Any recommendations. Looking to spend no more than 8k. Jr gets license next month looking at accord, passat, smaller car w/ fwd. kids shakey driver so looking at 06 & up with mileage up to 80s.
TIA
TIA
Kids 1st car shopping
- Thread starter RU Diesel07110
- Start date
Mine is a 2014 model and I havent had any issues with it. Ive driven it through every snow storm the last 2 years for work. A lot of my coworkers have an early 2000 accord and they still run fine.
All the FWD sedans you mentioned should be about the same driving in the snow. Depends more on the driver than the car IMO.
Look at an older Volvo. Safe, seldom break down. Can run them into the ground without worry. VERY safe. I had 250,000 miles on mine before my son totaled it out. Walked away without a scratch.
Got an 07 sonata limited v6 with 77k in Hamilton. $6200. Covered in snow at the moment.
no more than 8k.
looking at accord, passat, smaller car w/ fwd.
looking at 06 & up with mileage up to 80s.
for general transportation a 4 cylinder engine may be just fine
Passat - nice car- but may bite large chunks out of your wallet for service & repair
Camry - shop patiently - you may find a nice one - solid & while appliance-like .... it has appliance-like durability.
Accord - of course ... a nice 05 or 06 CRV could deliver loyal service for years
Subaru - Outback or a Forester -
these are all pretty solid & safe
looking at accord, passat, smaller car w/ fwd.
looking at 06 & up with mileage up to 80s.
for general transportation a 4 cylinder engine may be just fine
Passat - nice car- but may bite large chunks out of your wallet for service & repair
Camry - shop patiently - you may find a nice one - solid & while appliance-like .... it has appliance-like durability.
Accord - of course ... a nice 05 or 06 CRV could deliver loyal service for years
Subaru - Outback or a Forester -
these are all pretty solid & safe
Best car ever in the snow. Better than a jeep. Better than a snowmobile. And very reliable.
Meh I'd put up my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4wd against anything in the snow. Thing just rips through it...
Fwiw on my earlier post about getting him a new Mazda. The deal was he saved all his money that he EARNED (no gifts) by working through his HS years and we would match. Worked out well, the kid now knows the value of a dollar
I'd put my Suburban up against an Accord too of course. My Accord posts are a bit distant from serious in much the same way a diamond is a bit distant from coal.
I'm sure they're perfectly nice cars, though.
I'd buy him a 1K car - so he has 7 more to crash-up before he learns how to drive like Steve McQueen.
Agree with our esteemed colleague from Arkansas. Buy him a slow car with good crash test numbers. I was saving up for a muscle car for when I turned 17. My Dad gave me his 1975 Chevy Monza (at least he got the slow part right), and said he'd cover the insurance and gas as long as I didn't get a fast car. My Monza had a 140 C.I.D. 4 cylinder POS motor. Got it past 70 one time going down a mountain, with the wind at my back, on I-81 in West Virginia. Only way to spin the tires was on a man-hole cover in the rain. That car kept me alive for sure. Not trying to be Debbie Downer, just something to consider.
Totally understand...
That doesn't mean that he needs to be gifted a car that is completely and totally his at age 16.
Look...this gets dicey...I offer nothing more than an opinion...a 16 year old can earn money...he can make a monthly payment for a car...your call...
As adults we have all learned the hard way that nothing comes free in this life...maybe the earlier our kids learn that lesson, the better.
Yeesh....no respect for Canned Heat or Steve McQueen...give him a shoe shine box and let him get to work.
Absolutely can't go wrong with a used Accord. My brothers first vehicle was an '07 sedan with FWD, V6 engine and six-speed manual. It handled fine in the snow, and even with a WRX or my own, I enjoyed grabbing his car every once in a while for the drive to work.
Get the kid one of those old Volvo wagons where there is 12 feet of hood before you get to the wind shield
My 89 240 DL had 310,000 when I sold it for $800 in 2012. Best car ever.
Can't go wrong with anything Honda. Reliable with affordable repairs.
I also second the Volvo. That's what I had as a kid. Only problem is the repairs can get pricey.
I also second the Volvo. That's what I had as a kid. Only problem is the repairs can get pricey.
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Just probably needs more time driving...... I was not the best driver after passing the test but I drove a lot right away, going down the shore, for a job..... Just needs more time.... It happens
Another vote for a Honda....... Lastly, I would suggest that he not drive early on with the snow, if you can help that... Let him get some experience on the regular road surface for a while since he is a bit unsure to start with....
If you relax your mileage constraint - you may find more options - 80K is really low /rare for a 10 year old car - & you may have to pay a premium for that - If you figure he drives 6-8K per year & does not wreck it - he could drive it another 10 years - and it would only have 140 - 160K -
If you have a good mechanic to check it out - you could consider probably cars with 120K - 140K depending upon condition & wear.
If generic safe but relatively low mileage transportation is the only priority - keep an eye out for a Grandpa / Grandma car
If you have a good mechanic to check it out - you could consider probably cars with 120K - 140K depending upon condition & wear.
If generic safe but relatively low mileage transportation is the only priority - keep an eye out for a Grandpa / Grandma car
