peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,390 
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Post by peaname on Aug 10, 2017 21:59:05 GMT
My son just got his learners permit. As much as I want to be the parent who buys her kid a car I don't want to be the parent of a kid who was handed a car. My mother in law is selling her low mileage 12 year old Corolla and my son doesn't have enough money to buy it so we are buying it as our third car and we'll let him use it on occasion but it won't be his. When he has the money he can buy it from us.
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Mary Kay Lady
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PeaNut 367,913 Refupea number 1,638
Posts: 3,116
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Post by Mary Kay Lady on Aug 10, 2017 22:07:27 GMT
I have 2 sons. DS#1 got his first job at 17. He worked and saved for a year and paid $4,000 cash for his first car. We called it his "learning car." He was born in 1993 and his car was a 1996 Ford Taurus. He is a good driver, but he did slide on a rain slick overpass and got some dents in it, but nothing that made it undrivable and more importantly, he was unharmed. He continued to drive it for another couple of years until he was spending a lot of money monthly to keep it running. He now drives a Honda Accord and has a bank note on it.
DS#2 got his first job this spring and is working to save up for his first car. He'll probably have enough by spring break. We'll do the same thing with him as we did with his brother. Find the best car we can for the money and he'll drive it until it becomes too expensive to operate.
They both have to pay for all of their insurance, gas, and repairs to their cars. I'm teaching them to be adults.
By getting a job and working for a year to earn enough to buy their first car it teaches them the value of a dollar. I want them to know how hard it is to earn the money so they appreciate it. I also want them to experience the pride and self-satisfaction of buying their first car for themselves and pay CASH for it.
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Peal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,524
Jun 25, 2014 22:45:40 GMT
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Post by Peal on Aug 10, 2017 22:07:43 GMT
We have a car that is available for our teen to drive. It is very old, but reliable. His brother learned to drive in it and took it to college. When he bought his own car this spring that car reverted back to our use and our soon to be 16 yo will drive it. It is not in our budget to purchase another car right now. If something happens to the car DS will drive, he may be without a car for a little while.
If we were wealthy enough to buy our kids new cars when they started driving, we probably would. But we aren't. And I suspect the majority of the population isn't either.
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MizIndependent
Drama Llama
Quit your bullpoop.
Posts: 5,927
Jun 25, 2014 19:43:16 GMT
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Post by MizIndependent on Aug 10, 2017 22:21:10 GMT
I don't even have a brand new car, I'm certainly not going to get a first time, inexperienced driver one! Holy smokes! Can't think of a better way to encourage entitlement in a teen.  Reading this thread to my soon to be 18 year old DS, who got a new car at 16 courtesy of grandpa. Can you believe that entitled little shit said that when it's time for him to get a new car, he'll buy used because new cars depreciate in value too much... That's just basic common sense.  |
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Post by peano on Aug 11, 2017 0:26:28 GMT
Reading this thread to my soon to be 18 year old DS, who got a new car at 16 courtesy of grandpa. Can you believe that entitled little shit said that when it's time for him to get a new car, he'll buy used because new cars depreciate in value too much... That's just basic common sense. That is in no way common sense. He would not have learned this unless someone consciously taught him, e. g. his parents. It's the mind set of an unentitled 18 year old, reared by a mother whose own sense of entitlement has caused her a world of pain throughout her life and vowed to do better by her own child. |
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Post by AussieMeg on Aug 11, 2017 1:41:13 GMT
Well seeing that I have never in my life owned a brand new car, in over 30 years of driving and owning cars - that would be a BIG FAT NO! 1. Cars depreciate too quickly (which is why I've never bought a brand new car) 2. Teenagers are far more likely to damage a car in their first few years of driving I understand the benefits of having a new car eg. (1) more reliable / fewer repairs and (2) better safety features. But I think you can get those benefits in a car that is 2-4 years old, and several thousand dollars cheaper. If I was very wealthy I would consider buying a brand new car for my kids. But I'm not so I wouldn't. |
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Post by ilovesmores on Aug 11, 2017 2:03:48 GMT
We bought our son a new car when he was 16 1/2. We bought him a new Spark that was actually the last model year so we got a good deal on it. It was actually cheaper on insurance once we got that car than it was to have him just as an insured driver on one of ours. We had saved money for a while knowing that he was going to need his own car (lots of after school activities). We just didn't feel comfortable with the used cars we could afford with what we had saved, but that amount paid for a whole year of payments. DS understood that when the year was up, it was up to him to make the payments. It works for us. He has a reliable car and when he graduates from college he'll have a car with no payments that he can trade in on something newer or just keep driving and saving the payments for something else.
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paget
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,461
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:39 GMT
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Post by paget on Aug 11, 2017 2:19:24 GMT
Dd1 was given use of our old 10+ year minivan when she turned 16 and I got a new car. Then she saved and bought her own car after college. When it came time for dd3 to drive, the mini van was even older and not working and not worth repairing. We searched for a car for her but used car prices were insane! I'm seriously curious what kind of used cars you all are buying for your kids. Everything was 150k miles and over $5000. We ended up leasinf a brand new small cheap car for her. We traded the mini van in as down payment which was a total win for us since it wasn't running and we just wanted to be rid of it- they came and towed it away! We got a three year lease and in total paid way less than the cheapest old car we could find! And we had the bonus of knowing it would not break down or need repairs. Did never had a ticket or accident and was very grateful. I'd do again in a heartbeat!
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paget
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,461
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:39 GMT
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Post by paget on Aug 11, 2017 2:26:28 GMT
I also have to shake my head at the posts about making your kid earn it and know the value of the dollar, etc. that's great and may be fine and needed for some kids but that's not the only way to learn it. Dd - who given the brand new leased car (and had parents pay gas and insurance)- is the most frugal, responsible, hardworking person I know! She worked (along with a crazy activity schedule and honors 4.0) and saved almost every single dollar she earned. She has more than enough to buy her own car when she needs one again after college.
Some peers had it "better" than her with new luxury cars and some had it harder- paying their own gas/insurance. She was grateful. And we paid those things as mostly our Convenience anyway. She had a crazy schedule and always on the go- we couldn't get her everywhere she needed to be so we had her do it funded by us. None of the decisions are wrong - it's what works for you family, situation, budget, and values.
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mlana
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,525
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Post by mlana on Aug 11, 2017 7:45:07 GMT
When my dd turned 16, I gave her my 2003 Acura MDX. If I didn't have my old car to give her I would have still looked for a good used Honda or Toyota product. Unfortunately, she totaled it last year and needed another car. I ended up buying a 2012 Honda CR-V and spent about $5000 more than I had intended but i justified it because it has a few more safety features and I told her this would be our "soccer car" and would need to get her through college at the very least. She was also driving 3 hours two days a week to play soccer and I wanted something dependable and get good gas mileage. That car also needed to get us to all of her out of town games and stuff. So far, it has been a great car. She is only 4'10" so I also had to find something for her size. That is harder than you might think! My DD is 4'9" and drives pretty much anything. LOL I'm 5' even and I can't do that. Like your DD, I have to carefully choose my vehicles. DD drives a Honda Accord and I drive an Odyssey. Acura is the high end version of Honda, right? Seems Honda might be a good fit for us shorties. Does the MDX have the adjustable pedals? My Odyssey does and I may never buy another vehicle without them. Marcy |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 21:03:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2017 10:28:20 GMT
I also have to shake my head at the posts about making your kid earn it and know the value of the dollar, etc. that's great and may be fine and needed for some kids but that's not the only way to learn it. Dd - who given the brand new leased car (and had parents pay gas and insurance)- is the most frugal, responsible, hardworking person I know! She worked (along with a crazy activity schedule and honors 4.0) and saved almost every single dollar she earned. She has more than enough to buy her own car when she needs one again after college. Some peers had it "better" than her with new luxury cars and some had it harder- paying their own gas/insurance. She was grateful. And we paid those things as mostly our Convenience anyway. She had a crazy schedule and always on the go- we couldn't get her everywhere she needed to be so we had her do it funded by us. None of the decisions are wrong - it's what works for you family, situation, budget, and values. Very well said. Thank you! I have seen kids that had to work for everything growing up but still felt entitled. Got to college and bought everything they wanted including new cars, and are now extremely in debt. They earn a paycheck, spend it, and don't know how to save. We did buy each of our girls new cars, and the title is signed over to them when they graduate college. They are extremely frugal, know how to earn, save, and pay cash for everything. Every family is different. Every family is able to do different things for their children and parent differently. Doesn't make one way better than another. I think most of us do what we think is best for our children. That's what makes the world fun and interesting. Wouldn't it be boring if we all did the same thing?  |
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Post by Merge on Aug 11, 2017 11:50:15 GMT
I also have to shake my head at the posts about making your kid earn it and know the value of the dollar, etc. that's great and may be fine and needed for some kids but that's not the only way to learn it. Dd - who given the brand new leased car (and had parents pay gas and insurance)- is the most frugal, responsible, hardworking person I know! She worked (along with a crazy activity schedule and honors 4.0) and saved almost every single dollar she earned. She has more than enough to buy her own car when she needs one again after college. Some peers had it "better" than her with new luxury cars and some had it harder- paying their own gas/insurance. She was grateful. And we paid those things as mostly our Convenience anyway. She had a crazy schedule and always on the go- we couldn't get her everywhere she needed to be so we had her do it funded by us. None of the decisions are wrong - it's what works for you family, situation, budget, and values. We take the same attitude with this that our parents did. We provide an older (but safe/reliable) car, pay gas and insurance, and the expectation is that we will get some benefit from this. DD runs errands, drives her younger sister around, etc., saving me precious time as I also work outside the home. So while she could not afford to pay for the car herself, she is "paying" for it by using it to do things that help me out. From another perspective: she is taking a full load of AP classes this year plus school activities, volunteering at a local animal shelter, and holding down a very part-time job. No, we don't expect her to work enough hours at a minimum wage job to pay for her car, gas and insurance with that schedule. School is her first responsibility. I don't think providing her with a car in this situation breeds entitlement. That's just what works for our family. |
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Post by pretzels on Aug 11, 2017 12:30:47 GMT
I was that kid. That kid who drove an old clunker car. That kid who paid for her college education all by herself with little help from her parents. I worked 32 hours a week and went to school 18 hours each semester.
I don't blame my parents nor fault them. They did what they could. They had no idea how expensive a college education would be (they would be stunned now). One semester, I didn't have money for books. My dad gave me a blank check and I went to buy them. It was $700, and he hit the ceiling. He had to borrow money from my grandmother to cover the check.
The day I graduated, I promised myself that if and when I had children, they would have a reliable, nice enough car. They would not have to worry about college tuition and expenses. I wasn't going to go crazy and buy something ridiculous, and I wasn't going to finance parties every weekend, but they would have the life I didn't.
My oldest leaves for college in three weeks. So far, he seems to be middle-of-the-road as far as things and entitlement. He has his days where he wants something totally unreasonable and I have to tell him "no." But overall, I think you can give your children things and have them turn out to be reasonable adults. (I hope, at least.)
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:03:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2017 12:47:44 GMT
I was that kid. That kid who drove an old clunker car. That kid who paid for her college education all by herself with little help from her parents. I worked 32 hours a week and went to school 18 hours each semester. I don't blame my parents nor fault them. They did what they could. They had no idea how expensive a college education would be (they would be stunned now). One semester, I didn't have money for books. My dad gave me a blank check and I went to buy them. It was $700, and he hit the ceiling. He had to borrow money from my grandmother to cover the check. The day I graduated, I promised myself that if and when I had children, they would have a reliable, nice enough car. They would not have to worry about college tuition and expenses. I wasn't going to go crazy and buy something ridiculous, and I wasn't going to finance parties every weekend, but they would have the life I didn't. My oldest leaves for college in three weeks. So far, he seems to be middle-of-the-road as far as things and entitlement. He has his days where he wants something totally unreasonable and I have to tell him "no." But overall, I think you can give your children things and have them turn out to be reasonable adults. (I hope, at least.) Your story sounds very similar to my hubby. Family didn't have any money growin up. He never had a car, had to pay for college on his own, worked extremely hard, and then also paid for his Master's, and we have paid cash for everything our entire marriage. He too wants our girls to have what he didn't. They have been blessed but they also know his long story and work hard and earn things. We have been blessed watching them blossom into amazing women that work extremely hard. Yep, a proud mama here. |
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Country Ham
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,316
Jun 25, 2014 19:32:08 GMT
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Post by Country Ham on Aug 11, 2017 12:52:12 GMT
I only read page 1. I grew up in a generation where kids were not given their own cars. It was a privilege to borrow your parent's cars on the weekend. I moved to the US where kids seem to get their permit and a car on the same day. My kids will end up the same way which kind of makes me sad because it's almost expected to happen here. I owned my first car after I graduated university and worked as a nurse for 6 months which was when I was able to afford it.
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Country Ham
Pearl Clutcher
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Jun 25, 2014 19:32:08 GMT
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Post by Country Ham on Aug 11, 2017 13:07:53 GMT
With new drivers, it's not a question of IF they will have an accident, but WHEN. And true to form, both of my sons had a fender bender within their first 6 months. If? I have been a licensed driver since my 16th birthday and yet to have an accident. I know a lot kids and adults who have never had so much as a fender bender. It's not a given that kids will have accidents. They might, they might not. |
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Post by mcscrapper on Aug 11, 2017 13:20:43 GMT
When my dd turned 16, I gave her my 2003 Acura MDX. If I didn't have my old car to give her I would have still looked for a good used Honda or Toyota product. Unfortunately, she totaled it last year and needed another car. I ended up buying a 2012 Honda CR-V and spent about $5000 more than I had intended but i justified it because it has a few more safety features and I told her this would be our "soccer car" and would need to get her through college at the very least. She was also driving 3 hours two days a week to play soccer and I wanted something dependable and get good gas mileage. That car also needed to get us to all of her out of town games and stuff. So far, it has been a great car. She is only 4'10" so I also had to find something for her size. That is harder than you might think! My DD is 4'9" and drives pretty much anything. LOL I'm 5' even and I can't do that. Like your DD, I have to carefully choose my vehicles. DD drives a Honda Accord and I drive an Odyssey. Acura is the high end version of Honda, right? Seems Honda might be a good fit for us shorties. Does the MDX have the adjustable pedals? My Odyssey does and I may never buy another vehicle without them. Marcy I'm 5'1" and have pretty much driven Hondas or Acuras all my life. Yes, Acura is the "luxury" line from Honda. I am not sure if the newer MDXs have adjustable pedals but I kinda think they do. My RDX does not. While I am short, I have long legs for my height. I don't like to see people sit too closely to the steering wheel and my dd's honda has an adjustable wheel so I'm a little more comfortable with her driving that. SaveSave |
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Post by powderhorngreen on Aug 11, 2017 13:20:59 GMT
We made a deal with son when he was in 6th grade - get a full scholarship for college and we will buy you a new car when you graduate from college. It was a great deal because it gave him a goal to work towards and he has tremendous pride in his accomplishment. Lessons learned - delayed gratification, hard work pays off, comparison shopping and thoughtful purchasing, fun family discussions and shopping fun . . . the list goes on and on. Total cost to us over the 4 years of college - about $10k for supplies, transportation to and from school for holidays, miscellaneous personal items. He has thoroughly enjoyed daydreaming, shopping, and thinking about what he really needed and wanted. The vehicle he has picked out which is exactly what he wants and is reasonable for a new car ($40k) is great for him. He starts his adult, independent life debt free with a new car and we have intact retirement savings that ensures we will never be burden to him or his family as we age. It is a win-win for our family.
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Post by debmast on Aug 11, 2017 13:51:25 GMT
My DD is 4'9" and drives pretty much anything. LOL I'm 5' even and I can't do that. Like your DD, I have to carefully choose my vehicles. DD drives a Honda Accord and I drive an Odyssey. Acura is the high end version of Honda, right? Seems Honda might be a good fit for us shorties. Does the MDX have the adjustable pedals? My Odyssey does and I may never buy another vehicle without them. Marcy I'm 5'1" and have pretty much driven Hondas or Acuras all my life. Yes, Acura is the "luxury" line from Honda. I am not sure if the newer MDXs have adjustable pedals but I kinda think they do. My RDX does not. While I am short, I have long legs for my height. I don't like to see people sit too closely to the steering wheel and my dd's honda has an adjustable wheel so I'm a little more comfortable with her driving that. SaveSaveMy 16 year old is 5'1" too and she drives our Honda Ridgeline often. She actually prefers it to my hubby's Accord because she feels she can see the road better sitting up higher. |
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Post by mcscrapper on Aug 11, 2017 14:48:34 GMT
My 16 year old is 5'1" too and she drives our Honda Ridgeline often. She actually prefers it to my hubby's Accord because she feels she can see the road better sitting up higher. AMEN to that!!! I love driving my dh's truck! I tried really hard to buy a car this time around because what I like is cheaper and didn't feel like I needed the SUV size any more now that dd is a year from college. No more driving her and her friends around, right? I love the comfort and drive of a lot of the sedans but felt like I was craning my neck to see over the dash and hood. I realize I don't need to see the end of my hood when I drive but I don't need to be eye level with it either. My mom is 5'8" and drives a BMW and I was <this> close to buying her last one from her but just could not get comfy driving it. She loves her sedans but I just feel better in the SUV. SaveSave |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:03:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2017 15:08:14 GMT
With new drivers, it's not a question of IF they will have an accident, but WHEN. And true to form, both of my sons had a fender bender within their first 6 months. If? I have been a licensed driver since my 16th birthday and yet to have an accident. I know a lot kids and adults who have never had so much as a fender bender. It's not a given that kids will have accidents. They might, they might not. Exactly. I am 52, and praise God have never had an accident. My girls have been driving for 7 years, and only one of the three has been in an accident. It was last year when a man my age ran a red light and creamed her. Car totalled but insurance paid extremely well, and we didn't have to shell out too much at all to get her another brand new car. She ended up with the exact car that was totalled because she said "Mom, if this saved my life in the last accident, I want another one just like it." My sister and I never have been in accidents but my brother was the "accident magnet." So not everyone or not every new will have an accident. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 21:03:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2017 15:12:21 GMT
I'm 5'1" and have pretty much driven Hondas or Acuras all my life. Yes, Acura is the "luxury" line from Honda. I am not sure if the newer MDXs have adjustable pedals but I kinda think they do. My RDX does not. While I am short, I have long legs for my height. I don't like to see people sit too closely to the steering wheel and my dd's honda has an adjustable wheel so I'm a little more comfortable with her driving that. SaveSaveMy 16 year old is 5'1" too and she drives our Honda Ridgeline often. She actually prefers it to my hubby's Accord because she feels she can see the road better sitting up higher. I am 5 foot on the button. My legs are short. I have trouble in a lot of cars. Most cars I drive with my toes. I have been doing it all my life so I am used to it. Only my BMW X5 fit me perfectly but I sold it. One of hubby's cars (his huge/massive Ford Raptor) fits me extremely well and the peddle does adjust. If it didn't, I definitely could not drive that car. But I always have to test drive a car because some are impossible for my short stature to see out of. I much prefer an SUV because I too like sitting higher. |
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Post by gmcwife1 on Aug 11, 2017 17:42:48 GMT
We didn't buy our teen a new car because we don't buy ourselves new cars. We did get a fabulous deal on a 3 yr old car so she does have the newest car in the family. But it was also the least expensive at the time we bought it.
She treats it really well. She cleans the inside weekly and the outside every two weeks. She does appreciate it and does not act like a spoiled brat about it.
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gorgeouskid
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,517
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Post by gorgeouskid on Aug 11, 2017 18:26:53 GMT
One of DS's schoolmates totaled his 2 month old car (age 16) and was at fault. His parents then bought him a brand new Lexus to replace it. *eyeroll*
Even if I had gobs of money, I wouldn't give a 16 year old an expensive new luxury car. Maybe he'd get a nice middle range truck.
DS has the car we brought him home from the hospital in- a 1997 Land Rover Discovery (a luxury car at the time, but not anymore.) He LOVES it because it's vintage-y cool and says he wouldn't want a new car anyway.
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Post by gmcwife1 on Aug 12, 2017 12:09:12 GMT
I think the phrase 'you do you' is very apt here. I agree. |
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Post by pennyscraps on Aug 15, 2017 15:42:20 GMT
With new drivers, it's not a question of IF they will have an accident, but WHEN. And true to form, both of my sons had a fender bender within their first 6 months. If? I have been a licensed driver since my 16th birthday and yet to have an accident. I know a lot kids and adults who have never had so much as a fender bender. It's not a given that kids will have accidents. They might, they might not. You are correct. They might. They might not. Perhaps I should have qualified my statement as young male teenagers driving in a metroplex of 7,000,000 people on highways with speed limits of 70+ MPH have a STRONG likelihood of being in an accident. |
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Post by anonrefugee on Aug 15, 2017 15:48:01 GMT
I think the phrase 'you do you' is very apt here. So true. With the variety of driving, family dynamics and living conditions in the country it's ridiculous to make a judgement about another's decision. |
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Post by lisacharlotte on Aug 15, 2017 15:50:11 GMT
The OP specifically asked for opinions on buying a new car for a 16 year old. That we gave in spades.
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Post by anonrefugee on Aug 15, 2017 16:06:22 GMT
The OP specifically asked for opinions on buying a new car for a 16 year old. That we gave in spades. good point. And we're good at it, no matter the subject! |
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Post by polz on Aug 15, 2017 23:38:02 GMT
Without reading the whole thread, I would say no. Because I've never had one and can't afford one. If I could afford one, then why not? BTW, in 2014 MIL bought DD a 2010 Suzuki Swift. This is an amazing first car in New Zealand. DD didn't get her licence until 2016 but it was a good deal and the plan was I would use it until 2016. DD didn't get around to getting her restricted licence (You need this drive by yourself here) so I never had to give her the car. I'm still using it and now she has gone on her student exchange to America, I get another year.
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