Car vs. Computer

[bojackx]

About 18 months ago it was my 17th birthday, and my older brother had gotten a car for his birthday when he turned 17 so one would assume I would be given the same treatment. Up until this point in my life, I had never had a proper "Gaming PC" (well I did have one, but we got ripped off and it was only like £400) and my friends all had one to some extent.

So I decided that I'd ask my father to get me a Gaming PC instead of a car, to which he was first hesitant but then was like "if that's what you want". So here I am 18 months on with my gaming PC, and I was just reflecting on my decision and have come to the conclusion that I made the right choice. I have had thousands of hours of enjoyment out of it and I haven't had to waste tons of money on car insurance (it's like £1800 for a year of insurance here).

So escapists, which you would prefer: a Gaming PC of approximately £1000 ($1600ish) value, or a car of similar value?

EDIT: I'm currently in full time education so if I was to get a Car, I could only get a part-time job to support the costs of said car.

 

[Pimppeter2]

You could have gotten the car, used it to go to work, made money, bought the gaming PC yourself, and then you would have had both.

And a car.

Seriously, you should have picked the car.

 

[DazZ.]

You could have gotten the car, used it to go to work, made money, bought the gaming PC yourself, and then you would have had both.

Or you could get the PC, learn to make websites and other code type thingys and get enough money to buy a car then have both.

 

[Pimppeter2]

You could have gotten the car, used it to go to work, made money, bought the gaming PC yourself, and then you would have had both.

Or you could get the PC, learn to make websites and other code type thingys and get enough money to buy a car then have both.

But you can do that with a regular computer....

 

[Qwurty2.0]

You could have gotten the car, used it to go to work, made money, bought the gaming PC yourself, and then you would have had both.

Or you could get the PC, learn to make websites and other code type thingys and get enough money to buy a car then have both.

It costs a lot more to buy a good car than it does to buy/build a good computer....

Plus, in the long run you will benefit directly from the car more so than you will a gaming PC.

 

[DazZ.]

You could have gotten the car, used it to go to work, made money, bought the gaming PC yourself, and then you would have had both.

Or you could get the PC, learn to make websites and other code type thingys and get enough money to buy a car then have both.

But you can do that with a regular computer....

Hardly as fun/easy without multiple monitors or the ram to be doing logos and animation all at once.

Plus, in the long run you will benefit directly from the car more so than you will a gaming PC.

It'll also cost you lots more to maintain!

Just trying to make the dude feel better about his decision.

 

[Pimppeter2]

You could have gotten the car, used it to go to work, made money, bought the gaming PC yourself, and then you would have had both.

Or you could get the PC, learn to make websites and other code type thingys and get enough money to buy a car then have both.

But you can do that with a regular computer....

Hardly as fun/easy without multiple monitors or the ram to be doing logos and animation all at once.

But he didn't get multiple monitors, and you can get tall the ram you could ever need for $200 if you really need that much. Most basic websites don't even have animation, and are run of wordpress which I think is free/at minimal cost. Besides, it could take years before he gets enough clients to make the money needed to buy a car. A car would give him a steady income, even if its just minimum wage.

I guess gas could factor into it, but assuming he lives at home (which I'm 99% sure of) his expenses are so minimal he could be saving around $300 a week. He'd have the computer in a month. A better one too.

 

[Sleekgiant]

I have both so I don't have to choose but I work for a living V:

Also a good car is at least $3000

My computer only costs $630 total

 

[DazZ.]

Most basic websites don't even have animation, and are run of wordpress which I think is free/at minimal cost.

Exactly, you're not going to get a car from handing out wordpress sites.

A car would give him a steady income, even if its just minimum wage.

Hows owning a car an instant income?

 

[Pimppeter2]

Most basic websites don't even have animation, and are run of wordpress which I think is free/at minimal cost.

Exactly, you're not going to get a car from handing out wordpress sites.

A car would give him a steady income, even if its just minimum wage.

Hows owning a car an instant income?

I said he could get a job with it in my OP. A car would increase his ability to get a job.

 

[Zantos]

Gaming PC is a decent decision, the one I'd have gone for. I don't own a car, I don't see the point. The constant high expenditure really isn't worth the convenience over public transport or the handful of extra job prospects it gives you unless you can afford to run it.

 

[Dango]

I don't drive and am 40 minutes by train away from one of the most important cities in the world anyway so I don't need to. I would go with the PC.

 

[Liberaliter]

Most basic websites don't even have animation, and are run of wordpress which I think is free/at minimal cost.

Exactly, you're not going to get a car from handing out wordpress sites.

A car would give him a steady income, even if its just minimum wage.

Hows owning a car an instant income?

I said he could get a job with it in my OP. A car would increase his ability to get a job.

Not necessarily, it all depends on where you live and what jobs you go for. I got a decent job without owning a car no problem.

It all comes down to preference, I would have chosen the PC in your circumstances as well OP.

 

[Ham_authority95]

About 18 months ago it was my 17th birthday, and my older brother had gotten a car for his birthday when he turned 17 so one would assume I would be given the same treatment. Up until this point in my life, I had never had a proper "Gaming PC" (well I did have one, but we got ripped off and it was only like £400) and my friends all had one to some extent.

So I decided that I'd ask my father to get me a Gaming PC instead of a car, to which he was first hesitant but then was like "if that's what you want". So here I am 18 months on with my gaming PC, and I was just reflecting on my decision and have come to the conclusion that I made the right choice. I have had thousands of hours of enjoyment out of it and I haven't had to waste tons of money on car insurance (it's like £1800 for a year of insurance here).

So escapists, which you would prefer: a Gaming PC of approximately £1000 ($1600ish) value, or a car of similar value?

A $1600 car? That would be a huge downgrade for me. I have a car available already.

I would get the PC and sell it to the tech team at my school, since I don't game on PCs(or have much time to game in general).

 

[TehCookie]

A car, because I work and go to college. Not to mention I live in the country so it's 40 min drive to the nearest bus stop. A good computer is a luxury while a car is a necessity.

 

[bojackx]

You could have gotten the car, used it to go to work, made money, bought the gaming PC yourself, and then you would have had both.

And a car.

Seriously, you should have picked the car.

First of all, I'm still at school getting my A-levels (then hopefully going to university), so a full-time job is out of the question for a long time.

Secondly, I can just walk or take the bus to this job instead of the car and save myself literally £30 a week.

I actually just got a part-time job, 18 months on, and I take the bus there. But I'm still not going to buy a car, they're waaaay too expensive (a cheap car, petrol and insurance would be well over £4000 for a year).

 

[crazyarms33]

I don't mean to be rude...but how is the car NOT the right choice? Yes gas and insurance are pricey. But for $1600 you're not exactly getting a Land Rover that gets 8 miles a gallon with a tailwind while heading downhill. I know where I am I can find a Honda Civic for that much. And you can set up your insurance payments pay them only once every 3 or 6 months if you don't want to pay for it monthly. If you only drive it to class and work then your gas prices are minimal. The maintenance issue isn't that big a deal. Get it checked by a mechanic and make sure its mechanically sound before you buy it and then change your own oil every 3000 miles and you're good. The car provides a greater flexibility for your life and enables you to get a job without dealing with public transit. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Car, definitely the car. The freedom you have with a car is really much more important to me than playing games with slightly better textures and particle effects. If I want I can hop into my car right now and drive to another country for breakfast. Why? Because I damn well please, that's why!

 

[loc978]

If I had neither of those things, I'd have taken the car... but I've never been given anything that expensive in my life. I built my first gaming PC from my own paycheck when I was 16, after I bought my first car (and my part-time job was plenty for both).

 

[Miles000]

Cars cost a lot of money, especially if you don't have a job.
PC may have been the right choice. It really depends if you can get to where you need to go otherwise.

If I want I can hop into my car right now and drive to another country for breakfast. Why? Because I damn well please, that's why!

That would be nice.
I live in Australia. Nearest country is a very long, very wet drive away.