what used care ($20k or so) is cool for teens?

[Anonymous]

In what world do you live in that a $20,000 used car is a "budget used car"? $20K can get you a nice used car for your kid.

[Anonymous]

Get them one with 3 pedals.

[Anonymous]

Honda Accord

[Anonymous]

Yea, ask your kid what he/she thinks is cool. I'm going to second the recommendation on the Mazda3 as a fun cool little car for teens that is plenty safe and has a youthful appearance.

Some sort of Jeep is going to be pretty cool for a teen who wants an SUV. Don't get the RAV4 or CRV or some other such "low calorie" substitute. Your teen wants a full-fat Jeep.

[Anonymous]

You can get a 3 year old CRV or RAV 4 for $20K

A Mazda3 will be around $8000- you can get 2 of them! Mazda3 was my first car in 2004 and I LOVED that thing. Great car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can get a 3 year old CRV or RAV 4 for $20K

A Mazda3 will be around $8000- you can get 2 of them! Mazda3 was my first car in 2004 and I LOVED that thing. Great car.

PP here, I had a 2004 Mazda3 Sport hatch with a manual transmission in that hot orange color. To date one of the most fun cars I ever had. The design was classic and timeless too. Even now, seeing one on the road looks pretty nice - though they tend to have hazed headlights by now...

[Anonymous]

The Suburu crosstrek is a nice car with good safety features. You can get one a few years old for under $20k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Accord, Civic, Camry, Corolla, Forester

This.

I would never in a million years buy a teenager a Jeep or an SUV. The flip hazard is much worse for an inexperienced driver. Also, Jeeps are terrible cars with fuel tank issues (google it!) that they refuse to recall. Nope nope nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yea, ask your kid what he/she thinks is cool. I'm going to second the recommendation on the Mazda3 as a fun cool little car for teens that is plenty safe and has a youthful appearance.

Some sort of Jeep is going to be pretty cool for a teen who wants an SUV. Don't get the RAV4 or CRV or some other such "low calorie" substitute. Your teen wants a full-fat Jeep.

Jeep is a terrible option. The fuel tanks have a habit of exploding in minor collisions. No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or a used Mercedes C class 2014 or so with under 50k miles should be under 20,000

2018 Mini Cooper S ~ 27k miles or VW beetle S 2018 for under 20k on carfax

I saw a Mini Cooper literally flattened by a truck on the Beltway. Prioritize safety not cool. Mercedes are fine, if you can stomach the maintenance costs.

[Anonymous]

used minivan, with a backfit throttle governor. Idiot proof.

[Anonymous]

You never, ever buy a teen a car based on what is cool. Most cool cars are dangerous because they are flip hazards or they are not made for inexperienced drivers or they are not made for the type of driving/parking you need to do in the DMV.

I say something along the lines of a camry or accord, or maybe a CRV or Rav4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You never, ever buy a teen a car based on what is cool. Most cool cars are dangerous because they are flip hazards or they are not made for inexperienced drivers or they are not made for the type of driving/parking you need to do in the DMV.

I say something along the lines of a camry or accord, or maybe a CRV or Rav4

I agree - parents who talk about getting their teen a "cool" car are focused on making sure their teen is the "cool" kid and they need to get a life. My kid drives an old Camry - it has ABS, front and side curtain airbags, and a rear-view camera. It is not cool, and it will serve him reliably and well, and he should be thankful to have a car. Also, he pays for his own gas. Kids need to have some skin in the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You never, ever buy a teen a car based on what is cool. Most cool cars are dangerous because they are flip hazards or they are not made for inexperienced drivers or they are not made for the type of driving/parking you need to do in the DMV.

I say something along the lines of a camry or accord, or maybe a CRV or Rav4

I agree - parents who talk about getting their teen a "cool" car are focused on making sure their teen is the "cool" kid and they need to get a life. My kid drives an old Camry - it has ABS, front and side curtain airbags, and a rear-view camera. It is not cool, and it will serve him reliably and well, and he should be thankful to have a car. Also, he pays for his own gas. Kids need to have some skin in the game.

Exactly! I force my kids to grown his own rice, which he does with irrigation trenches he dug by himself. Last year, he lost his crops to locusts but, hey, he needs to have some skin in the game if he wants to eat.

[Anonymous]

Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla or Mazda3 are all good options. I don't know about "cool" but they are safe, affordable, and reliable.