Car vs. Computer

[MetalMagpie]

I would say the PC is better value. But that's because I'm 24 and in full-time work as a software developer, and still don't own a car. I get everywhere by train.

(Just for information, I can drive. It's just not very economical in my current situation.)

 

[Rainmaker77]

I would say the PC is better value. But that's because I'm 24 and in full-time work as a software developer, and still don't own a car. I get everywhere by train.

(Just for information, I can drive. It's just not very economical in my current situation.)

To be fair it's not very economical in any situation, there aren't many cheap cars you can get that also have great mileage, even second hand ones tend to be expensive as the lower running costs are very desireable.

I have the worst of both worlds in that I take the train to work, but must also drive to the station.

Just traveling to and from work costs me around £7,000-£8,000 a year, and I'm only 20 with a fairly low paying job.

 

[Sampler]

Car - sooner you start paying insurance the quicker the cost reduces and your no claims build up (presuming you drive like a dick).

My gaming PC cost three time that of my car - I didn't start driving till I was 30 and really wish I'd done it at 17 (instead of buying a component hifi with the money).

You may not regret it now, but in a decade..

 

[Rainmaker77]

Car - sooner you start paying insurance the quicker the cost reduces and your no claims build up (presuming you drive like a dick).

My gaming PC cost three time that of my car - I didn't start driving till I was 30 and really wish I'd done it at 17 (instead of buying a component hifi with the money).

You may not regret it now, but in a decade..

Insurance will go down a lot just due to age. Assuming you've already passed your test (I assume OP has) just being 21, and then 25 will decrease the cost a ton, with no claims simply aiding that.

You could easily not drive until 25 (assuming you passed your test at 17/18), and would have much cheaper insurance than a 20 year old with several years no claims.

I would say though that if you can't drive yet, don't buy you own car - learn to drive in your parents, and then a driving instructors. I am firmly of the opinion that learning to drive as young as possible is the best way to go, even if you tend to be more reckless as a 'kid'.

 

[Edible Avatar]

You should have asked for a bike and a computer. I bought myself a relatively nice ($800) computer with the cash i saved from biking to work (about 2-3 miles away). Plus, you'll have buns and thighs of STEEL!

Spoiler

 

[rodneyy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RLP2GdTN7M

to give people an idea what sort of crap buying a car for a 17 year old man in england consists of thats a top gear vid, if you watch from about 40 seconds in to 6:30 ish you get an idea the costs and hassle. with an added point they were getting to spend £2500.

if you live in a city espically london there is no need to drive. i happen to live close to a big bus interchange, over and underground rail stations. the only people who had cars when i was 17 were girls who had rich parents. even the parts of london that are relativly isolated transport wise you're still not normally more than a 5 min walk and 10 min bus ride from the underground.

even if you do have a car and can afford to run it you have the added hassle of finding parking for it, witch in london is a real pain. then you have to think how much you would really use it. if you can take a bus/train to work that only really leaves the weekends, handy for doing all your shopping in 1 trip but you cant take it out if you go drinking.

at the end of all that the insurance companys have such high premium's for a reason. most boys who get cars at that age are going to crash them at some point. maybe more than once.

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

Yeah. Good choice with the PC. After managing the cost of gas in Europe (About double, or more, than what it is in the USA) And Insurence, and the risk of wreaking, I'd much prefer to stick to a gaming PC.

It's going to be my 16th birthday in a few months, I asked for tickets to comic con instead of a car.

 

[R3dF41c0n]

If you live in an area with good public transportation or can get a ride from someone I'd say go for the PC. I got a computer for my 16th birthday instead of a car but I had to get a car a year later because there is no public transportation where I live.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

A 1600 dollar car is utter crap. I've been there, I've done that, I've been stranded in the middle of the road with a 1,600 dollar car. I would take the computer without even thinking about it.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

As a dedicated gamer I say... You should have got a damn car! When I was 16 I got a part time job and a moped, and when 17 I got a motorbike. I love games, and got all my consoles for christmas', except my Xbox360 which I bought because I had a job... Couple of years later bought a car to accompany my motorbike! Never regretted any of it! Sure fancy gaming PC's sound great, but as I figure it, I have years to get one! Maybe when I have finally settled down and stopped moving every couple of months with work, but I have never regretted having my freedom! Especially when my friends went off to university, it was great actually being able to see them!

 

[orangeban]

Hmm, well in Britain it depends on where you live. If you live in a city or pretty urban area, a car is by no means necessary. In fact, in the busy cities it's a waste of money, public transport is just as good and is cheaper. In more rural areas I'm not sure.

 

[FamoFunk]

Whoa. You got spoilt for a 17th Birthday.

Personally would of went for the car (although very tough choice) but as you said, you know you made the right decision and that's all that matters. Keep having fun with your PC!

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Well you can walk, use a bike and get a bus all cheaper for young people than driving a car. So between a car in second level education and a PC the PC was probably the better choice.

 

[Xearo_Disaster]

Genuinely haven't got a reason to have a car, personally. I live in a city so if there were any jobs available I'd work within walking distance. The only thing a car would be is a money vacuum. I would've - and did, for my 18th - pick a PC. Although I was going to uni, so mine was a laptop and closer to £600 than £1000.

 

[snagli]

I never had or probably will ever have need for a car, so a good PC is the way to go for me. Obviuously, if you don't live in a city where everything is 45 minutes away on the bike at maximum, you probably should get the car.

 

[Pinguin]

Hmmm, I'd have gone with the car. Driving is so much fun. It's a bit like a game, but: real! (And yes I realise that makes me sound like a terrible driver.)

Though generally I think: car = better job options, more cash, better gaming PC anyway.

Also, do you really need a top spec gaming PC to have gaming fun? I'd describe myself as a PC gamer, and all the bits in my PC can't be worth more than £450. It plays CoD fine though, and that's about as demanding as I need.

 

[Wolfram23]

Unless a person really needs a car, not much point. Especially as a student. If you were only able to buy a $1000 car, you would have got shit and had to spend 5 times that on repairing it every other month, plus insurance and gas. Cars are bloody expensive.

Plus, you're 17 (well 18 now) but still living at home right? Borrow the parent's car.

 

[MuzzleFlash]

They're both depreciating assets, perhaps the computer moreso, so financially I doubt it makes any difference. Though the car then has to be taxed/insured/fueled.

Anyway, my car cost me £1300 (Jan 08) and my PC £1500 (Sept 09). I can honestly say the car has given me an immeasurably greater amount of enjoyment, but it's very circumstantial.

 

[kloiberin_time]

1. I live in Kansas City, Missouri. There is a HUGE urban sprawl here. All I could do without one would be stay home. This is the first reason I would have gone with the car. You might live somewhere where this is not necessary.
2. My fondest memories, even the gaming ones, happened with other people. Playing Super Smash Bros. at a friend's house. Driving to the local arcade for Tekken tournaments. Driving my happy ass over to a lan party to play WoW, or Minecraft or whatever. These are just the gaming memories. I also have memories of dates, driving my best friend to school every morning. Ditching class to see Princess Mononoke in the Theater my Junior year of High School. Those sort of things.
3. Money. When I turned 16 the first thing I did was get a job as a dishwasher at a local Mexican restaurant. The pay was slightly above minimum wage, but it covered insurance, dates, games and what have you. Yes you can find a job without a car, but it is harder unless you live in a city with good public transportation or if you live within close walking distance of an employer.
4. Girls. Heh, where would my love life be in High School without the "Dick Tank" (My name is Richard and it was a 1984 LTD Crown Vic. Huge metal boat of a car) From picking up girls on dates to parking on the back roads and unfinished cul de sacs of Raymore I used my car. Quite a few of my first happened in the car, or happened because I had that freedom.
5. The Freedom. I don't know how short of a leash your parents have on you, but within a year of having my car I was working, keeping my grades up and still finding time for Theatre, Choir and Band. They viewed this as maturity and the rest of my upbringing was pretty laissez faire. It allowed my a lot more free reign and I was able to get away with quite a bit more.

 

[Varitel]

The number of daily options you have increases significantly when you have a car. You don't have to worry about needing a ride to get to a friend's house or about needing to ask your parents to drive you to the store to get something. You can just get up and go, assuming you have the time. A gaming PC is great fun, but a car is more useful.