To buy son used car or motorcycle?

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whatevergirl

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*Our son who is 16 yrs old said ‘he is ready’ now to take his drivers license test, and get his license. He currently has his permit–he is a very cautious kid (a good thing!) and didn’t want to drive when some of his friends started, last year.

So…not sure if you remember that one thread I started a few months back about getting him a motorcycle. Well, last night, he asked if we could buy him a used bike (he likes the Suzuki super-speed ones of course :rolleyes:) and he will get a pt job to pay us back. OR the same could apply he said, for a used car.

We have a relatively new car that I drive, and my husband takes to work an older one, that we don’t have any car payments for…would it be wise to purchase a new car for the family, (2007/2008 model, doesn’t have to be this year) and give our son the older car for his travels?

I am torn with what option to take, I will say neither his dad or I are keen on the motorcycle, although he proves time and time again to us that he is a responsible kid…and cautious. He doesn’t drive home from school with just any friend, he is pretty choosy, based on their driving skills that he’s witnessed. :o I am very happy that he offered to get a job and pay us back, too…without us saying it first. 😉 (I have learned a lot on here see? I remember many of the prior replies being to not buy him a car outright.)

What do you think is the best option for us, if you were in our shoes?*
 
A car. If you lived out in the country, a bike would be safe - but, in suburb/city traffic, they are far to dangerous for a kid.
 
kage_ar said:
A car. If you lived out in the country, a bike would be safe - but, in suburb/city traffic, they are far to dangerous for a kid.
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We live in a semi-rural/suburban place, but there are very fast highways…Florida and all, ya know. lol I agree. I should have put a poll up, oh well. 🤷*
 
Personally, I’m against the idea of the motorcycle. It has nothing to do with how cautious or safe of a driver YOUR SON is - it has to do with the fact that others on the road have a harder time seeing motorcycles and accidents can happen more easily - and when they do happen on a motorcycle, it’s even more deadly. Helmet or not, if someone tags the back tire you could go flying through a windshield - low mass = high velocity impact. The mass of the car is a safety aspect, IMO…

So yeah… I’d look into a car. A reliable “new” used car for either your DH or your son, depending on what you level and deal you can find. Or if you find a good deal on a new car for your DH then pass the older one onto your son.

I inherited my parent’s old minivan in high school - now *THAT *was a rockin’ car for high school :rolleyes: (please please read that with just a dab of sarcasm). 😃 But looking back it was a nice safe vehicle overall.

Just my thoughts - good luck entering this new stage of parenting… I’m sure I’ll be asking similar questions when my boys get older!!
 
I personally hate motorcycles, no offense to anyone , b/c I know a lot of people love them…I think that they are so dangerous…anyway, ,I think giving him a used car is a good idea, and he can pay you back…just don’t give him a “fast car”…boys, and men for that matter seem to have a tendency to love speed…by fast car, i guess like a corvette or a mustang…Good luck, I don’t have to think about my son driving for at least another 6 years…let me know how many years it takes off your life so I know what to be prepared for…LOL
 
I have ridden motorcycles since I was 9 and wrecked everyone of them. Get him a car. Tim
 
A car is much more practical (think “rain” and trips to the grocery store). In addition, the insurance is likely to be less. Finally, when his inevitable first accident comes, he is less likely to be injured in a car than a motorcycle.

In my mind, a motorcycle can never be a primary vehicle.

Just my two-cents.
 
I’d get the car, it’s probably more practical (and safer). You can use it all year and if there are bad conditions, it’s likely easier to control.
 
I would never allow my teens to drive a motorcycle. Not because of THEM, but because other drivers are not always paying attention.

My BIL was a big motorcycle driver right out of college. One day he was stopped in a left turn lane behind a car waiting for the light to turn. He glanced in his mirrors and saw a car rapidly approaching from behind. At the last second, he jumped his bike up onto the median, and the approaching car rear-ended the car in front of him. Had he stayed put, he would have been a motorcycle sandwich and probably not be alive today. He put his bike up for sale the following week.
 
TOP said:
I have ridden motorcycles since I was 9 and wrecked everyone of them. Get him a car. Tim
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There’s the voice of experience.

Go for the car WG. It will cause far fewer gray hairs for you and PenguinsFan than a bike.😛 Even though your son is a pretty responsible young man, it is other drivers you really have to worry about as well. Also it rains so much along the Gulf Coast it is a real headache to use a bike for transportation. Just my two cents.
 
Cars are generally safer, more visible on the road and enable him to run to the grocery store for you, pick up his sister, etc. Seems like a much better idea for a driver who’s just starting out, however, there are some pros to having a bike:
  • Cheaper initial cost
  • Better gas mileage
  • He won’t be the designated chauffer for his friends (no room for them to sit)
  • He will probably ride with others during most “friend outings”
  • He won’t be texting/talking on the phone while driving
  • Parking is easier (I’m still not a pro @ parking, but I’ve been learning for 5 years!)
  • Nothing fishy can happen in his back seat
Overall, if it were me, I’d choose the car for safety reasons. If he does get a bike, make sure he wears his helmet (I seem to recall that FL does NOT have a helmet law).

–
 
I agree with the car for safety reasons, plus I know far too many people that have died on motorcycles, not from their own carelessness but someone else’s. The older car is a good idea I think, if it gets dinged up from someone else in the parking lot at School he won’t feel so bad about it either. Plus, the insurance factor.
 
Ugh, going through this exact same thing with DS right now. Only his grandpa gave him a motorcycle, and he spent time and money to get it running, and I still don’t care. No way is he getting his motorcycle license while he lives under my roof. He can ride the bike around the property, he can ride with his uncle and learn safety rules, but as long as he is under 18 and I am responsible for him, no way. Most of the guys in dh’s family are riders, I like to ride myself. Still no way is my son going to ride util he is responsible for himself.

We bought a newer car, and will allow him to drive the older car. I feel he should be incredibly grateful that we have even provided a car for him. It’s not like food or clothing ya know, its an extra that we would be perfectly in our rights to insist he buy himself.
 
One point I wanted to add… I am SO GRATEFUL that my parents taught me how to drive a 5-speed car when I was in high school. I think they force you to have both hands BUSY - much less temptation to be on a phone in the car or whatever…
So when you do start looking at cars - consider getting a 5-speed - it’s a very important skill to learn early on in driving!!! 👍
 
As I generally speak pretty plainly, I will put it this way; no way in h-e- double hockey sticks would I under any circumstances assist a child of mine in getting a motorcycle.

Motorcyclists - even responsible, experienced ones- are always much more vulnerable to death or serious injury than drivers of automobiles. They are much harder to see, and therefore at the mercy of drivers of much larger vehicles, no matter how careful they are.

This was all brought home to us by the death of a 19 year old cousin in a motorcycle accident; his family never recovered from the devastation of losing their only child, and his mother died young as a result of depression and alcohol.

It’s distressing when a child chooses to ride a motorcycle when he’s an adult and you have no control; I think that cooperating in such a dangerous choice for a minor is nothing short of irresponsible and foolhardy.
 
Truly I don’t know why you are even considering a motorcycle for a kid that young. Way too dangerous and impractical. Get a newer car of dh and let ds drive the older car. I don’t think that at 16 I would even consider the 3rd car to be totally his–let him drive it when you allow it and he can save up the money first. He’s still in high school and just recently even had legal appoval for a regular job! He’s a responsible kid because you have slowly let out the reins over time. Don’t just drop them now! 😉
 
Mrs_Sally said:
Truly I don’t know why you are even considering a motorcycle for a kid that young. Way too dangerous and impractical. Get a newer car of dh and let ds drive the older car.** I don’t think that at 16 I would even consider the 3rd car to be totally his–let him drive it when you allow it and he can save up the money first. He’s still in high school and just recently even had legal appoval for a regular job! He’s a responsible kid because you have slowly let out the reins over time. Don’t just drop them now!** 😉
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Oh, I so second that!!! I have 2 teenage drivers. Neither has a car. They must both share mine and DH’s car.

The boys’ school (Catholic high school) has a mandatory parent meeting every year to discuss alchohol, drug awareness, etc. They keep stats that consistently show the liklihood of drinking, sex, and drug use goes up almost hand in hand with the more freedom allowed with a car. Those who have their own cars are more likely to experiment than those who do not. If they use YOUR car, and something funny happened in there, you are more likely to detect it (smell, paraphanalia, etc.). However, those who have their own cars can hide things more easily, because (be honest) how often do you go into THEIR cars?

DS#1 is a senior and is probably one of a handful who does not have his own car. I say, “Oh, well. That is life.” 🤷

Don’t drop the reins now! I agree!
 
*I love CAF–I don’t even have to mull things over anymore. I place a question here, and my more than reasonable ‘friends’ give me the answers. 😃 A few of our family and friends second your motions, just was curious how you all felt too. Okay, the car it is…I agree with all reasons listed from weather to danger. The people drive like nuts in Florida, even a car can be hazardous 😊 but safer than a bike, no doubt.

Second question…would you buy a used one, like $5,000 or something like this and have him pay it back, or get a newer car for the family, and he can have the older one? He said he wants one of those obnoxious ‘tall’ spoilers on the back if he takes over the older car. lol My dh said he’d do it for him, as a gift – and put one of those obnoxious mufflers on it too. I said…whaaaaaa??? You know what I mean? You can hear a teenager these days coming from 2 miles away. :hypno:

Must be a guy thing. :rotfl: *
 
He should not even think of getting a motorcycle if he hasn’t first taken a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course yet.

I would highly suggest rereading the threads in which I and other riders offered our comments.
 
whatevergirl said:
*I love CAF–I don’t even have to mull things over anymore. I place a question here, and my more than reasonable ‘friends’ give me the answers. 😃 A few of our family and friends second your motions, just was curious how you all felt too. Okay, the car it is…I agree with all reasons listed from weather to danger. The people drive like nuts in Florida, even a car can be hazardous 😊 but safer than a bike, no doubt.

Second question…would you buy a used one, like $5,000 or something like this and have him pay it back, or get a newer car for the family, and he can have the older one? He said he wants one of those obnoxious ‘tall’ spoilers on the back if he takes over the older car. lol My dh said he’d do it for him, as a gift – and put one of those obnoxious mufflers on it too. I said…whaaaaaa??? You know what I mean? You can hear a teenager these days coming from 2 miles away. :hypno:

Must be a guy thing. :rotfl: *
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This is a tough thing for me. I was in a fatal car accident just a mile down my road, so I have been very hesitate in getting my now 18 y.o. son a car, but he starts classes in 2 weeks. My BIL has a car for him after buying a new van for his expanding family, but my son’s experience is lacking. These roads up here are highly dangerous and he has a long commute to school (1 1/2 hrs one way). We are trying to figure out how we are going to get him to school until he has some experience, then “let go of the reins”. You have to let go somewhat because before you know it, he is off to college. I say go the hand me down route. Tim
 
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