Y'know, my first car was a '57 Chevy 210 2-dr sedan, a car that I had REAAAALLLYY wanted since I was about 10 yrs old. They were still relatively cheap back then.
It had a bad 283 w/a Rochester 2-bbl in it when it came to me, but I worked on that car to the best of my ability. I made a friend (quite by accident) who worked in plating and had the valve covers and bumpers replated.
Another friend had a cousin that knew someone that had a rebuild 300hp 327 for sale cheap. I bought that and installed it myself w/the help of a few friends. Bought a chrome air filter to top off the Carter AFB I learned to rebuild and rebuilt it!!
6 months later I got t-boned at an intersection and that was that. I was crushed!!!
From then on I drove s***-boxes for years. Cars I bought for a few hundred dollars that needed work and made them work. Some had little or no paint at all. I learned and did the work myself as much as I could. Most of them I was afraid to drive more than a few hundred miles from home for fear that they might break down. I carried w/me basic tools and repair manuals EVERY WHERE!!
I was 47 yrs old when I bought this Mazda... MY first NEW CAR.
It absolutely boggles my mind that so many parents these days think it's a good idea, even necessary to buy, or help buy a new car for their kids.
What do they learn from that experience?
She'll be clean, shiny and back to her zooming self in no time! It's only been 1.5 weeks, but I'm in love! Great first car so far.
