One of the most important rites of passage for any teenager is when they get their first car. It is something that marks a real change in their life - having practiced and worried for months about whether they would even pass their test, they suddenly have a kind of freedom that they have never had before. Inevitably, any teen will want a new, cool car. Equally inevitably, sometimes that just isn't possible and they have to make do with a second-hand car or a cheaper model. Whatever the case, our first car is an important moment in our life as much for what it represents as for what it is. If the car itself is not the coolest you have ever seen, then you can at least make it look, sound and feel a bit classier.
One of the first things you can do if you are making a gift of an older car for the newly-mobile teen is to get the car thoroughly cleaned inside and out by a professional. The benefits of doing this are clear. It may not be a new car, but thorough valeting or detailing can make the car look new, or nearly new. Customizing the car is also a step worth taking. This does not mean that you have to add lights and tinted windows and make the vehicle look like a spaceship. What it does mean is making the car "feel" a little bit more like the teen that is going to be driving it. If they are interested in sports like swimming and canoeing, they may well need to put wet equipment into the car come the end of the day. Waterproof seat covers are a godsend in this situation. If their interests are more diverse, the customization can be equally so.
Alternatively, a remote car starter, which retails for around a hundred dollars, can be the little gift that really keeps giving. Starting your car on a cold winter morning before the heater comes on, or on a hot summer morning before the air conditioning has had time to weave its magic can really make a difference from a comfort point of view. There is nothing to beat getting into a warm car on a cold morning, or vice versa. Starting it remotely can allow you this little luxury - and if you give the teen in your life this opportunity they may not get it at first, but on that cold winter morning they will suddenly think you are the greatest!
You will have read the above ideas and may be thinking that the "cool" factor is conspicuous by its absence. It is true that practicality is the major concern of these tips, and this is necessary because there are few teenagers who will go straight to the practical when they are buying things for the car. Nonetheless, as a first car or a driving license often coincides with a birthday it can be a nice thought to get a present that your teen can enjoy rather than one that they need. An iPod docking station or GPS kit can serve a purpose here.
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