Friday of this week, provided MacKenzie Grace is feeling up to it as she is still recovering from her concussion, we will be heading to the DMV for her to get her restricted driver’s license. In South Carolina, a 15 year old can get a license provided they have passed driver’s ed and have six or more months driving time, including interstate and parking practice.
Now, Audley and I have decided that even though she will be a licensed driver, we are not quite ready to let her loose on the road alone. That is still several months away, until we feel she is confident enough to handle the maturity and responsibility that comes with driving alone.
{Cars are nothing to play with.}
A car has been the topic of discussion around here for quite sometime now. Audley and I agreed many years back that we would never just give our children a car, they had to pay for half, and a new car was probably not an option. But, we still had the discussion with our children; at least three or four times a week.
Personally, I thought this was a good choice for a teenager’s transportation ….
 |
| It’s so girly and cute! |
But, it’s an 8-mile ride to school on a four-lane highway; probably not a very safe option.
Based on all of the stories I hear on the news each day, I decided this might be more appropriate….
But with her road rage she inherited from her father, she might squash someone.
So, we finally settled on this, a 2012 Kia Soul.
{You know, the Hamster car!}
Yes, I know it’s a new car, which we said we probably wouldn’t buy, but there is a reason. First, I am driving it until she turns 16 in June. In fact, I am driving it a lot …. we have already put 4000 miles on it (and I really like driving something less motherly). Secondly, used cars are in high demand right now, so dealers have marked them up, many of them in not so good shape, and people think they are getting a good deal.
{They’re not}
I didn’t want my child driving a car that still reeked of cigarette smoke even after it had been detailed multiple times. We looked at forty cars finding ripped interiors, faulty locks, high miles and NO Warranty. Dealers were asking 14-16,000 for these cars!
With college just two years away, we at least wanted something that we knew our girl would be safe in, so I started doing a little research. What we found was the Kia Soul; a car with a good safety rating (four & five stars for the multiple features), was small enough for her to handle, smaller engine (so less horsepower), side-impact airbags along with the front airbags, good gas milage, and storage space for gear that accompanies her extra-curricular activities.
It also has a 100,000 mile warranty and roadside assistance.
The price? Only 1500. more than the used cars we had been looking at. It was a no brainer and MacKenzie Grace has her first car.
But, there are stipulations, starting on her 16th birthday, she is paying half of the monthly payment, half of her insurance, and all of her gas.
Teenagers have to learn responsibility, and what better way than to give it to them?!
So now, along with managing her schedule with competition color guard, she is job hunting, putting in applications at Chick Filet, Zaxby’s and Publix grocery store.
And finally, this great car debate has ended …. until Madeline turns 15 in a year.
Fiddle Dee Dee by Jennifer Jones 
Congratulations to both you and your daughter. It looks like a great car and I do love the catchy commercials! I paid half for my first car….1973 Ford Pinto!! Ugh!!!! Full Price was $2710. 🙂 xo
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She looks so cute and pleased! Oh my, Jen, this is going to get expensive. =D
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I am in the same boat. My son turns 16 in July… Just had to rent a car today. Turns out I got a Kia Optima. I'll hate to turn it in! I love it! Hope your daughter has endless safe miles!
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Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your recent visit to our blog. We live in SC, too! Your daughter looks so happy standing beside her car. I have been reading some of your previous posts. You have a beautiful family!
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