Nat is now the Automobile Dad that’s serving to his daughter discover her first trip. The important thing requirement is that it has to have three pedals, and —in fact — be fairly protected for a teenage driver. With a funds of as much as $15,000 what automotive ought to they purchase?
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Right here is the situation:
Shopping for a primary automotive for my daughter. It’ll be used primarily for getting her and her brother crosstown to high school. She’ll drive it by way of highschool after which both take it to school or go it all the way down to her brother. What makes this one difficult is that it have to be a handbook transmission. She must be taught to drive stick, plus then her associates can’t borrow her automotive. Secure and good for a novice driver can be good as properly. Some room to hold junk can be good, ought to be capable to deal with inclement climate with snow tires.
My daughter has been obsessive about VW microbuses since she was 5. Loves the best way they give the impression of being and the thought of getting an area of her personal. I choose wagons, Subarus principally with the odd Volvo thrown in, and small pickup vehicles, particularly the older Rangers and Toyotas. Her mother says to get her an outdated, handbook Outback and be accomplished with it. We’re open to some concepts. We’ve a funds as much as $15,000.
Fast Information:
Funds: as much as $15,000
Location: Denver, CO
Every day Driver: Sure
Needs: Guide, protected, some cargo area
Doesn’t need: One thing too sporty
Knowledgeable 1: Tom McParland: A Guide Van It Is!
On this market, a $15,000 automotive for a teen isn’t almost as simple because it was. Now you add within the handbook requirement, and it definitely will get a bit trickier. Regardless of the kiddo’s choice for the Microbus, you positively wish to get her in one thing with extra fashionable security options. Most three-pedal vehicles on this value vary are going to be in that compact zone, however if you’re keen to ship one thing, there may be an attention-grabbing different.
The Mazda5 van did have the choice of a handbook transmission, and whereas it’s a bit uncommon, this could possibly be the completely satisfied medium between a “cool van” and a contemporary handbook automotive. The Mazda5 affords a number of area whereas nonetheless being pretty simple to maneuver, and will make for an excellent automobile to lug all her stuff to school.
There are fewer than a dozen of those handbook Mazda5s in your entire nation. You’ll be able to rating an area one for reasonable, but it surely looks like this instance has seen higher days. Or you’ll be able to ship one from New England that may be a bit newer with cheap miles. Although I will surely recommend a pre-purchase inspection to examine for any rust on the body.
Knowledgeable 2: Collin Woodard – Your Spouse Is aware of What’s Up

Nat, is your automotive a handbook? As a result of whether it is, I say simply give it to your daughter and spend that $15,000 on your self. If it’s protected sufficient for you, it ought to be protected sufficient for her, proper? Then you definately’ll be free to purchase this candy 2007 Acura TL Kind S that I discovered close by. That design has aged so properly, how may you not?
However if you happen to merely should purchase your daughter a automotive, please don’t get her an outdated Volkswagen. Because you’re involved about security, I assume that’s not your plan, but it surely must be mentioned anyway. Possibly sooner or later she’ll be capable to afford an ID.Buzz, however for now, she wants one thing inexpensive. And personally, I feel your spouse is true on this one.
Right here’s a 90,000-mile 2014 Subaru Outback close to you that’s inside your funds and has a stick. It’s bought loads of area for stuff, isn’t notably sporty and her associates received’t be capable to borrow it. Until she teaches mentioned associates methods to drive stick. However would that be the worst factor on this planet? Extra teenagers understanding methods to shift their very own gears? If we’re going to avoid wasting the manuals, extra teenagers want somebody to show them. However yeah, simply purchase her an Outback and name it a day. It’s an apparent alternative for a purpose.
Knowledgeable 3: Andy Kalmowitz – Enjoyable With A FiST

Nat, I’m going to be actually actual with you. Your daughter doesn’t want a handbook automotive for her first trip. Nobody wants a handbook automotive. Nevertheless, it is rather cool that you’re shopping for it for her, so I suppose you must get a say in what she needs. As a result of I’m such a swell fella, I discovered the right automobile for you and her: the Ford Fiesta ST.
This little man goes to tick each single field you’ve bought. It’s a handbook. It’s sporty (however not too sporty). It’s protected. It’s bought loads of room within the trunk for her stuff, and there’s even room to your son to come back alongside together with her too. On high of all that, it’s the most effective dealing with automobiles of the previous decade. What’s to not love?
Like I mentioned, I’m a extremely swell man. I did the soiled work of logging on and discovering the proper FiST for you. Right here we’ve bought a delightfully orange 2015 Fiesta ST, and its positioned vaguely within the Denver space. You’ll be able to decide it up in a single afternoon! It is available in at proper round your $15,000 funds, and it’s solely bought a tick over 70,000 miles on the clock. This child nonetheless has loads of life left in it.
There are many different choices on the market for what you’re in search of, however none shall be even half as enjoyable as a FiST.
Knowledgeable 4: Lawrence Hodge – Not A Guide, However Nonetheless Good

The truth that your daughter is used to manuals is very cool and shocking. You taught her properly. And handbook transmissions are good and fascinating, particularly now that they’re primarily an endangered species. However you don’t essentially must have a handbook in one thing to make it nice to drive. Take this Lexus IS300 SportCross.
Except for the handbook it has all the things you’re in search of. It’s protected, dependable (It’s a Lexus in any case) and extra importantly its each roomy and enjoyable to drive. You bought the bones of the primary technology Lexus IS which was a wonderful BMW 3 Collection fighter. Up entrance you bought a 215 hp I6, sufficient energy to get her round however not an excessive amount of the place she generally is a velocity demon. And there’s loads of room for her stuff. With out the seats folded there’s virtually 22 cubic ft of area, fold them down and it doubles to 40 cubic ft. Thats bike carrying area.
The draw back to those is that they’re uncommon. It’s mentioned simply 3,000 have been revamped its three years of manufacturing. So typically’ they are often laborious to seek out. Luickly I discovered one that might match inside your funds in Northern California. And for a 20 yr outdated automotive it has simply over 82,000 miles on it. Seize it, I’ve a sense this one goes to go fast.