Factors To Consider Before Buying Your Teen a Car

The moment your teenager first learns how to drive is a significant milestone in their life. When it comes time for them to own their car, you might decide to buy them one as a gift or contribute a significant amount to help them pay for it on their own. Before picking a vehicle, read on to learn some factors to consider before buying your teen a car.

New or Used

While no rule says you must buy a used car, it can be good to see how teens perform with a less expensive vehicle first. Insurance premiums can also be higher for newer cars, as they tend to be more valuable than used ones. However, new cars tend to come with more attractive safety features and are more reliable than used cars.

Budget

While it’s unlikely that any parent will get their child a Ferrari or a Porsche as a first car, standard new vehicles are still quite pricey. Decide the most you’re willing to spend to help you narrow down the makes and models available to you and your teen. Remember that newer drivers are much harder on their cars than experienced drivers, so you may want to avoid opting for an expensive model with all the bells and whistles.

Reliability

You don’t want to spend lots of money on a used car only to have it break down a few weeks later. Research online to find the latest reviews for models you’re interested in and ask around to see people’s opinions. For example, many people find Hondas extremely reliable over other vehicles. Knowing this could be a significant influencing factor when you’re buying a used car.

Safety

You want to make sure nothing terrible happens to your teen on the road, so you probably want to avoid some screaming metal death trap that they’ll use to zoom across the city. Try to find cars with features, such as rearview cameras, forward collision alert systems, and blind-spot detection. These can help ease new drivers into getting used to the road.

Ultimately, you should make sure you’re doing plenty of research on the varied factors to consider before buying your teen a car. It can be dangerous out there on the road, but you’ll feel a lot better when you’re confident your child is driving a vehicle you know is safe and reliable.