OT: How much is too much to spend on a kid's first car?

[Dble E]

My first car was a total POS but it was what my parents could afford. I didn't take care of it since I was also complete idiot. I also doubt the car looking back was very safe.

My son is about ready for a car. He's better in about every way than I was and his mom has set a budget for a car that can keep her baby boy safe.

Seems obscene and a total waste of money to spend more than 2, 3, 4 or 5K on a kid's car. Her number is a lot higher....he plays sports and does well in school so I doubt he will work unless it's in the summer.

Am I being cheap? PS- I am going to hold off on telling you what her budget is until I get some answers. And I can afford the amount but can't bring myself to do it.

 

[HuskerGarrett]

My first car was a total POS but it was what my parents could afford. I didn't take care of it since I was also complete idiot. I also doubt the car looking back was very safe.

My son is about ready for a car. He's better in about every way than I was and his mom has set a budget for a car that can keep her baby boy safe.

Seems obscene and a total waste of money to spend more than 2, 3, 4 or 5K on a kid's car. Her number is a lot higher....he plays sports and does well in school so I doubt he will work unless it's in the summer.

Am I being cheap? PS- I am going to hold off on telling you what her budget is until I get some answers. And I can afford the amount but can't bring myself to do it.

My kids are nowhere close to being old enough to drive, but IMHO the first car is supposed to be pretty shitty. I would say no more than $10k. Get a used Camry, Accord, Ford Focus, etc.

 

[Adolph Coors]

something reliable for 2-4k and tell them you only get 1 so take care of it, the next ones on you

 

[Eaton Beaver]

I would say 4k is my middle number.. One of my kids cars was less and the other over. I like to find the newer used vehicles that have high miles and a decent undercarriage, that way I can just upgrade the tires belts, and other minor repairs. Wax the shit out of it so it looks good and then hand it off to them to ruin. Also when they get to be seniors I'll probably help them find something nicer.

 

[Jim14510]

Bought my oldest a car this summer. Wanted to go cheaper but used prices were ridiculous. We also bought it with the intention that she would drive through high school and her brother thats 2 years younger would then get it. School is somewhat in the hood 38th and Burt. So wanted something reliable and awd.

Ended up buying a new equinox which was a little over 20k. Looked and looked for equinox, escape, etc. 2-3 years old with 20-40k miles was 17-19k. Figured it was stupid not to spend extra 2k for a new one.

 

[Jim14510]

Have a bed ready for me opee. Have appts until 6. Might be snowed in by then.

 

[BIGSTICK67]

I budgeted $5000 for both of my sons. I found that seemed to be the cut off point of where things really started to get shitty. One has a 2001 Jeep Cherokee that he's already put a ton of miles on with almost no issues. The other is a 2006 Subaru Forester 5-speed that he slammed and has gotten a ton of compliments on. There really haven't been major issues with either, but we shopped for a long time on both. In fact, both vehicles came from Lincoln and we live in Omaha. It just seems that there were nicer vehicles in that area......probably due to the university? Hard to say.

But $5K was the budget within the last 3-4 years.

 

[SoCal_Corn]

Whatever the cheapest SAFE car you can find.

It's yore kid in a car with 100000s of knuckheads driving out there.


I say the same thing when peeps say: Hey I got this motorcycle helmet for $79.
Mine was $579.
Its only .... your.... fucking HEAD.

 

[LoudHogRider]

We had the "amount" debate when our kids were coming of driving age as well.

• On the one hand, there's the 1973 Chevy Biscayne that's a complete POS, but a good starter and it meets all three relevant vehicle requirements: it starts, it steers and it stops. The Biscayne makes perfect sense because they're teenagers and they're going to wreck it. I sure as heck did.
• On the other hand, there was a nicer car with air bags so that our kids - because they're teenagers and they're going to wreck it - have a chance at surviving it intact if/when they do.

We went with the airbags.

For both of our kids, we put together a "new driver agreement" that spelled out the responsibilities of the new driver and those of us - as parents. To be blunt, I scoured the internet for the most heinous, one-sided terms and conditions in favor of the parent and slapped together a document that I made them review and sign. It took all of the "yea, but's" out of the argument.

• Examples: If you're found driving with booze or dope in the car, it's gone.
• If you get a ticket, you lose driving privileges for "X" amount of time, and "Y" amount of time for an accident that's your fault.

The document re-affirmed what an absolute dick I can be as a parent, but now that both of my kids are grown and on their own, they've told me that because I was such a dick they knew that I'd enforce the provisions of the new driver agreement ("Mom we could have begged our way out of it, but you would have stuck to your guns") that it helped keep them from doing more stupid shit than they already did with their new vehicles.

If anyone wants a copy of that thing, let me know. I'll "sanitize" it to remove our names and send you a copy of it in MS-Word format.

 

[Jim14510]

We had the "amount" debate when our kids were coming of driving age as well.

• On the one hand, there's the 1973 Chevy Biscayne that's a complete POS, but a good starter and it meets all three relevant vehicle requirements: it starts, it steers and it stops. The Biscayne makes perfect sense because they're teenagers and they're going to wreck it. I sure as heck did.
• On the other hand, there was a nicer car with air bags so that our kids - because they're teenagers and they're going to wreck it - have a chance at surviving it intact if/when they do.

We went with the airbags.

For both of our kids, we put together a "new driver agreement" that spelled out the responsibilities of the new driver and those of us - as parents. To be blunt, I scoured the internet for the most heinous, one-sided terms and conditions in favor of the parent and slapped together a document that I made them review and sign. It took all of the "yea, but's" out of the argument.

• Examples: If you're found driving with booze or dope in the car, it's gone.
• If you get a ticket, you lose driving privileges for "X" amount of time, and "Y" amount of time for an accident that's your fault.

The document re-affirmed what an absolute dick I can be as a parent, but now that both of my kids are grown and on their own, they've told me that because I was such a dick they knew that I'd enforce the provisions of the new driver agreement ("Mom we could have begged our way out of it, but you would have stuck to your guns") that it helped keep them from doing more stupid shit than they already did with their new vehicles.

If anyone wants a copy of that thing, let me know. I'll "sanitize" it to remove our names and send you a copy of it in MS-Word format.

 

[LoudHogRider]

I'll try "copy and pasting" the New Driver Agreement in a spoiler. If it doesn't work well, I'll delete this post.

Spoiler: New Driver Agreement

WE, THE PARENTS AND THE NEW DRIVER, AGREE on the following ground rules.

WE AGREE on the importance of trust between us, on the responsibilities we each have and the consequences associated with failure to fulfill our individual responsibilities.

This agreement between Parent_1 and Parent_2, as PARENTS and NEW DRIVER, the new driver hereby set forth what each expects of the other.


WE AGREE on the following truths:

• Driving a car can be dangerous to your health and happiness
• New drivers have, pro rata, significantly more accidents than experienced drivers.
• Driving is a privilege, not a right
• The use of a car is a privilege, not a right
• Parents take on an awesome financial responsibility when they allow a minor child to use a family vehicle
• Misuse of a vehicle by a minor can result in the destruction of the family's economic health through claims by injured parties that exceed the family's insurance coverage. Families can lose their home and life savings because of auto accidents.

Therefore, in recognition of the gravity and risks associated with granting the new driver certain driving privileges, the parties make the following stipulations:

• WE PARENTS will approach the process of teaching our new driver the appropriate skills with love, patience and support. We will accept that this is a learning process and do everything in our power to mentor and coach the new driver through each level of learning. We understand that our role is to encourage, not to criticize; to demonstrate, not to remonstrate. We will accept whatever pace the new driver achieves in developing skills at his pace and not try to rush the process. We recognize that this is a physical skill we are teaching and everyone develops at a different pace.
  
  
• WE AGREE that driving is a privilege linked to satisfactory behavior at home and school, including:
• Complying with Family rules.
• Completing duties at home properly and on time.
• Showing proper respect for my Parents, my Siblings, and others.
• Maintaining attendance, conduct and effort at school. Effort will be assessed based by monitoring the following tasks:
• Responsible for completeness and accuracy of daily planner
• Responsible for timely completion of all school related assignments
• Maintain an accurate and complete calendar that includes all school, sports, church, philanthropic and other events.
• Failure to abide by these behaviors will result in a suspension of driving privileges for 14 days.

• I, as the NEW DRIVER, agree to comply with the following courtesies and considerations:
• I will provide my parents with my destination and time of return.
• I will call home if I feel I will not make curfew.
• I will not make unnecessary side trips or stops.
• I will not drive outside of agreed upon territories our boundaries.
• I will not eat, drink or smoke in the car.
• I will not affix stickers or decals without permission.

• I, as the NEW DRIVER, agree to maintain status as a full time student enrolled in college preparatory classes with a grade point average of 3.4 or better, as reported by the School District, on a quarterly basis in order to maintain driving privileges. Should my grade point average fall below 3.4, I will be restricted to school-use-only driving events until such time as my grade point average returns to a 3.4 or better.
  
  
• WE PARENTS agree to provide a safe and reliable vehicle and required insurance coverage for our NEWDRIVER. The vehicle will remain property of the PARENTS, and the use of the vehicle is conditional upon adherence to the terms and the spirit of this Agreement.
  
  
• WE PARENTS agree to provide a monthly vehicle allowance of up to $120 for gas, oil, and routine vehicle maintenance. Adjustments to the monthly vehicle allowance amount may be made by the PARENTS at their sole discretion. Monthly vehicle allowance amounts will not be made during any driving suspension period.
  
  
• I, as the NEW DRIVER, agree that I will keep the car that I drive clean, inside and out and take care of gas, oil, and routine maintenance requirements. The following tasks are MY responsibility:
• Clear and/or inspect windows and mirrors every time the vehicle is driven.
• Inspect and/or check tire pressure every week.
• Check fluids at each fill-up.
• Wash vehicle and keep interior clean.
• Report any unusual performance to the PARENTS.
  
  
• I, as the NEW DRIVER, agree to the following rules governing the use of any vehicle:
• I will wear seat belts whenever the car is in motion and demand that all passengers do the same.
• I promise not to consume alcohol or drugs prior to driving the car. There is no such thing in this Agreement as "acceptable blood alcohol limit."
• There will be no alcohol or drugs permitted in the car at any time. I promise to eject anyone who violates this rule, or to call the PARENTS if I am unable to get the offenders to vacate the car.
• I will not make calls or text on my cell phone while driving. If it rings, I will pull over at a safe place before answering the call. I understand it’s OK if I miss the call.
• I will NOT engage in thrill-seeking, stunts or any form of racing.
• I will NOT conceal any tickets, warnings or collision from the PARENTS.
• I will NOT allow anyone else to drive the car.
• I will always treat pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorist with courtesy.
• Failure to observe these governance rules shall result in a suspension of driving privileges, which shall be determined solely at the discretion of PARENTS.
  
  
• WE JOINTLY AGREE that the NEW DRIVER may, at any time he deems appropriate, call the PARENTS to avoid either riding in or driving a car where alcohol or drugs are involved. We will pick you up or arrange for your safe transportation home, regardless of the situation or time of the call. WE AGREE that such an incident shall not affect future driving privileges.
• 
  
• WE JOINTLY AGREE on the following rules regarding curfews:
• The NEW DRIVER will observe those specific limitations set forth in state law.
• The NEW DRIVER must be home with the car by 10:00 p.m. unless there is a specific agreement on an alternate time.
• As the NEW DRIVER demonstrates reliability, we agree to adjust these times to reflect greater freedom.
• Failure to observe curfew shall result in a suspension of driving privileges for 7 days.
  
  
• I, as the NEW DRIVER, agree that for the first six months of driving, there will no guest passengers in the car without specific consent from the PARENTS. Thereafter, for the next 6 months there will never be more than 2 people in the car with the NEW DRIVER. Failure to observe this rule without specific permission will result in a suspension of driving privileges for 30 days.
  
  
• I, as the NEW DRIVER, agree to accept financial responsibility for traffic violations as well as the difference in the insurance premium for as long as the premium is in effect. I agree to reimburse PARENTS for any increase in insurance rates resulting from traffic citations.
  
  
• I, as the NEW DRIVER, agree to accept financial responsibility for accidents and damages that I incur not covered by insurance including all deductibles. The NEW DRIVER is responsible for reimbursing PARENTS for accidents, damages, and insurance deductible amounts, as well as any increase in insurance rates resulting from at fault collisions.

WE JOINTLY AGREE that any traffic citation or parking ticket shall result in an immediate suspension of driving privileges for no less than 10 days. Any “at fault” collision resulting in $500 damage or more shall result in a suspension of 20 days.

The frequency and severity of infractions will also result in the loss of driving privileges for an agreed upon duration. This will be added to the violations as cited above:

• First Offense: 10 day suspension
• Second Offense: 20 day suspension
• Serious Violation: 45 day suspension
• Alcohol / Drug Use: Indefinite suspension
  
  
• WE JOINTLY AGREE that this family wants the NEW DRIVER to enjoy all the positive benefits of driving -- convenience, entertainment, occupation, recreation and independence. Therefore, we agree to jointly establish a program of ongoing rewards for the continued faithful performance of the NEW DRIVER. This may include increased use of family vehicles, reduction in curfew restrictions, credits against suspension periods and other rewards as we may agree.

WE PARENTS, as owners of the family vehicles, agree to serve as good role models in our own driving. We will encourage safe driving practices by our NEW DRIVER by fairly and consistently enforcing the terms of this Agreement:

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

The PARENTS

I, as the NEW DRIVER, by signing this Agreement, acknowledge that I understand my legal responsibilities and commitment to my family as a driver. I agree to abide by the terms of this Agreement and accept the forfeit of privileges if I fail to comply:



____________________________________

The NEW DRIVER


Date: __________________________

 

[CornHub]

My first car was a total POS but it was what my parents could afford. I didn't take care of it since I was also complete idiot. I also doubt the car looking back was very safe.

My son is about ready for a car. He's better in about every way than I was and his mom has set a budget for a car that can keep her baby boy safe.

Seems obscene and a total waste of money to spend more than 2, 3, 4 or 5K on a kid's car. Her number is a lot higher....he plays sports and does well in school so I doubt he will work unless it's in the summer.

Am I being cheap? PS- I am going to hold off on telling you what her budget is until I get some answers. And I can afford the amount but can't bring myself to do it.

My parents gave me the old family car and bought themselves a new one.

 

[AgntX]

Funny listening to you guys talk about Toyotas and Nissans for your kids!!! i'm 66 we got hot rods for our first cars, real man cars, not girly cars and we wonder why kids are screwed up! at least you saved money on gas.....lol

 

[Toe]

Give the kid a budget, hand them a copy of the most recent Consumer Reports car issue and point to the used car reliability ratings section, and tell them to watch the newspaper, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.

 

[Cash68847]

My first car was a total POS but it was what my parents could afford. I didn't take care of it since I was also complete idiot. I also doubt the car looking back was very safe.

My son is about ready for a car. He's better in about every way than I was and his mom has set a budget for a car that can keep her baby boy safe.

Seems obscene and a total waste of money to spend more than 2, 3, 4 or 5K on a kid's car. Her number is a lot higher....he plays sports and does well in school so I doubt he will work unless it's in the summer.

Am I being cheap? PS- I am going to hold off on telling you what her budget is until I get some answers. And I can afford the amount but can't bring myself to do it.

No you’re not. When my kids are old enough to drive I’m not going to get them anything special because I know they will fuck the car up anyways. I’ve actually bought everyone of my vehicles off the manheim auto auction. I’ll do the same for my kids’ cars. You need a dealers license which isn’t hard to get.

 

[TraCHusker]

My first car was a total POS but it was what my parents could afford. I didn't take care of it since I was also complete idiot. I also doubt the car looking back was very safe.

My son is about ready for a car. He's better in about every way than I was and his mom has set a budget for a car that can keep her baby boy safe.

Seems obscene and a total waste of money to spend more than 2, 3, 4 or 5K on a kid's car. Her number is a lot higher....he plays sports and does well in school so I doubt he will work unless it's in the summer.

Am I being cheap? PS- I am going to hold off on telling you what her budget is until I get some answers. And I can afford the amount but can't bring myself to do it.

Zero.

Make him pay for it.

Everything good will flow from his ownership.

Little good will accrue by you giving it to him.

Unless your kid is special and shows gratitude regularly.

 

[ThomOsborneMD]

Funny listening to you guys talk about Toyotas and Nissans for your kids!!! i'm 66 we got hot rods for our first cars, real man cars, not girly cars and we wonder why kids are screwed up! at least you saved money on gas.....lol

Woah look at Grandpa Badass over here

 

[jaihawk]

We got lucky and my wife's grandma sold us her 2004 Mercury Sable for $1. It's been the perfect car for both of my girls to drive while they were in high school. The speedometer didn't work right over 35 mph so I found a GPS speedometer on Amazon for $30 that sat on their dash.

When the younger girl turn 16, I bought the older one a 2018 Hyundai Accent with 27k miles on it from Hertz auto sales. Got a sweetheart of a deal and she got a car that had low miles, that she could drive through college and then some, that had been maintained to factory specifications. Spent about $10k.

Turned around and dud the same thing with a 2019 Hyundai Accent for my younger. Under 30k miles and about $10k through Acus Auto Sales.

I figure this way they don't have to try to take on a car payment right after they graduate college.