How to Get Your Parents to Buy You a Car

If your only ride has two wheels and a bell, convince your parents to upgrade you to something with a little more oomph.

Step 1: Discuss safety issues Discuss the safety issues of walking or riding a bike near a busy intersection as opposed to driving safely in a car.
Step 2: Discuss safety issues Remind your parents how much gas and time they will save by not carting you around.
Step 3: Offer to pay Offer to take on part of the financial burden of owning a car such as paying for insurance, maintenance costs, and registration fees.
TIP: Research the financial responsibility of car ownership and the types of cars that are the most reliable and cheapest to maintain.
Step 4: Offer to help Offer to run errands, go to the store, or shuttle siblings to and from appointments and activities.
Step 5: Create a contract Create a contract in which you and your parents agree to a driving curfew, passenger rules, and consequences of not following the rules.
TIP: Post the contract in plain view to remind both parties of their responsibilities.
Step 6: Find insurance discounts Use the internet to find insurance discounts that reward student performance and negotiate with them to keep your grades up and get a your very own car at the same time.
FACT: A 2003 survey found that 40 percent of parents buy new cars because of the birth of a child.