My Gen Y daughter just bought her first car at auction, saving thousands of dollars on the retail value of the vehicle, and just this past week got her license on her first attempt.

I would like to think that she is smarter than the rest, because she has her dad’s brains, but read on and find out what a whole lot of her generation are doing when it comes to buying cars.

“Computers are turning into the hot rods of the 21st century.” states Neil McDonald of The Courier Mail.

“Unlike their parents, Gen Y is bypassing car ownership and driving the cyber highway to stay in touch with friends. Few see cars as necessary and increasingly they are staying at home, using social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace to hook up with friends.

A study into young buyer attitudes by global automotive analyst company JD Power has global implications for car brands increasingly trying to snare a younger audience.

The company’s Australian managing director, Brian Fine, believes the findings could change the way brands deal with younger buyers. ‘For car companies, younger buyers are their starting point,’ he said. ‘If they don’t get them at the early stages then they are probably going to have a tougher sell later on.’

The survey found that the global economic crisis has made young people more aware of the costs involved with owning and fueling a vehicle.

JD Power analyzed more than 300,000 online conversations among teenagers aged 12-18 and more than 475,000 online conversations among uni graduates and young workers aged 22-29 over an eight-month period.”

Source: The Courier Mail