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Too many suburban kids learn to drive in pickup trucks or SUV's. If you really want him to hone his skills, get him a Crown Victoria, Chevy Caprice, Buick etc. Big, longer cars with a much lower profile.
Most of my kids have/had no interest in getting their license at 16. The only exception is one son who is a car and driving nut. He woke me up at 5:30 a.m. on his 16th birthday. "Come-on Dad, Secretary of State in Livonia 40 miles away) opens at 7 a.m. We do not want to have to wait in line.
Funny thing we got there at 6:45 and there were at least 20 people in line outside the locked door. I guess a lot of 16 year old birthdays that day.
He has been a great driver, usually very responsible and careful. Practices just to practice. Now, at 21, he is one of the best drivers I know. Notwithstanding one instance long ago when I let him drive my Camaro and he slid into a curb taking a corner too fast - made him fix the damage and later gave him the Camaro, and he never had any other incidents, so he learned his lesson. He never got a ticket, never had an accident other than the curb thing, no issues. He was always a careful alert driver and very skilled at controlling the car. In the winter, he would go into an icy parking lot at night and practice dealing with slides, skids and other snow/ice issues.
Our other kids we have/had to push them to get their license by the time they were 18. Our youngest, now 17, has had a car available to him since her was 16 (before actually). No interest, the car just sits unless we need a spare. I stopped driving him to school on my way to work and told him to get his license or ride the bus. Instead he convinced Mom or his sister to drop him off at school in the morning.
Two of our three daughters pushed right up to their 18th birthday (day before for one of them). After 18, you have to take another test or a class or something. The other daughter waited until late 16 or early 17 and only got her license for a job. They absolutely did not want to get a license. Not just disinterested, they preferred to not have a license. Did not want to drive.
OP, why the push to even get him a vehicle? Let him drive yours for some period of time until he proves himself, then let the decision be a joint one (instead of a surprise) where he pays for part, you pay for the part you were prepared to fund).
The key to minimize cost, as has been mentioned previously, is to purchase a vehicle where you don't require collision (e.g. no loan and you are comfortable self-insuring any damage).
My wife is pressuring me to purchase a 3rd vehicle for my son to drive and I am resisting it (even though he is a very responsible individual and a far better driver than my wife). Most likely, at some time in the future, he will get my old Expedition (which he drives regularly now). His getting a summer job may speed up the process as we don't want to have to haul him back and forth all the time.
I thought my son was a responsible driver when he first started out at 16 1/2, but kids being kids, I got an old Buick Century from a friend for free and my son worked all summer to put $1000 in the car to make it pass inspection. Three weeks later, he totalled it driving too fast on a dirt road, showing off for a friend. Lucky no one was hurt but I figured he wouldn't learn anything by not driving, so I bought him a 1992 or 1993 Olds Delta 98, the biggest car I could find. That car was an awesome choice. It had ABS, air bags and best of all, it was huge, safe and only set me back $1800. He drove it for three years, sold it for $1500 and got a newer car in college. Never had another accident, so he learned his lesson the hard way. When your child first starts driving, those gray hairs appear overnight
Volvos USED TO excel in safety features that no other cars had. USED TO. Crumple zones on their frames, etc. It USED TO BE that no other car manufacturers had what Volvo had, regarding safety features.
That is no longer the case today.
Still, the idea of "the Volvo is a SAFE car" continues to this day.
Actually the 2017 Volvo S60 is a Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. That would be meaningful I would think. Years ago when we bought a Volvo for our son it was also rated highly.
Driving a truck is not like driving a car. Trucks can't pull off as fast and you can't really make fast turns on them. It depends on how a new driver has to drive it.
That being said, if your son is responsible, he should be able to ride on anything.
Actually the 2017 Volvo S60 is a Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. That would be meaningful I would think. Years ago when we bought a Volvo for our son it was also rated highly.
You're right. Volvos are definitely good cars, and built solidly. But the "safety difference" today is - in my opinion - far less than it was, say, 40 years ago.
And then get a $1M life insurance policy with you as the beneficiary.
But seriously...a good pick is a used subaru without the turbo engine. It's safe and has good visibility. When he crashes it he'll likely be OK.
Good luck.
When I lived in VA, some guy bought his kid a new Corvette as a first car and sadly he did kill himself in a single car accident on the way to school one morning. Damned shame and it didn't have to happen.
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