Dad with teenage son torn over getting Performance versus Standard

[yak-55]

Advice follows, but you asked for it. Its value is equal to what you paid for it ...

I was in this predicament and chose to:
1). Buy a Toyota Corolla for my kids to learn to drive (Safe, Slow, Boring, Reliable, Cheap to Insure and Repair)
2). Let him drive that till he went off to college (with the Corolla)
3). Then, after the teenagers were out of the house, bought a P85D for me ! (Son is home for the summer so the car stays in Valet mode unless I'm driving it.)
The timing on the P85D availability happened to work for me.

You could ... keep the S85 and enjoy that, and get him something safe, slow, cheap, and reliable (perhaps even battery powered).
Get yourself whatever the latest-and-greatest P version is in a few years. Trust me, the time will pass quickly.

PS. While I don't allow my son to drive my P85D without me in the car, he has enjoyed a few supervised insane launches ...

YMMV, but my son (in one piece) is far more valuable to me than any car. All the references to poor judgement in the teenage years
are universally valid in my experience. Unlikely your children are different ... no matter how much you might want them to be.

Be safe.

 

[meloccom]

Just a note about the Smart For Two, the original petrol version rates 3 stars in the Euro crash tests and it holds up pretty well based on this UK Fifth Gear video.

 

[S'toon]

Just a note about the Smart For Two, the original petrol version rates 3 stars in the Euro crash tests and it holds up pretty well based on this UK Fifth Gear video.

I looked it up yesterday, but didn't bother posting it, but the Smart ED has a 4 star crash rating..

 

[JimmyB]

I was actually going to recommend a Honda Accord… with a manual transmission.

A 4-cylinder Accord is big enough to be safe, peppy but not overly powerful, and handles well. A manual transmission also forces the driver to pay attention, because it's difficult if not impossible to drive and eat/text/talk at the same time.

I've done something very similar to this: I've a 1987 Audi 4000 Quattro waiting for my (nearly 17yo) daughter to get her licence. It's imperative to me that she learn to drive a stick. Of course it would be useful if she actually showed an interest in learning to drive, but at least until then I get to enjoy the Audi.

No way she'll be anywhere near my X (when it arrives) without me or my mrs riding shotgun.

 

[Chris TX]

Get the kid a Volt. Saves on gas AND it limits the number of passengers to 3. He can even drive around 40 miles for "free" before having to pay for his own fuel. IF I still have my Volt when my oldest turns 16, she'll get it for those reasons.

 

[dsm363]

Get the kid a Volt. Saves on gas AND it limits the number of passengers to 3. He can even drive around 40 miles for "free" before having to pay for his own fuel. IF I still have my Volt when my oldest turns 16, she'll get it for those reasons.

And it reinforces learning to plug in a car with hopes that when it is time to buy their first car on their own it might be a BEV.

 

[S'toon]

Our daughter was in a number of accidents when she was a teenager. One of those was a rollover where the entire roof was smashed to become the height of the hood followed by a call from the local hospital. She was luckily fine with just a few bruises. This was in an Nissan Altima btw. We had a Thunderbird for a short while. She left a 20ft tire mark on the sidewalk with it after being upset with a boyfriend one day. Needless to say, she was grounded from driving more then she was able to drive. We had her turn in her license after a/the accidents.

I would never let a teenager drive any expensive car. If you really feel you need to buy him a car, find a cheaper safe one he can do less damage in, both to himself as well as others. We found out that the best thing to do was to make her pay for her own car. This was the one she was more careful with. We of course made sure we could approve her car purchase choice.

Buy what you feel is right for you. It doesn't give your kids any rights to share it.

Just my $0.02 worth after dealing with a very irresponsible teenager who is now a very responsible adult :smile:

Good sound reasoning.

 

[anticitizen13.7]

And, arguably, it's a skill in which all "car aficionados" (to use the OP's term) should be highly proficient (despite today's fascination with DSG/SMG/other silly clutchless manu-matics).

I've done something very similar to this: I've a 1987 Audi 4000 Quattro waiting for my (nearly 17yo) daughter to get her licence. It's imperative to me that she learn to drive a stick. Of course it would be useful if she actually showed an interest in learning to drive, but at least until then I get to enjoy the Audi.

No way she'll be anywhere near my X (when it arrives) without me or my mrs riding shotgun.

I don't know if it would matter to kids today, but when I was a new driver, my "hand me down" Accord with a 5-speed manual gave me some street cred, haha. My classmates almost all drove automatics... even 20 years ago the manual was a source of great curiosity to my peers.

 

[Bgarret]

Interesting Q&A. I think the safest car, regardless of crash ratings or anything else, is a car they buy themselves. They will respect it more. Mine was a hand-me-down 1976 Buick Skyhawk I had to buy from my older brother after he bought it from my dad. My 12 year old son is a gear head that rebuilds cars with his grandpa and can weld. I would never put him in the position to fail so miserably by having him drive my (future) X. Can you imagine if you backed it into a pole at school and had to bring it home to your dad and tell him you creased his "baby". I'm in my mid-40s and the X will be my first new car. If my son shows himself a good driver in the 15yr old pickup he will inherit from his grandfather, he may be able to take it to senior prom - in valet mode.

 

[bsbomber]

My oldest daughter will be driving in 5 more years. Her first car will be a Volt. Until the Model S came around, the Volt was winning awards including one for High-strength steel. The Chevy Volt is an excellent choice for a teenager. I might sell our 2013 Volt when we get a Model X, but I will buy her a used one when she turns 16.

 

[A.G.]

I don't understand why not keep it in valet mode when he drives it. I assume its not going to be HIS car, so whenever he drives it, make sure it is in valet mode. Besides the name, there is nothing disrespectful about it. It limits acceleration and top speed, which sounds like what you want to do. It will probably also be one of the safest car's on the road like the Model S, so you have that benefit as well.

As far as practicality, when Valet mode came out, the release notes said that you could activate valet from the APP on your phone with the next version of the APP. Now, this is Tesla, so we dont know exactly when this will come out, but it is something to consider.

Here is my advise:

If you can afford it, and you want it (which it sounds like you do), get the PX. Before ordering tell him a couple of things.

1) I am only making this order if you agree to be completely responsible with the car. Tell him if you dont feel confortable with the way he is driving it, he will either not be allowed to drive it in the future, or it will go back (just a threat)

2) I will be watching your driving on the APP, and will be looking at the energy logs when you get back, so I will always know if you are behaving irresponsibly. (This is probably another reason why a Tesla is better than other cars as you can watch what they are doing)

3) I am only getting this car as long as you agree that whenever you are in the drivers seat, the car will be in valet mode no if's, and's or but's.

Just my $.02

 

[dsm363]

VisibleTesla can alert you if the speed goes above a certain value too. Could mention that.

 

[jerjozwik]

fun thread, if i had anything with balls when i was an early driver i probably would be dead already. i grew up with a 4 cylinder dodge caravan, even then i almost flipped the thing taking a long left turn back in michaigan. when my sister lent me her 4.0 jeep cherokeee, i wanted to jump snow banks with it.

any parent that lets there kid [early driving age] near a tesla drivers seat is... in my opinion, asking for disaster. yah sure they will mope, and say your a bad parent. but an alive pissed off sad kid is better than a dead happy tesla driving one.


glad i will never have to struggle with this!

 

[gjunky]

I don't understand why not keep it in valet mode when he drives it. I assume its not going to be HIS car, so whenever he drives it, make sure it is in valet mode. Besides the name, there is nothing disrespectful about it. It limits acceleration and top speed, which sounds like what you want to do. It will probably also be one of the safest car's on the road like the Model S, so you have that benefit as well.

As far as practicality, when Valet mode came out, the release notes said that you could activate valet from the APP on your phone with the next version of the APP. Now, this is Tesla, so we dont know exactly when this will come out, but it is something to consider.

Here is my advise:

If you can afford it, and you want it (which it sounds like you do), get the PX. Before ordering tell him a couple of things.

1) I am only making this order if you agree to be completely responsible with the car. Tell him if you dont feel confortable with the way he is driving it, he will either not be allowed to drive it in the future, or it will go back (just a threat)

2) I will be watching your driving on the APP, and will be looking at the energy logs when you get back, so I will always know if you are behaving irresponsibly. (This is probably another reason why a Tesla is better than other cars as you can watch what they are doing)

3) I am only getting this car as long as you agree that whenever you are in the drivers seat, the car will be in valet mode no if's, and's or but's.

Just my $.02

Have you met a responsible teenager in a car? Almost all of them will do something stupid especially with their friends there. No talking or reasoning (funny already) will help with this in my opinion.

 

[S'toon]

My first vehicle wasn't a top of the line luxury vehicle. It was a Ford panel van I bought from a neighbour for $500. It was a piece of junk.

 

[Blossom]

Another consideration for dealing with out-of-control teenagers is to give them somewhere they can push boundaries safely. If the son is into cars and wants to go fast, then why not get him some track experience? He'll quickly learn how easy it is to screw up and be off the track and into the dirt. Learning boundaries while carting will make him less inclined to push them at inappropriate places (i.e. where someone could get killed).

As an added benefit, you could learn something about racing as well and that would be a great father/son activity.

 

[yobigd20]

you don't need the P.

 

[Merrill]

The P that I would buy him is a POS.

 

[A.G.]

Have you met a responsible teenager in a car? Almost all of them will do something stupid especially with their friends there. No talking or reasoning (funny already) will help with this in my opinion.

Why would he have his friends in the car? From what I understand, this is his dads car that he may use occasionally. If this is his daily driver, then obviously he would not get any Tesla in my opinion. But if this is his dad's, just put it in valet mode every time he uses it. It literally makes the car as fast as a Prius, while still being incredibly safe. Win for everybody no??

 

[BoerumHill]

http://my.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/valet-mode-improvement-suggestions-0

My favorite subject.

I take exception to the 'entitlement' statement as my concerns are safety driven. If you want your teenager driving the safest car available with the longest range (think avoiding late night supercharging in a questionable location), you are looking at an 85/90 model S. However, while my daughter appears to be a safe and responsible driver I would like better control of her ability to tap into the acceleration and top speed on this vehicle. So, Valet mode is a start.

'Safe mode' has been my request to TM and I invite any others that agree to send TM an email.

Thanks

I do feel a very real solution to the dilemma is an improved 'valet mode'.....a more user friendly/adjustable 'safe mode'. As TM does not offer this yet I agree that letting a teenager drive any version of an '85 may put too much power in the hands of an inexperienced driver. So, the dilemma: Do you put your son/daughter in an S in 'valet mode' as it is the safest car for the occupants on the road today OR get them a 'less safe for the occupants' vehicle with far less power? I can't answer that for everyone, but for my only daughter, I will pick the former and hope for a 'safe mode' from TM over time.

NOTE - this is not the OP.

So you plan to let your daughter drive a Model S? The reasoning is its the safest vehicle for her and her occupants?