6 first cars you're guaranteed to remember

6 first cars you're guaranteed to remember


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Early morning school buses making their rounds all while a line of cars, trucks and vans piled into the high school parking lot. You remember the scene. Maybe you loved high school, may you didn't. Either way, it's a hotspot for a view of first cars people drive. Few places provide a greater diversity in vehicles.

So take a stroll down memory lane to remember what you drove as your first car and what your friends drove. Here are seven first cars you're sure to have seen.

The family van

Whether it be the well-used minivan or a big Chevy Astro, these have always been around in the high school parking lot. Just brush off the leftover Goldfish crackers and it’s ready to go.

These spacious vehicles, however, have their perks. They can load up all the friends in one fell swoop and take them to the movies. When you've just turned 16, driving a minivan has a certain coolness factor to it—especially if it's a beater.

The "all stereo"

Sound so loud you hear this car coming from a mile away. That's one amazing stereo in the car that probably doesn’t deserve it, but hey, it is a classic high school tale of cruising Main Street with the music bumping. Sure, the car may stall at a red light but the stereo will never die.

The classic pickups

There's something empowering about it. Chevy, Ford, Dodge — whatever it is — teenagers still love to drive pickups. Boys like to be boys and pickup trucks are what it’s all about — you may even see a country girl or two as well. Depending on your demographic, you may see the latest Ford F-150 (spoiled?) or grandpa's old Datsun.

One caution to teenagers and pickups, ABC News cited a University of Texas study that shows, “A teenager driving a pickup truck is twice as likely to be involved in a serious accident as a teenager driving a sedan.” Be safe with those wheels.

The flashy car

Every high school has that kid, you know, the one whose parent's bought them a car way ahead of its time and above everyone else's budget.

Take Kim Kardashian for example. Her first car was the BMW 318i, according to people.com. Some parents justify it in the name of safety, others for image and some simply want to give their kids what they want because they can afford it. No matter what opinion you have on the matter, you've seen that kid.

Old, but reliable

When looking around the high school parking lot, older sedans are probably the most prevalent. Honda Civics and Toyota Camrys are common, reliable cars that many parents want their children to drive.

Buying a used car with high-mileage that will last a long time is a good bet for teenagers. Keeping the car in good shape is the key — don’t let the lack of TLC make you send it to the junkyard prematurely.

The junker

Oh it's just a little rust... You've seen them around town, the old, junk cars that make never before heard noises and run on a faith-gasoline blend, yep, those are the ones.

If this was your first car and a hand-me-down you shouldn't be ashamed; according to the Observer Report, “Such was the case of Brad Pitt’s 455 Buick Centurion — which he was allowed to drive even though it belonged to his parents.” Celeste Ubri is a graduate of Brigham Young University–Idaho with BA in Communication, emphasizing in Journalism. EMAIL: cmubri@gmail.com

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Celeste Ubri

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