Ongoing car dilemma

[luliski]

Since there are so many people who seem to have opinions about cars here, here's my dilemma:
I live in California and my daughter is in her third year of college in western New York.

I own two cars: a 2002 Honda CR-V, 5 spd manual transmission, AWD with 148k miles on it; and a 2014 Subaru Impreza, automatic transmission with around 35k miles. I've tried to teach my daughter to drive stick, but she' very uncomfortable with it, and just doesn't like driving the CR-V. She learned to drive in the Subaru. Both of the cars are currently in California.

She's getting around at school by taking the campus shuttle and using her boyfriend's car. Next year she's possibly moving further off-campus and may not have access to a campus shuttle. My daughter's boyfriend just got his brother's old car, and is now offering my daughter his Ford Freestyle for $200. Otherwise he will sell it to a "junkyard" for $200. My daughter wants to know if she should buy it.

My inclination is to tell her not to buy the Ford. I am willing to give her the Subaru. The CR-V is fine for me to drive until she graduates. I would rather have her in a reliable car, and I would also rather not be paying insurance on a third car (especially not a bad car). The downsides to having her take the Subaru to school: rust, and she won't have a car to use when she's home on breaks (this is not that big of an issue-my parents live 5 blocks away, have two cars and have said she could use one of theirs).

Anybody have any opinions on this?

 

[Philpug]

Might be worth having the Ford checked out, Spend $100.00..so for $300...you could have a car that lasts a winter or the rest of her school days. Then junk it at the end. You can always send the Subie to her.

 

[Started at 53]

Don’t buy the $200 car

I hate to sound like an old fogie, but she needs to MAN-UP and learn to drive a manual transmission vehicle. It is a skill worth having.

It only takes about 5 minutes:
Take her to a hill/driveway with a slope. Teach her to hold the car in place with the clutch and gas without using the hand break. This teaches the timing engagement of the clutch.

Kids that can’t drive a manual transmission OR change a flat tire drive me nuts! FYI, this includes BOTH of my kids. I just shake my head in dismay. But I am old school and carry my own tire plug kit and air-compressor for when the need arises. Trust me, when you need them, you need them

 

[scott43]

I respectfully disagree that people can learn in 5 minutes!! It SHOULD take 5 mins...but...

I'd give her the Subie. It's not going to rust through in a year or two..it WILL get surface rust but meh... Welcome to the rust belt!

 

[tch]

I'm with Phil. Who knows what the Ford is like; why not invest a bit of money/time to find out.
If your daughter really can't figure out who to take it to, she can check the mechanics files at CarTalk.com

 

[ScotsSkier]

Like Phil says. check out the Ford, Worst case you are out a few hundred bucks (and if it is worth $200 to a junker, you can always get rid of it there!) Will cost you more than that in gas to drive the Subie out there!. If it lasts a year or 2, junk it there when she finishes. Very little downside here, particularly as she has already been driving it!

 

[scott43]

FWIW the Freestyle is probably one of the best Ford vehicles of the last 20 years...

 

[luliski]

Might be worth having the Ford checked out, Spend $100.00..s

Part of my issue with her having a "junker" is being so far away, I have no idea about where she should take the car to have it checked. Also, if she buys it and has problems, where does she take it? Know any good mechanics in Henrietta?

It only takes about 5 minutes

Well, we spent more time than this. She tends to panic whenever she stalls. She also panics if she thinks she's holding up traffic behind her. Maybe when we both have more time she'll learn.

I'd give her the Subie.

This seems like the most hassle-free way to go. She and I are both really busy (although right now I'm recovering from a bike accident and have too much time on my hands), and I dread getting phone calls about a junker car that I feel helpless to do anything about. Although I guess it would be a god lesson for her to start taking her own car to a mechanic, etc. Her boyfriend is kind of a car guy, and he can't wait to get rid of the Ford.

 

[Philpug]

FWIW the Freestyle is probably one of the best Ford vehicles of the last 20 years...

It was a shared platform from Volvo, the same one used with the first generation S60/S80/XC90. Inside you will see everything is in identical locations. IIRC, the transmissions on these were the weakest link.

 

[Philpug]

Part of my issue with her having a "junker" is being so far away, I have no idea about where she should take the car to have it checked. Also, if she buys it and has problems, where does she take it? Know any good mechanics in Henrietta?

Completely understand. IIRC, piece of mind does not come cheap. @Crank is from that neck of the woods.

 

[Dwight]

Part of my issue with her having a "junker" is being so far away, I have no idea about where she should take the car to have it checked. Also, if she buys it and has problems, where does she take it? Know any good mechanics in Henrietta?

hmm, our Subie pron to not need work? Ask the boyfriend, he might now good mechanics.

 

[Dave Marshak]

No $200 cars. CRVs are the official car of Upstate NY. They're more common than pickups in Montana.

Whatever you do, get her out of her boyfriend's car!

dm

 

[luliski]

No $200 cars. CRVs are the official car of Upstate NY.

So, I actually left the CR-V with her at school last year, thinking she would get more comfortable driving stick if she would just drive it. It turned out that her boyfriend loved driving the CR-V, and she drove his car. I got my CR-V back after she called me to say the "check engine" light was on again. That light goes on and off all the time. I've been told it's the catalytic converter, but I'm willing to ignore it for now. She and her boyfriend wouldn't ignore it, and they don't have the money to fix it. The light went off shortly after I started driving across country once again...this is one of the reasons I think the more reliable subie would be less trouble for her to have.

 

[graham418]

Her boyfriend is kind of a car guy, and he can't wait to get rid of the Ford.

I was going to say " take the car for $200, how bad can it be? The boyfriend can always help to fix it" until I read this.
Give her the CRV. Get her some driving lessons on a manual transmission ( save the wear on your clutch.) If she's resistant, explain how it will come in handy later if she ever wants to travel. Any rental car in Europe , Asia , or Africa is going to be a manual transmission.

 

[luliski]

I was going to say " take the car for $200, how bad can it be? The boyfriend can always help to fix it" until I read this.
Give her the CRV. Get her some driving lessons on a manual transmission ( save the wear on your clutch.) If she's resistant, explain how it will come in handy later if she ever wants to travel. Any rental car in Europe , Asia , or Africa is going to be a manual transmission.

That would be great, but she's a full-time student, has a job, and is secretary of the equestrian team, so it would be hard to fit in driving lessons. It's funny, but I think she thinks the CR-V is less reliable than the Ford. Maybe it is. I've tried to give her the Impreza before, but she worries about having a late-model car on campus. So maybe she should just get the Ford (as long as it runs for a while), and we'll junk it when needed.

 

[DanoT]

Forget the Ford as it is not AWD. While AWD is not absolutely necessary, Western NY is in a snow belt the and the CR-V or Subie are better suited for getting to Holiday Valley in Ellicotville.

 

[Muleski]

My wife worked with a college kid this summer and she drove a Freestyle. It looked ancient, and it just kept on running. I know a you ski coach who bought one at a yard sale for about $350, I think four years ago.

I'm sure the BF hates it. Not terribly exciting.

I'd take the cheap and easy route here. College parking lots in Western NY are not so car friendly. And, Subies are not so "ding friendly." That Imprezza will age quickly. Don't do that! Rust aside.

Any shade tree mechanic can work on the Freestyle. So have somebody look at it, and do oil, filter, maybe a D&F on the trans, etc.
If it dies....not much of a loss.

Or, the smart move is what others have suggested. You really need to know how to drive a standard. It's a life skill. The CRV sounds perfect for her. It's a pretty good tradeoff...learn how to drive it, and get a nice car. You know the CRV.

Funny, my 28 year old daughter is about to sell her automatic, and is getting back into a six speed and is delighted!

The Freestyle can take a pretty good beating. Has it taken all that it can?

 

[Muleski]

Forget the Ford as it is not AWD. While AWD is not absolutely necessary, Western NY is in a snow belt the and the CR-V or Subie are better suited for getting to Holiday Valley in Ellicotville.

I though all of the Freestyle's were AWD. No?

 

[François Pugh]

Since there are so many people who seem to have opinions about cars here, here's my dilemma:
I live in California and my daughter is in her third year of college in western New York.

I own two cars: a 2002 Honda CR-V, 5 spd manual transmission, AWD with 148k miles on it; and a 2014 Subaru Impreza, automatic transmission with around 35k miles. I've tried to teach my daughter to drive stick, but she' very uncomfortable with it, and just doesn't like driving the CR-V. She learned to drive in the Subaru. Both of the cars are currently in California.

She's getting around at school by taking the campus shuttle and using her boyfriend's car. Next year she's possibly moving further off-campus and may not have access to a campus shuttle. My daughter's boyfriend just got his brother's old car, and is now offering my daughter his Ford Freestyle for $200. Otherwise he will sell it to a "junkyard" for $200. My daughter wants to know if she should buy it.

My inclination is to tell her not to buy the Ford. I am willing to give her the Subaru. The CR-V is fine for me to drive until she graduates. I would rather have her in a reliable car, and I would also rather not be paying insurance on a third car (especially not a bad car). The downsides to having her take the Subaru to school: rust, and she won't have a car to use when she's home on breaks (this is not that big of an issue-my parents live 5 blocks away, have two cars and have said she could use one of theirs).

Anybody have any opinions on this?

Replying before I read any further. You are right. The $200 junkyard car is nothing but a problem waiting to happen. Give her the Subaru to drive. I would also start saving up for when that 15-year-old Honda needs major work and you need to buy a new car, or maybe sell it now while it's still worth something.

 

[luliski]

I'm sure the BF hates it. Not terribly exciting.

I think this is his main issue with it. It's not fun to drive. He fell for the CR-V when he, my daughter and I drove it from California to New York the summer before last. We went through Yosemite, Nevada, Idaho, the Tetons, Montana, and he did much of the driving. He figured out how to drive stick in the mountains, and it is a fun car to drive. He wanted to buy it, but I don't think he could get the okay from his parents.

I though all of the Freestyle's were AWD. No?

I guess they're not, because this one isn't. But she drove it last winter, no problem. They have some hills, but nothing too big or steep.

I would also start saving up for when that 15-year-old Honda needs major work and you need to buy a new car, or maybe sell it now while it's still worth something.

Good idea, but daughter in college! I have the feeling the CR-V will last until she graduates. I've thought about selling it, and once had a note offering to buy it left under the wiper blade, but I'm pretty attached. The cargo space is awesome for bikes and camping gear.