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I remember the arrangement my parents and I had about buying my first car. They would pay for the insurance and I would buy the car. So at 16, I came home with a 10-year-old Camaro that I had fallen in love with. Once the insurance company gave my Dad the quote for my V-8, T-Top, rear wheel drive sports car, my Dad promptly took my keys, drove the car back to the dealership himself and give me a very short list of what would be acceptable for me to have.

Remember the "Who's the Boss" episode where Tony buys Alyssa Milano her first car and it's a huge boat-looking-thing with tires mounted like boat bumpers and reflective tape all over it? That's what my Dad had in his mind to get for me.

Now with the shoe on the other foot, I want my kid in a jacked-up Suburban (I'd obviously have to pay for the gas), 5-point harnesses, bubble wrapped, and a governor that doesn't let him drive above 30 mph. But that's not realistic, so here's what we concluded......

First, don't let your child talk you into something that's not the safest thing possible for them to own. Their only arguments revolve around the latest fads. "But it's soooo cool" and "But Jessica has one". Don't rush and don't be rushed by impulsive, impatient teenagers.

Second, since most of the world isn't a "Sweet 16" episode where kids get cars the prices of homes, money is probably going to be the biggest issue. My recommendation is to have a similar arrangement my Dad and I had. You match what they can pay and if it's a Pinto, it's better then their Nike's. It also gives them a fundamental building block that instills responsibility and they know that this is the of the first steps to becoming a self-sufficient adult. You don't have to touch their college fund or take a second out on the house.

Third, talk to your insurance company, whether you are going to help them with the cost or not. Your agent will be able to tell you things about cars that help to lower rates such as engine size, drive train and amenities.

Fourth, a driving course is a must. Whether it's at their school, a class offered by the DMV, or a class at the community college, even if you've taught your kid to drive since he/she was younger. Remember their attention spans are the size of peas now between cell phones, friends in the car, and music blaring. This course will also aid in decreasing the cost of their insurance.

Finally, it's time to buy the car! Do your own research, not research handed to you by your teen trying to get "The Salesman/Woman of the Year" award. Know which SUV's are rated the worst for flipping over. Know which cars are the worst in a collision. Use Kelley Blue Book as a pricing guide. Find something very fuel efficient, with only four cylinders (no V-8's and no turbos), front or all wheel drive (unless it's a 4x4), and which safety features you want the vehicle to have. Durability and dependability are also essential for the teenager who's bound to over-rev the engine, stall at a light, and fail to check the fluid levels. My personal picks are Volkswagen, Toyota and Nissan. I don't mean something that jumped out of "The Fast and the Furious" movie either. You can find these cars with low mileage, loads of options and safety features, and are reasonably priced. If the vehicle happens to survive your teenager, they also have great resale value.

I found picking the right car for them is like when they start dating; your intuition about the "bad one" is usually correct, some background information is necessary (Yeah, we Googled you), and we want the best, safest experiences for them possible. Good luck!

Learn more about this author, Marco Quinn Polo.
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