What is a reasonable car for a 16 year old?

[milos_mommy]

Originally Posted by milos_mommy

Oh, I totally agree an Expedition is a ridiculous car for a 16 year old. But I can definitely understand parents wanting their kid in an SUV instead of a small sedan.

I would buy my kid their first car...provided they have a good reason for their own car (a steady job that I can't reliably drive them to, or needing to drive to school), get good grades, and are responsible and I feel they will be a safe driver. I do think kids need to work hard for what they have, but if part of that is working hard in school and being a responsible family member and contributing to society, I don't mind rewarding it. Besides, in a lot of places (like where I grew up) it's pretty hard for a high schooler to get a job and get to it with working parents, and near impossible to get to college without a car or a reliable ride every day.

ETA...not sure if I'm talking about a 16 year old kid, though. In NYS, you can't even get your license at 16 anymore. If I still lived here, my kid would be at least 17, but probably more like 18, before I bought them a car.

[Taqroy]

My first car was a 1989 Ford Bronco II. Terrible choice for me - I'm incredibly lucky I didn't roll the stupid top heavy thing while I was out 4 wheeling. It also ended up dying right after I pumped almost $1000 into it. ******* thing. I had to buy it, pay for insurance, and pay for gas but after it died my parent's let me borrow their old truck until I could get a new car. The truck was a 1980 Ford F150 that liked to randomly die when you hit the brakes in the winter. SO SAFE. Lol. It also got like 8 mpg.

So really, no matter what I put my future kids in, it has to be better than what I had. I think that at most I will pay for half a vehicle, or sell them a hand me down vehicle for cheap. I'd probably go for a Honda if it wasn't a hand me down. I suppose it depends on how much money we have at the time.

[Southpaw]

My first car was a 1995 Honda Civic. That was the car I desperately wanted though lol. My dad bought it for me and he was happy to... He just wanted me to have something reliable, which Hondas are.

There was a certain budget too, and it took us a long time to find a Civic that fit it.

[Dizzy]

None!!! You have to be 17 to learn to drive in the UK

[oakash]

I don't have my 'own' car. We have three family cars, and its kinda pick and chose and it depends on the situation as to which one I drive. I definitely have to at least have a car to drive though, otherwise one of my parents would have to drive me everywhere, and I am going 20 minutes each way to practice, and then 10 minutes away from my other practice. And to my job.

And that isn't counting my little brother who has to be driven to his multiple practices, and my mom has a job so she can't drive much. So it was pretty important that I have a car to drive. :P

[Skivvies]

I never had a car until I was done with college and got a full time job. My parents just let me (and my sisters when they got old enough to drive) borrow my parents' ancient Ford Taurus when we needed it (they had 2 cars...the other was a Crown Vic which was later replaced by a Dodge Caravan). If I was to have kids for some crazy reason, that's probably what I'd do...let them drive an old family car.

My first car was a terrible PT Cruiser. It was a lemon and totally unsafe. I have so much hate for that car.

[Jules]

I am always SO scared when I see a teenager in a huge SUV. I think a smaller sedan would be plenty. I had an ooooold beetle. I loved that car. My parents gave it to me as a combined Christmas/birthday present together with my grandparents. I also worked that year at my dad's business.

I still think 16 is too young, and I still think that the american driving schools are too short and not enough in depth.

[Miakoda]

My first car was a 1989 Camaro RS (305 V8). I must say that I was Daddy's little girl. I was 14 when he bought it, and it became "mine" on my 15th birthday (yes, back in those days you could get your permit at 14 and your license at 15 in Louisiana.).

I think each situation is different when it comes to kids and who pays for what. I was busting my butt playing soccer year-round and I had really good grades in school. I went to college on full athletic scholorship as well as a full academic scholorship. I bought a 2000 Camaro Z28 in late 2000, but I was not only playing soccer and going to school full time, but I also taught Driver's Ed. and that paid my car note. My parents paid my insurance for me.

I consider myself responsible and not spoiled in the least. I was 20 years old before I got my first "real" job (someone other than my Dad hiring me to do work for his engineering firm ). Despite that, I had no issues regarding work ethic.

But I will say that in my case, playing soccer and doing well in school also taught me about work ethic even though it wasn't in the job force.

[GipsyQueen]

Originally Posted by nikkiluvsu15

My mom has an Expedition, which is what I learned to drive in (along with an F-250) and I absolutely LOVE driving it.

However, my car is a 1997 Ford Escort and I think it is a great first car... especially since I have to commute to college every day. Though it does get a bit small when I have to lug around Harleigh's stuff all the time

My first car was a 1997 Ford Escort too European virsion though, was a piece of crap.

And the best car for a 16-year-old IMO is none-existant.

[~Jessie~]

For me, having my own car at 16 WAS necessary. I took college classes (dual enrollment) and worked part time.

Same with my sister who is now 16. She takes college classes one or two nights a week and she also works on the weekends.

I think car insurance costs are regional as well. Down in South Florida (where my family lives), car insurance rates are even a good bit higher than they are here.