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New or Used?

New or Used?

  • new

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • used

    Votes: 6 85.7%

  • Total voters
    7

Already_Taken

Active Member
Joined
August 5, 2020
Messages
62
Reaction score
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City, State
USA
Year, Model & Trim Level
2nd gen 4 dr
Hi! Out of curiosity i want to hear y'all's opinions on wether a new or used car (or truck) is better as a first car for a 16 yr old! I would like to hear the reasoning too! this should be interesting...

now with used i'm not talking about like a datsun 510 pickup (although i miss those), but more like a 2000+ ranger or something :)
 



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Definitely used, a new car to me would be a big responsibility for a 16 year old. Kids also like to modify cars with something used they can turn it into their own. Just not a beater though haha
 






Definitely used, a new car to me would be a big responsibility for a 16 year old. Kids also like to modify cars with something used they can turn it into their own. Just not a beater though haha
yep! agreed!
 


















Used, and not an Explorer.
 






If you have the budget then you will go for a new one. At the end of the day, it will still be up to your preference.
 


















Used.

Honestly, I've noticed a trend that parents are buying their kids new cars off the bat these days and I don't get it. They tell me it's because of "reliability" and "safety" but honestly, most vehicles since the mid 1990's have much of the same safety features as these new cars and will cost them a lot less, especially if the kid tears it out. If I had chosen to have a kid - I would have likely given the kid an old Corolla from the 2000's. Also there's all the drama with insurance. People buying their kids brand new Mercedes and Audis are either making poor financial choices or are rich enough and connected enough that it nullifies or at least softens the risk.

My best friend in my 20's went through FIVE cars as a teenager - a Ford Tempo, Toyota Celica, a Mustang LX, a Lumina APV, and a Ford Ranger - in the course of five years. And that seems to be the norm for most people. A girl I knew bashed up 2 Civics and ripped the drivetrain out of a 92' T-bird. Guys like me who still own their first ride 20-30 years later are figuratively unicorns. I've only known one other, and that guy was the dad of a friend when I was a kid restoring the 69' Camaro he bought in the 70's.
 






My last new car was the '89 Mustang LX in my signature. After that I started taking my father's advice that buying new cars is a waste of money. Aside from saving money, the next best thing was my father making me do my own maintenance and repairs on my used car. I didn't have a warranty or the money to pay for repair and maintenance but I could pay for the parts and maintenance items for the most part. Bigger items he would help with. His advice and supervision was free though which I now know was priceless.

So buying used for your kids does two things. It teaches them to be frugal and doing their own maintenance and repairs makes them self reliant, and confident, in many areas of life. I know the repairs and maintenance isn't possible for all parents to do but buying used is one thing everyone can do.
 






Used.

Honestly, I've noticed a trend that parents are buying their kids new cars off the bat these days and I don't get it. They tell me it's because of "reliability" and "safety" but honestly, most vehicles since the mid 1990's have much of the same safety features as these new cars and will cost them a lot less, especially if the kid tears it out. If I had chosen to have a kid - I would have likely given the kid an old Corolla from the 2000's. Also there's all the drama with insurance. People buying their kids brand new Mercedes and Audis are either making poor financial choices or are rich enough and connected enough that it nullifies or at least softens the risk.

My best friend in my 20's went through FIVE cars as a teenager - a Ford Tempo, Toyota Celica, a Mustang LX, a Lumina APV, and a Ford Ranger - in the course of five years. And that seems to be the norm for most people. A girl I knew bashed up 2 Civics and ripped the drivetrain out of a 92' T-bird. Guys like me who still own their first ride 20-30 years later are figuratively unicorns. I've only known one other, and that guy was the dad of a friend when I was a kid restoring the 69' Camaro he bought in the 70's.
i agree mostly... id rather drive a 90s/00s vehicle personally, but nowadays in the city from driving others behicles i notice that the active safety features (aeb, blind spot warning etc) seem to be kind of nice... its not a substitute for safe driving though, but it has saved me once or twice when driving the vehicle of anotber... so maybe id get a corolla a few years used, not for reliability but for having those actuve safety feats (only becuase i live in a big city with many unsafe drivers), tldr: id advicate for a few years used
 






Definitely used, a new car to me would be a big responsibility for a 16 year old. Kids also like to modify cars with something used they can turn it into their own. Just not a beater though haha
And, unless the teen was the rare one who kept said new car going for years and years....an older car with less tech that drives the car FOR you, would give them experience handling a car. Because unless gifted with serious $$$$$ it's a bet the next car the kid gets will be lower priced and almost certainly older!
 






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