Kids car? Hyundai?

[peggyfromwastate]

Le sigh. I don't want her to drive. Is 101 worse than the beltway? Ugh. Not ready for this!!

[Sheherezade]

We're right there with you Peggy -- our oldest will be getting his permit this winter. I've been lurking in this thread trying to figure out the best kid car, too! My husband needs something he can drive in bad weather/deep snow since he usually drives a totally impractical post training car with about 4 inches of clearance from the road. We figure this will be the kid's ride eventually on the days dad doesn't need it. Thanks for posting this thread.

We're leaning towards getting a stick because I think it is a skill you learn when you are learning -- and if you don't it is hard to pick up later. Both DH and I learned on a stick so we think the kids should be able to drive one too.

I'm leaning towards an old Honda or Toyota sedan for safety and reliability, but now you've got me interested in checking out the Korean car companies, too.

I don't want him driving either. The thought of him merging on the highway makes me reach for the Valium. If I had any. Need to get some before this whole driving thing starts.....

Angie - FWIW, my uncle is the engineering editor of Road & Track Magazine and he thinks toyotas are the bomb.

We've been very happy w/our kias, though.

[L.Jane]

]

I can't speak to the Hyundai - we are a Toyota family over here (but we LOVE them...we've had a Camry, Sienna, Solara, Highlander, and 4Runner).

This is my family! We currently have two camrys, a highlander, matrix, and a celica. My two sisters and I all learned to drive on a camry and I love my camry. Its a 2003 and it is still fantastic. I got it when I was driving back and forth from Kansas to Florida during college for its reliability, gas mileage, and trunk space.

[peggyfromwastate]

We were a toyota family, but I was disappointed with this last camry. The reviews (and the price point) on the hyundais late model sedans (2011+) are really good. We will get dh a new car (or he can take over my suburban and I'll get something) after we get stationed somewhere permanent-- that won't be for another 1.5-2.5 years depending on fellowship.

Anyway... Dd is a little freaked out about learning to drive on a stick but about half my friends did and they really liked it. Idk. I'd have to learn to drive a stick too!!

[diggitydot]

After getting used to driving in both Portland and Phoenix, I think our tiny Midwest city traffic should be a breeze for DD.

[Thirteen]

We love our 4 cylinder standard Outback.
I learned to drive using our family mini-van!

[Pollyanna]

Le sigh. I don't want her to drive. Is 101 worse than the beltway? Ugh. Not ready for this!!

I promise you that it's not as bad as you think. DD17 driving has been a huge blessing to our family. Thankfully she is always more than happy to pick up or take a sibling to an activity or school. More often than not we have to be in three different places at the same time, an extra driver is HUGE. Plus, the added responsibility is a neat thing to witness in your child, to watch them embrace it and grow from it.

ETA: I think the manual transmission thing is unnecessary, but that's just me.

[alison]

Nah, it's not that bad. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just drove El Camino in the far right lane from town to town and avoided 101. But I'm the biggest car wimp you'll ever meet!

[peggyfromwastate]

Lol Alison--- I remember u don't like driving.

Growing up in rural America I had high mileage experience lol. Dh started driving around the orchards at about 11 years old. He learned on a stick. Yes, this was in America too! In the 80s!!

I really appreciate all these points everyone is bringing up- and Tara I've heard the dame thing about driving teens for big families-- that it's so nice to have the extra driver, etc. Ive heard that often...

[DCJenn]

I learned to drive on a 1973 stick shift Volvo station wagon that was utterly indestructible. Learning to know how to drive a stick is a good skill to have because you never know when you're going to need it. My ex had a medical emergency in the boonies and had to drive himself to the hospital because his ex-girlfriend couldn't drive his car. Scary. Also, I was the only staff person who was able to drive one of the trucks we had when I mowed lawns for a living.

If you live in a city, driving a stick SUCKS. But it's a skill everyone should have- like floating and riding a bike. You just never know when you're going to need it.

My Yaris has zero pick-up and has really loose steering on the roads. No one who is a new driver should drive a Yaris. You need to know to correct without overcorrecting.

Jenn

[SoonerTexan]

I was really biased against manual transmissions for a long time because many of my friends had cars with manual transmissions and the ride was ridiculously jerky. Then I finally rode with someone else who actually KNEW how to drive one properly...much better experience. I hate to think what those girls were doing to their transmissions. Come to think of it, both cars went to the crapper pretty quickly.

When I was learning to drive, there was still some "cool factor" attached to it, but I could care less. I'd prefer not to have to worry about rolling backwards. Or deal with it in stop & go traffic...which is pretty much life anywhere in DFW.

[alison]

I learned how to drive a stick in Germany on a rental car -- a diesel Alfa Romeo!