Millenial Car Guys...ahem...Car Persons

SteedSpeed

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Did you assume my species? I need to go to my safe place...

Seriously though many red flags with up and coming generations are rooted in societal issues. It's a multifaceted problem, but many can be solved in the home.

There are a good number of people from my generation that do not fall into the millennial stereotype. They go less noticed because they often are less engaged in the thousands of social media platforms than their more vocal counterparts, showing a bias toward the stereotype.

That said I think judging people based on their ability to turn a wrench may be oversimplifying. I would honestly judge based on their desire to understand and engage in these types of acitivities. Genuine disinterest is fine, but thinking you are above such work is problematic.

I would love nothing more than to have a project and get elbows deep in a build and cut my teeth on a project, but it's just not in the cards. Paying my way through graduate school and taking care of my small family takes precedence over such things, so I just bide my time and live vicariously through many of you guys on here.
 

SlySy

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This reminds me of a friend of mine, his folks gave him a Jeep Cherokee. This was a few years ago. We meet up at another friends of mine apartment and he had gotten a flat. When I got there he was carrying on about his tire so I offered to change it for him. He said, "You can do that?" I said "Yup." So, I was changing the thing for him and when I started to put the spare on he goes, "Oh, I see now, you use the 'same bolts' to put it back on with." Yeah, most people seem to be clueless about doing simple car maintenance themselves now-a-days.
 

mcaligiuri

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Im 30 and have a 4 year old daughter and 2 year old son. They are always helping me around the house fixing stuff. My daughter is gonna be like marisa tomei in my counsin vinny, she will be teaching guys how to change their oil. I already told my wife my kids will not be allowed to drive unless they can change their own tire and check fluids. It will help keep them safe.
 

xavier296

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I'm not a millennial, but who is paying $60k for a scat pack car when you can buy a HC for that & is it really $107 for an oil change on a Challenger?!

I'm 35, paid $42k for a fully loaded scat pack for my wife, and can do anything but paint work in my garage.

I'm a city born and raised nerd, but I have rebuilt, redone, restomodded almost every kind of car as a hobby. I just love working on cars, and teach and motivate my 70 year old father to work on his cars.

But that brings to my problem: I have one best friend who is a real car guy, but otherwise I can't find guys my age with any hobbies other than watching sports. And many old car guys seem unable to stop trying to "one up." Don't those guys see that constant one upping doesn't encourage young people to join their clubs????

I had a 75 year old guy turn red yelling loudly how his 396 4-speed 67 Camaro gets 28 mpg after I told him he was wrong. (I have a 68 'maro with an LS3, and it never gets that good, even on the hwy)

I may not count as a millennial, but you will find many more guys here that work on cars than in the real world.

Btw: my 16 month old already turns his scooter on the side and "works" on it!
 

Mpoitrast87

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I'm 22. Been working on cars since I was 10. I get told all time by the older guys at my work that I shouldn't be a millennial. They say I'm to hard working to be considered one.
 

Machdup1

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I disagree with this stereotype of millennials as incompetent. The millennials that I know are serious car guys. They work on different cars than me, but they are full on addicted to cars. I also think that there are more of them than there were in my generation.

They have their hobbyist mechanics and racers and are at least as good as my generation (who only learned from their buddy down the street, who learned it from his dad, uncle or neighbor, as there was no Internet). They have access to unlimited information on their cars and an interesting culture has developed because of it.

One of the younger ones is who I go to for automotive advice. At thirty he is a dedicated road racer, detail oriented mechanic, owns a home, manages his finances and is has a unshakable value system. Based on my experience, that generation will come around and we will eventually be in good hands.
 

R.D.P.

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There is definitely an issue, both with the number of 20 somethings that are even interested in car modding and the amount of knowledge the average 20 something has. I worry more about the low number of 20 something car guys because it is\will lead to the decline of car culture. The good news is that the ones that are into it can still find like minded people because of the internet.
 

Zemedici

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I do find it difficult to find car guys my age, but as RDP said, that's what the internet is for :) hahaha
 

black4vcobra

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32 here, do all my own work on my cars though I will admit I would be in over my head on rebuilding an engine without the help of someone more experienced.

Some "men" of my generation are complete pussies and are afraid to get their hands dirty. I think the problem stems from the desire to make a car look good (at least in the owner's mind) instead of perform better. This whole "stance" fad the kids are into needs to be taken out back and put down like a sick animal.
 

13COBRA

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So......

You get on a car forum to reassure that younger people like cars and understand how they work. Well SURPRISE! Everyone on here likes cars.

Not sure what opposition, if any, you were looking for.

But yeah, I'm a millennial. I'm not a complete waste of sperm.
 

Dirks9901

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31 and I hate everything about my generation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MarcSpaz

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If you are sticking up for this generation as a whole... you are making a mistake. Sure, there may be a few exceptions... but never before has a generation of grow American people demand safe spaces from words and opposing opinions, while attacking those with opposing opinions. Never before has a generation of adults in America cried, had emotional breakdowns, and rioted in the streets because their POTUS candidate lost, regardless of how much they cheated and lied. Never before has a generation of Americans hated liberty and success.

Seriously... With the exception of a chosen few, they suck. According to an exhaustive report by political scientists Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk in the Journal of Democracy, young people today are considerably more authoritarian and antidemocratic by attitude and temperament than any other generational cohort, especially baby boomers. Only 30 percent think that it’s “essential” to live in a country with a democratic system of government, and a terrifying 24 percent actually think that a democratic system of government is a bad thing. Only 32 percent of millennials think that it’s “absolutely essential” that “civil rights protect people’s liberty.” According to a Pew Research Center report, 40 percent of millennials want the government to ban “offensive” speech.

So basically, the Generation at large want everyone else to sit down, shut up and hand them everything.

Sorry... not a fan
 

blckRadda

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27 and I love cars, play PS4 and work on my car with my two year old daughter from time to time to the point she now picks up tools and act like she is helping out. I love cars and love working on mine even more, but I have the passion for it, and is like my own personal therapy, keeps my mind of of all the BS going on in the world, those few hours are mine and mine alone. So I don't look down or shake my head at those who don't want to or can not. Most men on this site that that falls under gen Y can change their tire and do their own oil.

As a dad I guess you could have my mind set, I'll teach my daughter when the time comes how to change her own tire check her fluid levels and maybe even change her own oil being that I love working on my car and she likes being around me when I am doing it shes going to learn naturally just like a lot of us did. I would let her know at the very least look for a man that can do what you can, otherwise your dating a female with a penis and i doubt he'll be hinds on with anything else in life
 

13COBRA

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If you are sticking up for this generation as a whole... you are making a mistake. Sure, there may be a few exceptions... but never before has a generation of grow American people demand safe spaces from words and opposing opinions, while attacking those with opposing opinions. Never before has a generation of adults in America cried, had emotional breakdowns, and rioted in the streets because their POTUS candidate lost, regardless of how much they cheated and lied. Never before has a generation of Americans hated liberty and success.

Seriously... With the exception of a chosen few, they suck. According to an exhaustive report by political scientists Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk in the Journal of Democracy, young people today are considerably more authoritarian and antidemocratic by attitude and temperament than any other generational cohort, especially baby boomers. Only 30 percent think that it’s “essential” to live in a country with a democratic system of government, and a terrifying 24 percent actually think that a democratic system of government is a bad thing. Only 32 percent of millennials think that it’s “absolutely essential” that “civil rights protect people’s liberty.” According to a Pew Research Center report, 40 percent of millennials want the government to ban “offensive” speech.

So basically, the Generation at large want everyone else to sit down, shut up and hand them everything.

Sorry... not a fan


I see your points. BUT there are plenty of people your age that suck as well.

I'm so confident about it that I can guarantee it without even knowing your age.

I don't believe in excuses, however a lot of the entitlement issues are centered around their parents saying one sentence; "I want my kids to have a better life than me". At that point the parents assist and help the kids to a point where they no longer know how to do things for themselves.

Much like a wild animal. If you take a wild animal at birth and raise it in your house and take care of it day in and day out....10 years later when you decide to release it into the wild, it will not make it.
 

351stang

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My point was to generate a discussion and get people's point of view. I agree that it isn't a statistical control group, but that isn't the point.

I think a few of the interesting points are:

-"Millennial" generation covers 15+ years and there are probably distinctions between the 20 year olds and the 35 year olds.

-Generation definitions are stereotypes, but are based off the cultural trends at the time. Individuals are obviously not bound to the generational stereotype.

-Lots of interesting comments
 

01yellercobra

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I'm 38 and my son turns 16 next month. Yeah, we bought him a $500 car. But it had a rod knock and it has to be fixed before it's officially his. So far he's done most of the work pulling the original engine and was on point pulling the junk yard engine. Both of my kids have been out in the garage with me since they were little. I don't expect them to have my level of interest, but they're going to know the basics at least.

Oh, and my son has bragged to his friends about the work he's done on his car.
 

Zemedici

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FWIW:

My father has a very minute interest in cars. IE "oh that cars cool looking", not NEAR the interest I have. Everything I've learned I taught myself, long hours researching / testing / learning. And I currently run a performance shop, and I'm 24. So dont cout us all out ;)

13Cobra, zhisel, myself, DHG, and a bunch of other members are under 30 and have got our shit together.
 

NasteeNate

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I learned on my own and from my friend and his pops. I changed the oil on my mustang since I was in my teens. I scraped up money to buy tools and fix things that needed to be fix. I would say I am mechanically inclined but not a expert. I really do not fit in this category at all.
 

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