Jul 18, 2015
NevadacityMark So I've been stressing over this for a year and would appreciate feedback. I've an S85 now and of course love it... But I'll be selling it to get the X. Got a low X reservation and need to decide soon about getting the PX or the standard X. I've got a teenage son who will be coming of driving age soon and who of course wants me to get the PX. I want to get the PX myself altho worried about my own speeding tickets, etc. But what I'm really worried about is that my son will kill himself (or others) with ludicrous speed. He is a very responsible kid, but a risk taker, nonetheless (like his Dad). My teenage daughter (older than my son) thinks I would be an idiot and a bad parent to get the PX - She rightfully points out that even our standard S85 (Tessie) is crazy fast and that her brother would be tempted to use the PX power in dangerous ways. She also thinks spending $30K for more power is just stupid, stupid, stupid. She, however, is not a car aficionado like my son or myself. Have any of you other Dads wrestled with this dilemma??? One friend suggested I just keep it in valet mode when I'm not driving, but I don't think that's practical or very respectful. I really am torn up about this... He will be driving the new X sometimes.�
Jul 18, 2015
AEdennis Is Valet mode an option for this dilemma?�
Jul 18, 2015
saladman Get him a used LEAF. No kid is responsible enough to handle these machines on day 1. There's a reason pilots have to get some basic training, then go for advanced high performance ratings afterward.�
Jul 18, 2015
dsm363 Even the regular version will be quick enough to get into trouble. Get the Performance version for yourself but I probably wouldn't let a teenager get into that car by himself especially if he has friends with him to be pressured into trying to show off the acceleration. Hopefully they'll come out with a 'teenager mode' that limits the performance but until then the Valet mode you and AEdennis mentioned above would be a good solution. I'd imagine most teenagers would be willing to take the time to try and crack the PIN though if it's only 4 digits. I know you're not a fan of Valet mode but think about what you would do when you were a teenager if given a 3.3 second car and you were out with your friends.�
Jul 18, 2015
Electric700 Or a Chevrolet Spark EV or Ford Focus EV (which both have good battery thermal management, like the Model S). The LEAF does not.�
Jul 18, 2015
S'toon If it were me I'd go with a Smart ED. Only 2 seats, so can't get into trouble with a gang of friends in tow. 78mph so not going to get in trouble speeding. Range is 76 miles city, 59 hwy and 68 combined, so not going to get into trouble going on road trips.�
Jul 18, 2015
NigelM As you're considering these issues in advance it sounds like you're being a good dad already. There's nothing disrespectful about protecting your son's life, even if you're protecting him from himself. Same goes for the practicality aspect.�
Jul 18, 2015
AnxietyRanger Good thinking ahead.
Sounds like an improvement suggestion for Tesla, something midway between Valet Mode and full-on, a Parental Controls mode if you will - maybe programmed to a secondary key.
I don't think Valet Mode would be too bad either, if you'd talk it through. Given a choice of don't drive and drive in Valet Mode, I'm sure he'll make the right choice.
�
Jul 18, 2015
Merrill You will get many different responses to your question, I'm a car guy but my 60 has plenty of power for me. If I do purchase the Model X I will probably not get the P, after all it will be an SUV and used to go to the snow. How fast do you need to go, if you want power buy a Ferrari or a Jaguar F Type R.�
Jul 18, 2015
BoerumHill I have a 16 y.o. who will be a senior this fall. There is zero chance he'll ever be behind the wheel of my Model S. I never drove the '65 Mustang, '68 Corvette or '76 Spyder. 'twas never an issue about which toys were mine and which were his.
My son has a six year old HHR I gave him last year. I thought I was spoiling him. Then I took a look around the school parking lot. SMH
When he goes off to college I might get him a LEAF. It's an engineering school and BEVs are right in his wheelhouse.�
Jul 18, 2015
CatB ^^^This!!!
There is *nothing* wrong with letting him earn the right to drive it out of valet mode, say if he gets to age 18 without any accidents or tickets.
And while I respect your daughter's opinion, this is your decision. It's not stupid for you to enjoy the fruits of your labor and maturity.�
Jul 18, 2015
taurusking Well said NigelM
@NevadacityMark: As people suggested let your son drive other EV like Nissan Leaf and I am not a favorite of smart EV and they are so small and I don't trust their crash ratings ...you son could drive X or PX when you are in the car with him.
Sounds like your daughter is more thoughtful and right. I cannot tell you whether to get X or PX ...it depends on one's preference.
I chose S85 because my wife thoughts are in the same line as your daughter's...spending $$ for extra speed is not worth it... Like you I disagree with their statements but nonetheless I am very happy with my S85 car and its acceleration.�
Jul 18, 2015
Electric700 Great points. May be consider giving him some driving freedom in the Model X, but with an adult in the car too until he gets a good amount of experience. Sometimes it's also about the reaction time as teenagers have to learn to respond correctly and quickly in certain situations.
This brings back memories. One of the things I learned after I started to drive was to slow down in some cases when I need to change lanes, allowing the other car to pass. Then I would get over. This is especially helpful when you only have 200 feet of road left in front of you, and it's a highway merge!�
Jul 18, 2015
Galve2000 Get the car you want to get irrespective of how responsible your son is. if he wants to, he can get into a lot of trouble in a standard X. sure, the PX will be faster, but you are really splitting hairs here. If you want the P, get the P. If you feel a standard X will suffice, get that and save some $$.
just my $0.02�
Jul 18, 2015
BrianC I wouldn't let my theoretical child anywhere near my 100k+ death machine, they can slum it in the $500 POS that I had to rock until I learned how to actually drive.�
Jul 18, 2015
tezzla If my dad let me drive it in valet mode, I'd enter 9999 numbers!�
Jul 18, 2015
BoerumHill This. But parents are different these days. Not much you can do about folks feelings about entitlement.�
Jul 18, 2015
davidc18 As a parent myself, my teenagers are driving our 2009 Smart or 2011 Odyssey. No Tesla driving for them.�
Jul 18, 2015
Tamar Do you let him into your liquor cabinet?
I hope that there are not many parents who let their teenagers take the Telsa out for joyriding (or what teens say will be "everyday driving" until they're out of parents' sight). It's irresponsible on so many levels. It could ruin your son's life and the lives of many others if he acts like a teenager in a Tesla.�
Jul 18, 2015
techmaven My teenage son has driven my P85. Initially, only when we were in the car with him. Now with about a year of driving it on occasion with us, he has taken it a few times, but with no one else and not at night. The Model S is the safest car we own including the GL450. Of course, you have to evaluate your kids. Driving friends around is a no no.�
Jul 18, 2015
AnxietyRanger I'm not sure a $500 POS is the safest choice for a child either.�
Jul 18, 2015
SmartElectric We have both an S85 and a Smart ED. My son will be driving soon, and it will be in the Smart. It has 8 airbags and a safety cell passenger compartment design. I trust the crash ratings, and since it only has room for one passenger,it removes the possibility of transporting too many friends who want to see how fast the car can go.
I survived an accident in my youth as a passenger in a high powered car, we were wrapped around a fire hydrant on my passenger side, I went to open the door and it fell off...no sh#t.
My son will have the same opportunities to be stupid that I had, but not with the Tesla.�
Jul 18, 2015
O-G Many, many, many years ago when I was 16, my father bought an old beat up Mercedes diesel for my brother and I to drive. It was a heavy, heavy vehicle with less horsepower than a Volkswagen. 4 speed manual on the column, I think it topped out at 70MPH downhill with a tailwind. Best decision my parents ever made. I'd probably be dead with anything like a Performance Tesla at that age. These cars have such incredible performance and handling. They don't spin out going around a corner, they don't burn rubber with too much acceleration, but when you cross the line the results are typically catastrophic. I witnessed a kid roll a BMW going around a corner too fast. Crazy good traction control in a BMW until you push it too far. (BTW my father also sold the family trail motorcycle the week before I turned 16 so that I would not ride it on the streets. That too was a good decision although it sure ticked me off at the time.)�
Jul 18, 2015
Krugerrand 16 year old boy + Tesla any model = bad idea. And I don't care how responsible and mature he is. Love the other suggestions for EV's if you want to go that route. Otherwise, what happened to making a kid get a part time summer job to buy a beater that they have to spend all week working on until midnight to fix up just so they can cruise main street on Saturday night, and have it die just as they return home? I have just dated myself, haven't I?�
Jul 18, 2015
BoerumHill
More figurative than literal. Can you even buy a car that runs for that little?
As I said on page one, I got my kid a very solid first car. But no way he's driving a a Tesla on my dime.�
Jul 18, 2015
NigelM Yes.�
Jul 18, 2015
Uncle Paul Any high powered vehicle in the hands of a young, inexperienced driver is frought with danger.
First bikes have training wheels for a reason.�
Jul 18, 2015
AnxietyRanger Agreed. Safety technology (crumple zones, stability control, non-locking brakes, various sensors) certainly has evolved over time, so the safest choice is probably something that has relatively modern safety, sufficient size (size is still safety), bright exterior color and sufficiently (but not dangerously) modest performance. No RWD is probably a good call too.�
Jul 18, 2015
caddieo The magazine Scientific American had a recent issue devoted to "The Teenage Brain" that categorically emphasizes the lack of responsibility, maturity and proper executive function until the early 20's.�
Jul 18, 2015
tga Sure you can. You can even take them racing: 24 Hours of LeMons - Home
ABS is 20+ years old. Stability control is 15+ years old. If buying a car for the 16 year old is an option, there are plenty of safe (ICE) options in the 10+ year old beater category. Not that I'm entirely convinced that a teenager needs (or deserves) their own car. My first car was Dad's 4 year old, 100K mile hand-me-down as a college graduation present. It was a station wagon with fake wood paneling, and it was awesome. :biggrin:
I'm not really sure how I would handle being lectured by my teenage daughter like that. Probably not well, I imagine. :cursing:�
Jul 18, 2015
AnxietyRanger Obviously many of the technologies I listed first appeared in (high-end) cars decades ago. However, even those technologies have greatly evolved since - and may have become available in lower-cost cars only later. Also, old cars with wear and tear may not have the same level of safety they did when they were new. Sensorology has also evolved leaps and bounds, with things like both front and rear crash radars are still not all that common.
Anyway, I was not trying to put a too fine a point on the age of the car. Obviously a responsible parent will make an overall assessment on what the safety merits of the particular car are, what the budget can be and so forth. A safe car, of course, doesn't have to mean a brand new (or inventory�
Jul 18, 2015
Merrill When I was 16 I had a POS that I tried to fix up, and from that I learned the value of owning something and taking care of it. My parents said they would sell the car to me for $150 and I had to pay for the gas and insurance. Did not own my first NEW car until I was 40. Always had cars that needed continual repairs, so when I could finally afford a new car I really appreciated it. I have friends that bought there kids a new car to go to college, just wonder if they will appreciate them.�
Jul 18, 2015
SeminoleFSU + 1 let your son show he can take care of a reasonable car before buying him something this expensive and powerful�
Jul 18, 2015
Canuck Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.1
How big is the problem?
In 2011, about 2,650 teens in the United States aged 16�19 were killed and almost 292,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.1 That means that seven teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries.
Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.3
http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html
�
Jul 18, 2015
Drucifer I wouldn' t do a Leaf. I would do a Volt. Better crash rating - 5 stars - good thing for a teenager to have..�
Jul 18, 2015
S'toon Nah. I'd rather have a pure (non-Tesla) EV for a teenager. Not so easy to get in trouble in.�
Jul 18, 2015
stevej119 Safety for whom? It's so common that we want our children to be driving large cars "so they will be safe." There are two sides of that coin. As much as we want our kids to be safe, putting them behind the wheel of a Suburban or even a Tesla "so they will be safe" is selfish. I believe there should be a weight limit to what you can drive below a certain level of driving experience as well as above a certain age. Sure "size is still safety" from the inside of the vehicle, but the larger the size of the vehicle one drives recklessly, the greater the extent of the injuries to the innocent victims who are hit. If someone feels their child needs a big car to protect them from themselves, then don't let them have a license.
- - - Updated - - -
Absolutely. High crash rating to protect the driver, small call to do less damage to others in an accident.
- - - Updated - - -
Because they can't travel far?�
Jul 18, 2015
AlMc http://my.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/valet-mode-improvement-suggestions-0
My favorite subject.
I take exception to the 'entitlement' statement as my concerns are safety driven. If you want your teenager driving the safest car available with the longest range (think avoiding late night supercharging in a questionable location), you are looking at an 85/90 model S. However, while my daughter appears to be a safe and responsible driver I would like better control of her ability to tap into the acceleration and top speed on this vehicle. So, Valet mode is a start.
'Safe mode' has been my request to TM and I invite any others that agree to send TM an email.
Thanks�
Jul 18, 2015
AnxietyRanger Realistically, most parents are probably pretty selfish about their children's safety. That wasn't my point, though - I said sufficient size. I don't disagree with your post at all or the moral of the story. Beyond that, liability is a risk too, of course. Nobody wants their kids in jail because they rode someone over with too large a car, so there's that.
For an American, perhaps sufficient size reads out as an F150, to me it reads something a little larger than a Renault Twingo. In many parts of Europe young people often drive small cars - of course different legislation means younger teenagers in Europe roll around in microcars made out of plastic - so just to explain how I think of size. Maybe I should have simply said, a car of normal size.�
Jul 18, 2015
S'toon Correct. I don't know the speed of the various EVs, but the Smart ED has a top speed of 78mph, so not a speedster also.�
Jul 18, 2015
AnxietyRanger Seeking a compromise on size: I would probably consider if Smart ED, like Renault Twingo, was too small for teenagers. The likelihood of a crash is much higher in that stage of car ownership and with small cars crumple zones are naturally less, the Smart of course being an extreme example. I like Smart as a car, but just to go with my "sufficient size" point, I think a size class or two upwards, the safety for occupants and safety for bystanders ratio could be more optimal.
I do get the point of a single passenger, that is a valid point. And safety ratings mean size isn't everything. One more point, though: experience with microcars in Europe (also limited to two) has shown teenagers tend to pack an extra passenger (sometimes even more than that) illegally in the tiny trunk and the front passenger seat. That may be even more dangerous, if the driver doesn't have sufficient space to operate the vehicle, and of course is dangerous in the event of a crash for occupants because there aren't enough seatbelts for all. Kids can be resourceful at times.
So, it is of course a multi-faceted issue and any decisions must be made based on what makes sense for the individual situation.�
Jul 18, 2015
S'toon What isn't known that well, is the Smart is built around a crash cage. The entire passenger's compartment, they call it a tridion safety cell.�
Jul 18, 2015
SmartElectric The Smart ED is easy to drive safely because the driver is keenly aware of everything around, the visibility is beyond compare. The quiet electric drive means easier to hear people or other vehicles around it. I consider it the perfect city runabout.
My son didn't like to be seen in it with me,but would love to drive it. ;-)
Plus, fixing it is far less expensive than practical anything else, as the exterior panels are plastic and easily replaceable.
Love it.�
Jul 18, 2015
AnxietyRanger Smart has great safety for its size, no doubt. I really like Smart. I was merely wondering if the best "compromise" size for safety for teenagers wouldn't be something a little above that size-wise. Of course any bigger car with worse safety record wouldn't be an improvement.
Smart has truly been an innovator in many areas, they used to have (do they still?) these vending machines you could buy cars from, like a can of soda. Something that we might expect from the likes of Tesla perhaps. Were it not for their petrolhead mother company, maybe they could have been even more innovative and trailblazing in the BEV sector.
It is true visibility is important too, so a car with great visibility sounds good for younger drivers especially.�
Jul 18, 2015
NevadacityMark You guys have been great... lots of helpful food for thought!! Haven't made a final decision yet but it'll be a better one for your input... and I have decided to go only with Valet if/when my son takes it alone. thanks!!�
Jul 18, 2015
pmadflyer I drive a 2002 Honda Accord with fading black paint, and no safety features beyond the non-retracting seat belt and recalled airbag, but I couldn't ask for more. As a junior in Civil Engineering classes, I'm just trying to get to the point where I'm financially stable enough to seriously start financing a house and a Model 3.
Give your son a Leaf and let him use the S on occasion, with the condition he detail it afterward. He gets the safety of a modern electric car, and you get a sparkling Model S.
Also, the valet mode is definitely recommended. I know from three scientific experiments that the '02 Accord, "easily," gets up to 105 mph. In hindsight, that was really stupid and I'm never doing it again.�
Jul 18, 2015
TexasEV To the OP-- your daughter is a smart girl. You should listen to her.�
Jul 18, 2015
pvogel The teenage brain (and, in fact, until about age 26) is fundamentally incapable of accurately evaluating risk. That's why X games, etc. are filled
With youngsters doing things that anyone approaching their 30's would walk away from as insane and likely to result in traumatic brain injuries. It's also why, no matter how 'responsible' a kid is, you should no-way, no-how allow them behind the wheel of a car with the performance of a Tesla, even an S60! I'm waiting for my MX so I don't know the details of valet mode, but if it's 4 digits and doesn't have a lock out after a certain number of failed tries, I wouldn't even do that. I was a very responsible teenager, but I SMH when I look back at some of the risks I took and I would have considered Valet mode a challenge to beat, not because I wanted the full performance but because it was there!�
Jul 18, 2015
ItsNotAboutTheMoney A Volt is around 3,800lbs. Plenty of weight to do damage to others.�
Jul 18, 2015
wallet.dat One thing to keep in mind is that no matter how responsible he is, his first car is going to find every curb, pothole, light post and bumpers of other peoples cars. I suggest just getting him something you won't mind taking a little battle damage.�
Jul 19, 2015
tga And be cheap to fix when he does...�
Jul 19, 2015
anticitizen13.7 I was actually going to recommend a Honda Accord� with a manual transmission.
A 4-cylinder Accord is big enough to be safe, peppy but not overly powerful, and handles well. A manual transmission also forces the driver to pay attention, because it's difficult if not impossible to drive and eat/text/talk at the same time.�
Jul 19, 2015
SW2Fiddler Your post serves as a warning to those of us who name our cars. I think there are 23,791 Teslas out there named Tess.
When the time comes for a second one, you can't name that one Tess, too.
(Tesla is a man's last name, anyway!)
As a shareholder, I want you to get every profit-packed option available. As a dad, I think you already know in your gut what path to take! Very interesting topic and look at all the discussion it's generated - thanks for letting us try to help.�
Jul 19, 2015
AlMc I do feel a very real solution to the dilemma is an improved 'valet mode'.....a more user friendly/adjustable 'safe mode'. As TM does not offer this yet I agree that letting a teenager drive any version of an '85 may put too much power in the hands of an inexperienced driver. So, the dilemma: Do you put your son/daughter in an S in 'valet mode' as it is the safest car for the occupants on the road today OR get them a 'less safe for the occupants' vehicle with far less power? I can't answer that for everyone, but for my only daughter, I will pick the former and hope for a 'safe mode' from TM over time.�
Jul 19, 2015
ryanjm Setting aside my personal belief that every kid should start with the worst car he'll ever own so that he learns to appreciate the value of earning better cars and taking care of them rather than taking things like a P90D Model X for granted at such a young age, I don't think you're being "impractical" or "disrespectful" towards your son with valet mode. I'd suggest, as others in this thread already have, that you're doing the opposite: you're exercising good parenting skills.
Though I would again agree with others in this thread to never let your 16-year-old behind the wheel of the X -- performance model or not -- and get him his own, age- and driving experience-appropriate car. I know many parents like to try and justify getting their children nice cars by crying "But [INSERT EXPENSIVE CAR] is so safe!" but really there are PLENTY of low-cost, teenager-appropriate cars that will keep them safe should they or someone else on the road do anything stupid.�
Jul 19, 2015
tga And, arguably, it's a skill in which all "car aficionados" (to use the OP's term) should be highly proficient (despite today's fascination with DSG/SMG/other silly clutchless manu-matics).�
Jul 19, 2015
S'toon I know the OP has said he'll allow the son to drive it with the Valet Mode only. However, consider this. If he didn't go for the P option, he'd save enough to buy a Smart ED for his son, giving his son a "trainer" vehicle. :tongue:�
Jul 19, 2015
mwulff Teenager and a Tesla (in any mode) is almost certainly a crash waiting to happen. Possibly fatal. No teenage driver with a freshly minted license should be given a Tesla. Simply too dangerous.
And even if no accidents happen you run the risk of dents, scrapes, parking damage and so on. And the aluminium body is really expensive to fix.
I would say cheap used leaf. It's safe and not too powerful. And it's smaller and more manueverable. Perfect for the first 4-5 years of driving.�
Jul 19, 2015
dsm363 Used Volt would be an excellent option.�
Jul 19, 2015
gjunky Our daughter was in a number of accidents when she was a teenager. One of those was a rollover where the entire roof was smashed to become the height of the hood followed by a call from the local hospital. She was luckily fine with just a few bruises. This was in an Nissan Altima btw. We had a Thunderbird for a short while. She left a 20ft tire mark on the sidewalk with it after being upset with a boyfriend one day. Needless to say, she was grounded from driving more then she was able to drive. We had her turn in her license after a/the accidents.
I would never let a teenager drive any expensive car. If you really feel you need to buy him a car, find a cheaper safe one he can do less damage in, both to himself as well as others. We found out that the best thing to do was to make her pay for her own car. This was the one she was more careful with. We of course made sure we could approve her car purchase choice.
Buy what you feel is right for you. It doesn't give your kids any rights to share it.
Just my $0.02 worth after dealing with a very irresponsible teenager who is now a very responsible adult :smile:�
Jul 19, 2015
yak-55 Advice follows, but you asked for it. Its value is equal to what you paid for it ...
I was in this predicament and chose to:
1). Buy a Toyota Corolla for my kids to learn to drive (Safe, Slow, Boring, Reliable, Cheap to Insure and Repair)
2). Let him drive that till he went off to college (with the Corolla)
3). Then, after the teenagers were out of the house, bought a P85D for me ! (Son is home for the summer so the car stays in Valet mode unless I'm driving it.)
The timing on the P85D availability happened to work for me.
You could ... keep the S85 and enjoy that, and get him something safe, slow, cheap, and reliable (perhaps even battery powered).
Get yourself whatever the latest-and-greatest P version is in a few years. Trust me, the time will pass quickly.
PS. While I don't allow my son to drive my P85D without me in the car, he has enjoyed a few supervised insane launches ...
YMMV, but my son (in one piece) is far more valuable to me than any car. All the references to poor judgement in the teenage years
are universally valid in my experience. Unlikely your children are different ... no matter how much you might want them to be.
Be safe.�
Jul 19, 2015
meloccom Just a note about the Smart For Two, the original petrol version rates 3 stars in the Euro crash tests and it holds up pretty well based on this UK Fifth Gear video.�
Jul 19, 2015
S'toon I looked it up yesterday, but didn't bother posting it, but the Smart ED has a 4 star crash rating..�
Jul 19, 2015
JimmyB I've done something very similar to this: I've a 1987 Audi 4000 Quattro waiting for my (nearly 17yo) daughter to get her licence. It's imperative to me that she learn to drive a stick. Of course it would be useful if she actually showed an interest in learning to drive, but at least until then I get to enjoy the Audi.
No way she'll be anywhere near my X (when it arrives) without me or my mrs riding shotgun.�
Jul 19, 2015
Chris TX Get the kid a Volt. Saves on gas AND it limits the number of passengers to 3. He can even drive around 40 miles for "free" before having to pay for his own fuel. IF I still have my Volt when my oldest turns 16, she'll get it for those reasons.�
Jul 19, 2015
dsm363 And it reinforces learning to plug in a car with hopes that when it is time to buy their first car on their own it might be a BEV.�
Jul 19, 2015
S'toon Good sound reasoning.�
Jul 19, 2015
anticitizen13.7 I don't know if it would matter to kids today, but when I was a new driver, my "hand me down" Accord with a 5-speed manual gave me some street cred, haha. My classmates almost all drove automatics... even 20 years ago the manual was a source of great curiosity to my peers.�
Jul 19, 2015
Bgarret Interesting Q&A. I think the safest car, regardless of crash ratings or anything else, is a car they buy themselves. They will respect it more. Mine was a hand-me-down 1976 Buick Skyhawk I had to buy from my older brother after he bought it from my dad. My 12 year old son is a gear head that rebuilds cars with his grandpa and can weld. I would never put him in the position to fail so miserably by having him drive my (future) X. Can you imagine if you backed it into a pole at school and had to bring it home to your dad and tell him you creased his "baby". I'm in my mid-40s and the X will be my first new car. If my son shows himself a good driver in the 15yr old pickup he will inherit from his grandfather, he may be able to take it to senior prom - in valet mode.�
Jul 19, 2015
bsbomber My oldest daughter will be driving in 5 more years. Her first car will be a Volt. Until the Model S came around, the Volt was winning awards including one for High-strength steel. The Chevy Volt is an excellent choice for a teenager. I might sell our 2013 Volt when we get a Model X, but I will buy her a used one when she turns 16.�
Jul 19, 2015
A.G. I don't understand why not keep it in valet mode when he drives it. I assume its not going to be HIS car, so whenever he drives it, make sure it is in valet mode. Besides the name, there is nothing disrespectful about it. It limits acceleration and top speed, which sounds like what you want to do. It will probably also be one of the safest car's on the road like the Model S, so you have that benefit as well.
As far as practicality, when Valet mode came out, the release notes said that you could activate valet from the APP on your phone with the next version of the APP. Now, this is Tesla, so we dont know exactly when this will come out, but it is something to consider.
Here is my advise:
If you can afford it, and you want it (which it sounds like you do), get the PX. Before ordering tell him a couple of things.
1) I am only making this order if you agree to be completely responsible with the car. Tell him if you dont feel confortable with the way he is driving it, he will either not be allowed to drive it in the future, or it will go back (just a threat)
2) I will be watching your driving on the APP, and will be looking at the energy logs when you get back, so I will always know if you are behaving irresponsibly. (This is probably another reason why a Tesla is better than other cars as you can watch what they are doing)
3) I am only getting this car as long as you agree that whenever you are in the drivers seat, the car will be in valet mode no if's, and's or but's.
Just my $.02�
Jul 19, 2015
dsm363 VisibleTesla can alert you if the speed goes above a certain value too. Could mention that.�
Jul 19, 2015
jerjozwik fun thread, if i had anything with balls when i was an early driver i probably would be dead already. i grew up with a 4 cylinder dodge caravan, even then i almost flipped the thing taking a long left turn back in michaigan. when my sister lent me her 4.0 jeep cherokeee, i wanted to jump snow banks with it.
any parent that lets there kid [early driving age] near a tesla drivers seat is... in my opinion, asking for disaster. yah sure they will mope, and say your a bad parent. but an alive pissed off sad kid is better than a dead happy tesla driving one.
glad i will never have to struggle with this!�
Jul 19, 2015
gjunky Have you met a responsible teenager in a car? Almost all of them will do something stupid especially with their friends there. No talking or reasoning (funny already) will help with this in my opinion.�
Jul 19, 2015
S'toon My first vehicle wasn't a top of the line luxury vehicle. It was a Ford panel van I bought from a neighbour for $500. It was a piece of junk.�
Jul 19, 2015
Blossom Another consideration for dealing with out-of-control teenagers is to give them somewhere they can push boundaries safely. If the son is into cars and wants to go fast, then why not get him some track experience? He'll quickly learn how easy it is to screw up and be off the track and into the dirt. Learning boundaries while carting will make him less inclined to push them at inappropriate places (i.e. where someone could get killed).
As an added benefit, you could learn something about racing as well and that would be a great father/son activity.�
Jul 20, 2015
yobigd20 you don't need the P.�
Jul 20, 2015
Merrill The P that I would buy him is a POS.�
Jul 20, 2015
A.G. Why would he have his friends in the car? From what I understand, this is his dads car that he may use occasionally. If this is his daily driver, then obviously he would not get any Tesla in my opinion. But if this is his dad's, just put it in valet mode every time he uses it. It literally makes the car as fast as a Prius, while still being incredibly safe. Win for everybody no??�
Jul 20, 2015
BoerumHill NOTE - this is not the OP.
So you plan to let your daughter drive a Model S? The reasoning is its the safest vehicle for her and her occupants?�
Jul 20, 2015
Drucifer Hell, my wife refuses to drive my Model S. Too big - too powerful - too easy to curb a rim or worse. The LOVES to be the passenger though. She prefers that I drive anyways, since she would rather not drive generally.�
Jul 21, 2015
SwedishAdvocate I haven�t read this entire thread.
And I�m only a layman when it comes to car crash safety.
But my guess is that if anyone thinks the Smart is a safe car, then they�re delusional.
BUT�
What does Vicky Butler-Henderson say at ~8:05?
PLEASE DO NOTE the following in the beginning of the video immediately above:
More here:
Smart EV (or ED) - Post #179 | TMC
�and here:
Saved by smart fortwo structure - Post #2 | TMC
If I were you and living in the US and could afford it, I would at least see to it that my children drove something the size of a Volvo C30/S40, VW Golf, Ford Focus EV, Toyota Prius or Chevy Volt. Note though, that I can�t vouch for the safety of any of those vehicles. You�ll have to do your own due diligence.�
Jul 21, 2015
Canuck I got a Nissan Leaf for my kids because of the safety ratings:
2012LEAF Crash-Test Ratings
So I get a call from my daughter, 18, crying so much I can barely understand her (my heart sinks) as she tells me she's been in an accident:
The accident is close to home, so I race over. She was rear ended by a truck while waiting at a light and pushed into the car in front of her. She was hit by a 17 year old male driver, and pushed into a 18 year old female driver. All three vehicles had "N" 's on them (required for new drivers - L for one year, while "Learning" then "N" for one year while being a "New" driver). Thankfully, she wasn't pushed into oncoming traffic, or the road in front with traffic.
The Leaf is now in the shop being repaired. The estimate is $17 to $20k. I thought it would be written off (it's damaged to the front too but not as bad - only bumper damage) but Leafs up here cost a lot more than in the States (and with the tank in our dollar it's not worth importing them anymore - mine is used from Washington State when our dollar was at par). I wanted it fixed since the actual cash value is not worth taking - and I have taken such good care of the battery.
The important thing is my daughter, and everyone else in the accident, are okay. I posted earlier in this thread the fact that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers. Scary. That's why I got her a Leaf. She really can't go anywhere with it and that suits me just fine!�
Jul 21, 2015
AEdennis @Canuck
Glad that all the people involved were relatively unharmed.�
Jul 21, 2015
SwedishAdvocate I am of course also glad to hear that no one was hurt.
Unfortunately though, there is one test missing from that summary:
2014 Nissan Leaf 40 mph small overlap IIHS crash test
Overall evaluation [of the small overlap IIHS crash test]: Poor
Source: Vehicle details 2014 Nissan Leaf | IIHS
�
Jul 21, 2015
BoerumHill Oh, dang. Glad she's alright brother.
My son is your girl's age, and my daughter is a decade apart. Probably gonna get that call one day, and I can just imagine how you felt at that moment.
Glass, metal & rubber can all be repaired/replaced...glad to hear ALL the kids involved came away unhurt.�
Jul 21, 2015
Canuck Mine's a 2012 and IIHS gave it a "top safety pick":
Vehicle details
But after I bought it I did see that further test and it's not good. But it's not many cars can sustain that type of a crash without injuries. That's why I got a Leaf to keep her off the highways where head on collision are more common.�
Jul 21, 2015
SmartElectric Safety is important, my Smart ED has 8 air bags, safety cell, stability and traction control, anti lock brakes, and more. My son won't be taking it on any major highway, as that is not permitted in the initial phase of his license. It's infinitely more safe than the 1972 Plymouth Satellite that I had access to at his age...and look how I turned out. ;-)�
Jul 21, 2015
JimmyB You have to wonder what they were thinking when they named it the Smart ED ...
Canuck, glad your daughter's OK. I remember causing my parents similar heart-stopping moments. Thankfully my daughter hasn't, yet.�
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