For students unfamiliar with cars, it can be challenging to know what to consider when obtaining their first vehicle.
Mileage is an important factor when it comes to looking for a car. Lots of miles equals lots of driving. The more driving, the more wear and tear on the vehicle.
“It is a solid, reliable first car,” senior Quentin Danely said. “It is a Chevy, American-made, by GM. It gets good gas mileage, and I’m never stressed about putting gas in it like many people. I can also customize it in a lot of different ways.”
Also, make sure to check out the history of the car.
“Look into how much money the person wants for it and if there have been modifications,” Danely said. “Ensure it is not stolen or has been in any other accidents.”
According to wired.com, 71% of high school seniors have their driver’s license. This does not mean they have their own car though.
“Since I am still a ‘kid,’ looks on a vehicle are more important to me, but all together performance is much more important,” Danely said. “You can’t see performance unless they are big performance modifications, so that is why I like looks more.”
When teens obtain their first vehicle, they can enjoy their new vehicle.
“My car is a bit basic, but I enjoy the speeds I get out of it legally,” Danely said. “The gas mileage is a top three for me, and I put under glow lights on the bottom of the body, which I like.”
Sixteen to 19-year-olds are at the highest risk of being involved in an accident. This age group is four times more likely than older drivers to be involved in a crash.
“Safety, and what I mean by that is rust,” Auto Service teacher Richard Strohl said. “When a car’s frame and body start to get too rusty, they are not safe when getting in an accident. That would be the first thing I would be concerned about for anybody’s first car.”
When interviewing people, there was a trend that people like to go for looks with their first car
“My first car was a 1968 Pontiac GTO,” Strohl said. “Why? Because I thought it was cool. It was a nice-looking car for the time.”
Reliable cars are a key factor when it comes to looking for a car. Students want a reliable car so they don’t get stranded or broken down on the side of the highway.
“The most reliable vehicle I have owned so far is probably my 2011 Ford Fusion,” Strohl said. “I got 210,000 miles on it, and I have done nothing to the car besides basic maintenance.”
Teens typically do not have lots of money to drop on a car, so they usually look for cheap, inexpensive pricing.
“I want my first car to be either a new Edge Mustang or a Chrysler 300,” sophomore Dawson Butler said. “Both are decent looking and reliable for a decent price.”
If a student has successfully completed an approved driver education program, he or she must be at least 16 years and 90 days old to obtain a driver’s license. If a student has not successfully completed an approved driver education program, he or she must be at least 16 years and 270 days old to obtain a driver’s license in Indiana.
“I think most people should start saving and looking for cars at 15 years old,” Butler said. “It makes it easier to prepare to get a car at 16 years old.”
Forty-one percent of parents said that they bought their child’s first car.
“I think that parents should buy a kid’s first car,” Butler said. “It is the fact that it can create a memory and special bond between parent and child.”
