cayenne s for my kid?

[sleepy911]

Ok when I first though of this idea I thought I was a little nutty. But here me out. My daughter is graduating in a month and I told her I would get her a newer car to start college wIth. She drives a mint condition 240 volvo that she loves but it's an old car with marginal a/c. She never ask for anything and when I said what kind of car do you want she says "I don't care but I want to set up higher so I can see" she's only 5' 2". So I thought maybe A small suv like a rav4 or ??? In my search most 04-05 suv's are going for 8 to 10 grand. Then I saw a 2005 cayenne s with 95k for 12 grand. I said I would never buy one but I think I would feel much safer knowing she's in a cayenne than a kia soul. My porsche mechanic said besides a coolent pipe issue and drive shaft coupler they are awesome. So those of you that have one how do you like it. Reliablity ect? I do most of my own mechanics but have a good friend to help out also. Also MPG doesn't matter because we live 4 miles from the college.

[Rick V]

A four mile one way trip on a daily basis is bad for that vehicle, they need to be warmed up on a drive, just like almost every vehicle on the planet.
Insurance? Who is gonna pony that one up?
Damage to it parked on campus?
Just playing devils advocate here not trying to be a prick.
It would be a much nicer graduation gift.

[Nostril Cheese]

A 300HP SUV with VW build quality in the hands of a college student. What could possibly go wrong?

She can't afford the fuel costs let alone the repair bills. Cayennes are throwaway appliances. The 240 she drives is a TANK. I've worked on enough Cayennes to know the 240 is a better car.

Honestly, the Kia Soul or a Hyundai Santa Fe is a MUCH better vehicle, build quality and safety. Koreans make good stuff these days. Germans don't.

[Nostril Cheese]

BTW, Rick is correct about letting them warm up. Half the issues on these things are due to under-use.

[tabs]

The question you should ask yourself is could she afford to own this car on her own dime if she had a job commensurate with her current skill level? The answer is NO she couldn't. The Volvo probably?

So fix the AC.

I had a 240 GT wt 215K miles on it when I sold it. I wish I had kept that car just so I could get the MILEAGE BADGES that Volvo has to offer for their high mileage cars.

[Seahawk]

Cars for daughters is always an interesting exercise

When my young Jedi Warriorette was ready for a car in HS, I told her that this was going to be the only car I would ever buy for her, period. We made all the cost sharing agreements, etc., but she knew this was it.

We settled on a used FJ Toyota, exactly the car she wanted. Horrible gas mileage but she pays for that. Eight years and over 100k without a pause in the action. She has been very meticulous with the car, very proactive in maintenance, etc. She interned for three years in college and now has a great job. She plans on keeping the FJ. Pity, I would like to buy it from her some day!

I really would approach this as the "last" car from M&D since it should be, at least in my mind.

My son got the old Tacoma, which is exactly what his little redneck soul wanted. God love him.

[MRM]

Owning a car is one of the most important financial decisions you can make in this society. Considering how expensive transportation is, it is as important to pick an appropriate vehicle as it is to select the right retirement plan or house. Reliable, inexpensive transportation is the foundation on which all future financial decisions will be made, including job opportunities, how much savings she will be able to put aside, and eventually what lifestyle she can live within her income. Every dollar a young person spends on transportation takes away from those long term goals.

The first question is whether a car is absolutely essential for her in college or is it just a luxury? I had a car during college because I worked off campus and had to have one, but i considered it a distraction and I wished I didn't have to spend time and energy taking care of it, parking, etc., when I could have used that energy and time on my classes.

My older son is a sophomore in college and my younger one starts in the fall. I've had a deal with them as long as I can remember. For their first two years they will live on campus and they will not have a car. At the end of two years we will look at their grades and reconsider. My older son is happy without a car and has agreed that living on campus is the way to go. He will get a practical, reliable car when he graduates from college and really needs one.

If you are dead set on getting her a car now, and not rewarding her at the end of the journey instead of the beginning, you would be doing her a disservice by buying her anything other than a very reliable, relatively small efficient vehicle that has a low long term cost of ownership. Toyota Camrys are a stereotype for a reason. They are the definition of cheap, reliable, high quality and high value transportation. They're not fancy but they're comfortable, very reliable, and are low cost.

My cars growing up were old and unreliable because that's what was manufactured back then and that's all I could afford. I can tell you from personal experience how difficult it is to have a car that breaks down, especially when you're in college. Having to spend a lot of money on maintenance or repairs is a killer. Don't teach her how to fall into the trap of buying something that is "cool" just so she can pay the price in terms of breakdowns, higher cost of ownership, and difficulty driving.

If she has to have a car, keep the Volvo if it's working for her. If you have to get something else get her a Camry or Accord or Civic or Corolla or a Mazda 3 and teach her a positive life lesson about cars and personal finance. Or a RAV if she has to have an SUV. But if she doesn't really have to have a car, send her to school without one and teach her a real lesson on savings and personal finance.

[Gogar]

I say fine, but be ready for it to nickel and dime you. If it has air suspension, get ready for it to Hundred and Five Hundred you.

[tangerine911S]

Running costs aside, I wouldn't because she may get the reputation of "rich girl whose daddy bought her a Porsche".

I bought my 911S in high school and never drove it to school. Only my close friends knew I had it. People are quick to judge and I just didn't need that at the time.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by tangerine911S

Running costs aside, I wouldn't because she may get the reputation of "rich girl whose daddy bought her a Porsche".

I bought my 911S in high school and never drove it to school. Only my close friends knew I had it. People are quick to judge and I just didn't need that at the time.

I agree.

It might fit in ok if she were going to Vanderbilt or somewhere like that, but it may be a wee bit much in a college parking lot in Modesto.

[sleepy911]

She has to have a car because she will be living at home and I will not put her on a city bus in modesto. When she moves over to the university in Turlock in a couple years i'll make other arrangements then. When I gave her the volvo the deal was I cover gas, insurance and maintenance. She has to take younger brother to and from school and maintain a 3.0 or higher. She has never failed At that. the cayenne was only considered because it was so closely priced to other cheeper models. I couldn't believe they had slipped so much in price. I know I baby my daughter but she has dealt with so much as a child that everyday I have with her now is 1 more the doctors said I wouldnt. Plus I'm recycling the 240. it will be my son's car in a couple years. Haha

[stomachmonkey]

4 miles?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by tangerine911S

Running costs aside, I wouldn't because she may get the reputation of "rich girl whose daddy bought her a Porsche".

I bought my 911S in high school and never drove it to school. Only my close friends knew I had it. People are quick to judge and I just didn't need that at the time.

This. I had a 5 year old Porsche when I was 19 (actually the rear half was 5 years old and the front half was 6). I was harassed by cops on several occasions. I can see their logic - 19 year old, long haired kid in a 5 year old Porsche, gotta be a drug dealer. Little Mary Sunshine in a Porsche Cayenne is going to be stigmatized too.

[sleepy911]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

4 miles?

Try doing that in the summer here. When it's 107 you won't make it 4 miles. Modesto isn't a small college town where you can ride or walk everywhere with 30 mph speed limits. It's spread out. We in the central valley are sprawers. We don't build up but out. the roads to and from my house are fast. I wouldn't ride a bike and I'm an idiot.

[stomachmonkey]

I'm familiar with Modesto.

Looked at houses there a while back.

Seriously though, as others have said, get the newest, most reliable, cheapest to fix, fuel efficient, nondescript utility vehicle you can find.

[speeder]

I agree with the used Camry advice but if you're going to go the nicer SUV route, I suggest something from the Toyota food group. Either a Highlander or maybe a Lexus RX. They don't break and don't have "known issues" like a Cayenne. No negative stigma, either.

You can get nice previous generation RXs with 100k miles in the low teens. I'm selling my Dad's 2005 AWD RX w/ 49k miles right now, PM me if interested. It's in L.A.

[PorscheGAL]

I am going to the dissenting voice:

I think if you get it checked out and it looks solid, why not? The price is right. As the parent and the one covering any maintenance, I would make sure that I was comfortable with the potential costs that may arise. Honestly, if anyone holds it against her that she is driving a 12K dollar Porsche, they aren't worth her time anyway.

[aap1966]

You want every Frat boy at college to be chasing the 'rich chick' who drives a Porsche?

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Several thoughts:

The 240 is getting older. Will it need service like brakes/ etc. that might constitute safety issues?

How close is parking/ off campus/ on campus. At least at my school, the parking was so far off campus, inconvenient- it really didn't make sense to drive on a daily basis.

I was one of those "fortunate" kids who drove a porsche in college. Never mind that it had more bondo than metal, fred flintstone flooring, or that I was constantly kicking it to keep it running.- these cars do carry a potential negative on campus "image" ughhh.... Never mind that it only cost $1200. In the minds of everyone else, it might as well have cost $50,000 and all the negative stereotypes associated with it came along as well.

If she does have to park the car off campus, or at a distant parking lot, will having a higher profile car be a concern to leave unattended? My apartment was next to a bar in college. My 911 got at least one knife in the tire. I wired a homemade alarm through the door light contacts which went off more than once. I was constantly worrying about it being parked in far off lots. There were times I might not get out to see it for weeks on end. The car unfortunately does draw stereotypes that might attract a drunk student coming home, or even the campus police. If I had to do it again, I would have opted for something more mundane.

Finally, can SHE afford the upkeep? I remember a friend of mine, who's parents bought him a new FORD bronco or something. He simply could not afford the property taxes on it, or insurance. Even things like tires (I don't know what cayenne tires run compared to other SUV's.) - but make sure it's not some exclusive size that puts her in the $$$$ tire category. In the end, he had to give the car back to his parent because he could afford the operating cost.

If you go cayenne- maybe a base cayenne- not an s for insurance purposes.

Also think in terms of the SUV's size for parking purposes- will it's larger size put it at risk for her running into something, or something damaging her car in tight parking spaces. My wife's mitsubishi endeavor has a 2 acre turning radius.

[Steve Carlton]

I'm thinking you'll be on the hook for repairs and that can come back to bite you. As Denis said, something from the Toyota/Lexus isle is unlikely to haunt you much. Same goes for Honda. I'm not a fan of Nissan or Mitsubishi, and not so sure of Hyundai or Kia. A lot of the Japanese offerings are tin cans, and I'd look toward safety as a priority.

So, I would also suggest a Volvo XC60. Design, safety, seat comfort all top notch, especially safety. The only SUV I believe that passed the partial offset front collision test with a good rating. They get spendy from around 70-120K, so you could put a warranty on it (CPO the best value) and have some clear sailing. Also a 2008 and up XC70 is a safe tank and is elevated some, not as much as the others. I wouldn't consider seat height to be that overwhelming a priority vs some of the other concerns. If you go back to ground level, you can get a nice, 10-20K mile 2012 S60 CPO for $19K to low $20Ks. 4 years of CPO warranty remaining up to 100K miles. Solid value.