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coreseller · 12-02-2014, 05:53 PM

I know this may of been covered before but due to a recent event I'd thought I would share my now adjusted view of things. I have a few kids, my thought was to provide each of them a used (5 to 8 years old) Corollla or Civic for their first car which would be sold to them for a nominal fee once out of school and gainfully employed. The cars provided were not a given, they were carrots dangled for achievements (Eagle Scouts, National Honor Society, combined nearly a dozen scholarships between the kids, they all started working part time at 16, etc.) and they always "earned" them to a degree IMO. My oldest son got a Corolla S several years back, he was tickled pink since it was a 5 speed and metallic red. It had 2 front airbags, no traction / stability control and no ABS. Luckily only a fender bender has been endured thus far but I gotta admit I've always had a worry about the lack now standard safety features.

Awhile back it came time to cut the wifey loose from the minivan since it was racking up the miles and soon most of the kids would be driving lessening then need for it. Why not get something a little nicer (vs. the Corolla bought prior) and let her drive it for a year then hand it down to the daughter then let the wife pick out a new vehicle of her choosing which is what we did, it worked out great.

Fast forward a year to a little over a week ago....another teenage driver completely blows a red light and smashes into my daughter's Civic moving the front end nearly a foot to the left, blew every airbag in the car (6 of them) and spun the car totally in the opposite direction. My daughter and her friend Abby emerged (save for a little soreness which lasted a day or two) totally unscathed, I could not believe it after seeing the car. Had she been in a car without all of the modern safety features I HIGHLY doubt she would of fared nearly as well. I am now totally rethinking putting my youngest into the Miata were currently run in SCCA Solo, at least for a couple of years or so.

My daughter was driving a 2010 Honda Civic at the time of the accident:

I was so impressed by how well it did in the crash I bought an '12 Civic off lease this morning at the auction (good friend is a dealer):

If you would of told me a decade back that I would of spent what I did for a car as new as it is for a kid I would of LMAO, now I see it as money well spent for the safety aspect of it.

12-02-2014, 05:53 PM	#1
coreseller Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Midwest Posts: 1,746	Cars for Your Kids I know this may of been covered before but due to a recent event I'd thought I would share my now adjusted view of things. I have a few kids, my thought was to provide each of them a used (5 to 8 years old) Corollla or Civic for their first car which would be sold to them for a nominal fee once out of school and gainfully employed. The cars provided were not a given, they were carrots dangled for achievements (Eagle Scouts, National Honor Society, combined nearly a dozen scholarships between the kids, they all started working part time at 16, etc.) and they always "earned" them to a degree IMO. My oldest son got a Corolla S several years back, he was tickled pink since it was a 5 speed and metallic red. It had 2 front airbags, no traction / stability control and no ABS. Luckily only a fender bender has been endured thus far but I gotta admit I've always had a worry about the lack now standard safety features. Awhile back it came time to cut the wifey loose from the minivan since it was racking up the miles and soon most of the kids would be driving lessening then need for it. Why not get something a little nicer (vs. the Corolla bought prior) and let her drive it for a year then hand it down to the daughter then let the wife pick out a new vehicle of her choosing which is what we did, it worked out great. Fast forward a year to a little over a week ago....another teenage driver completely blows a red light and smashes into my daughter's Civic moving the front end nearly a foot to the left, blew every airbag in the car (6 of them) and spun the car totally in the opposite direction. My daughter and her friend Abby emerged (save for a little soreness which lasted a day or two) totally unscathed, I could not believe it after seeing the car. Had she been in a car without all of the modern safety features I HIGHLY doubt she would of fared nearly as well. I am now totally rethinking putting my youngest into the Miata were currently run in SCCA Solo, at least for a couple of years or so. My daughter was driving a 2010 Honda Civic at the time of the accident: I was so impressed by how well it did in the crash I bought an '12 Civic off lease this morning at the auction (good friend is a dealer): If you would of told me a decade back that I would of spent what I did for a car as new as it is for a kid I would of LMAO, now I see it as money well spent for the safety aspect of it.