Ownership of a car in year 12

[xZero]

have you considered a FD or FC? they are way sexier than rx8!

[brenden]

I strongly agree with binders.

[Truck]

If you really have loved cars all your life, then why not ask your parents to defer the car until after VCE?

This way :
- It won't negatively affect your studies
- you will keep working hard to maintain your grades, with the dual positive effect of earning the car, and doing well at vce.
- It shows your parents that you can be responsible and they may have fewer grounds for possible regret. Also, instant auntie props.
- It gives your parents a few months more to get the $$ together.
- You will have more free time to drive it and get to know how to handle all that power safely (look up the stats on accidents and young drivers).
- You've waited all these years for a car, why not wait a few months more?
   It's only jun-november. It's nice to have it on your birthday, but it's also nice to put off pleasure until after work is done.
- After exams, the weather will be like it is now, perfect for cruising up chapel st or down beach rd/the esplanade with doof doof blaring.
   Much better than cold and rain in jun.

I feel like I disagree with most of these points.

- It'll only negatively affect your studies if you allow it to do so, and even then the opportunity for it to positively affect your travel times from places could mean it's a benefit to your studies. Really, if he gets his P's immediately after Midyears during the 2 week break it's the perfect time to go on driving lessons/enjoy the car for a couple weeks before you get used to it and buckle down.

- I think he'll be working hard irrespective of car or not - Kesh does not seem like a short-sighted person, he obviously values his education and I can't see him thinking "well I have a car! No need to study now!" haha.

- This is fair, but I don't think it should be a deciding factor as it's his birthday present after all.

- Don't think money is an issue for his parents in this case.

- The statistics on driving safely do not suddenly change 6 months after he turns 18 , so I don't see how it'd be any different waiting 6 months vs. just getting them in June. If he's already getting his hours then he should be okay.

- A car is as much utility as it is fun, it could seriously help him manage his studies... not just pleasure (and also, Year 12 requires balance, having a car isn't going to be the end of you). Why bother waiting 6 months?

- Weather is surely a joke? Cars have roofs for a reason. This way, if he wants to (for example) go to the library he won't have to use public transport but can stay warm and dry inside his car instead. Seems like a good reason to get it early.

Many of my friends got their P's this year and I think most of them would just borrow one of their parents cars on the weekend, but they're not petrol heads or anything and I didn't see it having any impact on their studies whatsoever. Anecdotally, one of my mates who is almost certainly going to hit 99.5+ had his own car since March... so really I'm finding that all these arguments against it may not necessarily apply to everyone (or even most responsible people!)

The one thing I'd do though is make sure I at least have 120 legitimate hours before getting such a nice car, because the Insurance on that bad boy is going to be expensive as fuck and I definitely wouldn't want to crash it. It's bad enough getting insurance on a bomb, I don't even want to imagine how much it'll cost as a P plater driving such a quality car.

[Mr Keshy]

I personally got my Ps on June.
I did get a little side tracked initially but when things got serious at school i was able to prioritize.
Time management is key in year 12.

Yeah, remember no mid years next year as well!!

have you considered a FD or FC? they are way sexier than rx8!

No way!! Haha

Chose to not go with the FC because they're even more unreliable than the newer Renesis engine in the '8. FD's are illegal because they have Forced Induction unfortunately.

I strongly agree with binders.

If you really have loved cars all your life, then why not ask your parents to defer the car until after VCE?

This way :
- It won't negatively affect your studies
- you will keep working hard to maintain your grades, with the dual positive effect of earning the car, and doing well at vce.
- It shows your parents that you can be responsible and they may have fewer grounds for possible regret. Also, instant auntie props.
- It gives your parents a few months more to get the $$ together.
- You will have more free time to drive it and get to know how to handle all that power safely (look up the stats on accidents and young drivers).
- You've waited all these years for a car, why not wait a few months more?
   It's only jun-november. It's nice to have it on your birthday, but it's also nice to put off pleasure until after work is done.
- After exams, the weather will be like it is now, perfect for cruising up chapel st or down beach rd/the esplanade with doof doof blaring.
   Much better than cold and rain in jun.

I feel like I disagree with most of these points.

- It'll only negatively affect your studies if you allow it to do so, and even then the opportunity for it to positively affect your travel times from places could mean it's a benefit to your studies. Really, if he gets his P's immediately after Midyears during the 2 week break it's the perfect time to go on driving lessons/enjoy the car for a couple weeks before you get used to it and buckle down.

- I think he'll be working hard irrespective of car or not - Kesh does not seem like a short-sighted person, he obviously values his education and I can't see him thinking "well I have a car! No need to study now!" haha.

- This is fair, but I don't think it should be a deciding factor as it's his birthday present after all.

- Don't think money is an issue for his parents in this case.

- The statistics on driving safely do not suddenly change 6 months after he turns 18 , so I don't see how it'd be any different waiting 6 months vs. just getting them in June. If he's already getting his hours then he should be okay.

- A car is as much utility as it is fun, it could seriously help him manage his studies... not just pleasure (and also, Year 12 requires balance, having a car isn't going to be the end of you). Why bother waiting 6 months?

- Weather is surely a joke? Cars have roofs for a reason. This way, if he wants to (for example) go to the library he won't have to use public transport but can stay warm and dry inside his car instead. Seems like a good reason to get it early.

Many of my friends got their P's this year and I think most of them would just borrow one of their parents cars on the weekend, but they're not petrol heads or anything and I didn't see it having any impact on their studies whatsoever. Anecdotally, one of my mates who is almost certainly going to hit 99.5+ had his own car since March... so really I'm finding that all these arguments against it may not necessarily apply to everyone (or even most responsible people!)

The one thing I'd do though is make sure I at least have 120 legitimate hours before getting such a nice car, because the Insurance on that bad boy is going to be expensive as fuck and I definitely wouldn't want to crash it. It's bad enough getting insurance on a bomb, I don't even want to imagine how much it'll cost as a P plater driving such a quality car.

Thanks for the kind words Truck, appreciate it mate. 

If I was given the same questions as Binders, I would have answered it pretty much the same way.

Insurance on that thang is surprisingly similar to a newer Ford Falcon actually. Was a bit surprised at that!

[Furbob]

My car is just a cheap 1997 Holden Commodore Acclaim. I really wanted to get an SS, but the stupid P plate laws won't allow it As soon as I turn 22, I'm going to buy that SS I've always dreamed of.

I'm driving in my dad's commodore SS on my L's and yes I know I cant drive it when I get my Ps... my mum got her new Volkswagon Jetta a few months before I started driving and refuses to let me drive it

whenever I'm driving dad just compares nearby cars and comments on whether they're are faster/not faster than his -_-

I had a few lessons with RACV to get a feel of a not-stupidly-powerful car + to have a break from my dad pushing me (made me drive to through the city when I was on 7 hrs LOL )

[honey-corowa]

Sorry if you already mentioned this and I just didn't see it, but are you going to pay for the maintenance of the car? I think people often underestimate exactly how expensive it is to run a car...I have had a couple of friends who had their parents buy them cars for birthday presents, but they just were not capable of paying for insurance, petrol, other car things.

[Mr Keshy]

Sorry if you already mentioned this and I just didn't see it, but are you going to pay for the maintenance of the car? I think people often underestimate exactly how expensive it is to run a car...I have had a couple of friends who had their parents buy them cars for birthday presents, but they just were not capable of paying for insurance, petrol, other car things.

I'll pay for petrol and help out here and there for other things until I finish VCE. From there on in, I'll slowly start paying everything. It is not a cheap car to run haha.

[nisha]

This is purely my opinion (and what I have observed from my friends who have cars in year 12), but I think you should hold off getting a car until after year 12. My reasoning:
1. Many of the people I know that got cars were caught up in the craze of it all. They were more likely to go to parties because they had a definite mode of transport that they could control, and neglect the work that they could be doing.
2. Because of the hype (or maybe poor driving) a few had some incidents with their cars. More like accidents. It made them completely and totally obsessed with their cars for that period of time (to get it all repaired, make sure their parents didn't know, covering the cost, selecting what they wanted it replaced with).
3. Theres a huge temptation to skip school (if you drive to school) -I know you may not do this, but I'm simply stating the things that have happened to my friends, and COULD happen to you- and go places.

Some of the reasons are stupid, but hey I've seen a large portion of my cohort involved in one way or another to it. It happens.

[Mr Keshy]

This is purely my opinion (and what I have observed from my friends who have cars in year 12), but I think you should hold off getting a car until after year 12. My reasoning:
1. Many of the people I know that got cars were caught up in the craze of it all. They were more likely to go to parties because they had a definite mode of transport that they could control, and neglect the work that they could be doing.
2. Because of the hype (or maybe poor driving) a few had some incidents with their cars. More like accidents. It made them completely and totally obsessed with their cars for that period of time (to get it all repaired, make sure their parents didn't know, covering the cost, selecting what they wanted it replaced with).
3. Theres a huge temptation to skip school (if you drive to school) -I know you may not do this, but I'm simply stating the things that have happened to my friends, and COULD happen to you- and go places.

Some of the reasons are stupid, but hey I've seen a large portion of my cohort involved in one way or another to it. It happens.

Yeah I'm generally just a little worried with point number 2 to be honest. Especially with a car of such nature. I'm not one to hide things from my parents, however, the selecting parts is what I think will consume time. (if it were to happen)

I was actually thinking about getting a motorbike instead because it requires less attention and is a lot cheaper. I would get both either way in the future because even though the RX8 has a 1.3L engine, it uses a very large amount of fuel, so I'd use the bike for travelling short distances/uni etc..

[Charmz]

Getting a car would be more convenient in my opinion. Most people at my school got their P's when they were old enough and drove to school most of the time. A lot had cars before the even got their P's. I don't think it'd be a distraction and personally I think it would save a lot of time not having to use public transport or rely on others.

[Mr Keshy]

Getting a car would be more convenient in my opinion. Most people at my school got their P's when they were old enough and drove to school most of the time. A lot had cars before the even got their P's. I don't think it'd be a distraction and personally I think it would save a lot of time not having to use public transport or rely on others.

I still have a while to go, mind you, this car is only coming to my doorstep provided I do extremely well, so anything can happen

[Mr Keshy]

My cousin has almost convinced me to get one after VCE. I guess it'd kinda be like I earned it and all... Oh well. Hopefully 1 year from now, I'll have an RX-8 in my doorstep.

[Biceps]

well im getting a new car and im torn between the pulsar n15 lx 2002 and the commodore sv6 what would you guys recommend?

[FlorianK]

With that car you'll get all the chicks, so yeah get it man

[Mr Keshy]

With that car you'll get all the chicks, so yeah get it man

Haha, that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid I don't want them coming for the wrong reasons :\

But yeah , we're trying to think of ways to persuade my parents, not deter them

But honestly, if I wanted to impress chicks, I'd a BMW 320i or something. Will get em as long as it's in park and not drive.