<p>We are also a family with a number of cars (5!), all of which belong to us, not the kids. When S#1 is home from college he gets to drive one of two cars. No car at school. We offered to give him one if he paid the insurance. He checked out the cost, and declined our offer. He really did not need the car at school. It would have been a luxury. Sons #2&3 will be driving in a year but fortunately are not permitted to drive to the high school until their senior year. (School rule, not ours, but I heartily support it.) We will not buy them a car. They will have to share whatever is available. Two of the five cars are old classic Corvettes, insured in a manner so that no one under the age of 25 is permitted to drive it. They are the by-product of a mid-life crisis. Not mine. ;)</p>
<p>
Many colleges have no parking available to Freshmen and for those who can park it can be quite expensive. Also, when living on campus it’s often much easier to get around by walking, riding a bike, or taking the campus shuttle. If the car just mostly sits on campus it can deteriorate and is subject to vandalism and parking lot mishaps by being surrounded with inexperienced drivers.</p>
<p>“You will do what you want, but as a parent I’d have to ask myself, “am I willing to allow - and pay for - my child to become a statistic?” The answer for me is emphatically “no” - I’m just not willing to risk it.”</p>
<p>Wow… okay. So do you just not want your kids to drive by themselves at all? Because whether they’re driving your car or theirs it doesnt really make a difference when it comes to their driving skills… so what age do you think is appropriate for people to drive?</p>
<p>momof3sons, what year? (I have a 68) + 4 assorted drivers = 5 cars total.</p>
<p>I just have to add:</p>
<p>Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?</p>
<p>We are probably the only family in America with one car, seems like. My husband commutes to the city and walks to the train station (we live in a small village). </p>
<p>That said, son is now 17 and we are about to buy a used Subaru (1997, 107K miles). He can use it until he goes to school in Sept, but it will still be a family car. It’s a standard shift, so he will have to learn how to drive it. My first car was a standard, and I think it’s a good skill to have - I think it makes you a little better driver, since you have to pay attention and use two hands.</p>
<p>The only car that will be “his” is one he buys himself.</p>
<p>I think it goes on a case by case basis. You have to know the kid who is getting the car.</p>
<p>If it’s someone who is pretty responsible, has never been a risk taker, drives safely, doesn’t rebel, and won’t be the type to stay out late and get in trouble, he gets a car. Otherwise I’d have to think. Some irresponsible kids would probably not get a car from me.</p>
<p>As far as exactly what kind of car–when my friends and I got our first cars, they came in one of three ways:</p>
<ol>
<li>Parents buy a new car, we got the old car that would have been sold</li>
<li>Grandparents buy a new car, we got the old car</li>
<li>Grandparents die/lose license, we got their car</li>
</ol>
<p>I was #2 of the above. All of my close friends fell under one of those. My cousin will probably be a #1 circumstance since my uncle will want a car newer than a 2002 in four years.</p>
<p>As long as an older car is properly maintained it should be fine, at least for high school and college. I had a 1988 Acura from the summer before my senior year until midway through last semester when the repairs were going to be as much as it was worth. My grandparents, who were downsizing, told me to take their second car, a 1996 Volvo, instead, and to sell the Acura. I gave them a commission of that sale and wound up with a car eight years newer.</p>
<p>Of course, for the mechanically-minded kids and parents, an older car that will require a repair or two may also be a good way to teach those skills. I can get gas and change air filters, that’s about it. I always wished I had mechanics in the blood somewhere…</p>
<p>Also, the location of your kid depends. Someone in NYC probably would be foolish to have a car. Or if you’re in a big city with lots of buses, subways, trains, etc. However, if you’re in suburbia and so is your school, by all means get one if you commute and even if you don’t–you’ll want it to run around in on weekends, after class, etc–everyone needs to make routine grocery store, drug store, bank, post office trips, etc.</p>
<p>As far as stick shift goes–I want to learn too because I feel it’s a good discipline to have. I might rent a stick sometime to get a crash course from my mom, who is a veteran stick shifter and had sticks exclusively until the 1990s.</p>
<p>NJRes,
A '59 (!) and a '72. Also used to own a '67 big block.</p>
<p>When S1 got his license, he got my husband’s old car to drive. It “blew up” the very day S got his license, but that’s another thread and not son’s fault at all! After repairs, he drove it for 10 months, until it would not pass emissions without more very hefty repairs and we traded it for a used jeep for him. He needed a vehicle for transportation as we are both working. I think the jeep was really for H – but we all enjoy it and S does not have it at college currently.</p>
<p>S2 will turn 16 in June – but since he will be doing a year abroad next year, will not get his license until after he turns 17. At that point he’s going to need a vehicle for school transportation (no free bus) unless we decide on boarding school at that point. Our options will be – new car for me (about time!) and give S2 my 9 yr old SUV as I think S1 will have the jeep at college by his junior year. Or, possibly grandpa’s Blazer which is currently hanging out in Grandpa’s driveway and hasn’t been driven in a year.</p>
<p>Re: determing who is responsible…DD is a very responsible kid. Never got in trouble, was a good student, was more than responsible and was a great driver. DS was responsible, but I couldn’t (and still can’t) stand being in the car when he drives. He has one hand on the steering wheel, thinks the speed limit is a minimum speed, and generally isn’t as cautious as I would like. Punchline…DS has NEVER had an accident or gotten a ticket, or been stopped, or damaged a car. DD totalled one of our cars…oh about 1/4 mile from home (thank goodness for the airbags which did their thing) in a single car (ours) accident. So…even with the best predicting, you never know. That’s why they are called “accidents”.</p>
<p>And as I always add to these things, Thumper…knock wood…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Totally off the subject, but i love that song, it is my anthem for a bad day at work, the ultimate whine, I know most of the verses, catch my self singing it sotto voce, more often than is good for me ;).</p>
<p>We are in the process right now of looking for my second D’s first car. She has been driving on a permit for almost a year. I’m happy with her responsibility and driving style. She has made good decisions so far, including being out with kids who became ‘compromised’ during the evening, and driving them home, then calling for us to pick her up. We have donated a set amount into her budget (matching what we gave her older sister) to add to what she’s been able to put away for the past year or so from working. (not much because she’s been so sick for the past 9 months with mono…just in the past few weeks feeling well enough to work again). So we’re looking at small SUVs: Honda Pilot, Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe. Her decision now is whether to wait and save more, or get something she’s not totally happy with. I happy to be able to do what we can for her, because she’s a hardworking kid who does the best she can. (And soon I’ll be off the schlepping rotation. yea!)</p>
<p>
An interesting point, somemom. H drives a stick, so I had questioned the wisdom of passing that on to D – one more thing to think about while driving – but your point is a good one. You DO have to be a more skilled, aware driver to handle a stick. Less opportunity to try to eat/drink/fiddle with cell phone while driving if you are also shifting. I remember when I first learned to drive, I was scared to take my hands off the wheel to beep the horn! But learning a stick & driving one for many years made me a much better driver.</p>
<p>We have terrible public transportation around NJ. Getting in to NYC (ten miles away) is a breeze, but getting anywhere else requires a car. Just about everything in town is walkable, and we do, but our town isn’t exactly a thriving metropolis, so we’re on the road a great deal. I currently spend three hours a day driving D to and from high school, so I will GLADLY turn over a set of keys to her when she gets her license. Freedom for me, freedom for her, more flexibility for the whole family. On our drives, I always point out bad driving examples & try to teach her some defensive driving moves, how to anticipate problems, etc. Hope it is getting absorbed.</p>
<p>Outrageous car insurance rates in NJ are a factor in whether or not kids are given cars. Our neighbor down the block was paying over $5000 a year for his son’s insurance! Whatever we get for D will be old enough to skip collision coverage & highly safety-rated to keep those costs down. She’ll be expected to pay for something, whether it’s gas/repairs/insurance or whatever we feel is reasonable. Another neighbor got his D a sporty convertable. She drives like a nut & I’m waiting for the day something bad happens. Our D is forbidden from driving with her, and the parents considered this an insult.</p>
<p>I’ve seen girls driving a stick struggling to change the CD, put lip gloss on, talk on the cell phone, and lots and lots of other things that you really shouldn’t do while driving a stick. It’s something to be careful of.</p>
<p>We were really evil parents and have a car with the CD player in the trunk :eek: The CDs cannot be changed whilst the car is being driven- oh the trauma!</p>
<p>I would like to think that driving a stick causes the learned to be much more aware of everything. Plus, first you learn to drive an automatic until you are comfortable with the basics of driving, THEN comes the stick, then, before the license test, you must drive Dad around in the stick shifting car, and stop and start on hills, etc. Once you have the stick down and it’s easy, it can be abused as much as any other car, but it does seem to make the respect for the challenges of driving last longer through the learning process…it delays that cocky attitude!</p>
<p>The good news is that after 5 years of driving with no accidents or tickets gets your D really great insurance rates on her own policy!</p>
<p>My car is a stick and I was nervous about my daughter having to drive it – particularly because she’s left-handed, and it seemed counterintuitive to me. But when we priced trading it in – well, end of discussion. She has done just fine, but still much prefers Dad’s automatic. Another advantage someone mentioned to me – since most kids don’t know how to drive a stick these days, they can’t drive her car. Plus, there’s always the cool factor. When she was complaining at first, I pointed out that guys would think it was cool she knew how to drive a stick. Sure enough – it was the first comment she got when she offered to give a friend a ride home.</p>
<p>Another house with many cars! We’ve got 4, when everyone is home that is. When I got my license we had an old pick-up that once belonged to my father that I drove. When I left for college my brother drove it. The truck died the summer after his frosh year, and my mom bought a new car and donated the van. I bought my own car the same summer the truck died. We were never allowed to take the truck to school with us. My brother has taken the van to school this year (it’s easier), and I’m currently commuting to my graduate school from home. </p>
<p>So we’ve got 4 cars, none purchased specifically for us (my brother and I) by my parents. When you add my brothers girlfriend and my boyfriend’s cars to the mix we’ve got quite the parking lot…</p>
<p>On another note, my car is stick and I’m female. I have a large number of female friends who also drive stick. I feel safer doing so, like I have more control over the vehicle.</p>
<p>
I see the following is missing:
4. Kid gets job, earns/saves money, kid buys own car.</p>
<p>Don’t any kids nowadays buy their own cars?</p>
<p>ucsd- yes there are some kids who buy their own car, but like college, it takes a full time job to afford a safe car.
My DS had an ancient volvo from a GP. He eventually bought his own car as a jr in college, very used, and it took two years working construction during the summer to afford it and have some $ for college at the same time.
We bought DD1 a used car - 93 Toyota with 100k miles, for a 2500 dollars, 5 years ago. A good thing we did. She’s in NYC, my van died and this is the only family car. DD2 and I share use.
I do need another car but the prices are so high, ads are so full of baloney, I can’t figure what to do. ( I need a mini-suv or deep trunk car for my scooter)</p>
<p>
LOL! Good point. I haven’t checked out the prices for safe, used, reliable, boring cars suitable for teens who will have to do highway driving. If it’s anything like the skyrocketing costs of college tuitions, I’m assuming we’ll have to help D out. NJ car insurance is unbelievable, too. </p>
<p>Tonight D has to go to her h.s. for a play practice scheduled for 7:45. It is a brief one, due to finish at 9. As it is an hour and a half roundtrip, I have to stay there. So that’s three hours out of my evening. Believe me, I’m counting the days 'till she can do this herself.</p>