While a first car might mean freedom for both a newly licensed child and the taxi-operating parents, Japanese motor vehicle manufacturer Datsun believes that parents should consider the vehicle’s form, function and affordability over hastily buying.

Datsun South Africa GM Des Fenner notes that, while a child’s first car is a rite of passage, families have often looked at buying second-hand, older vehicles. He believes that, while price may be the main consideration, parents should consider buying new cars as second-hand cars may incur extra costs.

“The running and maintenance costs of an old car can easily outweigh the costs of buying an affordable, new economy car,” he says.

With the advancements in technology, vehicles have become more fuel efficient than ever as certain models with smaller capacity engines can use very little fuel per kilometre driven.

Apart from the running costs of an old car, insurance premiums could also be a thorn in the side of a younger driver. Fenner notes that higher premiums are charged on newly licensed drivers and youths.

“Running costs aside, the insurance premiums on a smaller-engined car will be much lower than that of a car with a bigger engine. Because children under the age of 25 fall into a ‘high-risk’ category and are more likely to make expensive claims on their insurance than any other age group, it is the wiser choice for them to drive a car with a smaller engine to remove some of the risk associated with driving a more powerful car. “Further, monthly premiums are much higher for first-time insurance buyers,” Fenner states.

Fenner pleads to parents not to fib to insurance companies to keep premiums low, as many parents who have noted that they are the regular drivers in the newly acquired vehicles, have lost claims because the inexperienced driver was at the wheel.

Fenner reiterates that proper and regular maintenance is also cardinal to the safety and proper functioning of the new driver’s first car.

“A properly maintained new car will drive trouble-free for many years. The problem with second-hand cars is that you do not know how they were driven or if they were properly maintained, so there is a bigger risk of breakdown,” he notes.

By acquiring a tracking system, parents will be able to rest assured, as well as keep a watchful eye over how their newly licensed teens drive. The tracking system will also help in negotiating down the monthly insurance premiums by means of real-time tracking and pinpointing the exact location of the vehicle at all times.