Photo Credit: Brandon T. Leigh via www.pexels.com
Your teenager getting their first car is one of those monumental moments that marks a real milestone. As a parent, you will want to make sure that the car that your child is buying is safe, practical and a good deal. These tips have been specifically designed to help parents who are looking to buy their teenager’s first car.
- Choosing the Right Model
The first consideration that you will need to make when buying your child’s first car is what model to go for. There are several factors that go into finding the right model of car for your child. Firstly, what size of car are you looking for? It is usually better to choose a slightly smaller car for your child’s first car, as these are cheaper to run and easier to park.
Often people choose a model of car that their child has experience with driving. For example, if they learned to drive on a Ford Fiesta, it makes sense to purchase this model. However, buying a car they have experience with is not completely necessary, as they will adapt their driving style pretty quickly.
It is useful to make a shortlist of models that suit your child’s needs and preferences. You can then begin to narrow down the shortlist by comparing different factors like fuel efficiency, safety ratings, cost, and insurance prices. If you are looking to purchase a car with any additional features, like parking sensors, you should check to see which models offer this.
- Conduct Safety Checks
It is very likely that your child’s first car will be a used car, as they are typically much more affordable than brand new cars. To make sure that you are buying a used car that is safe for your child to drive, you will need to do a bit of research.
You can use the website CarDataChecks.co.uk to find out the history of the car that you are looking to buy. This resource will help you learn all you need to know, from safety recall information to MOT history, to make sure that a used car is safe for your child to buy.
- Pick the Right Engine Size
One of the biggest considerations you will need to make once you have decided on a model is engine size. There are a few different factors that go into choosing the right engine size. Firstly, you will need to consider where your child intends to be driving. For example, if your child will only be using the car for short journeys, in more urban or residential areas, then they won’t need a particularly large engine size. However, if your child intends to do much more motorway driving, they will likely want a slightly larger engine size.
The engine size will also have an impact on how expensive the car is to insure. Since this will be your child’s first car, the insurance is likely to be higher, so you not might wish to increase the price even more with a larger engine.