First car for teen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some studies out there that indicate a family sedan or minivan weighing around 4,000 pounds gvw are statistically the safest cars. SUVs are a little less safe because of the risk of rollover. But of course you can research any particular car you are interested in.

I was most concerned with safety and reliability. I wanted both side air curtains and vehicle stability assist, which have been instrumental in reducing deaths and injuries over the past several years. I couldn't afford a newish car with VSA, but we did end up getting a 2005 Honda Accord.

I thought minivans were supposed to be unsafe?

I've never heard that before. They are extremely safe. 15 passenger vans, however, are death traps.

[Anonymous]

Our friends just bought their 17 yo daughter a mini cooper convertible. They all seem to love it.

[Anonymous]

My first car was a 2001 cabrio. Had it for 8 years and loved it! My argument to my parents was the roll bar made it a safer convertable. Just bought the new vo eos. Also a great convertable! If she's safe and responsible let her have it!

[Anonymous]

Mazda 3 poster here. I picked it for the same reasons I would choose a car for myself- high resale value, good gas mileage, good ratings, not too pricey, sporty, yadda yadda yadda. If he breaks it he won't get another, I can only afford one car payment at a time. If the insurance goes up too much due to an accident, I can't afford for him to drive. Lifes lessons for both of us I guess. Keeping my fingers crossed- but I would rather trust MY kid than someone elses kid driving any day.

[Anonymous]

We actually specifically got a an automatic car for our teen (our other cars are manual) because s/he has ADHD and we figured that it is better to focus on the road rather than dealing with shifting.

[Anonymous]

SmarTrip: inexpensive, small, comes in different colors (Red, Blue, Orange, Green, Yellow, maybe someday Silver and Purple!), unlikely to be packed with too many friends, no DUIs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SmarTrip: inexpensive, small, comes in different colors (Red, Blue, Orange, Green, Yellow, maybe someday Silver and Purple!), unlikely to be packed with too many friends, no DUIs.

Only a useful car if you live near it.

[Anonymous]

When my sons are old enough to drive, they're getting a Volvo.

[Anonymous]

I would get a used volvo and take out all the seats except drivers

[Anonymous]

I have about 6 years till this occurs. DD understands that she will probably get a hand-me-down, so she wants me to trade in the minivan for a convertible. Not gonna happen. We are 1/2 mile from the hs anyway.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:You might consider a Mazda MX-5 (Miata). They are cheap, easy to repair and plentiful. While they are subject to the laws of physics, they are a safe car unless you are hit by a dump truck. They are also not very powerful and can only hold one other person. That prevents the driver from being distracted by a carload of friends.

Get a stick shift and send her to a driving school (e.g. the Tire Rack Street Survival schools organized by the BMW clubs).

My DH agrees with Jeff. A slow, stick shift two-seater.