianaces of that car.
Including the Case Breaker...Insurance.

Have them look at what they make at their job and do the math.

My kids paid their own way from Day One of getting their car and insuring it under their name. No Handouts here. Responsibility and accountability are lessons many kids are not given anymore.



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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/

I am 16 and a new driver as well. I really didnt want my dads volvo either because what i thought wasnt cool and it also had 350,000 miles on it.Anyway he gave it to me on my birthday, and as i was driving it, i learned that these are really cool and nice cars. I love my volvo, I have had so many chances now to get a newer car, still for my next car i want another 240. i love these cars and they are a volvo is the definition of a car.

A few ways things to convince them with.

IMO for the paint, just plasti dip the car, it is by far cheaper than a new paint job and go to a junk yard and pick up some trim, most people like cars that are all there. and fix the other issues one at a time.

just make the car look nicer. and they will find that they will truely enjoy the car.

Long before they were old enough to drive, my two girls knew that they would drive what they were offered - or drive whatever car they wanted to buy, register, and insure.

They also had to check their tire pressures and fluid levels every Saturday.

In addition, they could not go out driving alone until they could show their mother that they could change a tire.

Chris changed a flat on her work truck, a Dodge AWD, in the prairie potholes in Saskatchewan,

My uncle Red told me - Second class riding beats first class walking every time.

It sounds like your girl friend already has done plenty for them already - Perhaps they need a lesson on how to be grateful for what they get.

Thanksgiving day would be a great time for a teaching opportunity. (Either that, or fix up the basement for their future bachelor/bachelorette pad)
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'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '72 Yamaha Rd400, '68 Honda 350-4, '12 XC70, the first 5 are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks James A Sousa

That is easy, it is all I have bought in the last 10 years or more. You drive what I have or go buy and maintain your own. All 3 of my kids and my wife drive 240's.
Dan

into rap???


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKOVF1qwPzI