Mind child, Delmar (not his real name) is turning 8 weeks soon, so naturally I’ve already started shopping for his first car. It’s hard! All the cars my single self thought would be great options to teach my kid that “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” and that “hard work is how you get anywhere in life” are vehicles I can’t get myself to consider anymore. Maybe I’ve gone soft?
Upon my wife birthing Delmar, various wires in my brain either got crossed, or they un-crossed themselves and are now functioning properly, because my plans to daily-drive my family in old cars have pretty much gone out the window. And while I myself still feel OK driving old junkers, don’t think there’s not part of me that isn’t constantly thinking that I need to not die for at least 18 years, at least.
Naturally, my hunt for my son’s first car has taken a sharp turn from 1965 Plymouth Valiant to post-2010 machines. This is a large departure from where I stood about a year ago, which was: “Just get the child the cheapest crap-can possible and make him wrench on it to keep it running” and also “I drove an unsafe old Jeep in high school/college, so my kid can handle one, too!”
In my defense, I don’t think this is me going soft, I think it’s just reality that the safety innovations in the past 20 years have been absolutely tremendous, and I’d be a fool to ignore them. Take Electronic Stability Control, which helps keep your car under control in emergency-maneuver situations. From NHTSA:
In 2015 an estimated 1,949 lives were saved by electronic stability control (ESC) among passenger vehicle (PV) occupants. These lives saved consisted of 857 passenger car (PC) occupants and 1,0911 light-truck and van (LTV) occupants. The estimated 1,949 lives saved in 2015 is an increase over the estimated number of lives saved in previous years; 1,575 lives saved in 2014, 1,380 lives saved in 2013, 1,225 lives saved in 2012, and 896 lives saved in 2011. Added together ESC has saved more than 7,000 lives during the 5-year period from 2011 to 2015. NHTSA’s estimates of effectiveness for ESC have been updated in the report, Updated Estimates of Fatality Reduction by Electronic Stability Control (Kahane, 2014), discussed in the Background section of this Research Not
From IIHS:
IIHS studies indicate that ESC reduces fatal single-vehicle crash risk by about half and fatal multiple-vehicle crash risk by 20 percent for cars and SUVs. Many single-vehicle crashes involve rolling over, and ESC’s effectiveness in preventing rollovers is even more dramatic. It reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle rollovers by 75 percent for SUVs and by 72 percent for cars.
Did you read that?! “It reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle rollovers by 75 percent for SUVs and by 72 percent for cars.”
That is insane. There’s no chance I’m ignoring that. My kid’s car is getting ESC, period.
And you know what, he’s also getting side airbags and a good overall IIHS rating, especially on the Small Overlap Rigid Barrier (SORB) test. I realize in the future there will be more stringent tests, so the car won’t be the safest, but it’ll probably be safe enough.
I would love to get my kid something with a manual transmission, but it all depends on what fuel prices look like in the future. There’s a decent chance he’ll be driving something electric. Maybe I could get him an EREV so he can still do some oil changes, which we can all agree, are good for the soul.
Maybe he’ll inherit my BMW i3? The Mazda3 hatch above with a stickshift could also be a decent option, and it is included in IIHS’s “Safe Vehicles for Teens” list:
That list is pretty boring though, and though safety is paramount, I’d like my child to drive something at least somewhat interesting. Is the i3 too small for a road filled with SUVs and trucks? I don’t know; it’s hard, and I only have about 16 years to figure it out!
What car you buy your kid/have them save up to buy themselves?
Like a few others have said, a first-generation Leaf is the obvious choice. They are cheap, reliable, and have all the safety features of a modern car. The short range and lack of fast charging capabilities greatly limit how far this car can travel. A Leaf will have enough range to get you to school and work, but not much more than that. With a Leaf, you at least know your kid isn’t taking any spontaneous road trips to Tijuana.
Poor crash ratings, but otherwise a great choice. The 2nd gen, with better structure, are getting pretty low.
I would plan to get a Nissan Leaf. Can get them for 4-5k, but still modern safety systems, brakes, etc. But then the limited range means i don’t have to worry about my kid running off to the beach or something.
I’m a bit closer to this issue…
Living in the mountains of CO: whatever is affordable with 4 wheel drive and airbags.
It’ll probably be a Subaru Outback or Jeep Wrangler. Both are plentiful and cheap where I live. I could also see something like a late 90s early 00s Ford Ranger
I would love to put my kid behind the wheel of an old Eagle Wagon, Jeep J10, GMC/Chevy K10, Jeep CJ-z, or Dodge W-150; but they were built with safety third.
Cirka 1993 Mini Cooper, BRG with white roof and stripes.
Or a blue Mercedes W123 4-door.
Yes he has style, like his old man 😉
I’m buying the cheapest car I can find that needs some work. Then my son and I will work to fix it up. Then he will drive it.
Realistically, he’ll lose interest, I’ll lose my momentum, and it’ll sit in the garage in pieces. Then my wife will get pissed and it’ll go away.
Lol! Sounds like you have been down the project car road before.
That may be the most factual thing I have read on the internet today.
10 years old was our sweet spot between price and reasonable safety. But the kid that wanted to be the chick that drove stick made it easy for me to upgrade and hand down the TDI. Once a month some old guy flies out of the farmer’s co-op yelling ‘THATS THE DIESEL PUMP!!!’
I love this, what a cool kid.
We live in a city, and already only have a single car for two adults, I’ll pay for my kid’s bus pass, maybe even an e-bike if he wants it.
Although, he’s pretty pro-two wheel now, if that keeps up for the next 10 years, maybe we could talk about a lightly used Honda CB300 or similar, if he remains mostly prudent.
A lot depends on what your kid likes and your assessment of their driving skill. I made both our kids learn to drive stick and go through car handling classes at the racetrack. My older kid, however, had no real interest in cars so it was more about something small to not worry too much about parking, but modern and safe enough. That was a golf. My second kid got all my car enthusiasm and more besides so he ended up with a racing license well before being elegible for his regular license so there has been much more discussion with him on what he wants… a huge chunk of his driving sense comes from track/racing (including no TC, no ESC and for some of the cars also no ABS) which does not translate well to driving among the general population. I am arguing for an last generation mustang, he is thinking early years E30. Not sure where we’ll end up
A good thing about getting your kid a project car is that they’ll always be too broke to get in much trouble or get very far from home.
My first car was a ’73 Chevy K10 pickup I bought when I was 14 and in autoshop. By the time I got my DL in ’95, it was ready to go. I had a part time job, and pretty much every cent went into parts or gas for the truck. Even at 1.20/gal, the 8mpg had me pinching pennies and not going very far.
Looking back, with 35″ tires, a V8, and only lap belts, I’m amazed my parents let me get that thing. I even drove my two younger siblings around in it at times.
I was a motorhead and bigtime into cars trucks, meanwhile my younger brother was happy getting dads’ 87 Eurosport wagon as his first car. My sister who was the youngest got a ’00-ish Saturn SL2.
I would say “A good thing about getting your kid a project car is that they’ll always be too broke to get in much trouble or get very far from home.” That is a very bad thing. Get them the hell out of the damn house. Time not actively parenting is precious.
I am not for the “buy them cheap broken junk” comments so the car they get is constantly having to be fixed and worked on or leave them stranded, and is unsafe on the roads from crashes or broken parts etc.
Buy them something you can afford and is as safe for them and others as possible.
Yes they need skills but I want them to get to work and school safely and not having me get them there because their POS is broken again.
It’s true. I often had to borrow one of my parents’ cars because my truck was still in pieces from whatever the current project was.
When my kid turned 16 she had her DL by 830 am the morning of her birthday. She took the test in her car. I got HOURS a day of my life back from being a chauffeur. The worst day was Thursdays, it was 2.5 hrs I was not spending in the car because she could drive herself to school and activities.
My kid has the 2016 Kia Soul my mom bought them when they turned 15 and has been fantastic. Only thing I would have changed is I would have had it be a manual not an automatic.
That’s a good choice. Cheap, slow and reliable.
It has been the team bus for 3 rugby teams over 9 years. high school college and adult league.
Here’s a weird contrarian point… Don’t buy them a car, let them use whatever car isn’t needed by the rest of the family while they work part time, save up a bit, and buy a shit box version of whatever style of car is weird but cool at the time (predicting autocross prepped mini-vans), break it, and learn a lot by fixing it.
If it were Jason asking this question instead of David (meaning, a lot less distant in time and more in tune with which of the cars the household already owns) I’d be plumping for the 2005 Sienna.
Assuming the tires have been replaced, that is.
Assuming the kid has time, a safe work area and tools.
My kid has a ’99 Chevy Prizm that was my brother’s first car (back in 2000). It’s rough around the edges, but economical, easy to fix, and I don’t worry too much when he messes it up (like sliding into a ditch last winter as he learned what black ice is).
It has airbags and was already wrecked once and rebuilt.
It’s tough. Tougher than the XJ that ran a stop sign and was T-boned by the almighty Prizm. The Jeep went spinning off into a field, it’s rear axle was lying in the road, driveshaft and transfer case gutted when the rear axle ripped free, and totaled. The Prizm? Still sitting in the road, running, but with a compromised crumple zone and blown airbags. A $250 parts car (and six months of work) and the car was back on the road for another seven years and 50k miles. No joke.
https://youtu.be/ZrtHtDGpahY
Damn. I didn’t know Corollas were such a tank
They give a shit and can I trust them? Here’s some cash, get whatever you want but you’re paying gas and insurance. I trust them, but they give no shits? Here’s the best prius I could find for <10k, you’re on your own for gas and insurance. No trust? Here’s the cheapest leaf I could find.
It depends on my kids personality once they hit that age.
If they are the thrill seeker type, they get a wheezy Mitsu Mirage with a manual.
If they are introverted, they get a V-6 Mustang with an auto.
If they are just enjoying the moment, they get a Wrangler 2 door.
Used Nissan leaf, all the safety things, limited range, limited power/speed, fairly cheap and disposable.
For my oldest, it was a Ford Ranger. Easy to fix, practical, can take a beating.
For my next oldest, it was a Honda Fit. Magical, economical, fun.
For me, it was that 1984 Subaru GL my Dad handed down. Way better than I gave it credit for, especially with the digi dash.
For my wife, it was a mid 80’s Peugeot. Bad, Bad choice.
Why do I feel like Consumer Reports is calling me a bad parent because none of the cars my kids have driven are on that list?
Its not like I am letting them drive death traps. My most recent kid purchase was a 2020 Honda Fit.
The enthusiasts salute you.
So I should quit while I am ahead and not mention my oldest’s first car was a ’14 KL Cherokee?
There are still opportunities with that choice.
Something sort of Camry, Corolla, RAV4-based. If they make it a year without a ticket or accident, there can be a discussion about something more interesting. Similar to provisional licenses in some countries.
Preferably a Camry with a dent in the rear bumper pre-installed by the previous owner. That way neither you nor Delmar will get upset when the inevitable scratch or door ding happens.
Right now it would be the same car as me, a Bolt EV. IIHS Top Safety Pick, cheap to buy, cheap to run. Too powerful but oh well I guess.
When we buy a new car for my wife in 5-6 years our daughter will get her current car, an Accord hybrid. I suppose we could give her my Mazda3 hatchback instead but I think my wife will be ready for a new car by then either way. I don’t mind driving the Mazda until it has an end-stage mechanical failure.
My daughter got my Volvo S60 while I moved to a Mini Cooper.
One thing I recommend to any parent with a kid learning to drive, be on the lookout for Tire Rack’s Teen Street Survival course. Definitely helped my daughter build confidence behind the wheel and learn the limits of the car.
Smart ForTwo – decent gas mileage, only one passenger seat to minimize distractions, fairly safe in a crash, easily replaceable body panels in the event of collision damage, easy for a new driver to park and maneuver, slow enough to discourage racing or other aggressive behavior. And won’t take up much space in the driveway
It’s ~8 years or so before my boy starts drivers training (yikes…that is fewer years than I thought).
Obviously don’t have an exact plan in place, but my ’24 Tacoma w/ a manual seems like it might be about right. I would like to start him w/ a stick so he learns how / hopefully the manual experience leads to paying attention a slight bit more.
My (soon to be 8y/o) has called dibs on my 98 Tacoma since he was two or three. My wife doesn’t like the idea of him driving a (by then) 35 year old truck from a safety standpoint, I just don’t want to see a first gen Taco inevitably taken out of circulation…
My oldest is still far enough from 16 that I’m almost positive her first car hasn’t been built yet, but if I had to make a decision today, I’d probably get her a 2nd gen (2018+) Nissan Leaf. She’s used to electric cars riding in ours today. It’s got enough range to get to school and go out with friends, it has good safety, and if our current one is any indication, it’s extremely cheap to maintain and insure.