16 years old with a 2009 Prius

In my opinion, the Gen 2 Prius is a great car for a teenager (with a few cons but many pros)
1) It doesn't really go too fast
2) It really can't be hot-rodded
3) It is a fairly safe car
4) It gets great city mpg (where most teenagers drive)
5) It doesn't look cool so other kids won't want to ride in it
6) It is very reliable

 

What?

 

It doesn't look cool enough for those other kids of a reckless nature who are obsessed with driving at the speed of sound - so they won't be hopping in it to goad the driver into "Greased Lightning" style races . However, it's advanced "Geek Factor" is undeniable , and to the mostly sensible kids, irresistible.

 

Actually that was one of the reason I bought a 3 door hatch for my kid recently (it wasn't Prius, too costly even used).

 

Well well well... looks like we have a parent who (understandably) has limited options for her kid's car...

Oh sure, we'd all love to give our kids a 10-airbag parachute on wheels, one that could keep a person safe in an atomic explosion... but as I've been trying to say since my first post, $8000 (not to mention the cost of teen car insurance) is not realistic for many of us.

I work in healthcare. My earnings potential is not very high. I suppose I anticipate having a somewhat higher salary than I do now about 20 years from now, but I will likely not be wealthy. Happy 18th Birthday, Jason Jr... here's an old Corolla that was in my budget!

 

Your earnings potential will actually lower with respect to inflation over the years due to the new healthcare reforms. It's anticipated that eventually around 90% of of private sector employers will switch to ACA plans. While costs are lower for employers, transparent for employees, the payouts are lower to healthcare facilities. When you have a large chunk of the population switching to lower payout plans. That means lower salaries for hospitals and private practices.

But your rationalization for what vehicle a 16 year old should have seems more driven by your own personal finances rather than what's reasonable or unreasonable. Personally, a $8000 prius is not unreasonable to me, if the student is a dedicated hard working student(talking about college), then i don't see anything wrong with that if you can afford it. The car is expected to last 6+ years, so that has to be taken into consideration, while providing very good fuel economy and expected maintenance. A $2000 car will not last another 6+ years without a few breakdowns and repairs. Trust me on this, i was in the market for a beater car when i bought my prius. I had about $4k to spend, but every car i looked at was in fairly bad shape, or had excessive mileage. Then i looked at the prius because the $150 a month fuel savings(i live in the country and drive over an hour to work) helped offset the cost of the vehicle, and ultimately it was a better more reliable decision, and survives more modern crash tests.

 

There is no question will will get poorer in the future due to inflation, but it has nothing to do with obamacare, but everything to do with globalization, aging US population, and loss of confidence in US dollar and economy. Someone has to pay those debts or else.

 

Greeeeeeeat, now it's a healthcare reform debate... as if we weren't off-topic enough already.

I'll try to reel us back in. Neez, what you "seem" to think drives my decision making is flat false. My views are driven by morality, which may be different than yours. You really should read my earlier posts.

One of the wisest lines of dialogue I ever heard in a film was uttered by George Clooney in 2011's The Descendants.

"You give your children enough money to do something, but not enough to do nothing."

Would a sudden windfall income increase my budget for my kids' cars? Probably... but I assure you that whatever that car is, it will fall into the category of "below average."

 

Some people just like below average I guess

 

I'm an engineer, i like to look at things in their totality. Everything has it's pro's and cons, just like the ACA. But i'll stay off that topic.

I personally would never make a blanket statement that all kids should only have a $3000 car or less. Some kids yes, but not all kids. I have to take into account everything involved in the buying decision.
1. What kind of kid is getting the car?? A degenerate slacker or a driven go getter???
2. How long will this car need to last??? Is the kid going to college??? If not, it just has to last 2 years, after that they can buy their own car, otherwise it needs to last at least 6 years.
3. Does the kid deserve a nicer car??? High grades, responsible etc????? Or a slacker, lazy??????
4. Is the vehicle practical, reliable, and economical?? We all know the prius is.

For myself at that age, an $8000 car wouldn't have been unreasonable, i knew the value of hard work and responsibility. Heck, i'm still frugal, i don't buy fancy new cars even though i can afford them. For some slackers i knew in high school, they should be left to buy their own car and learn some responsibility.

 

I echo your sentiments precisely. Pure flawless logic that even a Vulcan would.......appreciate

 

They say: You always remember your first.


iPhone ?

 

My son (who's 18) has always had a Prius (an 01 and an 05) so he knows no other car. To him, the Prius is no big deal. The other day someone at his work asked him to see it and he was amazed at how cool his friend thought it was.