<p>I could really use some perspective on this–so thanks in advance to anyone who responds. My daughter was in an accident on her way to work this morning. An elderly man turned left in front of her at an intersection and she couldn’t get out of the way, so she broadsided his car. Miraculously, neither of them was injured. He was issued a citation, so she is not likely to be liable for any damage either to his car or hers–which we believe was totaled.</p>
<p>We don’t know yet what the insurance claim will produce, but she will need another car. The car she had was super-cheap but incredibly dependable (an old Mitsubishi Galant–just a fantastic car). Now I am wondering–is it better to get another “beater” which would only require liability insurance like we had on this car, or should we start all over with a modestly priced, newer car that we would finance (and of course pay more for comprehensive collision insurance)? She will be in college in less than two years and it would be my preference for her to not take a car with her–but perhaps her brother (who will be a college senior) could use one by then. I am just having a hard time deciding between short- and medium-term choices. Of course having her in a safe, reliable car is my priority, but money is definitely an object. </p>
<p>As a side note, I REALLY wish older drivers had to be retested from time to time–this guy was really feeble and didn’t seem “all there.” We both felt sorry for him (even while wishing he hadn’t been out on the road at all). I hope his family gives some thought to taking away his keys.</p>
<p>first, I’m so glad she wasn’t hurt. second, please spell it out – she needs a car to get to school and work? This was “her” car meaning she was the only one who used it? And she’s a HS sophomore? Just trying to understand her driving needs. Because if the replacement vehicle is something you or your husband could conceivably share with your daughter, that means a whole different set of choices.</p>
<p>I’m glad everyone is safe.
Given you have multiple kids who could get use put of the car a newer one might be in order. But I suggest you see whats available within both price ranges and then make a decision.</p>
<p>She is a junior. Her dad lives out of state so there is no sharing. When her brother comes home on breaks he generally uses mine. It was 100% her car–she paid for it herself, was the only one who drove it, and used it to get to school, work and her dance studio. She is one of those kids who DEFINITELY needs her own wheels to get everywhere she needs to go.</p>
<p>One thought might be a “swap lease” where she takes over the lease payments. If you find one with 22-24 payments left, the lease terminates when she heads for college. If she isn’t driving a lot of miles, and you can find the right vehicle/deal it might be an option. You will have to carry collision and comprehensive insurance on it, but she’d get a relatively new and reliable vehicle. And if everyone loves it – your son might be able to buy it at the end of your D’s lease. Or not.</p>
<p>I’d get another beater. But that’s just me. You can still put full coverage on a beater if you want to. You just have to weigh out where you are on that financial breaking point. I wouldn’t ever get a newish car for a high school kid to take to and from school, and close range transport - but again, that’s just me. I know that MANY do.</p>
<p>Both of our youngest drive beaters. D2 drives a 1997 buick that only has 60,000 miles on it. D3 drives a BEAT UP Dodge minivan when she’s in town that has about 130,000 miles on it. If we let her take a car next semester, we might slightly upgrade her. Not sure the beater she’s driving is suitable for her college town, and might not make too many trips back home reliably. Might trade it in or sell it and put a few grand with it to get her something slightly more reliable.</p>
<p>cnp, I had never heard of SwapLease–but that is a really innovative idea. Thank you!</p>
<p>cromette, my instinct is to not get a “nice” vehicle for a high school kid either–the parking situation around the school is dicey and the car would for sure get dinged from time to time. Her school is close but work and dance are farther and involve highway driving. We also live in a snowy climate so a car that handles well in winter weather is important too.</p>
<p>It’s just hard to swallow dumping all that cash into a beater only to face expensive repairs and/or suffer a loss if it gets totaled. At least with a newer model more is covered under warranty and the repairs feel more like an investment in the longevity of the car.</p>
<p>I personally would rather put my girl in a new 2 or 3 year leased car with all the newest safety features. When the lease is up she’ll be in college. If she needs a car then put her in a safe car. We leased a car for D1, which was few hundred $$ a month. It came with full maintenance for free over 3 years. She had road side service. BTW - because it was a new car, D1 took very good care of it. She cried when we returned it.</p>
<p>Sally – I’d never heard of it until January when my son considered it. Some of the deals look very good and it might be just the ticket. Another thought – put yourself in the swap lease vehicle and your D in your car. You could get your car back at the end of the lease.</p>
<p>oldfort, you are right that the newer cars have all kinds of improved safety features. (But really, no car is ever safe enough for our kids, is it?) We did consider safety ratings with the used car we bought the last time around, and i was impressed with how it “handled” the collision today. Also, when the weather is bad I either give her my (AWD) car or drive her myself. If it’s REALLY bad things tend to be cancelled, so there have (thankfully) been very few days that have made me uneasy. Having said that, in a perfect world I would put her in an armored tank with AWD and the highest possible safety rating.</p>
<p>I thought about that but she really doesn’t like driving my car. It’s a wagon and hard to parallel park near school. I haven’t ruled out that option, though–or maybe we could alternate using the two cars depending on circumstances rather than have each of us with full custody of our own. :)</p>
<p>My pet peeve, I don’t like to share a car. I hate getting into a car and the seat, mirrors, wheel not in the right position. I feel the same about computer, TV, bathroom…</p>
<p>My D1 needed a car as well, so we bought her an end of year Hyundai Elantra. Great move. It had roadside assistance for a year, was incredibly reliable and safe. Plus it was very inexpensive.</p>
<p>Let us know what the old guy’s insurance company offers you. We always went the beater route with our 2 boys. Bought a well maintained 10 yr old Saab with 120k miles on it, and after 2 years my son was rear-ended; hit hard enough to mess things up in back, but the car was still driveable. The guy’s insurance company totaled the car, but paid us more than we paid for the car, plus we got to keep the car and my son drove it for another year. Minimum requirements are airbags and antilock brakes, which have been around long enough for just about any used car to have. Good luck with whatever you decide.</p>
<p>We have given our kids older safe used cars that are mechanically sound. Would not want our kids driving a leased vehicle as I think they’d likely get dings, especially from school parking lots. </p>
<p>Doesn’t other insurer give you something for totaling the vehicle, that can be use to buy a reliable used car? How about a used Honda or Toyota? They would be good for reliability. How about teaching her to drive your car well and getting yourself a new(er) car. That would be what I’d lean toward.</p>
<p>In this family, the parents got the new cars and the kids got our reliable hand me downs. I just bought a new Volvo and DD was given my old one.</p>
<p>I debated the old versus newer used car myself this summer as I was trying to decide between handing down (temporary use) a 13 year old Land Cruiser or a seven year old BMW. The BMW started suffering all types of issues, so we got rid of it and handed down the Land Cruiser. I do worry at times b/c the vehicle is 13+ years old, but it was our family vehicle that I drove daily and we took on highway road trips until two months ago, so I feel comfortable having my son drive the two local miles to school. The younger son fears we will still have it when he learns to drive. While the thing is rock solid, I do wonder at what age air bags stop functioning and how would one know?</p>
<p>Meanwhile, if every car could be as reliable as that Land Cruiser has been, mechanics would go out of business. A plus for the slightly older cars is the lack of electronics. I find the beeping and on-screen activity very distracting, and also feel it will cost a fortune to repair.</p>
<p>Zoosermom—what is an end-of-year car? </p>
<p>OldFort–I am with you on that pet peeve, although I can’t imagine how someone would adjust the TV.</p>
<p>Take a look at Consumer Reports used car guides. They aren’t my go-to for cars as a rule, but their repair and maintenance data is pretty good. I’d be inclined to go with a 2-4 yo car. </p>
<p>We bought our two daughters a used 2006 Kia Optima rental in 2008. It’s been a good car, #1D was in an accident, similar to your daughter. She wasn’t injured, and while there was considerable damage, it was repaired and has been gold since. </p>
<h1>2D now drives an Acura that used to be MILs (she gave up driving). Another good vehicle.</h1>
<p>Not having to drive them around or share one of our vehicles was well worth it.</p>
<p>We purchased a reliable, older model Toyota truck for our son when he turned 16. Like your D, he had school, practice and work commitments which required freeway driving. That truck has been a great investment- he took it to college 600 miles away from his Sophomore year on, traveling back and forth several times a year. He now commutes to his job 40 miles away 5 days a week. We’ve had it 7 years with no major repairs, just regular maintenance. The peace of mind has been worth it - and the convenience of having a truck available when we need one!</p>