zeitgeist57 Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/10/generation-why-no-job-no-money-no-car/ Be sure to read the two links from DCAutoGeek and the IIHS study as well. While the modern trend of younger folks not driving is noticable, I have always thought that ECONOMICS (purchase/fuel/maintenance/insurance) of auto ownership has far more to do with this event than improvement of technology and telecommunications. Personally, I find the complexity and expense of cars also combines with today's modern society of not being able to do things yourself: but for automotive enthusiasts, we live in a CostCo/WalMart-throw-it-away, instant-gratification society that prefers "the new" far more than something you make yourself, or purchase used and keep it running. The expectation that everyone should just buy/finance/lease a new car - and this is a message from parents, too! - trickles down to a society of dependent consumerism. /rant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Brian Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Yeah I really don't see too many teenagers driving around me anymore. When I do they're usually hauling 3-4 friends with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinHawk1647545499 Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 we need obama car! from the makers of obamafone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Having a 20yr debt the size of a really nice car or small home hanging over their head doesn't help either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRed05 Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I don't believe in the "you can't work on cars yourself anymore" saying. You plug an obd2 scanner in and it practically tells you exactly what needs replaced. As far as actually doing the work. Yes, engine bays have gotten more tightly packed, but replacing parts still only require 2 things, loosening and tightening. I think things have actually become easier. Replacing brake pads and rotors are a lot easier than replacing drums and shoes. Replacing spark plugs and wires/coils are a lot easier. With overhead cams, everything sits right there on top of the engine. Spark plug wires and coils are now combined into one thing. You don't have to worry about timing lights and all that bullshit either. Carburetor? Fuck that noise, you can replace a fuel injector in 5 mins. Not to mention that cars have become 100x more reliable than what they used to be. Besides basic maintenance, usually if anything breaks it's just a quick sensor replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaplay1647545503 Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 At 16 my son had no interest in driving, mind blown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverMaker Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Kidz care more about the kind of cellphone they have than driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 i noticed this starting to happen when i was in my 20's I had a roomate and her best friend and BOTH of them didnt get thier license till they were 21.. and even then, not in any hurry to drive.. My neighbhors kids are the same way.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 My students are this way. High school kids. When I can find an internship or job for them many times they can't take it because they don't drive. On those days, if I had hair I would be pulling it out by the handful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99StockGT Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 The average age of car part buyers has changed over the years from the supply side as well. Not THAT long ago you would see tons of teens/20 somethings in our stores looking for parts to fix/repair/upgrade/customize their rides...now the average age is probably in their mid 30s to mid 40s. Those younger buyers who DO come in, are still often driving the same cars we all once worked on. The 90s rides we all wax on and on about. While yes the OBDII situation is wonderful, not to mention the VAST amount of knowledge available just typing in the P code and Year/Make/Model into your Google box to find a YouTube video, the perception has changed. When everything LOOKS complicated, or you have shrouds that cover everything in the engine bay, it scares off the casual wrencher. You also have a large shift in the parenting generation of those youngsters. A generation now in their 40s+ that are used to just letting someone else do the work or getting something new. Part of one of the reasons those of us IN the industry try to encourage younger folk every chance we get to take pride in their ride. It may not be a new ZR1 but it's YOURS and you can enjoy it and puff your chest out. Parents lead the way, if YOU won't get your hands dirty, why would your kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 we need obama car! from the makers of obamafone. So we need a Regan car? Ontopic: I've noticed this also, It's a little different on this side of town but when i lived on the west side It was rare to see kids driving around. Its odd to me because I had a Moped @ 14 and rode it everywhere. A job at 16 and started on my temps process. As soon as I could have my license I had them. My parents forced me to learn to drive in a stick shift too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillJoy Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 http://www.seriouswheels.com/images/a_Volkswagen_Classic_Beetle.jpg :ninja: KillJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 http://www.seriouswheels.com/images/a_Volkswagen_Classic_Beetle.jpg :ninja: KillJoy NO NO THIS Hitler car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillJoy Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 NO NO THIS Hitler car Communist Car.... Socialist Car.... What's the difference???? KillJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleguy Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 Communist Car.... Socialist Car.... What's the difference???? KillJoy Wouldn't this be Fascist car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS69 Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 My son just turned 15 this past week. He is able to get his permit at 15-1/2, so far he really doesn't seem interested in driving either. Well, we will see what happens in 6 months. I couldn't wait together my license back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I see this all the time with kids in the Army. Blows my mind, I had my license as soon as I could and that was way after I already was driving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryBMW Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I see this all the time with kids in the Army. Blows my mind, I had my license as soon as I could and that was way after I already was driving That explains a lot. I had my temps the day I was 15.5 and scheduled my drivers test the day I was 16. My parents had been letting me drive in parking lots since I was ~12. Learned to drive stick at the same age. -Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectragod Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Got a buddy who's 21YO still has no license/job, no desire for either. :confused: At 13, I was the designated driver for my friends, couldn't wait to get my license so I could drive legal. Today's kid's..... it's all about who has the coolest cell phone or video games.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 So this thread made me ask my 12 year old daughter, her response "I can't say because mommy will be mad." Although I take her racing, she gets into it with me and since most of my life revolves around cars I think she may feel like she'll disappoint me if she's not interested. I hope that's not the case, but. I'll let her do what she wants. She has been such a great kid so if she keeps up her good work I'll let her her do whatever she wants. As to cars being too complicated for people to work on, I'll agree that a lot is no harder then it has ever been. However there are many complicated systems that are quite difficult to diagnos without the right tools and know how. I would love to see a shadetree mechanic fix communication problems, or even understand how certain sensors are supposed to function. I think most of the difficult mentality came about with OBD1 and the early distributorless ignition systems that were a lot harder to diag then looking at a scan tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonrottes Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 That is kind of.... just disturbing. Is this generation just going to skirt by and hope for the best? I was so excited to get my license when I was 15 that extra 6 months was just torture. When once I got my Temp I was driving everywhere, hell I even went from Groveport to Evansville, IN. But hell I learned to drive my dad silverado out at NTR when I was like 13. But then again I was fortunate enough that my parents at the time made a pretty decent living, and I also got a "free" vehicle before I could even drive. It just needed a little love..and a mostly new drive-train to run again. sure it was not what I wanted... but it was mine and I was...am still proud of my little turd. But then again... My parents worked on their own cars, My Father & I built a 10 second Trans am. My mom had a 12 second Camaro... and we always had "older" cars.. and if something broke... we fixed it, we didn't go buy a new car and NEVER did our cars go to shops to be fixed. most my friends that don't drive, have unemployed/lazy parent(s) and they themselves have no-where jobs. so yeah, I think a lot has to do with Money and their parents. and the people I do know that drive have better jobs, somewhat decent parents and have absolutely no idea how to even change a tire... literally.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted October 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 http://www.bloomberg.com/video/are-pink-mustaches-the-future-of-transportation-gnlXHSutTDSjs62mGHwC1A.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furloaf Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 I'm thinking rise of social media and ubiquitous cell phone ownership has more to do with this than money issues. This generation was the first to grow up with having constant contact with their friends - the need for in person socializing isn't as great, which was a tremendous driving factor for wanting a car. For in-person socializing, social media and texting makes it a lot easier to find a ride when one is needed. Young people today can get away not having a car and still socialize as much, or more, than car owners of the past. Also with out having a personal desire for a car, they don't need a job. It's not the other way around (wanting a car but not able to have a job). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PsychoticGaming Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 This world is truely becoming sad. I agree I couldn't wait to drive (not that I hadn't before I was old enough....). My first car was a Daytona Turbo Z, I had it torn apart and back together before I could legally drive. Then again most people "drive" their car, I feel a car is meant to be driven!, pushed, enjoyed. If/when I have kids, they won't have a cell phone til they can drive, no real reason otherwise in opinion. And if they want one they'll have to get a job and pay for it, same as my parents did with me. I've never been handed anything, always had to work for it, almost seems lost in our culture today I see people all the time just want everything handed to them and never have to work for it like their owed it or something?! On the flip side I see younger kids driving around in 20-30k trucks and new cars their parents bought them (then wanna race so they can lose and prove how a 5k car thats not as pretty can walk right by a 30k pos). Obviously their parents money bought and modified their cars, what happened to doing it yourself? Being proud of what you've done? And working hard to get what you want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectragod Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 That is kind of.... just disturbing. and the people I do know that drive have better jobs, somewhat decent parents and have absolutely no idea how to even change a tire... literally.. I stopped to help a woman who was broke down on the highway one day, it was sleeting, rush hour and she was stranded( this was 20 years ago) so cell phones were a rarity. I asked her if she had a spare as the right rear was flat, she argued her car didn't come with a spare, I talked her into opening the trunk and low and behold...... A spare under the floor panel, then she said she didn't know how to change it anyhow. Dumbass me offered while she sat in her Accord with it running to stay warm, I got it changed, put the flat and jack in the trunk, closed the trunk, she threw it in drive and floored it, I thought..... That was a nice "thanks", so, not only do they not know how to change the spare, they lack manners too. Looking back, that's pretty damn funny, I still will help stranded women, I would hope someone would do the same for my mom/wife/sister. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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