I follow the same general lines as Raketenjagdpanzer - your initial cash is more like "buying points."
For initial 5th Division starts, I also use the availability values - if I roll it as unavailable, you can't buy it in your initial creation shopping spree.
- "Your original issue gas mask gave out, and you haven't been close enough to the front of the line when they gave out re- issues" or
- "You cannot beg, borrow or steal another box of 7.62mm N. So, your M60 is down to your last full belt..." or
- "The only Parker Hales you've seen in the last 6 months were in the hands of someone carrying it, or in pieces in the armorer's shop."
Usually, common stuff is available, but not always.
Yes, you can buy a vehicle - if it's available.
I won't necessarily give players a choice on wear values (randomly rolled), but then they are not forced to buy the vehicle either.
Other campaigns I have been in, the GM may assign a vehicle (or not) if appropriate to the setting and circumstances of the scenario. In a couple, we were a team assigned to a mission, and were assigned vehicles; extra equipment was very limited. In another, vehicles were in appropriate; we were each given a horse instead, and a wagon for the group.
Uncle Ted