How To Shop For A Car With Your Teen Driver?

Published on: 08 October 2016 Last Updated on: 04 September 2024
Car shopping

For most parents, buying a car for their teenager is a necessity to encourage independence and free up your schedule from having to drive them everywhere. Guess what? Your child feels the same.

Upon receiving their driving license, they cannot wait to put those skills to good use. If your teen is not persistently nagging you for a set of wheels, count yourself lucky!

Pondering what type of car to buy can become an arduous task and may often lead to frustration. Selecting the perfect car model to gift your teenager is further complicated with varying tastes.

You, being the parent, wish to find an economical car that is safe to drive. If you are planning to buy a car for your teen, you have probably encountered different opinions that left you a tad confused. In this article, we aim to share insights on how to shop for a car with your teen driver.

Car shopping

1. Prepare A Budget

While buying a car for your teen is an adventure, do not get carried away by expensive models at your local dealership. Start by deciding how much money is available to spend.

Think about other pressing needs in the future while allocating the family budget. Remember, college tuition is right around the corner. Discuss the final budget with your teen and explain the argument behind it.

Talk about the various options that can fit your budget. Old cars are cheaper, while new vehicles may not need much maintenance. Understandably, your teen may be upset if they expected a fancy ride only to have the budget slashed by half. Reason with them and reach a compromise.

2. Safety Features

When choosing between different car models, safety should be the top of the list of concerns. You want your child to be safe as they drive to school or their summer job at the local fast-food joint. Inspect the car to ensure it has updated safety features such as electronic stability control and front and side airbags.

Even the best-trained drivers can get into a fender bender in traffic or worse, a car wreck on the highway. Naturally, you fear more for your teen as they are new to driving and you want to be sure they are safe while on the road.

Request the dealer to give you the car safety report that indicates what happens in the event of an accident. Do not forget to purchase sound insurance over. Compare different options and select wisely.

3. Other Features

Once you have the handle on safety, you can get down to the fun part. Your teen is likely to suggest a car with modern interiors and high-quality sound.

If you are buying an old car, they may not have advanced features that your child desires such as door speakers for bass. No worries, you can install quality door speakers at an affordable price. This upgrade is bound to make your teen happy!

4. Establish Ground Rules

As you may have observed, teenagers are prone to distractions even while doing mundane tasks like watering the plants, washing the family dog or even putting cereal in a bowl. Do not fault them; their frontal lobes are still developing. Driving a car is not a mundane task. Each time you get behind the wheel, you stand the risk of getting involved in minor or major accidents.

Your newly minted teen driver needs to understand that owning and operating an automobile calls for a high sense of responsibility at all times. Make it crystal clear that they are not allowed to take calls, read or respond to messages or any social media. All this can wait till they get to their destination safely. Agree on what time they need to get home by and the consequences of failing to adhere to stipulated curfews.

As difficult as it may sound, your teen could easily be drinking behind your back. Add this to the column of DONT’S! Drunken driving will not only earn them a DUI and probably ruin their chances of getting into a good college; it can cause permanent damage or worse.

Conclusion

Buying a car for your teen can be difficult with the different choices available. Make a list of possible models they are interested in and investigate each model. Bring your teen to the dealership, so that they can get firsthand information from a car expert. Be open to making a few adjustments like installing door speakers for bass, so your teen can enjoy his favorite jams.

Read More:

  1. Invest In A New Car, Without A Financial Liability
  2. Will Self-Driving Cars Replace Human Error?
  3. Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe In A Car
  4. Turn The Tables For Helpless Children With Car Donation In New Jersey

Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Vehicle

The Absolute Best Method to Pick Out Best Subs for Your Vehicle

A high demand creates a healthy market, and subwoofer market is no different. With so many subcategories and choice, it is easy to get confused while picking your subwoofer. Since subwoofer is a bit expensive and usually lasts a long time, it is essential to be sure about which one to buy. So here are a few questions you should ask yourself before buying a subwoofer 1. You want a customized subwoofer and build your music system If you're one of those people who doesn't prefer the standard configuration, then you should go for a Component Subwoofer. A Component subwoofer is mostly just an additional speaker mounted in a subwoofer box. The subwoofer box comes in various setups, giving you more control over your setup. A Component subwoofer can come in size between 8- 15 inches, which makes sure that space won't be an issue. Usually, it is one of the best ways to start building your custom music system. 2. You want a subwoofer with an easy setup If you're not someone who is enthralled by building a customized system and prefer a manufacturer recommended configurations, then you must go for an enclosed subwoofer. An enclosed subwoofer, as the name suggests, comes with an enclosure. Pre-existing enclosure makes sure that you don't need to work on designing or building your system. The only downside is that one is generally limited to a certain number of speakers and box- types. An external amplifier would be still needed to power the subwoofer. 3. You want a compact and straightforward subwoofer If you want a simple bass system and have no plans to build a music system, then powered subwoofer should be your go-to option. A powered subwoofer combines a woofer and amplifier into one single enclosure. This means you should be worrying about installing only one component. The subwoofer is most comfortable to install and manage. The only downside is a relatively low performance when compared to some of the more customized subwoofer systems. If you're not a heavy user or an audiophile, then the powered subwoofer is an excellent option to consider. 4. You want a subwoofer to blend with your car's interior The vehicle-specific sub is the subwoofer which is usually color matched to your car's interior. They fit just great and come in two options- powered and unpowered. A powered subwoofer comes with a build in amplifier and ends up taking less space though they lag when you compare actual performance. 5. You want a terrific bass system but don't want to go into much detail Then you used to check out bass packages. As the name suggests they focus on improving just the bass. It is an easy option to consider if you wish to amplify the bass output of your speakers. If you're sure about which subcategory of the subwoofer to go for, you must be sure about the specs of a product. Here are some specifications to keep in mind Power If you want to blow your heads out, then a higher power rating is a must. A higher RMS rating means more power generated. It is essential to make sure that your amplifier is compatible with your subwoofer by checking their respective power ratings. Sensitivity Similar to power rating, a higher sensitivity ensures greater output. High Sensitivity also makes sure less power is consumed. Frequency Range This gives you an idea about how much low frequency a subwoofer can play. Though the overall performance depends on a lot of categories, the frequency range is a major one. Enclosure type The enclosure of a subwoofer has a significant impact on the kind of sound it ends up producing. In general, a sealed subwoofer gives you accurate sound, while ported ones give more volume. The number of voice coils Voice coils are essential when it comes to setting up your subwoofer. Dual voice coils are a popular option because it gives more flexibility in wiring the system. Size of subwoofer Sound output never entirely depends on the size of the subwoofer, so don't be skeptical about buying a smaller sub. If you have enough space, then you must strongly consider a 15-inch car subwoofer that you can see on CarSymphony.com. Impedance Usually, 4 ohms is the standard impedance rating, but 2 ohms and 8 ohms are also gaining popularity. Matching the impedance and power rating with your amplifier is essential. Conclusion It might seem confusing but selecting a subwoofer is simple if you know what exactly you want. We hope this article helped you in choosing the best subwoofer for your car. Read Also: Your Essential Guide To Leasing A Vehicle In The UK How Car Detailing Can Keep Your Vehicle In Top Shape 6 Reasons Why Vehicles Are Now Safer Than Ever

READ MOREDetails
RV Parts

6 Quick Tips for RV Beginners

If one is just starting out with an RV, you need some tips to avoid costly mistakes. It may sound like a little issue but having a well-equipped RV requires good knowledge of what you need and how to go about it. The most important RV parts are the car and what you put in it. No matter the length of your trip, here are some tips to start you off. 1. Renting or buying Whether you want to rent an RV or own one is entirely a subjective choice. If you want to try out the RV experience before going all in, you can rent one. This option will save you some money especially if you rarely go on RV trips. If you are the bird on the road, buying one with save you money in the long haul. The option is entirely yours as you can buy one then rent it if you are not a trip person. 2. Practice makes perfect Actually, only perfect practice makes a perfect skill. You need to know that driving an RV is far much different compared to a normal car. So, take one and take it for a drive on different types of terrain to know how you can keep the drawers shut and the glasses from breaking even on right terrain. 3. Have a solid plan Most people make the mistake of going on a trip with only the departure and arrival locations marked out. You need to plan the exact route, your expenditure, the locations on the route you will be visiting, camping grounds and other areas. This way, your trip will be easy to handle. You can have a little fun along the way but avoid deviating too much from the primary plan. 4. Familiarize yourself with the RV It does not require you to be a mechanical engineer to know how to take care of a car. The issue is that this is not your common everyday vehicle. You need explicit instructions on how to handle the car including the most common mistakes and issues one is likely to run into. Whether you are hiring or buying the RV, these skills will save you from the pain of incurring unnecessary costs. Read also: TIPS TO KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE IN A CAR 5. Be equipped Equipping yourself for the trip will go beyond packing enough food and clothes to include spare parts for the car. Ensure you have packed enough spare connectors, fuses, bulbs, spanners, screwdrivers, nuts, bolts, jumper cables and many more. Keep in mind that if you do not have a specific part and your car breaks down, you may have to wait for days before it is shipped to you. Read also: How To Shop For A Car With Your Teen Driver? 6. Prepare for the campground The campground is one of the most involving areas when going on a trip with an RV. Make sure that ground has no obstacles such as branches hanging low or boulders. Find the sewage, water and electricity systems to know how you can charge up yourself for the next trip. Once you have chosen your spot, chock your wheels to avoid any crazy situation of your home running off. Make sure you correctly connect your rig to the sewer and electrical lines. If you are not sure of how to go about it, ask for help. These tips will make you a bit of an expert before you start your first trip in an RV. While your focus is on the fun and experience of going about with the RV, staying safe and within the law will make the whole experience far much better than you can ever imagine.  

READ MOREDetails
Driving In Bad Weather

7 Things to Do When Driving In Bad Weather Conditions

Accidents can happen, including those on the road. Sometimes, car accidents are difficult, if not impossible, to avoid, and certain conditions can make it more likely that you will get into a collision. If the weather conditions are less than perfect, such as in windy or wet weather, it can make for a disastrous situation. However, there are always things you can do to avoid getting into a car accident. In general, there are seven things you should do when you are driving in bad weather conditions in Brisbane, Australia. 7 Things to Do When Driving In Bad Weather Conditions: 1. Slow Down: First and foremost, you should always slow down when driving in bad weather. This is important even if your vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive capabilities. At the very least, you should reduce your speed to around 10 miles below the posted speed limit. If the weather is particularly bad, you may want to reduce your speed to around 15 miles below the speed limit. Driving slower can greatly reduce your risk of getting into an accident. Even if you do have an accident, it will be far less severe. 2. Avoid Tailgating Other Vehicles: You should always avoid tailgating other cars, to begin with, but this is that much more important when you’re driving in poor weather. When it’s raining and the roads are slick, it’s more difficult to slow down or stop when you need to when you are traveling too closely behind the car directly ahead of you. You should leave at least a good 100 yards or 4 seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. If you are driving a larger vehicle, such as a caravan, truck or trailer, you should double those numbers to be safer. 3. Turn On Your Headlights: Whether it is raining or it’s a foggy day, you should turn on your headlights and set them to your low beams. It’s easier to see with your low beams turned on. You should always avoid using your high beam headlights in bad weather conditions as it can make it more difficult to see and the light can simply reflect off the rain or fog. However, if you’re driving in foggy conditions, you can turn on your fog lights if you have them. 4. Avoid Driving Through Flooded Areas: During the summers in Brisbane, there is more flooding. As a result, there are more areas on the road that will be flooded. To be safer on the road, you should avoid driving through any flooded areas. You may have difficulty gauging how deep the water is, which is extremely dangerous. If you drive in those areas and water gets into your engine, your vehicle will abruptly shut off. If you learn of any flooded areas before you get in your car, you should avoid driving in those areas. Find an alternate route if possible so you can completely avoid traveling on a flooded road. 5. Brake More Slowly: When you are driving in bad weather, especially if the roads are wet with rain, it’s important to brake more slowly and carefully. If you brake too sharply or quickly, it can result in a disastrous situation. You can end up losing control of your vehicle and skidding out or even crashing. Gently tap on your brakes until you are able to come to a complete stop. You should also try to ease up on the gas pedal to slow down in slippery areas of the road and then tap your brakes to stop. 6. Avoid Hydroplaning: Hydroplaning occurs when your tyres are not actually touching the surface of the road during heavy rainstorms. Instead, you are traveling over the surface of the water, which is a very dangerous driving situation. Usually, this happens when you are traveling at too fast speed in this type of weather or when your tyres are worn out and have too little tread depth. Hydroplaning can cause you to lose control of the steering wheel and prevent you from slowing down or stopping. If you find yourself hydroplaning, stay calm and lift your foot up from the gas pedal to slow down. As your speed decreases, your tyres will readjust so that they are again on the road’s surface. Be careful and steer carefully while slowly breaking as your speed slows down. 7. Avoid Side Roads: Although it might be tempting to take side roads while you are driving in bad weather conditions, it can actually be more dangerous. Smaller side roads can be even worse when the rainfall is heavy. The main roads are safer and easier to travel through as city officials are more likely to concentrate on clearing them due to heavier traffic. There is also a greater likelihood that you can get help if your car suddenly stalls on a larger road. It is also better to drive in the middle lane on large roads as it keeps you away from the areas where there is more flooding. Driving in Brisbane during bad weather conditions is certainly easier when you follow these important steps. If you do get into an accident and suffer injuries and car damage, you should immediately contact car crash lawyers in Brisbane to discuss your options for starting a claim to recover compensation for your medical expenses and other damages. Read Also: Will Self-Driving Cars Replace Human Error? How Car Detailing Can Keep Your Vehicle In Top Shape How Do Self-Driving Cars Really Compare To Human Drivers In Terms Of Safety? Enjoy Driving Your Jeep In The Desert Safari By Playing Off Road Dubai Desert Jeep Race For Free

READ MOREDetails