Choose the right car for a young student off at school

Fill the needs, not the wants, writes, Lorraine Sommerfeld

When you write about the auto industry for enough years, you learn there are a handful of perennial questions you will get from readers.

Sure, there are more queries around hybrids lately, but my top three have remained: “Should I use regular oil or synthetic?” “Why do idiots hog the passing lane?” and “What’s the best used car to buy for my kid who is going away to college?”

The answer to the first question is in your owner’s manual. The second — not even Kreskin knows why those idiots can’t get out of the passing lane. But the used car question? That one is fun.

There are still tendrils of oldschool thinking. Bigger must be safer, right? My parents sent me off to school in a 1976 flaming orange AMC Matador wagon, and despite the hole in the passengerside floor and that I had to call for a boost most nights, it was perfect. My parents imagined me safely ensconced in a tank.

They didn’t know it essentially made me a taxi service, as I happily ferried all of my friends around. I’m sure my parents didn’t realize they were creating a clown car, but there is nobody as inventive as university kids when it comes to doing dumb things. Which brings me to my first rule. No matter how hard you think you’ve covered all the bases, they will come up with new ways to make you crazy.

Here are a few more rules: Bigger is not necessarily better: You may be anticipating your student on the highway traipsing home for holidays, but that car is probably going to be used in a more urban setting. Think packed parking lots and jaunts for groceries. With the versatility provided by even compact cars, your student can maximize cargo space without having to wedge a barge into tight parking spaces. If your student is commuting daily, fuel economy will be important. You’re probably going to need a bigger budget: Today’s cars are built better and last longer. You are not going to get a three-yearold car for a few thousand dollars. The upside is there are some great cars out there that are eight years old and have lots of life left. Consider using a Certified Used Car seller for added protection. If you buy privately, make sure any purchase you’re considering has the OK of a good mechanic as well as a seller’s package. Determine true need: If you’re only thinking about slogging a roomful of furniture into student housing, you might be overlooking the fact it’s easier, safer and cheaper to do that trip twice a year with a rental. Instead, consider the day-to-day needs of your student. That smaller car will make more sense.

Get good information: The usedcar world can be overwhelming. Check places such as Driving. ca for reviews, and classifieds for a general guide on prices. Check online with sites such as Consumer Reports or a copy of the Lemon-Aid Car Guide, put out annually by the Automobile Protection Association (APA) (full disclosure: I work with the APA, and they produce my TV show, the Lemon Aid Car Show). These guides will tell you how the vehicle fared over its lifespan. Maintaining a long distance relationship: Accept that your student will be less fastidious about upkeep. Make sure the car has decent tires, switch them to winters at Thanksgiving, and put an extra washer fluid jug in the trunk. If this is a first car, there will be a learning curve, in a new city. If the oil change interval is close, let your student know a quickie oil change at a franchise is fine, but not to OK any of the upsells that will inevitably be tried. Make an appointment with your own mechanic when you know the car will be home. Driving.ca