Are you thinking about buying a car for college students in your family? Finding the best car for a college student involves so much more than just rolling up to a dealership and picking out the one they like best. You need to consider the car’s reliability, your budget, and insurance costs.
Off to School: Buying a Car for College Students
If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. Below, we’ll walk you through a guide to choosing the right car for your college student. Additionally, you can learn how to avoid common mistakes when buying a vehicle!
Think About What You Want
When buying a car for college students, you need to focus on finding a reliable car. This is perhaps the most critical part of the process. After all, you want your student to stay safe and not have to take the car to the repair shop.
Keep in mind that most college students are still relatively inexperienced drivers. While not everyone is unsafe behind the wheel, you’ll want to buy a car with a decent number of safety features. For example, you should consider getting a vehicle with a good backup camera or brakes that automatically engage.
To encourage your college student to not use their phone, search for cars that have a hands-free calling and music feature. If your family is environmentally conscious, think about getting a car that minimizes its carbon footprint. Many companies have created eco-friendly vehicles, giving a variety of options.
Consider Your Finances
Your finances will play a huge role in the type of car you buy your college student. Fortunately, you don’t need to visit an accountant to figure out how much you can afford.
Instead, you can get preapproved for a car loan. The lender will want to look at your credit histories, but this doesn’t need to be a bad thing. Getting preapproved for a loan means that you’ll know how much you can afford to spend on a car for your student. So, you can look for one within your price point!
Get Insurance
It’s illegal to own a car without getting car insurance for it. If you already have an insurance policy, you can add the new car to your existing coverage.
Keep in mind that if you add a high-risk driver to your insurance policy, your costs will go up. Many insurance companies define people under the age of 25 as high-risk due to their increased statistical likelihood of being in an accident.
If you’re buying a car for college students and want your kids to take a little bit more responsibility, they can purchase their own insurance policy in some states. If they are not yet an adult, though, there might be extra steps such as needing a parent to cosign on paperwork. Check your local laws for more information.
Is your college student going somewhere else for school? If so, there’s a high chance they might need to get car parts or repairs in a new city. They can then find a professional technician. They also will be able to get engine-related items, brake pads, and other key car parts from an auto repairman. We suggest using BuyAutoParts for this!
Ready to Buy a Car?
Buying a car for college students isn’t an easy decision, but it doesn’t have to be an impossible one. With this advice, your college student will be ready to take off on their life’s newest journey!
Watching your kids drive away for the last time is hard. But when you make sure they’re fully equipped with these important car accessories, you can breathe just a little easier (until they finally let you know they made it to their destination safely)!
