A teenagers list of desirable car traits: Cool Not a minivan Awesome sound system A parent’s list of desirable traits for their teenage driver’s car: Safe Reliable No acceleration Looking for a used car can be stressful. Even more so when looking for one for a new driver in your household. It can be a good opportunity to teach them about research, test drives, and inspections. Firstly, do your research on the models you are interested in purchasing. Test drive with the radio OFF and listen for sounds that are not normal for a well-maintained vehicle. Finally, if you’ve found a vehicle you like and you think it would be a fair purchase, have it inspected by a licensed, certified technician at your favorite repair facility. It might seem like an unnecessary expense but it can be a great investment. You might find out that the beautiful vehicle that drives like a dream needs a thousand dollars worth of work to make it safe and reliable. Finding this out after you’ve already purchased it takes the shine off that beauty pretty quickly. Knowing this beforehand can allow you to either decide against the vehicle, or make the current owner aware of the needed repairs. This gives you a chance to discuss the price or just walk away. Either way, you have the information available to make an informed decision. The money you invested in the inspection will give you peace of mind making that decision. Hopefully at the end of the car buying experience, your teenager has learned a lot about making good car purchasing decisions and ended up with something you feel confident will be a good, safe vehicle.