Best Car for a new teenage driver

explorerx4 · September 2008

i tried the same thing, bought a 4 cyl focus in '04 figuring that it would be about 2 years old and low mileage when i turned it over to my teenager.
turned out to be a sleeper and didn't like wet/snow much.
i had a lot of fun with it, though.

qbrozen · September 2008

Here is an absolute mandatory read for all those parents who feel their kid can handle a high-performance ride.

explorerx4 · September 2008

while i agree on one level, how many people have a 700 hp car they would let their drive unattended? plenty of kids around here have been killed in subaru wrx's.

qbrozen · September 2008

how many people have a 700 hp car they would let their drive unattended? plenty of kids around here have been killed in subaru wrx's.

A WRX is a high performance car.
Exactly my point.

Can they get killed in a 100-hp Corolla? Sure. Of course. But its tougher to do.

michaellno · September 2008

Can they get killed in a 100-hp Corolla? Sure. Of course. But its tougher to do.

I'll respectfully disagree ... any modern car can go fast enough (40-60 MPH) to where its occupants can be killed if they run into something, or lose control and roll it.

Teenagers feel that they are immortal, and so will do things that put them into more danger than drivers with more experience. Sometimes, they get lucky; other times, not.

My stepson was lucky. It seems like every few weeks there is a story in the paper of those who are not so lucky.

qbrozen · September 2008

Like I said, of course they can get hurt or killed.

But you gotta admit, logically speaking, it is EASIER to get killed as you move up the performance ladder. Not only does the higher performance allow getting up to death speeds quicker, it can and does encourage more dangerous driving.

Did I do stupid things with my '78 Mercury Zephyr that took 5 miles of road to break 100mph? Sure. Did I do stupid things in my '79 CJ7 that couldn't break 75mph? Yes. But could I do those things on a regular basis? Nope. I had to seek out long empty stretches of road that gave me enough room. Compared to a car like I have now that can get me to triple digit speeds without much more space than a quarter mile, those old vehicles were, without a doubt, TOUGHER to do stupid things with.

And, let's be realistic, even a RWD 300hp vehicle takes experience to handle. A flick of the throttle will put you in the wrong direction in a hurry. Not so with 100hp FWD car. It takes alot more effort and planning to lose control of something like that. If someone does wreck a 100hp FWD'er, they were working damned hard at it.

michaellno · September 2008

Agreed - the more horsepower you have, the stupider you become - or have the potential to be.

In high school, a buddy of mine had a '76 Civic. Upon leaving the local hangout one Friday night, he was able to get the tires to squeal (must have been fresh pavement

)

-- and was immediately pulled over by a cop.

Who would've thought that something with such a small motor would get him an 'exhibition of speed' ticket?

Yes, I remember the foolhardy days of my youth. When I was in college, I worked at a store in a strip mall. Large piece of blacktop behind the building, where I would do handbrake turns in my '79 Pontiac Sunbird. Stupid, in retrospect.

My stepson had all of 98HP when he rolled his Chevy Tracker. Yes he was speeding (60+ in a 45, IIRC). It was a dirt road. He had his license all of 5 weeks. Most of his drivers training was in our Explorer (207HP), so he knew about the higher center of gravity in an SUV.

q - you've got kids, right? How old? I've lived through 3 of them getting their license (2 in CO, 1 in CA), and they've all gotten at least one ticket for speeding (even the girl).

But, putting an 18 year old behind the wheel of a 700 HP car is like giving a chainsaw to a 10 year old. Might be OK, might be a bloody mess.

qbrozen · September 2008

I have one 2.5-year-old son so far.
And he LOVES cars. Who knows what will be available by the time he's old enough. But if his interest holds, I'll probably have him racing karts before he's 10.

I'll teach him early to "keep it on the track."

Even then, however, I'll be putting one of those data loggers on his car when he's 17 so I can see what he's doing on public roads.

obyone · September 2008

While youth is a potential problem ever consider parents whose children have ADHD and drive? Talk about nightmares. :surprise:

exb0 · September 2008

What's a "data logger".

michaellno · September 2008

Funny you should mention ADHD. My 19 year old son in CA was diagnosed with this when he was little and was on medication for many years. He stopped taking his meds a few years ago as his mom decided it wasn't worth the effort to fight with him about it. I've heard through the grapevine, however, that he's thinking of going back onto the meds since he started attending college this past month.

He didn't get his license until he was 18 1/2. When he graduated HS last year, I took my (recently passed) FIL's '92 Subaru Legacy wagon to him as a graduation present. While he has had to do a bit of work to it in the short time he's had the car (clutch, new tires, alternator), he's quite happy to have his own transportation, without the burden of payments.

Yes, he's already gotten a speeding ticket (ironically, on the same road where I was once pulled over when I lived there), so hopefully he'll learn his lesson.

The good thing is that it's hard to squeal the tires when you have AWD!

qbrozen · September 2008

It records all the info from the car during a trip.

Here is one example.

kiawah · September 2008

Wow...that's cool...thanks.

I've seen the real time reporting devices via cellphone that track via GPS and can tell you exactly where the car is/was, but that service subscription is much more expensive. This little monitor without the realtime cell connection is cheap enough, and can be used for long term monitoring very easily.

marys236 · October 2008

I'm thinking of buying my 16 y/o son a 2009 Ford Fusion, primarily because it seems to be the least expensive mid-size sedan to receive a top safety rating from IIHS, with the optional ESC. I'd rather not buy him a brand new car, but the ESC seems to be an important accident avoidance feature, based on the fatality rates for teen drivers, and it's hard to find older cars with that feature, unless you go to an older luxury model, then you have premium gas and high maintenance costs to worry about. I'd welcome any other opinions, just trying to explore all my options.

explorerx4 · October 2008

be prepared for any car to get trashed a bit being parked in the high school parking lot.
there are lots of good deals on left over '08's around if you are stuck on a new car.

marys236 · October 2008

No, I just want one with ESC and side impact airbags, and good crash test ratings. It seem like to get that, you almost have to get something pretty new. The 2009 Fusion was a top safety pick from the IIHS, but the earlier models don't have ESC, which is why I was considering a new one. We went and drove a 2007 Hyundai Sonata, it seemed like a nice car. It has ESC and side airbags, but the side impact crash ratings are only average instead of good. Still, it's a lot cheaper.

oldfarmer50 · October 2008

"...I'm thinking of buying my 16 y/o son a 2009 Ford Fusion..."

You are thinking of spending 20-25K on a 16 year old? Can I call you dad?

Seriously though, if you have that kind of money I would wager that your son would be really put out that you didn't buy something flashier for him. Most of the wealthy kids I run into have a certain set of expectations. A Fusion might be seen in the same light as if a less well-off kid was told to ride the bus.

marys236 · October 2008

Whoa, there, the base Fusion invoice is about $19k, and there is a $3500 rebate right now. I'm thinking I could get one for about $17k.

obyone · October 2008

For $19K you could get a nice C5 Corvette WITH traction control.

kiawah · October 2008

Slight difference in insurance rates, between a corvette and fusion............

explorerx4 · October 2008

if you go back in this discussion, you will find out what my teens are driving.
i would be more worried about your son talking/texting on the phone and other kids being in the car, than the safety features of the car itself, as long as it is good condition.
you might try buying a cheap car, and if that works out for a while, tell him he will have earned something better.
he is not going to be happy with a base fusion, so you are just going to end up spending more money trying to make him happy.

hammerhead · October 2008

No disrespect intended here, but I don't think any 16 year old needs a new car. There are so many good, safe, reliable used cars out there - I really don't see the need for your child to drive a car newer than yours.

Cheers!
Paul

marys236 · October 2008

I wasn't trying to make him happy, he couldn't care less about ESC. I'm looking for safety features for my own peace of mind. The main attraction of the Fusion was that the 2009 model is a IIHS Top Safety Pick. He'd be just as happy with an old car with no airbags or ABS or ESC. I want something safe, not to please a 16 y/o boy. I'm not sure tellng him he has to earn safety features is the way I want to go. I was just trying to get some insight from other people who might have thought about how to get the safest car possible for the least amount of money. Car accidents ARE the leading cause of death for teenagers.

ESC is a fairly recent safety option, you just aren't going to get it on many old cars, but it is supposed to significantly reduce the risk of a one vehicle accident.

Someone on another board suggested a Sonata, we are looking at a used 2007, it has ESC, side airbags, lots of safety features. It doesn't have as good of crash ratings as the Fusion, but it's close, and it would be about $5,000 less. We may go that way.

marys236 · October 2008

You're funny.

thechiefs · October 2008

hammerhead · October 2008

Shoot - there's a bunch of TEN year old cars out there that are safe & reliable. My nearly-17-year-old son is driving a hand-me-down 97 Outback - AWD, reliable as rain, sturdy, airbags, and I insist (and pay for) top-notch tires. All he needs.

Cheers!
Paul

capella · October 2008

If you can live without ESC, the 500 is very safe with side impact airbags (check out gov't and IIHS scores). And, it is pretty cheap, and it is a "stodgy" car that provides adequate but not super fast acceleration, so a young male driver isn't going to feel like he has a sports car (even though the handling is perfectly fine).

Only potential problem would be the huge rear seat in case there's a date with a girlfriend.

If you can find a used '08 Taurus with ESC, that would work well. Every '09 Taurus comes with ESC, but of course none of them are used right now.

m4d_cow · October 2008

1) Cheap to maintain
2) None to expensive
3) Save and reliable
4) Fuel friendly, imagine your kids having to pay for current gas.

Arent those what counts when looking for a car for teenagers?

Personally I think the rest depends on the driver itself. My neighbor gave his 17 y.o daughter a hand me down 04 Mustang GTand nothing ever happened to her. OTOH I know a guy who bought his son an 06 Scion tC and he crashed it in 4 months. The only problem with most teens, they still lack responsibility and experience, in general that is.

A used car from japanese brands is the best option, I'd say either a Scion, Toyota, Subaru or Honda. There's a premium for getting a Subaru, but the tradeoff is great snow traction and engine that last probably longer than the car itself

Avoid any european brand including VW (actually, particularly VW)
Avoid SUVs, one may think its big = save. heck an SUV is actually a handfull to control in less ideal conditions. If space is important, buy him/her a wagon or crossover instead.
An outback, impreza wagon or matrix are ideal enough, give them nothing taller than a CRV.

m4d_cow · October 2008

1) Cheap to maintain
2) None to expensive
3) Save and reliable
4) Fuel friendly, imagine your kids having to pay for current gas.

Arent those what counts when looking for a car for teenagers?

Personally I think the rest depends on the driver itself. My neighbor gave his 17 y.o daughter a hand me down 04 Mustang GTand nothing ever happened to her. OTOH I know a guy who bought his son an 06 Scion tC and he crashed it in 4 months. The only problem with most teens, they still lack responsibility and experience, in general that is.

A used car from japanese brands is the best option, I'd say either a Scion, Toyota, Subaru or Honda. There's a premium for getting a Subaru, but the tradeoff is great snow traction and engine that last probably longer than the car itself

Avoid any european brand including VW (actually, particularly VW)
Avoid SUVs, one may think its big = save. heck an SUV is actually a handfull to control in less ideal conditions. If space is important, buy him/her a wagon or crossover instead.

No ABS or ESC can save your kid if hes not a good driver. To be fair they help though. If you must, most late entries already have that option. Sonata is cheap, but the resale value will give you a real sting. Fusion fares better overall imo.

oldfarmer50 · October 2008

"...Whoa, there, the base Fusion invoice is about 19K..."

What? You're buying the kid an "old fart's" car and you're not even going to pimp it up a bit?

At 19K I'd still call you dad but your son might not.

marys236 · October 2008

This is an interesting article here on Edmunds about choosing a safe car for a teen driver.
http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/safety/articles/121346/article.html

marys236 · October 2008

A used car from japanese brands is the best option, I'd say either a Scion, Toyota, Subaru or Honda.

I'm leaning towards a mid-size, since I think they are generally going to provide more protection in a crash, while still getting decent gas mileage. I prefer Hondas, and drive an Accord myself, but the ESC did not become standard on Accords until 2008. Before that, ESC was only available on the 6 cyl. models beginning in 2006, which are hard to find in my area. Also, a 2006 6 cyl. Accord will run about $17k to $18k in this area, if you can find one. Not saving much, and lower gas mileage.

Scion is too small in my opinion, Toyota, no ESC available on used sedans except as an option (which none of the used cars around here have). Yes, I might be able to find a 10 y/o Subaru at a cheap price, but my son's HS is across town, and he has a 30 mile roundtrip to school and back on the interstate, I just don't want to risk getting anything that old. Really, it's almost impossible to find a used Subaru in my area anyway. They are pretty rare around here, we don't even have a Subaru dealership in my city any more.

An acquaintance's teenage daughter was recently in a fatal one-car accident after losing control of her car. She was not driving recklessly, at least not that anyone can tell. That may be influencing my desire to get something with ESC, since it's possible that feature could have prevented her accident.

Even if a teenager is a good driver, they don't have much driving experience and they don't have the best judgment when faced with the split second decisions that can mean the difference between life and death on the highway. It's just a difficult decision, trying to balance cost with safety.

2doorpost · October 2008

You Want Safe?

My sons High School car was a 76 Impala Custom Coupe. Safest thing this side of a Peterbilt . It got sideswiped one day at school and the other car had to be towed away.He drove home. With a slightly tweaked bumper.Other drivers fault.
And the 400 smallblock wasn't that bad on gas.
He eventually saved anough coin working to buy a brand new Cavalier for his college car, which he finally has sold, years after graduating .

imidazol97 · October 2008

I haven't gone back to read all posts related here, so if I misconstrue something, I apologize.

The insurance rates are higher during the age 16 year. They go down some at 17 if no accidents, no tickets, etc. That's at least true with my insurance company. The faux secretary who is actually a crack agent waiting to take over when the older guy retires..., gives new drivers a lecture about distractions, speed, and tickets when they come in to be added to policy and turn in their safe driving packet they worked through and so on.

Cell phones is #1 on the list After that a month I watched a Cobalt with SS badges in a coupe and all black with lots of chrome wheels crash into the rear of a car waiting to make a left turn. Seventeen-year-old was reaching for his cell phone because it rang; he was trying to find it.

Talking to other parents their advice is no answering cell phone while driving. Pull over in parking lot of side of road to see who called; if parent or important call, park and return call. One of those was the husband (ex) of the lady who was hit in the rear making the left turn. He's a policeman in another district.

If you want your kid safe, buy a large, older car that doesn't have a lot of power but is safer because of mass and has front air bags. I can find you a large H-body GM car with side air bags from 2000 up for a good price. Drive it for a couple of years.

As for stability control, you can't repeal the laws of physics. May I respectfully suggest that most accidents are not going to be prevented beyond the initial 10% of loss of control if driver doesn't catch what's happening. A teenager probably won't, especially if distracted. The one law of physics which will help is relative masses and construction of larger cars.

I'd put my effort in safe driving and full attention on driving. Our state only allows one juvenile in car with a new driver that's not a relative unless there's a related adult in the car. I may not have that worded quite right, but the point is distracted driving.

BTW the teenager in the spiffy black/chrome Cobalt, could have turned right 5 degrees and avoided hitting the Saturn in the rear; the berm is almost flat and a very gentle slope onto the flat acreage of a chruch. He was distracted or had never learned to always think about escape routes as you drive. When he hit the brakes, he stayed right on the road to hit the car.

kyfdx · October 2008

A domestic mid-sized four-door would be about right, I think...

Something in the '99-'01 range, so it has airbags... Which will also make it relatively cheap ($3500-$6500). Ugly and/or dorky is okay... you don't want him to love driving it.. Semi-poor fuel mileage is also okay... If he can't afford road trips, you won't have to worry about him being 150 miles away on a Saturday.

As far as stability control? It's a great option, but 99% of us learned to drive a car without it. In fact, it could be argued that a new driver would never get a sense of impending loss of control, if the stability control is always stepping in to fix the problem. Then, the only time he would be out of control, would be when it is too late to save it, and with no experience on how to do it.

Save that extra $10K for his college fund.. Or, send him to teenage car control/safety clinics..

So.. Look for a Taurus, Sable, Impala, Olds Alero, Malibu, etc.. You can get a pretty decent car for $5K.. that won't make you cry if he gets in a fender-bender.

Just my $0.02
kyfdx
visiting host

explorerx4 · October 2008

you wrote what i am thinking. you have to have the enough experience to knwo to turn the wheel, most people just slam on the brakes goign straight ahead.
one time my daughter brought the explorer home with a dent in the rear fender. she said some hit it while it was parked.
when i took it to the body shop for an estimate, i asked the guy if he thought it was hit or hit something. he gave me a funny look, but i told him i wasn't driving it.
he asked how old the driver was, when i said they had been driving about a year.
he said it was hit, kids usually damage the cars in the front or the back.

kiawah · October 2008

You can find used Camry's with VSC as an option in 4 cylinders.

I bought a 2007 LE w/VSC when new, for the sole purpose of being handed down to my daughter (which it now is).

Has all the air bags, ABS, VSC, mid-sized, cheap to insure, not top heavy, not a huge engine, safe, reliable, parts easy to find and fix (if/when need be), etc.

explorerx4 · October 2008

another thing about the fusion, a base model with ESC may be a mythical beast.
the cheapest fusion in my local area with ESC has an msrp of 22k. it was an SE model. all the others i found were more.
good luck and i hope your son turns out to be an excellent driver.

kkollwitz · October 2008

In the last 2 years I've bought for my teenagers a 1994 Regal V6 and a 1995 Century V6 from the original mature owners. Both have been fine cars that I've been happy to drive as the need arose. One cost $2000, the other $2100. They're cheap to insure (no comprehensive), get good mileage (28 and 30 hwy), are roomy, reliable, and torquey. I expect to buy similar Buicks for my remaining kids.

marys236 · October 2008

another thing about the fusion, a base model with ESC may be a mythical beast

You may be right, when I bought my last new car in 2006, I wanted to make sure I had side impact airbags. I looked at some models that only had them as an option, and it was almost impossible to find one. Optional safety equipment is usually hard to find in my area, I guess people would rather spend their money on aluminum rims and fancy stereos.

I've about decided to go with a used 2007 Hyundai Sonata, there are a bunch available right now so I think I could get a good deal, I can get one that would still have some warranty left, and they have a good safety rating.

keitha3 · October 2008

Hi,
You might also check the prices against new Sonata's. Around here, they're going for under 16K.

The only reason I mention this is because the 09's are much nicer inside and, I think, you only get the full 10 year warranty if you are the original owner. If I recall, the ten years is cut in half if you buy used. Of course, if you buy used from a private party, you save on sales tax.

Not telling you that this is something you should do, but just a consideration.

tankbeans · October 2008

Hey all-

I've never been to this board before but I thought I'd add in my $0.02. I'm 20 years old and as such have "graduated" from my HS car and am now driving my post HS car.

That being said, my parents didn't buy me a car at all. I had to make due with the stuff that I could afford without them. My first car was a 1993 Aerostar, which I bought for $750, and the only reason I got rid of it was because the thing got nasty mileage, circa 10 mpg in a good week. Then I had a 1993 Escort, got great mileage and was peppy enough for me about 26 mpg without trying. My brother killed it. He likes to "try" to race.

I had a Buick and loved it. It was nice and floaty and it got okay mileage for a huge V6 about 20. Then, when I graduated from HS my mom's best friend cosigned a loan for me on a 1995 Accord EX which had plenty of toys, decent acceleration and ABS. I bought that for $5400 used, of course.

I've had to pay to insure all of my vehicles, I've paid to maintain them and I've paid for all the gas. I guess I don't understand how parents can get themselves thinking that a 16 year old needs a car just because they have a license.

I'm not trying to offend anyone here, but I just don't understand the mindset.

Just curious, would anyone here give there child a $30k plus car for their 16th b-day? I knew one kid who got a brand new A6 for his 16th b-day and a girl who got a new X5 for her b-day.

As for my post HS car I have an 03 Accord LX coupe. I'm paying for it myself and plan to keep it for a long time.

Just my opinion.

explorerx4 · October 2008

what does 'post HS' mean? are you still in school?
from my parent pov, we are glad to not have to drop off and pick up the kid(s) every day. i want them to concentrate on school, not worry about paying for a car.
also, you are learning a very good 'life lesson' being completely responsible for the ownership and maintenance of your car. i applaude you for that.
my wife and i have put a bit of support, not the cash type, into one of my nephews.
it has been a bumpy road, but i think progress is being made.
not everyone grows up at the same time. some never do.

tankbeans · October 2008

By post HS I mean that I am out of High School. I simply mean that I am driving a different car than I did in high school. I'm trying to go to college but am having trouble getting my work schedules to mesh with classes. I'm learning a very hard lesson indeed, but I am better for it.

Currently I pay $400 for my car and $160 for full coverage. I decided to buy an extended warranty on my car and I had a little bit of negative equity from my 95 Accord EX when I traded it in. Long story on that one.

In retrospect I loved my 95 Accord and should have kept it, but what can I say I wanted a newer car.

explorerx4 · October 2008

i think i get where you are at.
whatever you do, keep your eye on where you want to go.
there are online courses that don't have clock time commitments.
i have had a couple of vehicles i have regretted trading in or selling. one was an 88 tbird and the other a 97 explorer. i still have the car i bought after selling the 88 tbird, back in 1991.

westgmn · October 2008

Just want to make an insight about how disconnected people are from reality, especially where I live-

The first day of high school 2 years ago, a kid, who I am acquaintinced with, pulled up in a black on black BMW M6. Needless to say many were shocked including myself. His parents payed over a 100k for it and when I asked why such an extravagance, he replied "my father felt I should be rewarded for my eventual graduation."...... I know, I almost threw up out of disgust too.

My reward for doing well and graduating from high school is currently having most of my college education and law/business school, should I choose to take that path, paid for by my father. And I know that is considered spoiled by most and that is certainly fine because they are entitled to their opinion. But there is absolutely no excuse or defense to giving a 500 horsepower, automated-manual controlled, 2 ton vehicle to someone who does not even know how to drive a stick shift. It is equal to that of a giving a toddler a loaded gun. Just an accident waiting to happen.

In the area that I live where kids with audis and acuras generally drive like they are brain dead, the M6 definitly takes the cake.

carexpert08 · October 2008

Well I would like to add into this discussion. I am currently 19 and recently signed a lease on a infiniti g35x 2008. I believe that there shouldn't be a specific age when your allowed to drive a premium brand. For the last 2 years I drove a Land Rover/BMW my prents cars. The thinks people on this forum are saying about teen drivers just makes them seem completely outdated and jealous.

tidester · October 2008

Thanks for speaking up!

I am curious - you said "my mom's best friend cosigned a loan for me." Why would your parents not cosign for you? Was that their insistence on you doing it all on your own?

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

tidester · October 2008

just makes them seem completely outdated and jealous

I don't think so. There is nothing outdated about responsibility and safety. Invoking the notion of jealousy is a distraction and misses the points upon which we should focus rather than attempting to judge others.

In my humble opinion, the (general) difference in maturity and responsibility between a 19 year old willing to make the commitment of paying off a lease and a 16 year old being handed a "premium brand" is not insignificant. It's apples and oranges.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

tankbeans · October 2008

My mom's best friend is pretty much my aunt. She has been there since before I was born and is still a big part of my life. My parents didn't cosign because their credit sucked and they knew.

My mom's friend signed because I was graduating, the only one in my family to do so, not counting my parents. Both of my brothers decided to drop out. Her friend wanted to help me by getting me a loan for a nicer car. I was driving a 17 year old Buick that was rendered a coupe because the drivers side doors wouldn't open. After the loan was gotten I was on my own with regards to payments.

Oh she did make the first payment as a birthday present since I graduated about 2 weeks after my birthday.

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