So which car should I let my kid drive?

[Brett_Cameron]

In 1995 I bought a 1994 Ford Tempo for my daughter to take to college. It was the least I could do since she had earned a full academic scholarship. She drove the Tempo until last month. It had become unreliable. She had had to have it towed 4 times this year. Last month she paid cash for a 2010 Honda Civic and she donated the Tempo to Kidney Kars. I think she's well on her way to FIRE.

Smart girl! Congratulations to you for having such a fine person as your daughter!

 

[FinanceDude]

Easy choice, an older Buick Lesabre. The 3800 motor runs forever, gets 30 on the highway, has a big trunk, is heavy, and low insurance. Besides, its not "cool" so no drag races on the local highways......

 

[FIREd]

The Miata is too small and too cool for a HS girl. But if you worry that she will wreak the car, then a Humvee-type vehicle is probably not the way to go either. If she wreaks it, such a heavy car will protect her but is sure to do a lot of damage and harm to others (plus it screams money, so watch out for the $$$ lawsuit). Why not go with a middle of the road sedan. Not glamorous, but solid and reasonably heavy.

 

[check6]

Put her in a used white Camry.

 

[BigNick]

An extra thought for those who wouldn't let her drive the Miata: you're going to have to say "no, because", which kind of implies "no, until...". So as a minimum you'd need to come up with some conditions under which you'd let her drive it: say, 3,000 miles completed in another car, or reaching a certain birthday, unless you're from the "because I say so, until I change my mind" school of parenting, which we all promised ourselves we'd never copy from our parents, right?

I also presume that there are people here who would never themselves drive anything as "dangerous" as a Miata. I imagine that their attitude to the poll may be influenced by this...

 

[FinanceDude]

An extra thought for those who wouldn't let her drive the Miata: you're going to have to say "no, because", which kind of implies "no, until...". So as a minimum you'd need to come up with some conditions under which you'd let her drive it: say, 3,000 miles completed in another car, or reaching a certain birthday, unless you're from the "because I say so, until I change my mind" school of parenting, which we all promised ourselves we'd never copy from our parents, right?

I also presume that there are people here who would never themselves drive anything as "dangerous" as a Miata. I imagine that their attitude to the poll may be influenced by this...

A Miata is a dangerous car for a newer driver with little experience.......

 

[BigNick]

A Miata is a dangerous car for a newer driver with little experience.......

Have you driven one ? A 1994 Miata is not a powerful car at all.

Or did you mean that in the sense of "better not our 7-year-old son play with this fine new train set, he might scratch it, I'll just check it out for a bit" ?

 

[FIREd]

I also presume that there are people here who would never themselves drive anything as "dangerous" as a Miata. I imagine that their attitude to the poll may be influenced by this...

We have driven Miatas for 10 years. They are good cars and I don't feel unsafe driving them.

But I think that, on US roads that are dominated by huge motor vehicles, driving a Miata may be nerve-wracking for an unexperienced driver. The older Miatas felt especially low to the ground to me (the newer models less so).

 

[BigNick]

But I think that, on US roads that are dominated by huge motor vehicles, driving a Miata may be nerve-wracking for an unexperienced driver.

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm - have you asked your Daughter which car she prefers? Surely by driving age she has achieved some level of judgement. Lay out the pros and cons including insurance, etc, of each choice and see what she picks.

heh heh heh - 1959 Interstate 5 south of Seattle our 'family' 1955 Pontiac Chieftan got over 100 mph. Went to traffic school for 6 months. Real driving career started at 16 1/2.

But then again I'm male, own a few good stocks, while retirement big dog is a lifecycle index fund.

 

[packrat44]

I vote for the Miata. If my son and daughter were younger and still at home I would feel totally comfortable letting them drive my '97 Miata (manual with 32k miles). Your reasoning sounds valid to me. I must be in the minority - besides not wrecking my 1st car, I still have yet to wreck any car (or truck).

 

[packrat44]

heh heh heh - 1959 Interstate 5 south of Seattle our 'family' 1955 Pontiac Chieftan got over 100 mph. Went to traffic school for 6 months. Real driving career started at 16 1/2.

The 1st time I met a police officer on official business I was driving my dad's 1956 Pontiac Safari wagon (like the Chevy Nomad). (And he wasn't just any police officer, he was the Captain of the State Patrol for Eastern Washington.) As he was starting to write the citation, he realized he knew my father. Well. no citation but he told me to have my dad call him the next day. Short story - paying the citation would have been much less painful.

 

[Keim]

I have to disagree with BigNick on this one. Sort of. He may be right! Depends on your daughter. My dad had a 76 Vette sitting around the house when I learned to drive. At no time did I ever think that car would be mine to drive. And Dad didn't have to give me a justification. It was his car. I had my own 1976 Monte Carlo to drive.

Also-put me down in favor of her not getting the Miata. The first car should be something no one cares about. It is likely to get trashed.

PS-25 years later and Dad and I still have the same cars! And... I still don't get to drive the Vette very often. Dammit!

An extra thought for those who wouldn't let her drive the Miata: you're going to have to say "no, because", which kind of implies "no, until...". So as a minimum you'd need to come up with some conditions under which you'd let her drive it: say, 3,000 miles completed in another car, or reaching a certain birthday, unless you're from the "because I say so, until I change my mind" school of parenting, which we all promised ourselves we'd never copy from our parents, right?

I also presume that there are people here who would never themselves drive anything as "dangerous" as a Miata. I imagine that their attitude to the poll may be influenced by this...

 

[REWahoo]

hakuna matata, looks like the poll is an almost even split among the three choices. Please let us know which way you end up going - and when she has her first fender-bender.

 

[hakuna matata]

As to which car she 'wants' to drive. First the Miata, then the truck. She likes the truck but she really likes the size of the Miata. She has driven the Miata exclusively the last 2 months or so since I taught her to drive the stick as I felt she should drive the car she was going to take the drivers test in so that it was comfortable. Personally after being in both vehicles with her, I feel she is a better driver in the Miata than the truck. She knows where the 'edges' of the car are in the Miata whereas the truck just seems huge around her. She also wanted a VW bug but again I don't need another car and I am not planning on buying her one. She is free to use one of the vehicles at our house (with the exception of the BMW!).

If you have driven a Miata you will understand that it responds instantly. You have to pay attention and you have to be in control of the car. I agree it isn't powerful, but it is responsive. One of the things she has mentioned is that it seems like you are going faster than you really are going. She was driving at 35 and she thought she was going 45! You just seem like you are moving faster than you really are.

I should also point out we live in a very rural area, so no freeway driving, etc. She would be driving mainly to and from school, about 6 miles each way. The town we live in is less than 10,000 people. Speed limits are 25-45 for most of her travel time.

Interesting that the poll is evenly divided. I know I will likely end up letting her drive the Miata but we will see.

 

[powerplay]

There's always this approach (from a "Who's The Boss" episode) -

Sam's car from Who's the Boss - YouTube

 

[FreeAtLast]

+1 Something safe.

 

[sheehs1]

One last thought. Which car or what car do you want her friends (or boyfriend) to drive?. While you may have rules that no one else is to drive the car...they will. Some may want to "just try" the stick for grins. Some will get really good at it

We had the rule. Found out several years later (way after the fact) ......that "the little accident" that required a bumper and rear light happened while a friend was driving her vehicle. Just glad no one was hurt.

 

[ikonomore]

I wouldn't be worried about the Miata's crash worthiness.
I'd be worried about the Miata's handling.
A rear wheel drive car for a new young driver is bad news.

I'd also like to protect the miata. I agree with an above poster's suggestion, a beige camry or a used focus. Something in the $5k or less range.
Not a civic, civics have insurance rates.

 

[Keim]

Snow and ice shouldn't be a huge problem near Seattle. Aside from that I don't see an advantage to front vs rear drive. Can you elaborate, ikonomore?

 

[LightningDawg]

I bought each of my daughters a used honda accord as their first car. For my son, a used midsize truck. I wanted something safe, reliable, but not too small.

The miata, IMO, is just too small. Physics goes against it in a collision with another, likely bigger car. If it is a large SUV, then it would be crushed.

 

[SteveL]

WA has special rules for teen drivers
WA State Licensing: Teens

During the first six months, no passengers except family, and then only one. No cell phone use with or without hands-free setup.

As a former (in one of my jobs) underwriter, the last thing you want is any teenager in a little convertible stickshift sports car. Over 80% of teens get into a wreck in the first six months of driving. A wreck is almost a certainty. So, think of your child's safety first. I suggest an old Volvo 240. Like a tank, underpowered, very safe.
Depending on who you are insured with, putting a teen in a miata might get your insurance non-renewed. And, even if accepted, astronomical rates.

 

[haha]

WA has special rules for teen drivers
WA State Licensing: Teens

During the first six months, no passengers except family, and then only one. No cell phone use with or without hands-free setup.

As a former (in one of my jobs) underwriter, the last thing you want is any teenager in a little convertible stickshift sports car. Over 80% of teens get into a wreck in the first six months of driving. A wreck is almost a certainty. So, think of your child's safety first. I suggest an old Volvo 240. Like a tank, underpowered, very safe.
Depending on who you are insured with, putting a teen in a miata might get your insurance non-renewed. And, even if accepted, astronomical rates.

This is my opinion also. All the stuff about handling, awareness etc is mostly Brock Yates talk. I have been in 2 bad wrecks in my life. Neither was my fault, and both on surface roads- the last one on rural Washington roads similar to what HK is describing. Last one totally destroyed my car, stretched my belts, and the airbags saved me. Here's what most > 1 car wrecks are like. You see something out of the corner of your eye, then bang! you feel a giant impact, then you hang on to the wheel, notice the airbag, feel the pain in your chest and ribs and really really hope that you are conscious when you stop flying around.

People have funny ideas, and they are free to practice them and also put them onto their kids. My brother drove a Miata for 15 years, and 1/4 of his time behind the wheel he was impaired. Yet he had not one accident. Lady Luck usually smiles.

Ha

 

[TN_INVEST]

Most trucks are RWD and tend to be slip and slide in slippery weather. FWD is more stable and AWD is ever more surefooted. My view would be that FWD or AWD would be best of an inexperienced driver.

Rather than sell the Miata, if you can swing it perhaps you can get her an older Subie or even a Baja (Subaru car/pickup) which is pretty solid, sure-footed but still cool (at least to my eye).

I'm sticking with my thought on getting a truck.

You can always get another car when the kid heads to college. At that point, I would be very open minded and get something that got better gas mileage and was in good shape, and you get to keep the truck.

Everybody "needs" an old truck. I'm so not looking forward to two days in my future: the day my dog leaves me and the day my truck leaves me.