kroe1 Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Yep, it is that time. DD15 is getting in first car range. Just a few months are left. Last time I did this was twenty years ago with a boy. He only wanted a Jeep. It was easy. Now it seems overwhelming. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Following, we're not really letting dd get a car that she "wants" but are looking for something decent in our price range (dh wants to spend $1500, I say $2000) so far we've found varying condition and some that only have 1-2 issues & others a lot more. It's scary & a gamble. The one car that would have been a condender, had dark tranny fluid, that's always a sign to pass. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 We made it easy on ourselves. Dh went and bought the car HE wanted them to have. They didn't get to pick. However, we buy very cheap used cars for the teens. He's a mechanic, so he can find mechanically sound older vehicles. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Following, we're not really letting dd get a car that she "wants" but are looking for something decent in our price range (dh wants to spend $1500, I say $2000) so far we've found varying condition and some that only have 1-2 issues & others a lot more. It's scary & a gamble. The one car that would have been a condender, had dark tranny fluid, that's always a sign to pass. It is hard! Dh lucked up this weekend and found a 2001 Taurus with only 61K miles on it for $3000. That thing is immaculate. But it was a friend of a friend that was taking pics to put it up on craigslist when he pulled up to look at it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I'm looking at a third family car that we will probably gift to the oldest when he graduates and follows his plan to move out of state. I'm not even asking what they want. I'm looking at reliability, safety, cost, maintenance cost. Those are the priorities. I will probably look for something with some cargo space. My first car was a Volvo wagon. I remember I moved a lot between various apartments in grad school and first jobs. Having some cargo room made that part of my life easier. Whatever fits into those practical parameters is what we buy. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Question:do people think it's worth pulling a Carfax? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 We did not take our teens to shop for cars. We bought their cars and said, "Here. You are welcome." When throwing around various scenarios for my soon-to-be-16 yo, we did take into account her preference for leather seats because she is a swimmer and correctly pointed out that cloth would pick up the chlorine smell. That meant she gets my husband's old car instead of her older sister's. We paid $5000 for one car and are passing down a car that is probably worth $4000. If we have anything left when they each finish college, our plan is to buy them nicer cars then so they can start their professional lives with a car that will last until they are somewhat established. We live in Atlanta, where driving is crazy, so we know there is a good chance of an accident within the first year or two, so we are not spending a lot on these first cars. As for how to find a car, put the word out that you are looking. Neighbors, relatives, friends, church. Someone always has a car needing a good home. I have personally played matchmaker for a great car deal between a co-worker and my brother. The co-worker sent me her proposed Craigslist ad to see if I had any thoughts on it, and I called my brother and asked if he wanted it. He did, the ad never ran, and he got a great deal. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 When I emigrated from the USA to Colombia in 1995, I couldn't bring my car. Used cars could not be imported. Also, I had never seen that model Toyota here. In 21 years, I still have never seen that model here. It was a Toyota Station Wagon. I left it with my best friend. He ended up selling it to a High School Girl. She was very smart. It had 4WD and all of the Repair/Maintenance records. It was not perfect, but probably a much more practical purchase for her than a car that would have been much sexier. GL on your purchase! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Are you seeking tips on good used cars or is this a broader request? If you want your teen involved in the purchase then my tips are: 1. Have your teen research with you on used car models. Make a list of desirable features and which meet those requirements (longevity/good repair history/good gas mileage, etc.) and the average cost for those models. Look for years where desirable models may have had a lemon year. (Start with the Consumer Report car buying guide for used cars). Amazingly, as a teen it really hadn't hit me that there might be wide variations in car functionality, longevity and repair history, etc. I just thought gas mileage was the biggie. Once you have the list, have them start researching with you on any cars for sale that are on that list. Talk about safe practices for buying used cars (like not driving out to the middle of nowhere alone to look at a car). 2. Maybe match them for what they are willing to put in on the car. A friend's dad did this. Whatever she invested, he told her he would match. She got a job and worked all summer, saving every dime she could, then worked part time during the school year, and had a garage sale to cull down her stuff and earn some money. She also babysat. Once they bought the car she took meticulous care of it because she had invested so much of her time and effort into earning it. 3. Have whatever car seems to meet needs/match criteria inspected by a reputable car place to make sure it isn't a lemon in disguise. 4. Discuss and write down a maintenance and care schedule for the car, as well as inspection/license renewal, etc. (I really didn't realize how to properly care for my car. My parents never discussed it with me.). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I'm giving my daughter my 2010 Honda CRV with about 160,000 miles on it and lots of airbags. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 does he have any ideas of what he wants? manual - automatic? 2-dr or 4-dr? truck - car? who is paying? I'd look for something reliable in your/his budget and narrow down from there. 1ds bought his first car (not a kid car) last fall. he was the pickiest of all my kids. a dear friend's fil would provide grandkids with used cars (family business). what they got, depended upon what he had available. that also meant some went without a car until they wanted the transportation more than a specific type of car. (which I think is a good lesson for kids.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Set a budget. Be nice and give in to a couple "wants" Pick something it's good mileage and safety rating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 When I emigrated from the USA to Colombia in 1995, I couldn't bring my car. Used cars could not be imported. Also, I had never seen that model Toyota here. In 21 years, I still have never seen that model here. It was a Toyota Station Wagon. I left it with my best friend. He ended up selling it to a High School Girl. She was very smart. It had 4WD and all of the Repair/Maintenance records. It was not perfect, but probably a much more practical purchase for her than a car that would have been much sexier. GL on your purchase! Just for you, Lanny: Tercel Snow Climb Looks like fun! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Is it a budget issue? How important is safety to you? Is this his own money, or are you buying for? What kind of budget are you looking at? All those make a huge difference. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 Is it a budget issue? How important is safety to you? Is this his own money, or are you buying for? What kind of budget are you looking at? All those make a huge difference. Safety is an issue, but I am willing to compromise that for rugged like Jeep, but not fast like Camaro. DH and I will be making the purchase. One of the things we decided on prior to marriage was parameters for children. We would always provide first car, college tuition, and wedding. This child could buy it herself, but we are not requiring it. Budget is up to $40,000. The lower, the better, but willing to add some safety features like blind side protection, back up camera, etc. I would also prefer a new car rather than a used. For safety, I was leaning toward the Cadillac ATS or similar. She would prefer a Jeep Sahara like her brother got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 We didn't allow DS to choose. We had the opportunity to buy him a used and well-maintained car from a friend as a Christmas gift and he was pleased as punch. Had this not fell into our laps at the right time, we had budgeted up to $5,000 for something used, in good condition, and safe. As it happened, we ended up spending less than half that. He loves the car, not because it is new or fast, but because it's his. Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Just for you, Lanny: Tercel Snow Climb Looks like fun! Bless you for posting that! Mine was Dark Blue. We live in a Tropical Valley, so I enjoyed seeing the Snow and that the car made it out of there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 In our family the person paying for the car picks it out, if he is paying for it, show him how to research safety history of models and talk about balancing various features against their cost. Then, let him lead the way. If he isn't paying for it, I'm of the opinion it should just show up in the driveway. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarinesWife Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 She saved her money. She chose. We did test drive and take to our mechanic who told her potential problems for the future. She bought and then kept saving. She pays repairs. She loves her car and takes good care of it. We told her that you have to have a car to get to work and school and you have to work to pay for the car. It's life. I'm glad she found something so cute and suited to her. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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