Kids in older cars

[Anonymous]

If your car is well maintained and mechanically sound would you be concerned about driving your kids in the car?

I am the original owner of a 16 year old car that recently had a brake caliper seize and destroy my rotor.

I had it repaired and asked the mechanic to check it out for any other signs of metal fatigue.
They said it looks ok, calipers rarely just sides like that but it is old and even though is has under 70k miles no one can predict when anything major/catastrophic could happen.

Now I am not sure I should have my kids in the car at high speeds.
Would you get ride of it? It is not worth that much, even with low miles.

[Anonymous]

Depends on what kind/year of the car.

[Anonymous]

Although I learned to drive in a car that was 15 years old at the time, I think there have been so many safety advances in the last 15 years that it's worth getting a newer car if you can afford to.

[Anonymous]

It's not metal fatigue. Technology has advanced enormously. Things like better airbags (multi-stage based on impact severity), seatbelt tensioners, off-set collision protection, traction control, blind spot monitoring, etc etc.. That's all come out much more recently.

[Anonymous]

I’d be fine with it.

[Anonymous]

The safest car your kids ride in, is the one where they are in properly fit and installed carseats, everytime.

[Anonymous]

Kids as driver? or kids as babies in carseats? HOw old are kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids as driver? or kids as babies in carseats? HOw old are kids?

OP said driving your kids, not kids driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your car is well maintained and mechanically sound would you be concerned about driving your kids in the car?

I am the original owner of a 16 year old car that recently had a brake caliper seize and destroy my rotor.

I had it repaired and asked the mechanic to check it out for any other signs of metal fatigue.
They said it looks ok, calipers rarely just sides like that but it is old and even though is has under 70k miles no one can predict when anything major/catastrophic could happen.

Now I am not sure I should have my kids in the car at high speeds.
Would you get ride of it? It is not worth that much, even with low miles.

This will happen to older cars. Within last 6 months, I had to deal with two of my cars - a 2005 and a 2009. No big deal.

[Anonymous]

I would. Carseates, how familiar you are with the car and how you drive are more important than newer airbags or blindspot monitoring. I monitor it and not sure I want the airbag hitting the kid.