What Car Would You Buy for Your College Age Driver?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought ours a Civic. Brand new they're only about 20k and they last for years.

My civic is 11 years old and I’ve never had a problem with it. Why the F are you going to spend $$$$$ on a car for a college student?? Talk about enabling an entitled brat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, that is what I would be open to as well. But DW is fixated and will not budge. I've said here is the Consumer Reports Top 10 cars for reliability and safety. She is not open to facts. It's all about Mercedes. Drives me crazy. She bought one three years ago - paid more for it than I've ever paid for a car - and I only acquiesced because I said I don't want my name on the note and I don't want to make the payment.

Does your wife always wear the pants in the family, or do you have a backbone at all?

[Anonymous]

My DS just got my 6 year old Subaru Outback with 100k miles. High mileage, but bought new by us, always well maintained, new timing belt and new transmission this year (free replacement because of a recall issue), new brake pads, etc. I got a certified used 2 year old Outback with 30k miles. Reliable, safe, and since it has leather seats and all the other extras, much nicer than anything I drove before I was in my 30s. We even got it detailed for him.

I agree with everyone else Op. This is so not about whether to get your kid a Mercedes. It really is an objectively terrible choice for a college kid. Less safe, less reliable, makes her a target, expensive and a PITA to maintain, will probably be parked outside, etc.

I get choosing your battles wisely in a marriage. But this is a battle worth having. Because you don’t want to stick your kid with an unreliable car.

Make a deal with your wife to keep your kid in the Volvo for two years until graduation, and then give her X amount of money to choose a car for graduation. Make it about timing the new car so that your DD will have a better handle on what she needs— city driving vs highway vs bad winter weather, etc. And not having to park outdoors on a college campus and risk a breakin.

In the meantime, marriage counseling, stat. It sounds like you understand why your wife feels the way she does. But that your long term goals are diverging. As approach retirement, this is not going to get better.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, Volvos are luxury cars too. they have different marketing than Mercedes but a new c300 and a new Volvo 40 sedan are both like 40k.

Agree this isn't a car issue. But to add one rec, I really love the Prius V (the larger one/more wagon like) for college students. It allows them to move a bunch of things when they need to, is safe, is cheaper on gas significantly but still fits into smaller spaces for parking etc

[Anonymous]

OP why are you being so difficult, buy her a new Mercedes.

Problem Solved

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP why are you being so difficult, buy her a new Mercedes.

Problem Solved

A GLK maybe, the small SUV. The C300 isn’t a college kids car, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought ours a Civic. Brand new they're only about 20k and they last for years.

Same here.

[Anonymous]

Your wife is absurd. Tell her the Volvo will give your DD more peace of mind than the responsibility of a Mercedes. A college student doesn’t need and shouldn’t have a Mercedes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP why are you being so difficult, buy her a new Mercedes.

Problem Solved

OP’s wife found this thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought ours a Civic. Brand new they're only about 20k and they last for years.

I am 38 and still driving the Civic my parents bought me in college. So yes, it was a very good purchase though I'm dying to get rid of it. Sadly it will run forever!

[Anonymous]

WHY does your wife insist on the MB? You need marriage counseling to get to your wife's insecurities. And an objective third party who an look DW in the eye and tell her that she is making bad choices.

[Anonymous]

New or used honda, Toyota or other reliable car.

Nothing too expensive, unless you want your kid to project that they have money.

[Anonymous]

No car. They want a car, they can buy their own car and insurance.

That's always been our rule of thumb, and guess what? It has always worked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought ours a Civic. Brand new they're only about 20k and they last for years.

Same here.

+3

[Anonymous]

Does your daughter commute to school? Or has a job far off campus that she needs the car for? If she lives and works on/near campus she doesn't really need a car at all. Buy her a new pair of comfortable walking shoes.