Which car should I let my daughter drive?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Okay talk me into or out of this idea. I mentioned a few months ago that I was teaching my daughter to drive a stick shift. She has the concept down pretty well and in fact is going this Friday to take her driving test in the Miata. I am very confidant she will pass as I have been with her driving almost every day over the past year.

My question is to the wisdom of what I am thinking here. I own 3 cars now and really don’t want to buy a 4th if I can help it even though I do have room for a 4th. The Miata is a 1994 with 38,000 miles on it–basically a garage queen. But it is a very nice car in excellent shape. However the blue book on it is about $3800 last time I checked. My gut feeling is I don’t believe I can get as nice of car in as good of condition for $3800.

In my mind the pluses:

She can only have one other friend in the car, so no back seat kids, so she won’t be turning around to look at them. But just having one kid in the car is huge as I have noticed with teens that peer pressure and attitudes, etc increase with the addition of each kid.

None of her friends know how to drive a stick, so there will be no borrowing of the car (not that I am too worried about that as she knows it would be immediate grounding and loss of said car if I ever caught someone driving the car).

She can’t have anything in her hands as she has to shift, so no cell phone, etc (again not a huge worry as again immediate grounding and loss of use of the car if I catch her doing that).

Driving a car with a clutch requires you to pay more attention than an automatic. You have to anticipate the curve and shift down or up, whereas in an automatic it shifts down for you. So I feel she will be paying much more attention to her driving.

It is a very nimble car and so if something comes up I think she would be able to quickly respond to it.

It is still my car that she gets to drive and thus there are times I will want to drive it and I will still have it available to drive.

The negatives:

A small sporty type car and a teen seems like a bad combination. Granted it is a rural area and the car has a very low center of gravity and she is a teen girl (as opposed to a teen boy). However she seems like a cautious driver and she has been driving now for a year.

Most people wreck or damage their first car (I didn’t but I believe most people do). I honestly think if she damaged it, it would be via a parking lot accident but I also don’t want a wrecked car or a damaged daughter!

I would have said insurance but so far that number isn’t scaring me. So for now that isn’t a negative.

So what say you parents and others out there in doper land. Let her drive the Miata or trade it in and get her something else. And if so, what kind of car would you get a teen girl?

2

I would see how many airbags it has and its overall safety ratings (from IIHS and the other group, the name escapes me now). If it has less than 4 stars in any area or it’s lacking in modern conveniences (like ABS, traction control, etc) then I’d say get a newer car.

The biggest concern isn’t a fender bender, it’s how well she’ll be protected in a massive accident. Will she be as safe as she would be in a mid 90’s Honda Civic?

I think the “only a 2 seater, less distractions” argument isn’t that great. You can always say she’s limited to 1 person in the car and have that be that.

So if the safety stuff checks out, I’d say go for it. If not, don’t skimp on the kind of car she drives. Better to have a safe car than an unsafe car; unsafe car is not better than no car.

(Should the safety not be great or have as many airbags and safety features as needed) what is your budget for a 4th car?

ETA: Your focus is on how good of a driver SHE is. I don’t doubt you for a moment, but that’s not really even important in this discussion. Let your focus instead be on 1) how stupid the other drives on the road are and 2) how well she’ll be protected from a catastrophic accident should one of those idiot, drunken drivers hit her. Because that’s how most teenagers die: in car accidents.

3

A driver who starts off with a Miata will end up a capable, enthusiastic driver forever.

I can’t think of a better starter car, because there isn’t one. It’s all about feedback and balance in that car, and if you aren’t smooth it won’t ride smoothly. It’s a “momentum” car - a mash-and-pray style will get you nowhere, but learning how to let it flow down the road will see you catching much faster machinery all the time.

4

I’d be nervous giving a teenager a sporty two-seater because that is an intense temptation to zoom around.

That said, I think having a manual transmission is a very clever way to prevent texting in the car, which I’m inclined to think is one of the biggest risks there is.

5

Just because it looks sporty doesn’t mean she’s all of a sudden going to be compelled to drive it in a reckless way. Kids are quite capable of driving like idiots whether they’re driving a miata, or like my friend who drove an ancient grandpa-sedan (almost rolled it over attempting hairpin turns at high speeds in our high school parking lot, because he was a freakin’ idiot).

The miata sounds to be in reasonably safe condition, driving a stick is a good life skill that she’s reinforcing by driving it, and it’s nothing terribly expensive if she wrecks it. There’s also the bonus that the stick will prevent her from being able to text while drive, so she won’t be tempted to try it and she’ll get in the habit of not doing it. Plus cheap insurance? Win-win all around, I say.

6

I think that giving a teenage driver a sports car is very dangerous. However not in the case of the Miata. While it is a great car it isn’t one with a big honking V8 and more power than neccassary. The engine is mild and the car handles well. I think that parents who put their 16 year old behind the wheel of a Mustang, Corvette or Porsche (and yes, there are many that do) are just asking for trouble.

The Miata is a great little car that has an excellent safety rating. It has enough power to get out of it’s own way, but not enough to get her in trouble by just tipping into the throttle. I do applaud you for teaching her how to drive a stick shift. Too many young people don’t know how to. If I could also suggest the following:

1: Teach her how to change a tire and of course check the oil. When I say teach her to change a tire I don’t mean explain it to her. Have her jack the car up, take the tire off and replace it. The time to learn is in your driveway, not on the side of the road at night during a downpour.

2: Make the hard rule of no texting period. The rule in our family is set in stone. If I catch you texting (or using a cell) while driving the only time you will see the car is in the driveway. The same goes with wearing a seatbelt. There is no excuse and no second chance.

My daughters are still a few years away from driving. Behind them are our three boys. The only one driving now is our oldest (20 now and he lives on his own, my rules don’t apply any longer ). It is a very nerve wracking experience to turn your children out on their own in a car. However, they need to learn to drive while you still have some control over them. The Miata is great for a first car. I have to say I am a bit jealous, my first was a beater. I would have given anything to drive something as nice as the Miata.

7

I think that’s a plus, but it’s not going to entirely prevent distractions. My daughter’s first accident occurred when she had only one friend with her and she was fiddling with the radio.

You’d better hope that her fear of grounding is preventative enough, since teenagers are very adept at juggling a cell phone and a stick shift. I’ve yelled at my daughter plenty of times for texting while driving (and shifting).

I think I would be hesitant about it mainly because it’s a sporty car, but it’s not nearly as powerful (and dangerous) as a Mustang or Camaro, so it’s not as tempting to show off. All things considered, I’d probably keep the Miata for her to drive, but don’t be surprised if she gets a few dings in it. I still don’t know how my daughter managed to back into a stop sign!

8

Another vote here for the Miata.

Great car to gain experience in, fast enough without being stupidly powerful. And because of how nimble etc it is, she don’t have to be taking stupid risks to drive it fast…and if she does want to have fun, it will handle stuff far better than some wobbly family car.

9

When I looked at the poll choices, the teenage-girl-in-a-Miata angle did give me an initial twinge of the discomfort that I’m sure motivated you to post this thread. After reading the complete OP, however, I felt it was an obvious choice to let her drive it. Among other things, I agree with the rest that the manual transmission is a big positive.

Getting a different car would be impractical and won’t make a difference. Kids that are going to drive like idiots will drive like idiots in any car you give them. Back in high school I had a crappy Oldsmobile Omega and a friend had a crappy Chevy Nova, and we drag raced and got tickets all the same. My relatively-rich friend whose parents got him a sporty Pontiac Fiero was no worse a driver than those of us driving old beaters.

One small warning about the two-seater. The Fiero was also a two-seater, and it’s true that almost all of the time I would be the only passenger when riding with him. However, one time we squeezed in his sister and one of her friends, which was an obviously unsafe arrangement. While your daughter probably has the common sense not to do that, it wouldn’t hurt to stress the one-passenger-only rule.

10

Warning: Wet Blanket Approaching
I grew up in Nashville, TN in the 70’s.
Small, quiet, but reasonable danger was not far away.
I had MG’s, Triumphs, Jaguars, Porsches and more sports cars than you can shake a stick at.

I loved and love sports cars and like any 16yo boy, I drove like a maniac.
My son is now 17, been driving a year, and I see how his friends drive, male and female.

They are. All. Insane.
I can’t believe what I see every single day within a half mile of school when it gets out.
It is truly frightening.

My decision to put him in a Dodge Ram 2500 is re-affirmed every day. We live in Atlanta, not BFE, and I want as much metal and mass around him as I can get. He’s a good boy, and fears me much more than any deity, but I know good and well if I got him a Mini Cooper or Miata, he’d be the hellion that I was, and that ain’t gonna do anyone any good!

He’s been hit once - in the school parking lot - and backed his truck into my truck in the driveway last month. Whatever you give her, it’s likely to get bent a time or two in the forseeable future.

While I love the thought of giving a young girl (or boy) a convertible for her first car, my years as a cop and plain old experience tell me that in today’s fast-paced, texting world, it may not be the best thing you can do for her.

He goes to college next year - hopefully Vanderbilt in Nashville - and I’m already looking for a used ML-350 or similar. Better mileage, easier parking, and more airbags than the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!

Hate to be a party-pooper, but safety is #1 with me.

Won’t somebody think of the children?:smiley:

11

I would much rather see my child in a Miata than a 3/4 ton truck for one simple reason. Center of gravity. When cornered too hard trucks roll over and roofs on pickups are as a group shitty weak.
Go with the Mazada.

12

My mind boggles at the fact that if it’s not the Miata, you’ll buy her a car. I mean, I know that there are parents who do that, but unless there’s some extenuating circumstances, I don’t understand why a teen would need their own car just because they have a license.

I’d say that since the Miata is a “spare” car, let her drive that one. If she doesn’t want to, she can save up for her own car. In my family, we (brother and me) saved up for our own cars and paid for the insurance, but my parents would list one of them as the primary (and the kid as secondary) to make the cost of insurance far lower.

13

Thanks for the replies. Personally I feel the Miata is a safe car so that isn’t a concern. I like the low center of gravity and the way it handles. It might be sexism but if I had a son I would be more concerned to be honest. It might be misplaced trust but so far she has shown herself to be a good kid, straight A student, never been in trouble, etc. A rule follower, etc. If she has a wild crazy driver side she has hidden it well but it well could be there. I am a father but I am not naive.

Interesting comment about other drivers but I view it as “I” can control ‘my’ car and be defensive about other drivers. Whether I was in a Miata or a HumVee I can’t control other drivers but I can be a good defensive driver and I feel she is a good defensive driver. I was impressed with her the other day when she anticipated something happening up the road, and adjusted accordingly. It made me feel like she wasn’t driving 2’ in front of her car but she was driving down the road a bit…if you know what I mean.

Honestly my worry isn’t now when she gets her license, it is about 3 months from now when she is very comfortable with the Miata. That is when I feel she is at the most risk as generally with comfort comes complacency and that attitude is the one that scares me the most.

14

Oh it would still be my car and that is the rub, I don’t need another car. I am only lending her the car as it is. But we live in a very rural place, and now her mom and I have to run her everywhere. So we are also looking forward to the freedom. It would be great to have her drive herself to her after school activities instead of having to drive her as we do now.

There isn’t the question of her wanting to drive the car, she loves the Miata, what kid wouldn’t? Hell I would have loved to have that car at 16. The other cars I have are my 2004 Ford Sporttrac and it is a nice truck and she has driven it but frankly that is our day to day drive. My other car is my BMW and it will be a cold day in hell before she gets to drive that! So it is the Miata or buy another car which I don’t need.

15

Raises hand Hi there! President of a few organizations in high school, board member in several others, top 10% of class, lots of college scholarship offers for academics and athletics, teacher favorite, honors societies…

My first car was an old Audi A8 and I drove it exactly like it should be driven…and I had the speeding tickets and subsequent license points to prove it!

Just cause she’s a whiz kid doesn’t mean she has any better impulse control than the average 16 year old. Also remember that you’re only as safe as the most dangerous person on the road at any given time. ducati has a lot of good advice…

16

I agree 100% with #1, I am also planning on showing her how to change a tire, check the oil, etc. I am just amazed at how many people don’t know what I consider basic things in life everyone should know.

#2 is set in stone as it is and both my wife and I exhibit that everytime we drive. We never answer the phone driving and so she understands that is a no go. Seatbelts for all the kids it seems is a no brainer these days. All the kids get in and just buckle up, it was a huge deal when I was a kid, but it is second nature now it seems to the kids.

#3 is an interesting one. My first car was an old clunker I bought myself. I grew up very poor and I had to buy my own car. A 1965 Ford Falcon I bought for $200 and what I would have given to have a Miata then (Although I really wanted a Mustang like there was no tomorrow!). She isn’t spoiled but she could be easily as she is an only child and I could afford to buy her anything but I won’t. How to balance that is the question isn’t it. As parents we want better for our kids than we had in general I think but that balance is a tough one.

17

Oh lindsay trust me I am not that naive that I feel she would’t or couldn’t do something bad! But there is a certain amount of trust AND monitoring going on. It isn’t like I am just turning over the keys and saying see you. But I fully recognize the dangers, etc of the situation. First speeding ticket or discussion I have with a neighbor or friend well things will change. She has known me most her life <heh> and she knows I will treat her as an adult as long as she acts like one, and the moment she doesn’t the rules change big time. She from past experiences knows and understands this. I am nothing if not consistent.

18

This is actually kind of the whole point of the argument that I would be making…
Driving like a “hellion” in a Miata is a whole lot safer than driving the same way in a truck or some wobbly beater.

Why?

Because the speeds that the Miata can reach are far more within the level of safe handling for that chassis than the truck or other beater.

By the same token you can “get your thrill” in the Miata with a wider margin of safety (as the car handles much better) than you can in other cars.

And the car IS easier to recover when something goes wrong than most other cars on the road.

19

Remember that a sporty car like the Miata (which I’m going to go out on a limb and say is red, just because I’ve never seen one that wasn’t!) will get more attention from the police than a white 4-door sedan. If she knows the cops will have their eye on her she might think twice about speeding.

Well, maybe…

20

It’s fucking hilarious that people think a 3/4t truck is a “safe” vehicle. Anything bigger than a 1/2t never even gets tested by the NHTSA because it is understood that these are commercial vehicles and that no one in their right mind would drive one unless they absolutely needed/were paid to.

Pickup trucks as a rule are the most unsafe vehicles on the road. A large percentage of fatal accidents are single vehicle roll overs. The primitive live axle suspension and high center of gravity makes trucks and SUVs much more prone to rollover . Once they do roll, the body on frame construction means roof support pillars are weaker, while concentrating weight in the heavy frame that ends up topside and crushes the cap like a beer can.

The 1/2t Ram 1500 already get the worst crash ratings in its class. Now add an even heavier HD 2500 frame, even higher center of gravity, and a live axle to the FRONT too?

Oil prices can’t rise fast enough to get clowns like you (not Rick) and your stupid bro trucks off the road.