While you may have raised your teenager to work and save money to buy their own car, it’s still fairly likely that you’ll go with them when they shop for that first vehicle. That means you want to know how to make sure they are getting a good deal and a good vehicle. You also want to make sure that they aren’t buying something just because it is cool.
There are a few things to consider when it comes to a teens first vehicle. You want to do some research on the vehicles they may be interested in, ahead of time.
Find Something That Is Affordable
While you may want to buy your teen a brand new vehicle which will likely need less work over time, you may find a good used vehicle that costs much less. There are new vehicles that are affordable though, so take a little time to research and don’t be afraid to talk to your auto salesperson about what is a better deal for a first time vehicle.
You definitely want to take the vehicle for a test drive so that you can make sure it runs good, if it’s use, and make sure it is something your child is comfortable driving. Since this is their first vehicle they may not be comfortable driving a larger vehicle.
Look At Safety Ratings
You want a vehicle that is going to be safe for your teen, which means taking some time to look into the safety ratings of the vehicles you are interested in. That could mean new cars or used cars. Talk to the dealer about what vehicles they recommend as the safest choice.
You may also want to avoid red cars, since the stigma on red cars is that they get pulled over more often than other vehicles, or your teen may already be nervous enough driving to start off with.
Research Info Like Gas Mileage
The size of the vehicle your teen gets will help determine how much they’ll be investing in filling the gas tank as well. Something smaller, even a small truck, may be the best option as a first time vehicle, if only to help them save money on the cost of filling their gas tank.
The last thing you will want to do is make sure your teen knows that they need to be safe and that you care about them. Teach them to always wear their seatbelt, even if you live somewhere that it isn’t the law. Teach them to always wait until they are parked to talk or text. Teach them that the most important thing they need to do when driving is pay attention to the road, not the stereo or their friends.
Originally posted on December 2, 2015 @ 6:48 am
