By BETH HENDERSON
Lifestyles Editor
In true teen-age fashion, the first thing Jermaine Flaggs did when he got his first car last week was to buy speakers for the car stereo.
"Don't you think you need to put some gas in it first?" Flaggs' mom, Gladys, asked him with a smile.
A 16-year-old junior at Greenwood High School, Jermaine had worked odd jobs during the summer months to save up for the white 1994 Mazda, which cost $3,000. Along with his saved money, Flaggs had help from his older brother when it came time to purchase the car.
There comes a time when parents know they must break down and buy their teen that first automobile, but it doesn't have to be a stressful event or even a battle of the wits as long as realistic expectations are set from the beginning.
Price is perhaps the biggest factor that parents are concerned with.
"Most kids have no clue what they can afford," said Philip Lawes, who handles the financial end of car buying at Buddy Jones Ford. "And the amount spent on a car depends on who's paying for it."
Since price is a big factor, many parents and teens agree that a nice used car is the way to go for the first time.
According to an online survey conducted by Autobytel.com, more than 70 percent of both teens and parents are looking for used cars when it comes to a teen's first car purchase. The survey goes on to say that nearly 80 percent plan to spend less than $10,000.
Then, there are things such as safety, insurance, gas mileage and maintenance.
"I know a little bit about car maintenance," said Jermaine. "I do know how to change a flat, and of course, I know how to hook up speakers."
While parents will most likely assume the responsibility for payments and maintenance, many of them expect their teens to fill the gas tank.
"My dad said he would fill my tank once a month to get back and forth to school, but that's it," said Eleanor Guenther, a 17-year-old junior at Pillow Academy. "Any other riding around I do, I will have to pay for."
Guenther and her parents have been looking for nearly two months for a suitable car for her to drive.
"We've been looking at mostly small cars, like the Hondas, Mazdas and Nissans," Eleanor said. "We have a budget, but you know, it's hard for a 17-year-old to think in terms of money. Money is definitely a big issue."
"A lot of my friends have left high school with Volvos, Acuras and fancy cars like that, but I really don't think I want that," Eleanor said. "I talked to my friends who are already at college, and they told me not to bring a nice car to school, because it will just get banged up."
After looking for months, Eleanor was given a Honda Accord on Friday afternoon as a surprise from her parents.
When Mrs. Flaggs considered an automobile for her son, she said she was thinking in terms of insurance.
"The best thing to do is find an old car, pay cash for it and put them on their own insurance," Mrs. Flaggs said. "It was too expensive to put Jermaine on my insurance. He has liability only, now."
She said another determination was the responsibility factor of her son.
"We had to see some things change as far as his maturity. He worked this summer part-time and gained some responsibility," Flaggs said. "He tried to convince me that all his friends were getting cars, but I had to do what was best for me."
Each day, Jermaine drives his car to school, where it must remain until he gets out of school. His mom said a requirement is that she has to know where he is at all times, and no loud music is allowed.
"I have other people looking out for me, and I don't want a car full of people, either," said Mrs. Flaggs.
Jermaine's brother originally wanted him to have a pickup truck, because he felt there would be less room for more riders and he would be less distracted.
Gas mileage was also a big issue, and Jermaine's proud to say that it only cost $14 to fill up his Mazda.
"I'm proud to have this car, and I know I will lose it if I break the rules," Jermaine said.
August and September are generally the busiest time for first-car purchases, according to Mike Turner, who owns a local used-car dealership.
"If a person is wanting to save money on a used car, they need to buy a two- or three-year-old car, because it has already taken the bulk of its depreciation," Turner said. He also offered other suggestions, such as getting an automobile that the teen will want to stay with for a few years.
Turner also added that girls are looking for Honda Accords, Toyota Camrys and Nissan Altimas or Maximas, while boys are looking at pickup trucks and utility vehicles, especially four-wheel drives.
"Parents and teens usually come in together, but the kids have a completely different idea of what they want than the parents," Turner said.
Nay Reed and her husband, William, decided that for their daughter's first car, they would go ahead and buy brand new.
When she was 15, Carrie Reed was given a brand new silver Ford Mustang.
"She's been a good kid, and she's always had good grades," Nay said. "She is very mature and makes good decisions, and we wanted to reward her for that."
The Reeds bought Carrie the car before she could actually drive it by herself.
"We would let her drive the car while we were in there with her, and that allowed her to get acclimated to it. Once she got her license and could drive by herself, she was used to the car and felt more comfortable with it, having driven it for several months with us being with her. And, that worked for us," Nay said.
Of course, the Reeds have set forth some particular rules that must be adhered to, such as nobody else driving the car and no drinking and driving.
Another issue parents look at is the convenience factor. Teens who have younger brothers and sisters can help out with transportation if they have an automobile of their own.
"Carrie's the oldest child, and she can help us out a lot," Nay said.
