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re: Money Talk - Teenagers' first car
Posted on 8/20/25 at 9:55 pm to anc
Posted on 8/20/25 at 9:55 pm to anc
If I may second the safe car. I have three children (26, 20 and 17) all drive nice, used and safe cars. The 26-year old has been in three accidents. Two of them the other driver ran stop signs at 45+ mph and the third she was trying to merge out in traffic and stuck too far out and a Sorento thought she didn’t need the front end anymore. The first and second car was an Altima (great car), third was a Hyundai Sonata (nice car but would not buy another) and her fourth vehicle is a 2014 BMW 528i (absolutely amazing car and everyone thinks it is brand new).
My second daughter’s first car was also an Altima and a deer ran out in front of her. Pretty bad accident and she has always been the best and most diligent driver in the entire family.
My son is in a 2014 F150 and loves it.
We make a good living and have saved a lot (not as good as you it seems, and congratulations!) but we also realized that the first car would get obliterated. I would advise sitting in the school parking lot as they let out and watching the kids drive. That convince me to never buy them a really nice car right out of the gate.
Even if they are a great and responsible driver, things happen…pick safety over anything else, please! The BMW X1 is tiny, we looked at one and in my opinion it is much too small to put a 16-year old in it. Mazda’s are great cars and in my opinion look sharp. I love BMW’s but would hesitate to put a 16-year old in one, but maybe. Honda and Toyotas/Lexus would be a good option as well. At the end of the day my kids only cared about a backup camera, heated seats and Apple CarPlay
My second daughter’s first car was also an Altima and a deer ran out in front of her. Pretty bad accident and she has always been the best and most diligent driver in the entire family.
My son is in a 2014 F150 and loves it.
We make a good living and have saved a lot (not as good as you it seems, and congratulations!) but we also realized that the first car would get obliterated. I would advise sitting in the school parking lot as they let out and watching the kids drive. That convince me to never buy them a really nice car right out of the gate.
Even if they are a great and responsible driver, things happen…pick safety over anything else, please! The BMW X1 is tiny, we looked at one and in my opinion it is much too small to put a 16-year old in it. Mazda’s are great cars and in my opinion look sharp. I love BMW’s but would hesitate to put a 16-year old in one, but maybe. Honda and Toyotas/Lexus would be a good option as well. At the end of the day my kids only cared about a backup camera, heated seats and Apple CarPlay
This post was edited on 8/20/25 at 9:59 pm
2
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:58 am to MekaWarriors
Good point about watching kids drive away from the school. That also makes you realize how many other bad drivers there are on the road. Your kid may not be a reckless driver, but they are inexperienced, and as such, won't be good at accident avoidance.
I came on here to say that one car that has gotten little or no mention, is Subaru. Outstanding cars - right up there with Honda/Toyota/Mazda. All are AWD, too.
I came on here to say that one car that has gotten little or no mention, is Subaru. Outstanding cars - right up there with Honda/Toyota/Mazda. All are AWD, too.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 10:54 am to anc
Providing nice things early in life takes more than it gives.
There is appreciation magic that can only happen working for something. And appreciation is critical ingredient for productive life choices. It is long lasting. It helps discern effort and value.
Don’t skip this critical learning opportunity just because you can (or especially if you are doing so to say/show you are doing so to others). Don’t know you. Not meant to fang you. However, see it often. Take the me out if it is in.
Get them a solid, safe car and let them take it from there. You are giving them huge earning potential by eliminating worry (new/reliable), debt free and empowers them to start saving sooner for their own car or other, especially younger where time value is on their side.
There is appreciation magic that can only happen working for something. And appreciation is critical ingredient for productive life choices. It is long lasting. It helps discern effort and value.
Don’t skip this critical learning opportunity just because you can (or especially if you are doing so to say/show you are doing so to others). Don’t know you. Not meant to fang you. However, see it often. Take the me out if it is in.
Get them a solid, safe car and let them take it from there. You are giving them huge earning potential by eliminating worry (new/reliable), debt free and empowers them to start saving sooner for their own car or other, especially younger where time value is on their side.
This post was edited on 8/21/25 at 10:57 am
Posted on 8/21/25 at 11:11 am to Artificial Ignorance
After my oldest wrecked her last car and because she was at fault, I put her in a 2005 Ford Freestyle for three months. I did upgrade it and installed a new radio with a backup camera, but that taught her to appreciate her nicer vehicles. It also shocked my other two kids to step-up their driving game.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 11:19 am to MekaWarriors
quote:
all drive nice
Oh really
quote:
Altima
quote:
Hyundai Sonata
Posted on 8/21/25 at 11:54 am to Jax-Tiger
quote:
Good point about watching kids drive away from the school.
This. One of the last times that I picked up my son at practice, we sat there and watched the kids act fools in the parking lot. I looked him in the eye and said “No girl is going to drop her panties because you looked badass in your Honda CRV”
Posted on 8/21/25 at 12:55 pm to LSUfan20005
quote:
One of the last times that I picked up my son at practice, we sat there and watched the kids act fools in the parking lot. I looked him in the eye and said “No girl is going to drop her panties because you looked badass in your Honda CRV”
classy
Posted on 8/21/25 at 1:11 pm to JohnnyKilroy
When I was 16 my dad handed me the keys to his brand new 1988 Dodge Spirit...my twin brother and I destroyed that car! We were on our high school swim team and the pool was about a mile away from the high school. The parking lot was gravel and had a slight upward lip as it terminated into the parking lot. We would Dukes of Hazard jump that poor car every single day and then Tokyo drift into a parking spot. My dad had no idea...I feel so bad about it now. I am sure we looked like absolute idiots.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 2:12 pm to TheWalrus
quote:Agreed. You are just creating a spoiled rich girl otherwise.
I could be the richest man in the world and I wouldn’t buy my 16 year old a Porsche. You have to achieve something in life first.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 2:43 pm to LSUfan20005
quote:
One of the last times that I picked up my son at practice, we sat there and watched the kids act fools in the parking lot. I looked him in the eye and said “No girl is going to drop her panties because you looked badass in your Honda CRV”
Posted on 8/21/25 at 5:06 pm to The Boat
quote:
quote:
to me this just teaches your children horrible optics at a young age. Put her in a new honda crv and call it a day.
Or a 10 year old Honda crv
Nahh, a 5 year old CRV.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:04 pm to MekaWarriors
quote:
my twin brother and I destroyed that car!
I have triplets, and they shared a 15 year old Lexus RX 300.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:22 pm to anc
I purchased my girls a 2007 Toyota 4Runner and not because I couldn’t afford anything nicer. Kids should learn to struggle a little. I paid $12,000 total between the car and the repairs it needed to make it safe and now they have a perfectly reliable and safe car for years to come. Why would you do differently? Providing your kids anything nicer than the necessities creates unrealistic expectations and a kid that does not know how to go without. My girls have very realistic expectations and we have trained them to shop for discounts, work and save their money, etc.
My oldest will graduate in May with an accounting degree that she paid for and took on no debt whatsoever. Raise your kids with realistic expectations. It’s a far greater gift that you’re giving them than a nice car.
My oldest will graduate in May with an accounting degree that she paid for and took on no debt whatsoever. Raise your kids with realistic expectations. It’s a far greater gift that you’re giving them than a nice car.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 8:24 pm to anc
Nice, but I just bought Bitcoin when my kids were toddlers. They're set until they're on their own after college.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 6:35 am to goodgrin
Boy- Toyota Tacoma
Girl- Toyota 4-Runner
We got my son a 2016 Tacoma 4wd. Stodgy on the streets but fun enough in the mud. If he gets in trouble with it, at least it won’t be on the road.
He’s 19 and starting college, still loves the truck.
Girl- Toyota 4-Runner
We got my son a 2016 Tacoma 4wd. Stodgy on the streets but fun enough in the mud. If he gets in trouble with it, at least it won’t be on the road.
He’s 19 and starting college, still loves the truck.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:32 am to XenScott
Everyone thinks what they chose is the right thing.
As I get older, I think people are either ungrateful shitheads or not. You know your kid, get them what you think works best for that kid.
As I get older, I think people are either ungrateful shitheads or not. You know your kid, get them what you think works best for that kid.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 8:20 pm to anc
The majority of first time drivers wreck their first car anyway. I'd get something about 10 years old for 5k ish
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