Need recommendations: Used vehicle for student drivers

[Plai]

I've got a couple of daughters that will learn to drive in a year or so.
I don't expect them to commute much (yet) except to high school.
One is into tennis, the other music theatre. [Most of music theatre is likely to be cancelled due to covid.]
If any vehicle can be a deterrent for partying, .....
I'd like the vehicles to be road worthy to last through college years (with regular maintenance).

Looking for low maintenance, low used cost to acquire, and easy to drive (good visability).
Not looking for the lastest driver assist tech because they need to learn to be conscious drivers.
Not looking for the latest tech integration, but mapping/gps might be useful.
(Any corrections on what might be useful?)
My better half thinks my Acura TSX wagon is "too sporty". [I think it's a little underpowered :-]

We are mostly a Toyota and Honda/Acura house. Obvious choices seem to be: Prius, Corollas, Civic, CRV and RAV-4.

My guess, the purchases will be "of opportunity". Other suggestions for the short list? Any reason one on the short list should be removed?

 

[SBrown]

My daughter’s first was an 06 Highlander; very pleased with that purchase.

 

[Plai]

My daughter’s first was an 06 Highlander; very pleased with that purchase.

Hadn't considered such a large vehicle. Hmmm... I like the long term thinking.

 

[raytseng]

The cheaper MSRP you go, there is less to be gained from buying used. E.g. you could go for a brand new Honda Fit doesn't cost that much more than a used one. Ultracompact car is more manueverable and more room for error especially in the backing up, and cheaper on fuel. Buying a bigger mainstream car of course there is more savings from used, there less guilt from the inevitable fender benders or wreck on a used car.

The toyota offerings for used might be lacking in tech due to the lack of androidauto/carplay. You will want to at least look for basic bluetooth integration; so there is at least hands free calling and popup SMS (when you call or text them. The kids don't call each other and their messaging will be appbased and not sms).

The map/gps I don't think is a dealbreaker, ; they'll use their phone for gps even if there was built-in gps, so don't worry about the gps.

 

[bbinder]

Any of those are good choices. My daughters drove a Saturn when they were first driving. Now that they buy cars for themselves they drive BMWs. Used of course. Go figure.

The best thing that I did for my girls is “make“ them take a one day accident avoidance class that was offered for free in Massachusetts. In the course they practiced high speed lane changes, threshold braking, driving a slalom, and a fairly vivid demonstration of what happens when you are tailgating and the car in front of you brakes abruptly. They got a lot out of the day, and had fun. If California doesn’t offer such a class for new drivers, it is worth finding one on your own. Fro example, New Hampshire used to offer a one day class that was an abridged version of what police officers were taught.

 

[crgildart]

I preferred my kids driving something robust and beefy so if they did get in a nasty wreck their odds of surviving unscathed would be higher. They did well with the Forester and a Sentra

Both fully licensed now and one starting college 1200 miles away, we went UBER accounts for now. I just don't feel comfortable with the older kid away at college learning how to drink while having his own new to him first car at the same time. Sophomore year we'll get him a car.

 

[Plai]

The best thing that I did for my girls is “make“ them take a one day accident avoidance class that was offered for free in Massachusetts

I've always wanted to take a similar course. Should I be a parent and make my kids live my dreams? ;-)
Great idea!

 

[François Pugh]

Toyota Camry (not TRD). Mazda 3. Honda Civic (not type R). Kia Optima.

 

[BC.]

My 2 daughters (19/18) drive a 17’ Subaru Forester and a 19’ Toyota RAV.....feel pretty confident/safe with these vehicles for 2 young drivers.

 

[SBrown]

Any of those are good choices. My daughters drove a Saturn when they were first driving. Now that they buy cars for themselves they drive BMWs. Used of course. Go figure.

The best thing that I did for my girls is “make“ them take a one day accident avoidance class that was offered for free in Massachusetts. In the course they practiced high speed lane changes, threshold braking, driving a slalom, and a fairly vivid demonstration of what happens when you are tailgating and the car in front of you brakes abruptly. They got a lot out of the day, and had fun. If California doesn’t offer such a class for new drivers, it is worth finding one on your own. Fro example, New Hampshire used to offer a one day class that was an abridged version of what police officers were taught.

There is a company in CO that teaches like this ... it is a full course of drivers ed, but the first day they teach accident avoidance. Skid pad or a flooded and frozen parking lot. Both kids did that, it was a little pricier than the others but that’s one thing I don’t mind paying for.

 

[Andy Mink]

Small pickup (Older Toyota, Ford Ranger, Nissan, etc.) with bucket seats and no rear seating. No cap on the back. One friend only so fewer distractions. Big enough to be seen, just enough power to get you where you're going. Standard transmission if possible. Two wheel drive where you are, unless you think they'll be driving into the Sierras in the winter.

 

[bbinder]

I've always wanted to take a similar course. Should I be a parent and make my kids live my dreams? ;-)
Great idea!

My wife bought me a 2 day Skip Barber high performance driving course when I turned 40 years old. I went into the course thinking that I was an excellent driver. I came out of it realizing that I was a fair to good driver. Of course, everybody else still sucked.

 

[raytseng]

Any of those are good choices. My daughters drove a Saturn when they were first driving. Now that they buy cars for themselves they drive BMWs. Used of course. Go figure.

The best thing that I did for my girls is “make“ them take a one day accident avoidance class that was offered for free in Massachusetts. In the course they practiced high speed lane changes, threshold braking, driving a slalom, and a fairly vivid demonstration of what happens when you are tailgating and the car in front of you brakes abruptly. They got a lot out of the day, and had fun. If California doesn’t offer such a class for new drivers, it is worth finding one on your own. Fro example, New Hampshire used to offer a one day class that was an abridged version of what police officers were taught.

While somewhat useful if for example you're going to put them to be the driver to tahoe in snow or have a side job in the secret service.
I don't think that advanced driving classes is going to significantly reduce the chance of an accident in practice at this level of regular driving.

I highly highly believe the accidents are going to be due to poor personal decisions rather than anything related to advanced driver skill.
If however, they are not even to an adequate driving level, then yes more driver practice needed, but not necessarily throwing them into advanced driving course. If they are still shy about freeway speeds, they may just get more nervous about emergency manuevers until they are comfortable with basics.

(I will suggest, advanced racing/high speed driving education/practice can also be obtained for considerably cheaper at gokart facilities who typically have some kind of racing lessons/tutoring offering in addition to just dropin racing)

 

[Ogg]

I’ve actually been quite impressed with the Hyundais I’ve been in recently. I haven’t been in any of the Kia variants but I assume they’re similar. @Andy Mink I like the idea of a small pickup but they can be really sketchy in any kind of weather, especially with an empty bed.

 

[bbinder]

While somewhat useful if for example you're going to put them to be the driver to tahoe in snow or have a side job in the secret service.
I don't think that advanced driving classes is going to reduce the chance of an accident in reality at this level of regular driving.

I highly highly believe the accidents are going to be due to poor personal decisions rather than anything related to advanced driver skill.
If however, they are not even to an adequate driving level, then yes more driver practice needed, but not necessarily throwing them into advanced driving course. If they are still shy about freeway speeds, they may just get more nervous about emergency manuevers until they are comfortable with basics.

(I will suggest, advanced racing/high speed driving education/practice can also be obtained for considerably cheaper at gokart facilities who typically have some kind of racing lessons/tutoring offering in addition to just dropin racing)

A lot of accidents are due to poor decisions, but there are those accidents that occur because of the poor decisions of others around you. Experiencing what the car does at the edge of control and being able to practice it in a safe environment is invaluable - if nothing else, you learn what you and the car can and cannot do in a given situation. Ask me how I know... The best place to learn how to handle a skid is in a big open airfield or parking lot, not on an icy highway when your car decides to teach you a lesson... FWIW, the courses around Massachusetts would take a driver at any level of experience, but I purposely held off with my girls until they had their licenses for a few months so that the course would have more relevance for them. And the instructors made it clear that the day would not be an end point for the students, but rather to give them an idea of what to do in an emergency situation. There are a small handful of carting facilities near us, and none seem to offer the lessons that you are suggesting. In Massachusetts, the accident avoidance course was offered every 6 weeks in several locations (and was free for one of the girls and a nominal fee when the second was old enough to drive). Years later, both girls told me that they were more cautious after the course and that they had occasion to use what they were taught at some point during their years of driving.

 

[ksampson3]

A used Subaru Crosstrek. Really good visibility. Easy to drive. Really low expected maintenance costs. Low horsepower. Enough room to chuck gear in the back like tennis bags and rackets. All wheel drive for crappy weather, although it doesn't look like you have bad weather worries. Small enough that it's easy to learn in but not so small that I worry about my boys' safety.

 

[jmeb]

Miata!

Inexpensive. Reliable. Underpowered. Fun! Can only carry one distracting friend.

I mean—that was my first car and look how I turned out .

 

[Jwrags]

A friend of mine just today bought his daughter a 2014 VW Passat TDI. Apparently they took some of the “bad” cars and re-did them and now are selling them with lots of warranty at a decent price.

This is what my friend told me about it:
“Car comes with all sorts of info on what’s Actually coming out of the tail pipe. In addition to the 100k miles drivetrain warranty it had a life time guarantee on its emissions meeting 2020 standards

- would be be hard press to find a better warranty anywhere else”

 

[raytseng]

A lot of accidents are due to poor decisions, but there are those accidents that occur because of the poor decisions of others around you. Experiencing what the car does at the edge of control and being able to practice it in a safe environment is invaluable - if nothing else, you learn what you and the car can and cannot do in a given situation. Ask me how I know... The best place to learn how to handle a skid is in a big open airfield or parking lot, not on an icy highway when your car decides to teach you a lesson... FWIW, the courses around Massachusetts would take a driver at any level of experience, but I purposely held off with my girls until they had their licenses for a few months so that the course would have more relevance for them. And the instructors made it clear that the day would not be an end point for the students, but rather to give them an idea of what to do in an emergency situation. There are a small handful of carting facilities near us, and none seem to offer the lessons that you are suggesting. In Massachusetts, the accident avoidance course was offered every 6 weeks in several locations (and was free for one of the girls and a nominal fee when the second was old enough to drive). Years later, both girls told me that they were more cautious after the course and that they had occasion to use what they were taught at some point during their years of driving.

You know, I am not inherently against this, there is no downside to taking an advanced driving course, but for the outlay of time and money. But resources aren't unlimited, and in perspective I feel a parallel is like saying you should take an Avy1 course and carry full avy setup for resort skiing. I think some of the draw is preying on the fear of parents so you aren't getting your money's worth from these courses. Note that there is no snowy or icy roads in the Bay Area that require advanced driving..

From an economist's view the same resources could be spent on something superior that would have a higher impact for the goals. For example, there are services which use a nanny dash cam +driver cam and ODB monitor. You would upload the data periodically to the service and they will monitor and review for incidents. That would be a better use of that same money as a kid knowing they are being watched reduces poor decisions better than any class. I believe they can provide driving coaching too, and even can be setup to be private just between the service and your kid except for major incidents if you are battling over"privacy".

As far as any driver, and specifically a teenager, saying they wrecked because some maniac coming out of nowhere and made them crash... I think my first response based on personal experience of how teenagers act would be: okay


Surprised none of your karting places around you have classes or coaching. Pretty much all the modern ones I know about offer these services (being serious facilities with leagues and so on , and not just kiddie bumpercars). You might need to ask in person rather than just viewing the website. It is a lot easier and cheaper way to get some semblance of track time; and get a better feel of a car as all the modern karts are setup that you can break traction, and have to find the limits.

 

[oldschoolskier]

My daughter just turned 19 and has a 2010 Ford Escape 2wd v6. 100,000miles.

Old enough to be cheap, not too much miles to worry and versatile enough to meet any need.

Finally, Get a dash cam!!!!