Follow these easy steps to help your teen find the perfect ride
Photo: Pixabay via CC
If you’re the parent of a high school or college student, you’ve probably thought of helping them find their first car. Buying a car at any age can be a bit of a challenge, but if approached smartly, it can be a fun and fulfilling endeavor. If you’re on the lookout for the perfect ride for your teen, read on.
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Finding the perfect back-to-school car
Before you begin your search, it’s important to know and understand the following tips:
Know your monetary limits. As a parent, it’s natural to want to give your teen the best. However, unless you’re rolling in extra cash, it’s likely that your kid’s first car will be used. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that; a used vehicle is still a vehicle, and if you’ve done your homework and made a smart selection, it will work just as well as a new car.
Be a part of the process. It may seem like a no-brainer, but make sure you’re along for the ride during the shopping and buying process. Any and all major decisions need your involvement; don’t let your teen sign any papers without you there. As the experienced driver and car buyer in the room, your involvement is a necessity.
Determine the kind of car you’re looking for. Since your teen is likely inexperienced on the road, look for something with good gas mileage, reliable safety features, and excellent handling. Something like a midsize sedan or small crossover would be ideal.
Give the car a good look-over. This is another obvious tip, but nevertheless an important one. Spend some time staring at the cars you’re interested in to see if anything jumps out at you. Things like a cheap paint job or evidence of bodywork could be signs of trouble. The truth lies in the sheet metal, so give it special attention.
Note the mileage. Buying a back to school car with over 150,000 miles is probably not the wisest decision, but also be wary of older used cars with low mileage. Make sure you always check the car’s history using the 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number.
Take your picks for a test drive. The value of test driving cannot be overestimated. Letting your teen give their picks a spin down the street is a great way for them to get the feel of the car. It’s also a great opportunity to test all the “little things” to make sure they work: lights, blinkers, windshield wipers, radio, air conditioning, etc.
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If, after all these steps, the car still looks like a winner, you should be good to go. Best of luck on your search!
Daniel DiManna hails from little Sylvania, Ohio. A graduate of Lourdes University with a degree in Fine Arts (which has thus far proven about as useful as a wet paper towel), Daniel’s hobbies/passions include film history, reading, fiction/non-fiction writing, sculpting, gaining weight, and adding more toys, posters, books, model kits, DVD’s, screen-used props, and other ephemera to his already shamefully monumental collection of Godzilla/movie monster memorabilia. His life goals include a return trip to Japan, getting a podcast off the ground, finishing his novel, and yes, buying even more monster toys. See more articles by Daniel.
