[mbeals]

You are actually buying it, right? You aren't buying it on parental-credit (aka giving it to you)?

First off, offer to pay for as much of the insurence as you can as well as pay for gas. Work out an arrangment with them...show them you want to take responsibility, and are willing to put buisness ahead of fun. How would you feel if you were spending a bunch of money so that I could have a car and instead of helping you out, I dropped a bunch of money into the car?

Then do the research and plan out what you want to do to the car. "I want to add 10 15" subs for mad BASS" isn't a plan. I'm talking a good, thought out plan, including actual equipment you will need (make a list with prices) and what kind of install will be involved. Do you have a friend who has done this before? Bring him in.

The point is when you tell your parents you want to upgrade the sound system, you can tell them EXACTLY what you are going to do, how much it will cost, how long your car will be in pieces in their garage, etc. And don't talk down to them like they know nothing of car audio....we are smarter then you think, we know when you are bull shitting us to get what you want and we don't appreciate it.

You need to prove to them that you will do a good job with this and it won't turn into a half finished project sitting in the garage, something that keeps breaking and they will have to ultimately pay to fix, or something that's just going to piss off the whole neighborhood.

If you can't convince them to let you do the "grand plan", scale it back and try to find something you can agree on. Then later on, propose a new component. IE start with a new head unit. Ask for door speakers for christmas. Build a box next summer, etc...

But in the end, remember that even if you "own" the car, you are still living in their house and they are paying for more than you can imagine, so if they still say no, respect their decision and don't go behind their back.