# Good teen Car **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 30, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531 "2009-03-30T18:32:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nc5fitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@nc5fitch](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nc5fitch)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531/1 "2009-03-30T18:32:55Z")
I am looking for opinions on a good older car for a teen driver. The last thing I want is to put a new car in a high school parking lot! Are there any opinions on old Volvo, Toyota, Ford etc. models that are safe and reliable but good for a new driver? I am currently looking at 98/99 range of model years where I figure I can get airbags and antilock brakes, but I don’t have to pay too much in insurance etc. ---
**Author:** ![markmast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@markmast](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markmast)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531/2 "2009-03-30T18:43:38Z")
I would go with a honda accord or toyota camry. They are very reliable cars and big enough to give good protection in an accident. Depending on your budget, I would look for something newer so it won’t have as many problems. Whatever you buy, have it checked out by a mechanic before you buy it. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531/3 "2009-03-30T18:48:55Z")
Your reasoning makes sense for a teen driver. We found a very nice (perhaps too nice) 2000 Camry. Our son is keeping it clean and no issues with the car or him in his first months on the road, since Aug. '08. Ford Taurus is good option, not all have ABS brakes so don’t assume the car has them. Volvo’s are safe but the older ones are very expensive to repair and repairs are common in them. Similar to the Volvo I’d steer clear of Audi, and VW as higher repair costs. I don’t know much about Kia, and Hynudai but I don’t think the older ones hold up all that well. Honda Accords and Civics, Toyota Camry and Corollas, many Mazda models are pretty solid. Stay away from any “sport” models like the Subaru WRX. Let the new driver start off on a car with enough power to keep them out of trouble, but not so much power it leads them into trouble. ---
**Author:** ![MPAVictoria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@MPAVictoria](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MPAVictoria)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531/4 "2009-03-30T18:55:51Z")
Your teen is going to hate me for suggesting this, but why not a Ford Crown Vic? They can be had very cheapily on the used market, are very reliable and are reasonably safe. They also do not encourage the sort of teenage driving that we all remeber from our time in high school. I had one of these as my first car and it served me well. MPAVictoria ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531/5 "2009-03-30T19:53:56Z")
Toyota and Ford have excellent offerings. Personally I would go with Ford as the cost of acquirement is significantly cheaper than Toyota and Ford offers average reliability(decent) typically. Just have pay a mechanic for checkover before purchase, a 10 year old car no matter what brand is going to have things here or there and brand is irrelevant at that age. ---
**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531/6 "2009-03-31T00:11:06Z")
In that era the Crown Victorias and Grand Marquis are quite reliable save for the original all-composite intake manifold. They are pretty easy to work and and parts are plentiful meaning that repairs are generally inexpensive. Want to find out more? [www.crownvic.net](http://www.crownvic.net) [http://moldyrabbit.com/liquid/index.html](http://moldyrabbit.com/liquid/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/good-teen-car/28531/7 "2009-03-31T00:12:56Z")
Oldsmobile Intrigue. Among the Lumina/Intrugue/Regal/Grand Prix group the Intrigue is the best car. The GLX handled better than the rest and had a DOHC 3.5L engine that provided decent performance - 20 more HP and 10 more ft-lbs torque. It’s certainly not a hot rod, but a step up from the other cars.