RedCavyRS99

Today's Image-Conscious Youth Embraces Car Culture - Kids Head Back to School in Customized Rides
NADAguides.com Says Sleek, Personalized Cars Are All the Rage With Today's School-Age Youth
PRNewswire

COSTA MESA, Calif., -- Move over baby boomers.
There's a new breed of car buyer in town. According to the experts at
NADAguides.com (http://www.nadaguides.com), a leading vehicle information website,
today's teens are reshaping the way cars are made, bought, sold and customized
in the U.S. What's more, this year's back to school car-buying marketplace
has changed, with today's youth making important car purchasing and
personalization decisions like never before.
"Today's teenage drivers know what they like and want and they're
personalizing their vehicles unlike any other time in our history," said Mark
Perleberg, lead auto expert, NADAguides.com. In the '80's and '90's, it was
all about the latest clothes and computers. In 2004, the car culture is alive
and well, but this time it's different -- kids have the money to purchase and
modify cars and they love to 'show off' their rides at school and around
town."
As a result of this resurgence in 'car culture popularity,' Perleberg says
manufacturers, designers, dealers, and marketers across the country are
changing the way they do business.
"Before, if you customized your car, you risked voiding the original
manufacturer warranty," said Perleberg. "Not so today. Automakers realize
the importance of building brand loyalty with today's youth -- youth that want
to personalize their cars -- and as a result, customization has become
increasingly important too. Today's manufacturer will build a tricked out car
for you, or at the very least, will give you a wealth of ideas about how to
personalize the car yourself. A lot has changed."
A lot has changed indeed. Today, dealerships are more than willing to
finance younger car buyers, something they wouldn't have considered 20 or
30 years ago. What's more, there's a wealth of attractive financing packages
to help younger consumers afford higher-priced cars they typically couldn't
buy in the past.
"And don't forget how the Internet has impacted today's teenage car
buyer," said Perleberg. "10 or 20 years ago, the very best a consumer could
do was to visit dealership after dealership, gathering pricing and
specification information. Today, that information is available at the click
of a mouse, making today's youth some of the most educated and savvy car
shoppers on the market." According to Perleberg, this availability of
information has helped shape the way cars are bought ... and ultimately sold
... at the dealership level.
Finally, it boils down to image. Perleberg says that when it comes to
shaping a kid's image, a cool car is just as important as cool clothes,
gadgets and friends. Car marketers and advertising experts are making that
connection too, generating more and more advertisements and marketing
campaigns geared towards younger buyers.
So what are some of the most popular cars 'making the grade' with today's
teenage drivers? According to NADAguides.com, there are a ton of affordable,
sporty and safe vehicles on the market today -- overall characteristics that
are narrowing the gap between what young drivers want to drive and what their
parents would like them to drive.

Popular Teen Vehicle Choices
1. Toyota SR5 (Pickup)
2. Subaru WRX STi
3. Honda Civic
4. Jeep Wrangler
5. Ford F-150

Popular Parent Vehicle Choices
1. Toyota Camry
2. Honda Civic
3. Ford Explorer Sport
4. Ford Mustang V-6
5. Dodge Neon

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...2004,+11:39+AM

JoeN

why does it not surprise me that a honda civic is on that list.
Kids are stupid thats all i have to say on that.

zstyle

The Civic is on both lists, hence it's popularity. I think everyone is getting tired of Civics though. I gotta say I wish the Cobalt success, but I hope the 4 door is the big seller because I want the coupe and especially the SS to be fairly unique, not belly-button cars like the Civic and Sunfire/Cavalier.

BigRed

the way I look at that, is that everyone will buy the 2 door, but base and ls/lt models; not the SS, keeping it relatively unique.

I'm sick of seeing civics; but when I see a SiR(american SI) on the street, I don't think of it as a civic, I just think "nice car"

except the new ones, damn, whoever shrunk the minivan should un-shrink it!

LScoupeTUNER

You see...i m a smart teenaged, highschooler...i pass on the rice and got a Balt instead.,...to much rice at my highschool anyway...so i print this picture out and give it to them =-)



or this one

MachiBLue

Holy Post Revival..

daves129

What the **** is that???? Pure rice....I hate rice.

TVS_SS

all the way from 2004!!

Jackalope

They do know that the Neon is like a tin can in an accident right? I damn sure wouldn't want my girls in a Neon!

denn454

iTrader: (1)

How did an STi make that list? I'm sure a lot of kids want one, but how many can afford them? unless the new models cost less, which i would believe as i've seen more of the new STi's than previous models.

If they said wrx I would totally buy that, they aren't cheap but there are some kids with generous parents that could afford them.

and I had a 1975 vega in high school. I miss that car.

sensesfail99

I wouldnt say kids are stupid for liking civics.... First off its not a very fast car, its easy to drive, not too exspensive, easy to find and really easy to find parts for... If u asked me id say it is a pretty decent choice for a newer driver. Its also a car that can be easily modified and once again is a good place to start learning....

So I would say... Your stupid for thinking what you do.... i bet you dont "like" hondas because its the "cool thing to do"

djcasper_bpm

i am just an american boy who likes american toys..

pimpnwink

iTrader: (1)

i chose the balt straight up no questions asked had an awesome price and everything i want - almost didnt test drive it.

Schultzay

The coupe is the big seller, no one gets sedans and if they do its not the ss its the base model ones. I got the SS sedan though, and i love it. There's only one other ss sedan i've ever seen, so i'd say its what's going to be unique. And i don't think the civics are going anywhere, as long as they're cheaper and get good gas mileage people will keep buying them up.