Teenagers and cars often don’t mix, despite how much most teens can’t wait to get behind the wheel. While your tendency as a parent is to want to protect your children, you also most likely have the issue of not having a huge amount of money to put into your child’s car. This is a problem that has no easy solution, but the following considerations should give you some clarity about whether you should buy your child a new or used vehicle.

Car Mileage

In almost every case, used cars have a great deal more mileage on them than new cars do. Buying new, you start at zero, but an inexpensive used car tends to have tens of thousand of miles on it before you or your teen ever touch the keys. This tends to make the car wear out far faster, which can be good or bad. Some people say that having a piece of junk for a first car is a rite of passage for most people, and your teen likely isn’t spoiled enough to expect a new car. Plus, the cost to buy used may be a quarter or less than what buying new would cost.

Teens and Accidents

Teens can drive safely and responsibly, but “can” and “do” are so rarely in the same place at the same time. This happens a lot more when your teen starts driving with their friends in tow. They want to look good, so they take more risks. Unfortunately, this is both scientifically proven and extremely dangerous, since teens lack the experience necessary to know when “taking a calculated risk” turns into “becoming an organ donor.” Since new cars tend to be better prepared for the inevitable accidents, the advantage here is in buying new.

General Wear and Tear

Typically, the kind of car a teen drives and a cash-strapped parent can afford is used. But different parts of the car can be worn without as much danger as other parts would cause and won’t leave you looking for cash loan for emergency repairs. Some parents impose a rule that they will only pay for good tires, seat belts and brakes, since those are the parts that are responsible for keeping your teen alive when and if they get into a collision. If the engine fails, oh well. A broken engine doesn’t hurt anyone. Here, the definite advantage is buying used and upgrading only what desperately needs it.

Buying new and buying used are very controversial issues for any parent. But it just comes down to what you’re willing to pay and how likely your teen is to total the car before it dies gracefully at a ripe old age.

Written by Wayne Ernest on November 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment Leave a Comment