Acquiring a car for your teenage child is as inevitable. There should come a point in a teen's life that he feels he can gain some sort of freedom if he has a car. Whether it's bought through your own finances or from his own pocket, a teen's desire for a car is something that parents should consider.
Before shopping for a car, it is very essential for the parents to set a good example to their child in terms of driving attitude and obeying traffic rules. If he saw his parents as being law-abiding citizens, he is most likely to follow in their footsteps.
Then, there is that heart-to-heart talk with your kid and instilling in him that owning a car and being a driver entails a lot of responsibility. What he had learned from watching you behave while on the road should be reinforced by your words of wisdom based on experience.
Also, discuss with him the other noteworthy aspects like vehicle registration , driver's license and car insurance.
When you feel that it is time for your teen to have a car of his own, discuss with him the details on how you can go about buying that car. If he has a part-time job, maybe you can agree on splitting the cost or make him earn it by doing his share of the chores around the house.
Depending on your financial status, the best thing for you to do is to check out car auctions so you can present him with a lot of choices. Explain to him that repossessed or confiscated cars can be as good as the brand new ones but with a lower price.
As a first-time car owner, you must consider the kind of vehicle that the both of you could agree on. For instance, buying him a bulky sports utility vehicle (SUV) might be too much for a teenager if he uses it to only drive to school or to his part-time job.
If you both have selected the car for him, you must make an on-site inspection to appreciate the overall condition of the vehicle. Trying it out for a road test would also be advisable so he can have the feel of the car.