Daughters first car ???

[MarkVS]

So, your one and only daughter and child has just turned sweet 16, and is looking to get her leaners.

You know the car won't be too far down the line and you don't want her using yours. What do you get them for their first car?

Do you get a small new car, because it will be the safest (have all of the latest safety items in the car) and more than likely be reliable. Being new. But...they are getting a NEW car, big thing first up...expectations as they go on.

Or do you get them something older, so they learn expenses of a older car, maintenance, something cheaper, cheaper insurance, not a new car right up front..But...likely to be less reliable, not have as much 'safe' stuff...


Any advice ?


Mark

[UIZ733]

Go to the auctions (Brisbane) and buy a new hail damaged small safe car.

[Robbo]

A good little second hand car with a couple of years on it and around 50,000km's would be a good start.
Something like a Hyundai Getz or similar as they are cheap to run and maintain and when she's learnt to
drive competently without running into things (like my daughter used to do) then she can trade up to a newer and better model.

[Bird]

I'd look for a used Lancer or similar.. I don't like those mobile coffin sized cars, if they get hit by bigger cars its never a good result...

[FNQBunyip]

We went with the older , low Km Toyota , safer and more reliable than some New stuff..
Our daughter learnt in it and got her "Ps" in it , Unfortunately she also got "T" boned in it
very lucky no injuries , I found another same model , locally and Lent that to her ,  She wrote
Her car off so this is mine...

Here we are a couple of years down the road , she gets her open next month and
has saved upwards of $25K and wants to buy herself something NEW ..

I'm very proud of her and where she is going in life.. She has learnt some hard lessons
and respects that you have to work through things to get where you want to be ..

Cheers 

[muzza01]

I have bought a few cars for my kids. The latest one was a 2007 Holden Barina. It is not too big, not too small, economical at around 6l per 100.  Most importantly it has a few safety features especially airbags.

The car was in immaculate condition owned by a 30 yo old lady who had owned since new. Low Kms, heaps of rego, road worthy and $3800.

I reckon buy second hand as there are some great bargains, plus young drivers have little accidents and "touch park" sometimes.

 My priorities for cars for my kids are:

Safety features like ABS and plenty of airbags
Aircon working
Get a blue tooth hands free phone kit or upgrade their stereo.
Seat covers as kids are grubs
Good tyres, good tyres good tyres.  I don't mind paying for Michelin tyres as we live near a slippery mounting range and we have a lot of wet days up here.
I generally try and drive their car once a month or so to make sure everything is working as it should.

You will need to show her how to wash and polish a car, no it isn't  common sense. You will also need to show her how to put fuel in and how to air up the tyres.  This is a pic a 07 Barina.
  and  Good luck



http://liveimages.redbook.com.au/redbook/car/spec/HOLD1350.jpg?height=292&padcolor=ffffff&aspect=FitWithin&width=440

[paceman]

agree with others, second hand the way to go, first up.  plenty of bargains to be had.

my wife's first car was a little suzuki 3 door vitara.

couldn't kill it.  it would drive through a brick wall.

cheap to buy, cheap to run, reliable and easy to maintain.

my wife had this shape:



great little car, IMO...

[terravista]

We went through this with our daughter. For the first car bought a cheap mid range kilometre Hyundai Excel for three months, half expecting it to get destroyed, then ended up buying a 12 year old Saab. Good style (except Bird probably thinks they look like crap). Good accessories, comfortable, safe, strong, economical driving, subtle power, reasonable insurance, and the occasional service and parts was not expensive unless you take it to a Saab specialist.
Cheers

[duggie]

Hi Mark and Kerry,

Maybe a good secondhand small 4x4 , that way Olivia could still enjoy the outdoors/camping scene with you both but also have her own space, but no matter what she ends up with make sure that she is joined up with RACQ for breakdowns etc .

cheers duggie 

[rotare]

Slightly off topic, but is the expectation now parents buy their kids their first car?

When I was 15 Dad warned me that when I turned 16 and got my license he was happy to let me use his car to learn to drive, but once I received my P plates then I had to buy my own car.  On that basis I saved every cent from working part time, so a year or so later I could buy my own car when I turned 16, which I did.  There was never any thoughts that my parents would buy my car, and that was pretty well the same with my mates.  The cars we brought were what we could afford at the time....

I'm not being critical at all, just asking as I've got my own kids now and being boys I'm sure they will want to get a set of wheels as soon as it's legally possible.  After reading the responses it seems that most are buying their kids cars (?), where as I would have been inclined to encourage my kids to save for their own.  I'm wondering whether I should start preparing and saving now .....

[berlitza]

show ya kids how much you care with a new beemer or merc, maybe something in the amg lineup, ya may even get father of the year

[Footy Shorts Shane]

show ya kids how much you care with a new beemer or merc, maybe something in the amg lineup, ya may even get father of the year

Mine are getting a Jeep 

[bigpaulie]

A friend of mine is a trauma nurse and from her experience nothing is more important than the side airbags as that is where the serious head injuries are often caused so safety first.

For our neice her parents offered to match her savings dollar for dollar on the grounds that they had veto on what car the money could be spent on, encourages savings.

[JCOJ]

Get them to save up themselves and then they can buy the car that they choose based on what they can afford.

It teaches them to save, budget, take responsibility, and not have entitlement.

My first car was a $1300 VW piece of s..t, but it was mine, along with all the repairs, and smoke it blew.   Sold same VW piece of s..t 4 years later for $1500.  The $1500 was also then mine!

[fishfinder]

get a new 200 series

[Bunyip]

Slightly off topic, but is the expectation now parents buy their kids their first car?

When I was 15 Dad warned me that when I turned 16 and got my license he was happy to let me use his car to learn to drive, but once I received my P plates then I had to buy my own car.  On that basis I saved every cent from working part time, so a year or so later I could buy my own car when I turned 16, which I did.  There was never any thoughts that my parents would buy my car, and that was pretty well the same with my mates.  The cars we brought were what we could afford at the time....

I'm not being critical at all, just asking as I've got my own kids now and being boys I'm sure they will want to get a set of wheels as soon as it's legally possible.  After reading the responses it seems that most are buying their kids cars (?), where as I would have been inclined to encourage my kids to save for their own.  I'm wondering whether I should start preparing and saving now .....

Both my sons have got their licenses inthe last couple of years.

The eldest bought his own cars, some good choices, some not so good.
THe second was lucky in that we wer int he process of replacing one of our cars when he was ready so he bought that car from us, but he still bought it.

When it comes to the daughters time to drive (2 years away) she will be buying her car. Once again I will probably be ready to update my car at that time so she may just buy my car.

Bunyip

[terravista]

Slightly off topic, but is the expectation now parents buy their kids their first car?

We gave our daughter a choice.... a car or go to schoolies. She picked the car.

[tk421]

Get them to save up themselves and then they can buy the car that they choose based on what they can afford.

It teaches them to save, budget, take responsibility, and not have entitlement.

My first car was a $1300 VW piece of s..t, but it was mine, along with all the repairs, and smoke it blew.   Sold same VW piece of s..t 4 years later for $1500.  The $1500 was also then mine!

Yup -  I agree. My parents told me I had to buy my own first car. Dad was a lawyer and could afford it, but wanted me to learn to look after it. I learned a bit of basic car maintenance (spark plug changes, oil changes, Exhaust replacement LOL,  etc) and if I broke it, it wasn't expensive to replace.

I got an old 30 year old Volvo 343 fro 150 quid from a scrap dealer with 6 months MOT (rego). 4 new tires and exhaust, was all it needed to pass the MOT 6 mths later - It was cheap as no one wanted to by them &  relatively safe compared to the other buzz boxes I could afford at the time.

[JGM]

I bought one of the boys an old Subaru Brumby for his first car.  Only fit one mate in it which cuts back on the yahooing a bit.  I also removed the linkage to the second stage of the carby so it would only do about 110 flat out.  Replaced it after a year or so.

The daughter will be getting something reliable, a few years old with airbags. 

I like the idea about schoolies v's a car!

JGM

[DropBearRacing]

Yeah, I don't know about buying the kids cars, I've got four kids and I can't afford to buy them all cars.  The eldest bought her own after working hard in a couple of part time jobs from about 15.  It wasn't the best looking or the nicest (ford festiva) but it was hers bought with her own money so I was proud of her for that.

My siblings and I all had to buy our own cars.  My first one was a HQ sedan with 3 on the tree.  I bought it off the old man and I'm sure he made a profit off me    It was a POS, the gear linkages would stick at the most inappropriate times going from 1st to 2nd.  I would have to stop pop the bonnet smash the links into place and then rev the guts out of a gutless 202 and take off in 2nd.  Very embarrassing when you are trying to impress the ladies

[Rodt]

I am in exactly the same position ie: she just turned 16 and i am looking for a vehicle for her. As I have no control or authority in my household she wants a mazda 2 or 3 and if it is a "yukky" colour she doesn't want it.

We haven't actively gone looking as yet so the discussions on her requirements will be interesting

A lot of comments on buying your own car etc and I did the same but I always remember how tough it was at the time in a s**t paying job to afford a reasonable condition vehicle that wasn't going to leave me stranded in Western Qld somewhere. At the time I resolved that if ever had kids I would do my best to not have them financially burdened by the cost of a vehicle at the start of their working life or uni. It is what it is and we all try to give our kids an easier start to adult life than what we had.

We have set a budget though and she will have to take responsibility for any required extra money

Rod 

[kleyny]

I have already told my kids that I will go halves in their first car. I think that if they have something tied up in it they should respect it and look after it better.

I really like the schoolies thought so I also might steel it.

As for cars I think modern cars are less likely to break down if maintained. As for safety then you obviously get the most features in your budget. Google the cars ancap rating before purchasing if ancap have tested that car.

IMO I think the best gift is to teach them how to drive, not just what the driving schools teach(how to pass a test).
I have seen way too many P platers crash or almost crash due to not knowing the basics like how to read other drivers, road condition and traffic.

Just my thoughts

Neil

[swanny]

Get them to save up themselves and then they can buy the car that they choose based on what they can afford.

Yep that's what I had to do, one of the very good lessons mum and dad taught me....

[tk421]

I have already told my kids that I will go halves in their first car. I think that if they have something tied up in it they should respect it and look after it better.

I like this idea - think I'll do the same. Though by the time my kid is old enough to drive they may not be any petrol left on the planet. Encourage them to save up a bit but give us some say in what they get.

[muzza01]

Slightly off topic, but is the expectation now parents buy their kids their first car?

When I was 15 Dad warned me that when I turned 16 and got my license he was happy to let me use his car to learn to drive, but once I received my P plates then I had to buy my own car.  On that basis I saved every cent from working part time, so a year or so later I could buy my own car when I turned 16, which I did.  There was never any thoughts that my parents would buy my car, and that was pretty well the same with my mates.  The cars we brought were what we could afford at the time....

I'm not being critical at all, just asking as I've got my own kids now and being boys I'm sure they will want to get a set of wheels as soon as it's legally possible.  After reading the responses it seems that most are buying their kids cars (?), where as I would have been inclined to encourage my kids to save for their own.  I'm wondering whether I should start preparing and saving now .....

I was never given a car. I was only 18 when I left home and joined the military. I looked after myself, bought my own car, furniture, paid for my own wedding, and generally learnt my own lessons the hard way.

For my kids, I want to help them with decisions, subsodise there life as one of my sons is an apprentice and gets paid SFA. I give them money, furniture, cars and as long as I am alive help where ever I can.  I have spoilt my kids, I have given them opportunities in life that I didn't have.