Any new realizations regarding cars and teens?

[bisous]

The first car I bought was an integra (and my first big purchase).... I was on the fence between a little red integra hatchback or a black celica..... I remember laying on my parents bed talking to them.... hoping they would make the decision for me.... when this commercial came on the TV. It's the only time I saw the commercial aired and it sealed the deal for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWB5m7wOCuQ

I kept that car for 12 years --- then married and had 2 kids and needed better car seat access. I may look at integra again the next time I need to buy a car.... I loved that little red sports car. : )

Ha! My first car was a red integra! Mine was not brand new but it was a pretty fun car. I later bought a black integra off my dad and drove it until it died!

[WatchingThemGrow]

The first car I bought was an integra (and my first big purchase).... I was on the fence between a little red integra hatchback or a black celica..... I remember laying on my parents bed talking to them.... hoping they would make the decision for me.... when this commercial came on the TV. It's the only time I saw the commercial aired and it sealed the deal for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWB5m7wOCuQ

I kept that car for 12 years --- then married and had 2 kids and needed better car seat access. I may look at integra again the next time I need to buy a car.... I loved that little red sports car. : )

YES! That Integra Hot Wheels commercial was brilliant and definitely felt true. I felt like I could go anywhere and do anything and sing anything while driving it. Mine was a white coupe.

[smilequeen]

We lucked out with timing as DS1 turned 16 in November 2020 and we purchased a used car in summer 2020 so he could finish learning on it. Things had not gone nuts yet and we got a great car for a great deal.

I wanted him to drive himself and his brother to school. Drive himself to hockey and lacrosse. Drive himself to work and volunteering in the summer. DH and I both need our cars (and mine is too big anyway) and our extra car is absolutely not a car I would let a teenager drive. Way too much power.

At this point, we’re going to have to start searching for DS2 this summer when he turns 15. I need him to drive himself to school as well and he’ll turn 16 the summer DS1 leaves for college. I’m positive he won’t be as confident as DS1 but the school is 2 miles away and an easy drive. He may not want to drive around as much, but I want him to learn to drive himself to school.

[DualvansMommy]

Granted I’m several years away in considering cars for DS1. Couple of things in mind for me; our town lost 17 year old junior last fall to a bad car accident, and it was discovered the car didn’t have blind spot notifications. It was an older used car with only some of features, so that played on my mind. I live in suburban/semi rural depending which direction one goes, also the route to the boys HS is fraught with large rotaries to navigate. At least 2 from my house to the HS, so that makes me nervous and will want all the updated and reliable safety features plus being solid sturdy car. Fortunately, we’re not dealing with used car prices so hopefully it won’t be an issue then for us down the road.


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[belovedgandp]

We have gone for friend of friend very well used cars two times for DS1 (just turned 18). We live in the midwest and are quite attached to are agriculturally based driving rules, so he was driving to and from HS starting 4th quarter of freshman year. He goes to a program at a non-boundary school, so instead of being the HS less than 2 miles from the house is is over 10 miles. Just not convenient for us to do the trips required for all his activities.

DS1 did have his first care for 18 months before being in an accident. Air bags off so not paying to put repair a $2k car. Since DH was working from home we were able to take our time and wait for a used car deal in fall of 2020. We had one time in those four months that it was inconvenient to only have two vehicles, but then a family friend was selling a 2007 Honda Fit for under $3k and we went for it. It has been great for over a year.

If you can be patient and get the word out there may be options. I need DS1 to decide where he's going to school next year. Either way he is selling his car to brother who turns 15 in June. School #1 doesn't allow freshmen to have cars. School #2 does allow cars and is much cheaper so an upgraded car is on the table with that choice. It may be an at semester thing. A car would not be needed at the school, just nice.

DH is driving a 2014 Mazda5 which could easily become DS1's college car. I just need to get him to commit to what kind of car he wants.

[ncat]

We put off replacing 2010 Odyssey because i didn't want DD learning to drive a new car. She got her permit last Spring and her license in December. Given the current market I am regretting my decision. She's been driving my car to school and I've been carless but am working from home and generally don't need a car during the day.

[firstbaby]

We got a “third family car” that we bought used from a dealership. I didn’t love paying retail, but new cars were hard to find that we could stomach how much we would have to compromise and most used cars were silly in the markup. Our ideal would have been to wait - we easily shared two cars during the start of the pandemic, but once they went back to in person learning and sports, there were several times I was either running back and forth to the school so my car could be available to me or I was simply without a car. It started to affect my happiness so now we have that extra car and it’s been worth it.

[*myfoursons]

OP, we opted for a car with the latest safety features. I work inpatient rehab at a children’s hospital and 1/3 to 1/2 my patients are from motor vehicle accidents. I wanted the least experienced driver in the safest car. We live in LA and the traffic will go from 60mph to zero in a second. I insisted on the emergency breaking assistance and blind spot monitoring, as those features have helped DH and I out at times with our crazy traffic. I just got a new car for myself with those features and I drove my old car as still in process of selling it, and I would never buy a car now for anyone without those options if I could afford it.


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Agreed, if you can afford it I would always opt to get a car with the latest safety features. We got our driver a Mazda CX-5, the top trim line because I wanted the 360 cameras and all the sensors.

I would never let me child drive a beater car with no safety features.

[bcafe]

I would never let me child drive a beater car with no safety features.

Ah, privilege, ain’t it grand? I presume you are only speaking for yourself and not with disdain or judgement towards those who have a “beater” vehicle for their child to drive.

[SnuggleBuggles]

When we went car shopping, ds1 was close to being 16 so I thought about all the safety and tech that I’d want him to have when driving my car (this wasn’t car shopping for him). Less than a year after he got his license, his grandma gave him a little car made in 2013 with none of the features I want a car to have. I cringe every time he drives off in it. He adores his car though. I haven’t figured out a good solution though because I’m not inclined to buy a 3rd car. I never planned to get him his own car.


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