But my original question is, is it normal for those kids to be ungrateful if the car is it a bit rusted, old or out of fashion?
I ask this because I see a lot on social media or on movies/TV it’s a trope that the kid gets a car but the thing is a bit of a banger, and they have a disgusted look on their face. Is that normal? I know there is ungrateful people in every country, but where I live, its the complete opposite nearly.
No harm intended just very curious.
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By opposite, I mean if the car is some brand new shiny looking thing with all the bells and whistles, it would be embarrassing to drive it, from my experience anyway.
Nobody I knew personally got a new car at 16. Most got a hand-me-down car from their parents or a used beater if they got their own car at all.
My first car was my dad’s old pickup truck that was mostly made of rust and bad decisions.
Most of the time, a car gift is at 16. And for a lot of American families, its just as much so the teenager can transport themselves (And their younger siblings) as much as it is a “gift”. For the cost of the car and maybe helping with some expenses, they get someone who no longer has to be driven to school, to band practice, to recreational activities, to friends’ houses, etc…
High school graduation to use in college? I guess. I can’t say I’d find that too common, but I’m sure it happens
I’m sure the disappointing thing happens in media. But media isn’t real life and while there are elements of truth in it (getting a car at 16) , most people are just fine getting one so they can use it.
I could also see it being a bit of a let down if a family grows up around affluence but isn’t affluent themselves. I was just in San Francisco last month and have never seen so many luxury cars and Teslas in my life.
Normal
I was gifted a new to me truck when I graduated high school. It was a 2018 model when I graduated in 2019. This was incredibly common where I’m from in rural Appalachia.
I got a hand-me down car when I turned 16, got a new car as a gift when I graduated college and my brother got my old car.
Most people get a hand me down or a beater if they get a car at all. The well off may get a brand new car. Often it is tied to a birthday/graduation because that’s about when one gets a driver’s license. It’s not uncommon to just use a parents car at first, then get one when time to go off to work or college.
My son will be getting his license at the end of this school year. We haven’t decided if he is getting my wife’s car which is several years old and she will get a new one, or if we will just buy him an older car. He will have one more year of high school, then he will need a reliable car in order to get to college as he will be going to a local-ish school and commuting.
If you buy a newly licensed driver a new car, you’re a moron parent