Quick Facts About Used Cars for Graduates
- When buying a car for graduates, consider a fuel-efficient vehicle.
- Maintenance can be expensive, so research a car’s cost to own before buying.
- Since younger drivers are often not the safest, consider a car with a high safety rating.
Parents interested in buying used cars for graduates often stay focused on price — sometimes to the exclusion of other essential factors. While price ultimately determines which used vehicle you will purchase, it shouldn’t be your only consideration.
In addition to the prospective vehicle’s condition and history, which you should investigate any time you buy a used car, it’s important to identify the models that are most likely to keep your child safe, remain affordable over time, and deliver a measure of practicality as your graduate embarks upon the next stage of life. If a vehicle meets these requirements while providing some of the technology and style your graduate wants, that’s just a bonus.
We’re offering some tips to help parents considering a used car purchase for their graduates. The advice comes to you from our editors, several of whom have kids hitting these milestones and need cars. Like you, we think about what used cars will best fit safety, reliability, and value requirements while still meeting requests for technology and style.
Unfortunately, the red Mustang convertible isn’t in the cards for any young drivers. We’ll break down seven key areas to consider.
1. Safety
Car accidents are the leading cause of teenage deaths, so buying a safe, used vehicle for your graduate is critical. In recent years, the car industry has made advances in safety-related technology and also strengthened crash-test standards — so if you want a safe vehicle, it’s best to purchase the newest one that your budget allows.
- IIHS ratings. Parents seeking a safe, used car for a teen driver should start their research by reviewing the lists of Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The IIHS provides this information by model year, and their lists can give you an excellent first look at the safest used vehicles on the market.
- NHTSA ratings. After reviewing the IIHS information, the next step is to check National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety ratingsNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The safest models get an overall crash-test rating of five stars, the highest possible. Rest assured that any car with a 5-star overall rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS is one of the safest you can buy.
- Safety equipment. In addition to crash-test ratings, you might want to consider what safety equipment a used vehicle offers. While new cars are required by law to have six airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and more, an older car may not be equipped with these critical safety systems.
- Connectivity. Look for vehicles with Bluetooth connectivity. Whether a smartphone automatically connects or your driver plugs it in, getting a car that allows your young driver to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is imperative for safety.
- Crash notification technology. Beyond these modern basics, you might want to find a used vehicle that offers automatic crash notification technology. Such systems activate after airbag deployment, putting a live operator in touch with the vehicle’s occupants to assess the severity of the crash and their physical condition. It also dispatches emergency rescue personnel to the scene at the same time. Typically, this technology is part of an in-car connectivity system and either requires an actively paired smartphone to work or is included as part of a subscription-based suite of services. Examples include 911 Assist as a part of Ford’s SYNC technology and GM’s OnStar Automatic Crash Response, each of which has been offered for many years.
TIP: “When it comes to safety features, brands like Subaru and Toyota provide a lot of safety when buying new,” says Autotrader Executive Editor Brian Moody. For those looking to save money by buying a used car, look for a vehicle with features like traction control, stability control, and head curtain airbags. To split the difference between new and used, look for a certified pre-owned vehicle with a long warranty.”
2. Reliability
When buying a used car for your young adult, you want to find one well-maintained by the previous owner, with a clean vehicle history report free of previous accidents or other insurance claims. Before buying any used car, it’s worth having it inspected by a qualified mechanic and obtaining a vehicle history report from a company such as Experian AutoCheck or Carfax.
Additionally, it’s essential to look up the vehicle’s reliability ratings with data from leading market researchers like J.D. Power that compile such information from surveys conducted with vehicle owners. However, remember that these surveys are usually done with people who bought new vehicles. With a used car, you also might consider how its previous owner(s) treated it, which can be just as important an indicator of how troublesome it might prove.
That’s one reason why, if the budget allows, we recommend choosing a certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle sold by a car dealership. CPO vehicles are typically in the best condition. Furthermore, most CPO vehicles are covered by extended warranty protection for an extra measure of security against unanticipated repair costs. They also often include limited-time roadside assistance plans to provide help if your young driver runs out of gas, gets a flat tire, suffers a dead battery, or needs to be towed for repairs.
Alternatively, you could search for a used vehicle with an active, transferable original new-car warranty or purchase an extended warranty for a used car. Extended warranties, however, often won’t cover major repairs and are sometimes sold by companies on uneven financial footing. Generally, purchasing aftermarket warranty coverage for a used vehicle is not cost-effective.
RELATED – Extended Car Warranty: How to Choose the Best One
The best approach to finding a reliable used vehicle is to research those makes and models known to provide dependability. Then, check the example you’re considering for your young driver to ensure it’s in excellent mechanical condition and has a clean vehicle history report.
3. Commute
One thing often overlooked when buying a vehicle, especially for someone else, is the driver’s commute. Whether to a summer or permanent job or to and from college, it’s essential to consider how far and often your young driver needs to commute before purchasing a used vehicle.
If your grad wants to be eco-friendly by driving an eclectic car, but their commute to and from work and school is relatively long, the Mini Cooper SE electric vehicle, with just 114 miles of range, might not be the best choice. However, affordable long-range cars like the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Kia Niro EV get more than 250 miles of range. Factoring in the range can significantly save your new grad money.
Drivers of gas-powered vehicles can factor in miles per gallon or mpg. The higher the number, the better. Read more on that below.
4. Value
In some respects, value is defined differently for used cars than for new vehicles. For example, when buying a new car, consumers want to choose one that will retain its value over time. When buying a used car, consumers may consider a cheaper vehicle that has not kept its value over time but still meets safety and reliability criteria.
Additionally, when evaluating used cars for grads, you will want to consider the fuel economy ratings associated with the vehicles on your list. Over time, even slight variations in gas mileage can add up to hundreds of dollars of savings or added cost in fuel expenses. Remember that fuel economy ratings published by the EPA or auto manufacturers are estimates and that fuel efficiency is primarily determined by how the vehicle is driven and maintained.
Some makes and models are more expensive to service and repair than others. Choosing a vehicle that costs more to maintain and fix can easily add thousands of dollars in expenses in the years ahead. To compare the costs of servicing or repairing the used vehicles on your consideration list, consult our sister site Kelley Blue Book, which provides average prices for common vehicle repairs.
5. Insurance
Insurance is another factor to consider when choosing a used car for your young driver. Start by talking with your current insurance company to see which makes and models are less costly to insure for a young adult or teenage driver. Gauge whether it makes more sense to insure the car in your child’s name or as an additional vehicle on your existing policy.
Explain to your young driver how their driving behavior can impact insurance rates, like causing price increases for moving violations and at-fault accidents. Ensure your young driver understands insurance deductibles and how getting speeding tickets or crashing a vehicle financially impacts their future.
6. Technology
Older used cars don’t offer much in the way of modern conveniences and technologies like head-up display or lane-keeping assistance. Also, remember that more advanced luxury models with higher mileage could require expensive repairs down the road. Newer used cars offer more up-to-date technology, but time doesn’t stand still. What might have been considered a cutting-edge in-vehicle infotainment system just a few years ago is likely outdated.
The relentless march of technology does not need to become a source of disappointment to a graduate destined to drive a used car instead of a new car. The aftermarket beckons, providing Bluetooth systems, smartphone pairing, touchscreen navigation, and audio systems offering access to internet radio, social media channels, real-time traffic reports, backup cameras, and more.
Before you agree to install aftermarket technology in a used car, please have a heart-to-heart conversation with your young driver about the dangers of distracted driving. Remind them that piloting a vehicle on public roads is a privilege, not a right, accompanied by a responsibility to themselves and others. Ensure that your driver comprehends the personal, legal, and financial ramifications of distracted driving.
“When our teen driver reaches graduation in a few years, I want them to operate a safe and reliable vehicle that also offers the most technology we can afford in a used car,” says Renee Valdes, lead advice editor of Autotrader. “Most parents can’t afford a new car with the latest technology, but plenty of newer used vehicles with good technology packages can keep your young driver safe on the road.”
Teen Driving Statistics to Discuss with Your Young Driver
The IIHS provides the following statistics:
- Teen driver crash rates are nearly four times those of drivers 20 and older on a per-mile driven basis.
- Many teen crashes come as a result of their drinking and driving.
- In 2020, 2,738 teenagers, ages 13 to 19, died from crash injuries in the United States.
- Excessive speed is a factor in just over a quarter of teenagers’ fatal crashes.
- When teens drive at night, the fatal crash rate of 16- to 19-year-olds is about four times as high on a per-mile driven basis.
Don’t forget this: Your children model their behavior after you, whether they care to admit it or not. If you’re engaging in risky behaviors while driving, they will too.
7. Image
Young people can be self-conscious about what their peers think of their looks, clothes, and whether or not they fit in with the crowd. You also may have noticed that what you think is acceptable in these arenas is usually very different from what they do.
As a parent, you should recognize that these superficial concerns extend to the car they drive, and you should be sensitive to them. But don’t let this situation drive the decision-making process. When buying a used car for your graduate, it is far more essential to find a safe, reliable, and affordable used car that is in decent condition and will last a long time.
And if your kid doesn’t like this approach, you can always make them pay for the car instead.
Simple. Get a used Subaru and your kid will be safe in a very reliable vehicle
test please ignore