How much of your car enthusiasm got passed on to your kiddos?

"505Turbeaux" (505turbeaux) 01/10/2014 at 14:07 • Filed to: None

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My daughters first coherent word after "Mom" was "Ya-Wah" and pointing at the XJ8 and 6 that were in the driveway. Porch-Uh's post made me think of if my car love and trying to get my 2 girls at least to the point of being able to change oil and tires before getting their licenses. My eldest at almost 5 still tells me she wants to be a mechanic, okay AND a princess. At 1.5 she was driving with the wheel of my Wagoneer on my lap (ran over my cart charger, my fault). My oldest has a new beetle toy that is one of the faves, and my youngest has the same as an air cooled one. How much do your kids love things with wheels?

And for my last pic, my youngest didn't even get out of the hospital before seeing the Peugeot logo...though that was a long night. Excuse the hair

monsieurbuick > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:16

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Nice post! You're a good dad.

505Turbeaux > monsieurbuick 01/10/2014 at 14:16

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thanks!

CalzoneGolem > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:16

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My boy is 4 he is all about cars and dinosaurs. He loves to help my fix things and he loves to climb up into Rat-L-Trap's cab whenver he can and "drive."

My daughter is 10. She's already had some wheel time driving up and down our road, but I don't think it really did anything for her. She's already decided her first car will be a new beetle.

This yeah I will get Rat-L-Trap on the road and then we'll see them clambering to go for rides. Before I tore it down we went for a couple drives around a circular driveway. They had a blast.

Bad Idea Hat > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:17

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My 2 year old daughter can pick out her Mercedes diecast by name. I ask her what the Fiat is, and she laughs.

When we play automation, she laughs at the inline engines I make. Then I make a V8 crossplane, and she sits and stares.

I don't know what kind of monster I'm creating here.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:18

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The Finnlet (< 2yr) loves his Matchbox cars. He can tell the Corvettes and the Subaru. All the rest are "race cars". Had him "helping" me diagnose the STI when he was a few months old assuming being held while screaming counts as helping. He helped fix a hydraulic line on the tractor around the same time. If sleeping in his car seat on the floor of the garage counts as helping. He seems to like riding in "dad's big red truck" more than moms car (Escape). Plus he got a signed Ken Block poster this year from the LSPR. Even though it was nap time when we were at Parc Expose he seemed to like looking at the cars.

505Turbeaux > CalzoneGolem 01/10/2014 at 14:18

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nice! 4 is a great age. so you are almost out of day care hell?

505Turbeaux > Bad Idea Hat 01/10/2014 at 14:20

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a good one. I got to explain (with the help of Jalopnik gif's) how different engines work a few weeks back

CalzoneGolem > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:20

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I think we've got one more year. His birthday is in December so he might not be able to get into school until 2015.

505Turbeaux > CalzoneGolem 01/10/2014 at 14:21

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ah yeah I think he is right on the cusp. If he is ready you might be able to fight for it

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:21

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My daughter (2 1/2 years old) has a couple tubs of Hot Wheels. She's had them since she was about 9 months old and has steadily been getting more. I have never had to pick them out for her, she picks them out herself at the store and she's done a pretty damn good job. She goes for Lambo's, 4-wheelers, a One-77, etc. etc. She absolutely loves the movie Cars and Mater's Tall Tales. I feel as though I have won the kid jackpot. Now if number two (due in late May) can be the same!

Bad Idea Hat > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:23

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I actually think she already has both my moderate mechanical ability and my clumsiness. That's a tragic combination. Her Fiat's front seats pop out individually. The other night, she popped out the passenger seat. I asked her why she kept the driver seat. She laughed, and launched the car.

Well hell...

CalzoneGolem > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:24

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Yeah we'll try to figure it out this year. I think he's ready for it. He getting some pre-schooling at daycare now. I don't think mommy is going to be ready for it. I still remember our eldest's first day.

505Turbeaux > CalzoneGolem 01/10/2014 at 14:30

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haha next year for me! Going to be interesting for sure

CalzoneGolem > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:31

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Be strong brother, be strong!

Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:34

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None yet because I don't have kids, because I'm 22. But I plan on trying to pass on as much as I can. I know My RSTi will go to my oldest after they learn how to drive and have a few years of experience, if they want it. I plan on keeping that car in my family as long as possible even if it needs another engine transplant in 10 years, I may go with an FA20 turbo then.

midengineer > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:35

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Someone seriously needs to turn one of these pictures into a 'Parenting, you're doing it right' meme.

505Turbeaux > midengineer 01/10/2014 at 14:38

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thanks!

RacecaR > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 14:53

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I have two little girls, 8 and 4. They know the car in the garage up on jackstands is "daddy's car". They keep asking me when it is going to be fixed so we can drive around in it. It is being sold (almost given away actually) to a buddy of mine who will put it back together with a V6TT swapped.

Anywho, I have always tried to include them when I am working in the garage, but only if they want. I am not going to force my hobbies on them. But almost always without fail, if I am out there, one of them is with me. They will hand me tools, or just "work" on the car with me.
On easier tasks, I let them help me. They will turn a wrench or screwdriver, or they will sit next to me and I will explain what I am doing or show them how things work. The younger one has even sat and helped me change oil in our miniature van.

For almost a year now, I have been letting our oldest start the car. I want her to get a feel for the car way before she starts driving. I believe that way she will be somewhat "familiar" once she gets behind the wheel for the first time.

And when I am looking at cars either for my next daily or my next toy car, I ask them what they think about it.

The oldest has been to watch autoX with me before. And we have sat and watched Top Gear together too. They seem to enjoy it. But like I said, Im not going to force it on them.

They both also play with whatever small cars I have laying around.

RacecaR > RacecaR 01/10/2014 at 14:56

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505Turbeaux > RacecaR 01/10/2014 at 14:58

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yep, just like religion, dont force it on them or they will reject it. they have always wanted to help out. They at least are learning the fundamentals and not being scared of fixing something, anything because of some perceived gender role

RacecaR > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 15:02

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I also look at it as a way to weed out losers as my girls begin to date. In my mind, it will hopefully go like this...
Boy: Hey yo, you want to go out tomorrow night?
One of my daughters: Ah, I have to change the oil in my car. You can come help if you want.
Boy: Uh...I don't know how to do that. I just take mine to Oily Monkey and have them change it...
One of my daughters: Ohh..umm BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Good bye then!

505Turbeaux > RacecaR 01/10/2014 at 15:06

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lol yeah I agree 100%. My ex was just telling me the other day how bummed out she was that she was riding with her boyfriend and they got a flat in his car. He said oh we have to wait for AAA, even though they were able to get it into a slow parking lot safe off the road. Although she was lacking knowledge herself, she was not impressed. Changing a flat tire should be on the goddamn drivers test

JACU - I've got bonifides. > 505Turbeaux 01/10/2014 at 16:23

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My daughters are currently 35 and 33 years old. Oldest knows nothing about cars, and the younger is pretty savvy and what I would term an enthusisast. She drove an early nineties Mitsubishi Mirage coupe all the way through college and med school, and her first new car purchase was a 2012 Impreza Sport Limited. She really wanted the XV Crosstrek but the Mirage was really on it's last legs and she could not afford to wait until the new model year.

From grade school to middle school she went to autocrosses with me and learned how to change her own oil, and even installed her own radio and speakers in the old Mirage.

The one biggest rule her mom and I raised her on was to be self-sufficient. I think it worked!