My parents finally realized how much I don't want to go to college and agreed to let me live at home for a year while I'm saving money to move out. They are also going to pay for me to attend an automotive trade school, so I can be a tech like I've wanted to be for the past 4 years. However, they also said that since the main reason they bought me a car was for college, they said I have one year to either buy it from them, or buy another one. Because I obviously can't afford to buy or finance a 2001 Audi when I am trying to save up for school/moving out/etc. I told them I'll buy another car as soon as I can afford it.

So by this time next year, I am going to need another ride. Any ideas? I'd like to stick with VAG, and I am looking at MkIV GTI's, another 1.8TQM B5 (maybe 99.5) or maybe just an old beater jetta/gti. I'm willing to finance, but I'm not looking to pay the $16,000+ my parents are offering for a car with no ABS, bad control arms, no radio (just needs the code) not to mention damage on the passenger front side.

I'm going to be working at an oilchange full time place for at least a year to get some experience so I can wear the ASE patch sooner (2 years req. of work, trade schools count for 1 year), once I get master tech certified. I'm quitting my go kart mechanic job tomorrow if I can negotiate my hiring at Oilstop, and will start in 2 weeks.

I'm obviously still going to be around, but it looks like my silver baby won't be around much longer.

 

tag

 

Sorry to hear that man, but sometimes you have to give things up to accomplish what you want in life. Be happy that your parents are supporting you, and not kicking you out like they did me. I joined the military because on day they just said "your gone", and I was like "Ok, pace..." Atleast they are there for you, ya know? Good luck.

 

Good luck. You can always get a Coupe Quattro.

 

sorry to hear about u losing the car -
but congrads on moving fw. w/ what u wanted to do.

too bad they wont let u pay them in small installments so u can keep the car [&o]

but hey - when ur certified & making the big $$$ - u can get an RS4 [:-]

 

They said they would cosign a loan for me with a bank to buy it, but I'd rather get a 99.5 to mod the hell out of. I know the ins and outs of whats wrong with my car and know its worth maybe 12k right now. There is maybe some 2k in body damage if professionally repaired (some bought with the car) that would keep it from being considered excellent. The TB service is just about due, the ABS is gone, one of the tails is cracked, the driver side foglight is busted, one of the door cards has a little tear in it, some suspension component (I assume the control arms) needs replacing, and the engine misfires about once a week, which I think is a coil issue.

Basically, I'd be happier to start over with something else.

I've been considering the following (in no specific order):
-AWD DSM
-99.5 A4
-MkI/MkII/MkII GTI
-MkI/MkII Jetta
-Coupe GT
-Coupe Quattro

Karl,
They are supporting me, but I also have to get my own medical/dental insurance (covered by Oilstop) since I am out of school. They are going to charge me room and board when the school year starts. I'm also going to need my own car insurance. I'm gonna have to pay for my own cell, but I might just not have one for a while. Basically, they would kick me out if it werent for the fact that they would feel bad. They were going to buy me a laptop for school, but I'm not sure now. Maybe they will buy me tools instead.

Its a good deal I suppose, and as far as I can tell, my parents are going to pay for me to go to trade school. I would be happy to move out, I just can't afford it right now. I ought to find a friend in a similar situation and room up.

 

I don't wanna pipe up and be a dick or anything, but from experience you should really take a good hard look at the school route just one more time.

I regret not taking advantage of those opportunities when I was younger. Now that I'm gettin older, have a family and career not having even a portion of a higher ed degree has been biting me in the *** in the last few years. Not that it's ever too late to go back and get moving on it again, but... my life is far more complicated and carries way more responsibility than ever.

Maybe you can go to a community college part-time and get them to meet you half way? Full time job plus some school shows ambition! Parents eat that **** up.

/// end lame old guy advice.

With that said... I'd rather be twisting wrenches too!!!! Good luck!

 

^^What he said^^

I don't think you should bail on school because not getting a diploma can put such a ceiling on you down the road. You could work out a compromise where you are getting some kind of certification and also making your parents happy/getting cash from them. Sure, both school and the cert may take a little longer, but when you come out on the other side you are in a much better position. You've got happy parents and you've had a better quality of life getting there and that will continue on the way forward due to the job opportunities available to you. You don't care if you graduate at 22 or 24. You DO care about the rest of your life and your earning potential after that.

What I've described above is easier said than done, but it is also smart. Think of it as a long term mission like saving up to move out or buying a car.

 

No, I decided on going to Wyotech for my tech. training. I'll get ASE Master Tech certification and because of the year I will have put in changing oil, I'll be able to wear the ASE patch right out of trade school. My parents don't want to shell out $23k for me this year, but will do it next year when I have spent some time in the automotive industry. I'm not quitting school, I'm taking a year off to work.

As much as I'm sure a college education improves the quality of life for people, I have yet to see a bachelor's in auto repair. I don't want to spend my life running numbers for a business or making technical drawings for some stupid part that will probably be fazed out by the bueracracy of a large corporation always fearing the inevitable outsourcing of my job to a foriegn country.

I find much more joy in fixing cars, and getting my hands dirty, than crunching numbers. I want to work for a living, not sit at a desk playing pocket pool.

Anyway, I got the job today at the oil changers place. I start in 2 weeks (2 weeks notice to quit my other job) at $10/hr, plus every time the store meets a quota, everyone gets a $1/hr raise for that day, if you meet personal quotas, you get a $1/hr raise for the week, and I get a $1/hr raise in a month. Full medical/dental benefits after 3 months, and I get $1 raises progressively as I pass certification tests up to $14/hr. Thats totally independant of raises from management.

I'm starting to think about maybe picking up a motorcycle (my mom always told me that I could get a motorcycle when I was independant of her medical coverage) with the increasing gas prices and then keeping the Audi for rainy days for the next year or so.