Letting your kids drive the car? (teenagers specifically)

[dailydriver]

I have 3 sons:
21 year old has driven it when home from school.
19 year old has driven it with me with him in the car. I did offer to let him take his girlfriend on a date next time he is home.
16 year old - not yet, but I will.

All of them are very responsible and I completely trust them. I would not have trusted me when I was a teenager though - I was a terror with no fear.:smile:

 

[stevezzzz]

Funny story -- Years ago I left my brand new BMW (less than 200 miles on it) with my teenage son and headed out of the country on business for two weeks. When I got home, the car was in perfect shape sitting in the garage waiting for me, freshly washed. But strangely, it only had another 60 miles on it. In TWO weeks! With a TEENAGER. A BOY. Totally confused me.

When he got home, he told me what he'd done. Each day he pulled up to a luxury dealership in Boulder, CO (our home at the time). When the salespeople saw him, they assumed 'silver spoon' and threw him the keys to whatever he wanted to drive for the day. He drove Jags, Mercedes, Lexus', you name it -- and put no miles on my car.

Love that kid.

That's a great story, Bonnie. How resourceful...and creative.

 

[strider]

I'm hopeful that by the time my daughter is old enough to drive - 11 years from now - my MSP will be down to half its range and half its power. Then it'll be the perfect first car for her.

Some people may worry about long term battery degradation. Me? I'm banking on it!

This is exactly what my wife and I joke to friends about our Roadster! Our son is just over 14 years away from driving.

 

[DavidM]

Funny story -- Years ago I left my brand new BMW (less than 200 miles on it) with my teenage son and headed out of the country on business for two weeks. When I got home, the car was in perfect shape sitting in the garage waiting for me, freshly washed. But strangely, it only had another 60 miles on it. In TWO weeks! With a TEENAGER. A BOY. Totally confused me.

When he got home, he told me what he'd done. Each day he pulled up to a luxury dealership in Boulder, CO (our home at the time). When the salespeople saw him, they assumed 'silver spoon' and threw him the keys to whatever he wanted to drive for the day. He drove Jags, Mercedes, Lexus', you name it -- and put no miles on my car.

Love that kid.

Your kid is brilliant. I would have never thought of that. And even if I did, I wouldn't have the guts.

My 16 year old daughter is learning how to drive on our 4 year old SUV. She will not be driving the Model S - ever. At some point, we may help her purchase a used car. My theory is that if you give a kid something of great value, that they didn't have to work for, they won't take care of it. At least not most kids.

I bought my first car in 1976. A gently used 72 Corolla. I used 95% of my life savings to pay for it ($725). I pampered that car so much, that when I sold it 4 years later, I sold it for $950. Yup, $225 more than it cost me. I know for a fact that if my folks had just given me that car, it would have been wrecked in 6 months. Back in 1976, my best friend bought a beautiful 68 Mustang using his life savings ($1,250). He pampered it for 4 years, then GAVE it to his younger brother who promptly wrecked it.

 

[bonnie]

My 16 year old daughter is learning how to drive on our 4 year old SUV. She will not be driving the Model S - ever. At some point, we may help her purchase a used car. My theory is that if you give a kid something of great value, that they didn't have to work for, they won't take care of it. At least not most kids.

Totally agree. When my son was closing in on 16 and soon 'able to drive', he tried initiating a few conversations about what kind of car he'd like. I just looked at him and said that if I were him, I'd be hoping for a spare set of keys in the house. I ended up buying a used Subaru 4wheel drive wagon (appropriate for Colorado). Not at the bottom of the 'coolness list', not able to go super fast, relatively safe, could hold his gear like bikes and windsurfers. I NEVER would have left him with the BMW then. (He was 19 when I did that and had three years driving experience under his belt.)

 

[brianman]

Each day he pulled up to a luxury dealership in Boulder, CO (our home at the time). When the salespeople saw him, they assumed 'silver spoon' and threw him the keys to whatever he wanted to drive for the day. He drove Jags, Mercedes, Lexus', you name it -- and put no miles on my car.

My memory isn't what it used to be. Took a while to jog it. This was in an (80s?) movie but I can't remember the name.

I'm sure TEG will find it before I do.

 

[ToddRLockwood]

There is a way to engage a speed limiter on the Model S. The Performance I drove on my test drive had been limited to 80MPH. I don't believe this feature is plainly obvious on the control screen, but I believe it is there somewhere.

 

[sublimaze1]

On the way back from the ER at 4am today (Amanda decided that, during her GI viral N/V episode to try to come downstairs half asleep to either vomit or get water, and did a header - or, rather, chinner - into the stone floor suffering a 2 inch gash in her jawline) she stated she would be happy to drive the car. This is a change, as she has been anti EV (for some reason unclear to me) for quite some time. She noisily vomited in the emesis bag, and fell back asleep. She is my careful one. She gets first dibs over her sister.

 

[Raven5000]

With parent in the car ok. By themselves that's CRAZY! U cant trust a teenager! They are in their rebellious cool state of mind which they eventually grow out of. I know every teenager is different but why let them drive 100k car by themselves just my opinion.

 

[swaltner]

When he got home, he told me what he'd done. Each day he pulled up to a luxury dealership in Boulder, CO (our home at the time). When the salespeople saw him, they assumed 'silver spoon' and threw him the keys to whatever he wanted to drive for the day. He drove Jags, Mercedes, Lexus', you name it -- and put no miles on my car.

When I purchased an Ariel Atom in Denver two years ago, I had a similar scheme in mind. I was planning on stopping by the Tesla site in Boulder to see if I could swing a test drive in a Roadster. I figured if I parked out front with a totally impractical vehicle like an Atom on a car trailer, I could convince them I had means to also buy a not quite as impractical vehicle like a Roadster. Unfortunately, trouble with completing the wire transfer made the purchase take WAY longer than I had planned, so I headed home without a ride in a Roadster. Still scheming on getting a Tesla at some point. Still haven't even seen one in real life, since Kansas seems to be a waste land for Tesla owners.

 

[ElSupreme]

Sure I'll let my teenagers drive the car, even by themselves. :scared:


Of course the Model S will be older than they are. :biggrin:


EDIT: And reading this thread I guess I was exceptionally lucky that my dad allowed me to drive his Audi TT solo when I was only 16. That was his pride and joy, and gift to himself for his successful business.

 

[byt]

Often it isn't your teenager you need to worry about, but the friends and peer pressure. This is often the source of evil and problems, and if your child has a taste for "speed" as I did/do, all the more dangerous!

 

[dhrivnak]

I fully believe if i had a car with the power of the Model S when i was 16 i would not be here writing you. My first car was $100 and had a bottom of the line motor. And i was "a good" kid who had good grades and did not drink or drugs. But i was fearless

 

[brianman]

I fully believe if i had a car with the power of the Model S when i was 16 i would not be here writing you.... i was "a good" kid who had good grades and did not drink or drugs. But i was fearless

I'm with ya.

1991: 130mph in a 45mph w/ '73 Mercedes
Indiscretions of youth.

 

[bonnie]

My memory isn't what it used to be. Took a while to jog it. This was in an (80s?) movie but I can't remember the name.

I'm sure TEG will find it before I do.

It might be in an 80s movie (though I have no idea what one), but I can assure you it's exactly what happened in Boulder in 2000. I have many more stories along these lines re my kid. Politely telling off umpires when he was 5 (and the coaches for both teams falling over laughing). Telling the principal how to rearrange lunch lines for better efficiency when he was in first grade. Getting the car salesman to help him move a load of furniture in the pickup he took out for a *test drive* (with the salesman mumbling the whole time that his boss would kill him), and and and. Or my all time fav ... "Mom, why are you accusing me of having a party? That's not fair!" ... "Oh, I dunno, maybe because I'm stuck to the floor?" Now THAT was a story!

Did you find the movie yet? No?

 

[brianman]

Did you find the movie yet? No?

Nope.

 

[bosgig]

There is a way to engage a speed limiter on the Model S. The Performance I drove on my test drive had been limited to 80MPH. I don't believe this feature is plainly obvious on the control screen, but I believe it is there somewhere.

I have a couple more years before I have to worry about this, but I'm totally with Todd on this one. It would be great to have a password-protected speed limiter and, preferably, acceleration limiter. I worry about the peer pressure as well (to "punch it" or "let me try") and would love to take that off the table. And, for that matter, an internet browser prohibitor would be nice too!

 

[Lloyd]

Speed limiting should be available on the remote app, and have a kid option, and a Valet option also.

 

[Robert.Boston]

I trust my son *way* more than I trust valets!

 

[Lloyd]

I trust my son *way* more than I trust valets!

Exactly, I would limit my son to ~75mph, and the valet to ~25 mph