Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
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
| ...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. | |
|
Replying to: suydam (Aug 20, 2006 3:22 pm) but it's not ONLY about money still, all good stuff to think about |
|
|
Replying to: michaell (Aug 16, 2006 10:24 am) |
|
|
Replying to: odie6l (Aug 16, 2006 4:16 pm)
|
|
|
Replying to: mazdalvr (Aug 24, 2006 6:25 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: alp8 (Aug 24, 2006 8:00 am)
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
Replying to: the_big_al (Jun 27, 2008 3:16 pm) myu only problem with buying them something slow is that we live at the top of a three-mile grade, and it's very dangerous to be coming up that road in the slow lane. but I wouldn't buy them anything that is too speedy, and there's no risk that I'll buy them the nicest car in the lot. This forum would probably be more entertaining if I set the dollar limit lower, at 5 or 10K, as that would pose more of a challenge than the $20K limit. ps It's your dad or mom's fault that you didn't put oil in the car, not yours.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: alp8 (Aug 25, 2006 8:18 am)  . My Grandpa told me I needed to make sure I checked the oil. I unfortunately had failed to do that and since I didn't realize how imperitive that was, I ran the truck out of oil... Anyway, good luck on finding something that will suit your needs. Are you really willing to spend 20K on a car that your kids will drive? I barely spent 20K on the car that we use for a family car. If you wanted to lower your price to between 5K and 10K you could probably get a decent Camry for that price. The model years 1992-2001 (2 different body styles) fall within that range. It isn't "slow" - meaning that it won't be behind the trucks going up steep grades, but it isn't a road rocket either. The insurance rates would probably be more favorable and the cars are pretty reliable. It's not flashy and may not be the star of the parking lot, but at least it will be safe, reliable, probably able to make it up the steep grade you mentioned at Tahoe and be able to hold its own that steep 3 mile grade.... Spending only 5-10K instead of 20K even if money really isn't the issue in my mind makes more sense. Than when she is ready to head off to college she could use that extra money saved for a nice apartment, books, tuition etc... just some more of my 2 cents....
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Smart Shopper Best Car for a new teenage driver
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
