Where I grew up, most 17 year olds had cars. You can't exist without a car in the suburbs, and as soon as you can drive, you get one. Opens up a lot of employment opportunities, and not having one used to be a social death sentence, although these days kids are probably too busy on their phones to even realize they've turned 17.
I actually did have to go uphill both ways to school! My parents house was next to a school at the top of a hill but there was a fence that blocked the most direct route through someone's yard. I had to go all the way down, around and back up.
Before Cash for Clunkers there were plenty of sub-$1000, perfectly serviceable cars. A college classmate drove a $400 car and it never gave him problems.
Where I grew up in the UK in the 1990’s. The insurance cost was £1250 per year to insure me when I was 17, Which was about $2500 USD at the time. So I didn’t have a car. My insurance is ~£200 per year now…
Fairly common where I grew up in rural new hampshire. Buying a car would often be the first thing you'd do after working for a year or two. Otherwise, you'd need to borrow a car, or bum rides to get anywhere.
I knew teenagers driving cars was a thing in the US but I assumed they were driving their parents' cars. How do they afford it? I still don't own a car because I don't need one where I live.
My first car was $500, my second was $200. You buy used and old. Myself and most of my friends were willing to work on them ourselves for minor repairs that were needed. Lots of kids got hand me downs as their parents bought themselves a new car. There were lots of cheap clunkers to be had back in the day. No idea what the used market looks like these days though…
