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Smart Shopper Best Car for a new teenage driver
554 messages, Last post on Nov 08, 2009 at 7:33 PM
You are in the Smart Shopper Forum. Your Hosts are kirstie_h & tidester
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I had a car in high school, which my twin brother kept our first year in college (at my school, Freshman were not allowed cars), but he was in the city, so it was a bit of a pain for him. Sophomore year, I kept the car, which was nice at times, but a big pain more often (people wanting to borrow it, being foolish enough to say yes), just another thing for my already-overwhelmed head didn't need....things were a bit unstable, I had no money, I was partying too much, it was just another distraction, another burden, and it just was kind of...a crutch. Made it real easy to be one of those suitcase college kids. I did kind of 'need' the car, though, since I went to NIU (DeKalb, IL) and when I went away to school, my parents moved out of state (to St. Louis and Connecticut); nice, huh? Anyway, if your family situation is somewhat 'normal', the kid isn't too far away and other transportation to and from (you pick them up, they car pool with locals, Amtrak, Greyhound, cheap flights) are an option, I wouldn't recommend sending junior away to school with a car. I mean, if you and they couldn't afford the car, that wouldn't be an option, so why is it just because you can...does my reasoning make sense? I think for most kids, it's a burden and responsibility they don't need and many can't handle, whether you're aware of that at the time or not. Remember, college freshman are 18, which doesn't make them adults anywhere except in the eyes of creditors and the armed services, IMO. |
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2 of my kids went to college 500 miles away, and we got very tired quickly of transporting them to and fro or paying for airfares. I love not having to do that! My oldest child's car was a stick shift, which few college students can drive, so it didn't become the "dorm car". All I'm saying is it's not a bad idea to have college (or elsewhere -- one of our kids joined the Navy) in the back of your mind as a possibility when you consider a car for a high school student. It may not work out -- the car could get wrecked or be mechanically unsound, they could become commuter students -- but a car that gets good gas mileage and has enough room to tote stuff has the potential to save you shopping for yet another car come college time.
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| ...in that case, it made more sense, financially and from a time standpoint, for your kids to have cars. 500 miles is a pretty long way, especially with $3+ gas, and running there and back TWICE (to both pick your kids off and drop them off) at holidays or other breaks would be obnoxious and expensive. I was about 300 miles from my mom, that was bad enough, though gas back then (1987-88) was pretty cheap, so even with a large car (77 Caprice), I probably only spent about $20-25 each way on gas. | |
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Replying to: suydam (Aug 20, 2006 3:22 pm) but it's not ONLY about money still, all good stuff to think about |
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Replying to: michaell (Aug 16, 2006 10:24 am) |
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Replying to: odie6l (Aug 16, 2006 4:16 pm)
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Replying to: mazdalvr (Aug 24, 2006 6:25 am)
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Replying to: alp8 (Aug 24, 2006 8:00 am)
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Replying to: kirstie_h (Aug 24, 2006 8:27 am) I'd be surprised if my daughter goes that way. One of them is wayyy more likely to go nuts on the interior, tricking it out in velvet or something. But you never know. Danicka Patrick is having an impact, I'd guess. As is Pimp My Ride. |
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Here is my 2 cents worth... First note that I am only in my mid twenties and my child can't even say the word car yet, but I still want to throw in my 2 cents have recently been in the exact postition this forum is discussing... I am the oldest of 4 with the last one still at home. In my high school days I went through 3 vehicles. One for every year I drove. My advice? Get something cheap that can be thrown away, and don't let them break in a new motor. In my case, my Grandfather let me break in a new motor on a car he had and it was dead within 6 months. I had no idea about maintenance or having pride in something. I didn't pay out for the car so I really didn't care for it. Car #2: Parents bought an old 100K mile vehicle from a family friend. I took out a loan from the bank to fix it up. They paid insurance, but I paid for everything else. Gas, parts to fix it up, etc. I took better care of it because I had to come up with the money to keep it on the road, and I was not given an allowance each week. Even with my "care" it was still dead within the year. Mostly due to the condition I recieved it in and which couldn't be helped, but I am sure that the way I drove it didn't help either. 115 MPH at redline probably doesn't do very well for a car on it's last legs. Car #3: Old farm truck that my Grandfather had that he let me drive until Car #2 was repaired. Never repaired Car #2 because Car #3 had the motor blow (I unknowingly ran it out of oil). Replaced motor in Car #3 because it was cheaper than Car #2. Car #3 became the vehicle I drove the longest and took the best care of. Again I paid for everything, but I was working a better job and had more money to spend on it. So my point is, I don't see a problem buying a car for your kids. My parents helped or bought my sister's a vehicle when it was time. They were much nicer to their vehicles as they only went through one car their entire highschool career. One of them is still on the road today. They other was wrecked a year or so after the 2nd sister graduated. Anyway, buy a car for your kids. But make sure even if you can afford it, it ain't the nicest car in the parking lot. I don't car how popular it is to have a nice car. Don't fork out a lot of money for it. The kid(s) will trash it. Or maybe they won't. But that doesn't mean you still have to spoil them. Get them a car that cost less than 5K. There are reliable vehicles out ther for less than 5K. It can be a small truck, a 4 door sedan or a station wagon, but I don't think it should be a coupe. I would also recomend you pay thier insurance if you can afford it, but that's it. The rest is up to them. The gas, the maintenance, I would suggest that if you can show them how to change thier own oil, and how to do simple checks like fluids and tire pressure. Also show them how to change a flat tire so when the need arises you don't have to go rescue them. If it's major repairs like a tranny or motor, than maybe help a little, but I would try and avoid this by purchasing a vehicle that isn't prone to having these things happen... hence they will be stuck in a family moblie such as an older Accord or Camry or an older Nissan or Toyota truck... they would make great 1st vehicles as they run forever and are insanely slow. What ever you do, don't run out and buy them a brand new Civic or Jeep or anything brand new... I just don't think they can learn anything that way.... that just my 2 cents worth.
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