This kills me to say...

[Coralkong]

A Datsun B210?
LOL.
Did you have the wagon model?

I had a Datsun pickup truck with a Mack truck dog ornament on the front, and a British Flag for a seat cover.
LOL....

oh, to be 17 again.

[xtchc1978]

Cars are important, I don't let my total invested in gear go past 20% of what I have invested in cars. I collect classic cars and drive newer German cars so my perspective may not be that of your average person. Regardless get a respectable car before spending a dime on more gear or your life isn't going to be balanced. People who can really afford to own nice gear don't need to sell it when times get hard, you should be able to afford to own your house, cars and gear. If you buy a nice lp now in life I am willing to bet it will be on the block in short order to make up for some shortage, car expense, school expense etc, that is just the way life is when you are that age unless your folks are loaded. A bit later in life when the money starts rolling in you will be able to buy what you want and will be able to afford to keep it:thu:.

[faberbz]

Get the car. It may not seem as fun as a guitar, but it will open your world.

 

The real world is very real, and it can bite back sometimes. But, once you start earning and paying your way in this world, there is a great satisfaction in that. That sounds so dull, but it's true.

 

Five years from now, would you rather be graduating college with a little money in the bank and a manageable amount of student debt (or none at all), or tons of cool gear (or *lots* of great gear bought on credit) but no money to buy your interview suit?

 

Treat your money like your freedom. Protect it, don't waste it, respect it, and you'll always have it when you need it.

 

Buying and insuring your first car is the first step.

 

And if you already have a guitar.....

[BG76]

When I was 17 I had an old Les Paul ($200.00), an old Tele ($350.00), a TV Junior ($500.00) a BF Bassman (150) and a SF Vibrolux (got for free with the Les Paul and put 200 into fixing it) and a USA Strat (500).

I also had a studio that I recorded local bands in. I had a Fostex R8 and a peavey board (that stuff was expensive back then).

All paid for by me.

When I was a kid I mowed lawns (3 lawns a week @ 20 each), delivered papers (60 a week) and did snow in the winters.

I kept 3 a week when I was in 3rd - 5th grade and saved the rest, I raised to 5 a week in junior high and then in high school got a job.

I never asked my dad for money and always pretty much bought the gear I wanted. My dad set up a mutual fund for me and would take my cash and send them a check every week for what I made.

I bought my first car (used BMW 320 - cost me $1000) out of that fund and also used it for spending money for my first couple years of college.

[vintage clubber]

When I was 17 I had an old Les Paul ($200.00), an old Tele ($350.00), a TV Junior ($500.00) a BF Bassman (150) and a SF Vibrolux (got for free with the Les Paul and put 200 into fixing it) and a USA Strat (500). I also had a studio that I recorded local bands in. I had a Fostex R8 and a peavey board (that stuff was expensive back then). All paid for by me. When I was a kid I mowed lawns (3 lawns a week @ 20 each), delivered papers (60 a week) and did snow in the winters. I kept 3 a week when I was in 3rd - 5th grade and saved the rest, I raised to 5 a week in junior high and then in high school got a job. I never asked my dad for money and always pretty much bought the gear I wanted. My dad set up a mutual fund for me and would take my cash and send them a check every week for what I made. I bought my first car (used BMW 320 - cost me $1000) out of that fund and also used it for spending money for my first couple years of college.

I met a kid a couple of years ago who was the son of one of my wife's work colleagues. He had been mowing lawns/shoveling snow, etc. since he was like 10 or 12 and he owned two vehicles that he bought with the money he had earned and saved over the years - a Mustang (not sure of year) and a 2003 Explorer. I was very impressed with this kid. He was 15 when I met him and couldn't even drive the vehicles he already owned...

[V-man]

I spent on my gear in HS. I have a '68' Vette today. My HS gear that I still have has more value than my Vette does. That of course is a crapshoot. If you aren't blowing your load on something unique (which is hit or miss in the future), don't worry about it. Get what makes you happy and get the other {censored} on the back end when you have a job.

[Coralkong]

In HS, I smoked a lot of weed.

[BG76]

I met a kid a couple of years ago who was the son of one of my wife's work colleagues. He had been mowing lawns/shoveling snow, etc. since he was like 10 or 12 and he owned two vehicles that he bought with the money he had earned and saved over the years - a Mustang (not sure of year) and a 2003 Explorer. I was very impressed with this kid. He was 15 when I met him and couldn't even drive the vehicles he already owned...

I wouldn't buy a car I couldn't have driven. When I bought a used car it was reliable and cheap for the time - 1k.

I am lucky in that I have always been a saver. I think it's more a personality thing then anything else.

It blows my mind when I see the 'must sell gear - lost job need food' posts. I love my guitars as much or more then anybody else, but before I drop money on gear I have the bills paid, money put into savings and extra on the mortgage.

Luckily, this country is going through a corrective cycle that will teach irresponsible people that having credit card balances and houses they can't afford is not a good thing.

[jelloman]

In HS, I smoked a lot of weed.

YES!

[ExiledCrow]

In HS, I smoked a lot of weed.

And college, and .....

But back to the OP. Car. Many good reasons have already been given. There are many decent LP copies that won't set you back too much, they just won't have Gibson on the headstock.

[ArpeggiateTHIS]

Screw the car. I'm nearly 18 myself and have ignored driving lessons and cars for now. I won't be able to afford a car at university (in 6 months) so what is the point?

 

My parent's old car or a flashy guitar for my 18th? I'm choosing the guitar. Public transport FTW.

[LeftyTom]

Buy the vehicle! Unless you are super-talented, why spend big dosh on a guitar? AND, if you are super-talented, you can play the {censored}e out of any guitar, making it sound wonderful.

[Grantus]

Necessity comes before musical equipment every single day. I've got a wife, a kid, a mortgage, car payments, insurance payments ....

[rchiav]

As much as I'd love to keep saving up for my first Les Paul, or maybe my first Martin acoustic.. I can't allow myself to spend any more for musical gear... Blasphemy, one may think...What could be more important than toanz? I'm 17 in a few months, and I need to save money for a decent vehicle. When's the most recent time that a necessity had to come before another guitar.. or amp.. or pedal.. and so on, for you?

Welcome to growing up and thinking responsibly.

It's nice to have stuff you want, but that stuff comes after you take care of the more important things, like being able to reliably transport yourself to school or a job, paying the bills, feeding your family, saving for your kids college, etc.

[Stricken]

So far, my bank account has.. 200
I need a job, damnit. Collecting allowance will not suffice!




....

But seriously. I gotta look for a job that I can do after school.

Ive been all over CL the last couple days, looking at cars. All I could think is "I wonder if that's some chinese knockoff" ....

[metallica_00]

I am lucky in that I have always been a saver. I think it's more a personality thing then anything else. It blows my mind when I see the 'must sell gear - lost job need food' posts. I love my guitars as much or more then anybody else, but before I drop money on gear I have the bills paid, money put into savings and extra on the mortgage. Luckily, this country is going through a corrective cycle that will teach irresponsible people that having credit card balances and houses they can't afford is not a good thing.

Definitely interesting, coming out of school during a cycle when many people have overlevered themselves...I am very steadfast in not letting myself get into any kind of debt. Obviously, for some things, you have to, if I were to go get an MBA or buy a house down the line. But in my personal life, I would never go into debt for a guitar or a trip etc. I don't understand how people do that but many do.

I could walk into the Boston GC right now and buy any guitar in it that I wanted. But I won't let myself do it. And I'm okay with that. It makes it all that much better when you do go get something and know you earned it.