I couldn't say. I'm 24 and I love cars

 

Easing through a local neighborhood in the red car with the top down the other day and a kid riding down the sidewalk on a bicycle (could not have been more than 10-12 years old) called out "nice car." We shouted back "thanks!" To our surprise, the kid then shouted "Is that an LS3 or an LS7 car?"

Some kids know...

We trudge on.

 

... do you have kids (doesn't matter gender)? Are you interested in sharing your passion/hobby with your kids or other kids?

Now... many might not care (the US is more of a melting pot than it was even 30yrs ago), but I'm more of the opinion that my generation (I'm 47) has done a pathetic job of parenting, for the most part. Stick children in front of TVs/ computer monitors, phones at age 6, etc. The kids are "happy", and adults let someone else (or someTHING else) have the responsibility of teaching our kids various things.

Someone mentioned "shop class." This is definitely part of the cultural shift for those who are in upper, middle class areas. There is no more shop class in many public high schools...regardless of a young person's interest. Private, college-prep schools (where I, myself, attended)... shop class would be laughed at, certainly not budgeted for.

I'm just hoping you guys will share your passion and enthusiasm with your kids, and maybe a neighbor's kid who walks down the alley and sees you washing your car, or in your garage with it on jackstands while you're working on it...and is brave enough to approach you (or, hey... we approach them!).

I don't disagree with any of you guys' assessment of the lack of interest by many millenials... I just don't think the older generation has invested enough into them. And I'm NOT pointing fingers at anyone on this board. It's a society issue

As for my two kids... my son bought my '04 SVT Lightning pickup from me when he was 15 (5.5 yrs ago). I was going to sell it, he wanted it, and he'd saved $8k at 15... so I gave him a "daddy loan", and a FMV price of $15k. It was probably worth a little more than that, considering it was low mileage and immaculately maintained. He got his permit a day after turning 15, and we did parent-taught Driver's Ed. He grew up around all the various hot-rods I'd had, and my wife and I felt like he was responsible and would respect the power...plus, he'd put a lot of his own $$ into it. That and 1 passenger seat, and sitting up higher off the ground (truck) meant good vision and no real chance for distractions for a young driver. He drove it through HS and freshman year of college... no issues. It was a mid-12 second truck (not stock). Never so much as a speeding ticket (did get one warning). Fast forward to turning 20, he wanted a Vette. I told him he had to sell his truck first (I'd help market it) and then pay me off, and then we'd find him a clean car. Sold the truck for $17.5k (b/c he'd kept it so well) and found a local '07 base Vette coupe with 27k miles. He's driven it the last year with no issues. He's home from college... we just changed the oil together in the car about 10 mins ago.

Now my daughter... she doesn't care as much about her vehicle (she's 17). But I found her a 2000 SVT Lightning with 25k miles on it and she has also driven it since she was 15. No issues. She changes the oil with me, has learned to rotate the tires, etc. She isn't going to be a "car enthusiast" really, but does care about keeping it in good shape. She has had to answer all the questions from HS boys ("how much power does it have?" "isn't that supercharged?" "how many cylinders in the engine?")...and she learned the answers from me. More dad/kid bonding moments and time spent together.

Back to the OP... I think it is great the young men asked the question, and felt comfortable that you wouldn't laugh at them. Another thing we older guys need to understand... there are a LOT MORE vehicle makes and models than there were, even 15 years ago, and even moreso if we go back 30 yrs. More choices, more information to glean. If I walked over to a Subi or Mitsu gathering, I would have very little clue about any of those cars, except they are turbo'd 4-bangers. So "kids" or people who have an affinity for those cars just may not know much, if anything, about American-built sports/pony cars. It's understandable to me.

Crazy thing is... my son knows a lot more about all these various makes and models than I do, or could ever know. Exotics, German sedans, import sports cars, etc. His friends probably think I'm the one who lives in a hole.

Here's a couple of family pics with some of the vehicles. The one where my son is small is on the day I bought my C5Z new. Flew 500 miles to pick it up, and he rode shotgun on the way home.

 

It IS extremely difficult to be a parent today....the "cultural shift" in that realm is that today's parent does not have "control".....I'm 68, I DID have control over my kid...right or wrong...i could be a big influence on him...today, so much else is in play! Aprreciate your thoughts! ...and it sounds like you have great children!!

 

As a child of someone who, like you in many ways, took control... THANK YOU!

2nd... just to be clear, my kids aren't perfect, and I'm no perfect parent... there is no such thing. I've messed up as much as any, and learned the ropes through trial and error, but doing my best to stay true to principles (you don't prepare for parenthood, you learn as you go... however, "checking out" and letting someone else raise your kid is ducking responsibility... your generation didn't do that, but mine has done a lot of it).

The fallacy is that kids don't want some structure in their life. The reality is that structure is good, and "control" that you describe just really means you CARE. Teenagers get it. I see it a lot. They just don't always admit it, but when they are being honest, they long for more _real_ interaction and less of the "virtual world" of social media they are told is their place to learn, get advice, and "vent."

I agree with you, though...lots more distractions and various avenues of stimulus from outside/different sources...some of which may directly contradict our principles (not just moral principles, either. I'm talking hard work, less entitlement, etc) Parents have less "control", so to speak, but just as much opportunity to interact and engage. Taking some "control" is engaging with them in my book.

Those kids who asked you about your car... they benefitted from the time and answers you gave them.

 

I don't think it's a shame that kids may or may not be as into cars. It's just a hobby, and if someone doesn't share it with us, then it's just not their interest. It's not a bad thing, it's just that they share different interests.

IMHO.

 

It's only a matter of time before cars drive themselves and our hobby/passion is a thing of the past. It is possible that the next generation of kids may not learn to drive sounds crazy but could be true.

Both of my kids got their licenses as soon as they could and I bought them cars of their own. My son is now in Law school in Florida he has a WRX and has a passion for cars! I'm flying down next weekend to share the drive back North so he can visit. While he is in town my wife book us a half day track event in NJ so we can have a little fun. We will not be driving our own cars they provide caged track cars. I'm not sure which one of us is more excited for this!

My daughter is a good driver and very happy with new Altima. I don't think she has a clue how many cylinders it has nor does she care This said she is an A student in the engineering program at Penn State bright kid!

 

Certainly. I agree with you. This isn't about forcing someone to something they don't want to.

However, the OP had some younger guys who showed interest... just lacked knowledge, that many people think is obvious that they should have had. That's my point... where do people get their knowledge nowdays? Internet, social media (which includes this forum, certainly)...instead of personal interaction/investment from one way or the other.

My dad didn't care anything about cars, and he died when I was 15. He taught me a lot of other things that are more important, however.

I have always had an interest in them, so when other people are interested in the same hobby (younger, older, or my same age as peers) then I think it is great when there is some real time spent together learning about the hobby.

 

Kids are being taught that driving is a liability and that Freedom to travel unmolested is a privilege and a risk to national security. That's why we need government and our corporate overlords to make better technology so we can have a self-driving car that does everything for us. You know...because safety first.

As a father of school aged children, I am routinely enraged at the sh*t being said by "teachers" regarding human rights and civil liberties to my children. I'm hoping the Texas schools are a bit more Liberty oriented in their teachings. One teacher actually said that driving my Corvette with my children is an extreme risk to their health.

 

Good point. I guess OP can educate them then, they're obviously interested