What Car Would You Buy for Your College Age Driver?

[Anonymous]

For whatever reason (basically because she doesn't like my choice of car), my DW insists we need to buy our college age daughter a new car. DD learned to drive on our 2009 Volvo S40 and drove it the last two years in high school. I wanted to give it to her to take to college. However, in the last year, we put about $4000 in repairs into the car, replacing front struts, ball joints, engine mounts and the a/c compressor. IMHO this car is good to go for another 100,000 miles. However, DW - who will buy no other car other than Mercedes Benz - wants to buy a new used car for DD - a 2012 MB C300 with 88,000 miles. I am against it b/c I think the Volvo is just fine to get the DD through two more years of college. Besides the fact that I do not think a luxury car is appropriate for students (I drove a 1986 VW in college in 1992), I think the MB C300 mileage is too high, it will be expensive to repair and maintain and to insure. I think it wiser financially to hold on to the Volvo for two more years and perhaps gift something like a Hyundai with a 5 year warranty to DD when she graduates if she really needs a car. I did not need a car after graduating from college and didn' have one for close to eight years living in DC. Perhaps I am being too old school, but DW will not compromise and says she is upset by my refusal to help her buy the MB.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

What school is she going to? Does she really need a car at all?

[Anonymous]

Do people like this really exist? A Mercedes?

Go to http://www.iihs.org and pick one of their top safety pick + cars. And you have to go up to E class in Mercedes to get to that.

I saw a late model Mercedes broken down on the side of the road this morning. My friend who has two, has them constantly in the shop. I’d think you’d want something more reliable. And when it breaks down, something that doesn’t take a week or so to repair.

Large sedans with minimal horsepower are the safest type of car. What about an accord, Camry, or subaru?

[Anonymous]

My college kid has a Ford Focus. I think you may have marital issues rather than car issues.

[Anonymous]

I would buy a new decent mid-sized car so she can have it 10 years and with a warranty. I'd wait till jr. or senior year. I got one senior year as I needed it for an internship. I kept it 12 years before buying a new one. A used with 88K miles makes no sense when you can get new/same price.

[Anonymous]

I have a couple friends with C300s that are 2013 and newer that bought them with 30k or less miles and they've had tons of problems and expensive repairs.

[Anonymous]

We were going to hand over our basic 2005 Corolla to DC1, but after learning of all the new-fangled safety features like back-up camera, lane-change sensors, etc, I would like to buy a *new* basic Japanese car with safety features for him, and we can drive the old one.

So your talk of Volvo versus Mercedes is going way above my head

[Anonymous]

Buying a C300 with 88,000 miles says "I care more about saying my kid has a MB than about her safety and convenience."

[Anonymous]

Get her something that she will be able to afford to maintain with her first job. I know from experience that Volvos are expensive to service (they do run forever if kept in good shape, though). I suspect that Mercedes is the same way. Look at a used Honda or Toyota instead. These have modern safety features, are reliable, and are inexpensive to maintain. A car that breaks down on the side of the road is unsafe, as it could leave your child in a bad situation.

Better yet, work with your daughter and make the car-selection and -buying process an educational activity. Give her a budget and your requirements (safe, reliable), and let her look at car ads and find models that are appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Your Volvo sounds perfect for now, but I agree with others recommending Hondas/Toyota sedans. They are about the most practical, reliable cars you can get and perfect for a young person in college or post-college.

I also recommend going with certified pre-owned rather than new - much lower cost for a car that has maybe 15-10K on it and they usually have excellent warranties. You also get the car's history so you know if it is reliable, what issues it has had, and how well it was maintained. After getting my last 3 cars that way, I'm never buying new again.

Your wife needs to get over the Mercedes addiction - that is crazy inflexibility. This is about what your DD needs, not what she needs!

I have a couple of college friends whose parents gave them their old luxury cars to drive during college, and it was a real liability. Not only were they costly to repair but they seemed to be a target for breakins (friend's Lexus was broken into a couple of times, while my Nissan nearby was never touched). Not to mention, other people thought they were obnoxious for driving something that fancy.

[Anonymous]

88k miles is way too high on a used car. You have to start making too many repairs and replacements at 100k miles. Is your DD going to put 12k miles on it before she finishes college? If not, she's going to be stuck with those repair bills as a fresh-out-of-college worker. Or if she puts the miles on before college ends, you'll be stuck with those repair bills.

Honestly, unless she has a huge need for the car while in college these last 2 years, I'd save that money and buy her a new car for her college graduation. I bet if you posed the question to her, a used car now or a new car in 2 years, she'd pick the new.

[Anonymous]

DO NOT buy a 7 year old mercedes!!!! Do you really want your daughter to have to go down when she has to support herself?

Buy her a used civic or accord for the same amount of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My college kid has a Ford Focus. I think you may have marital issues rather than car issues.

+1 The issue ain't the car, OP.