Considering trading in my daughter’s Tundra

Wondering what you guys’ thoughts are on this. I handed my 2011 Tundra to my daughter when I got my current one. It’s the main reason I upgraded when I did. She was turning 16, and was in love with my truck. I wanted a crewmax instead of a double cab, and just liked the looks of the gen 3s better.
Now she’s starting college next month at the same school her older sister attends. The biggest problem is that it’s a hassle driving a truck up there. It’s an older town (literally the oldest town in Texas), so the roads around there are narrow. Being a college town, there’s a ton of traffic there. Parking at the school is a major PITA. I hate dealing with it myself when I go to visit.
She went up there last week for orientation. It was her first time driving herself. It was pretty tough for her getting around and parking the Tundra. I’m concerned there’s going to be some dents and dings at some point.
Additionally, I worry that it could draw the wrong kind of attention since it’s pretty flashy. It didn’t concern me so much in our hometown, but she’ll be on her own up there. I may just be paranoid, but I’d like her to draw as little attention as possible.

It’s got 120k on the odometer. I know it’s well built and well taken care of, so there shouldn’t be any issues, but you never know.
Of course, I do really like the fact that the truck is much safer than a car would be if something happens. Obviously in an accident I’d prefer she be in a Tundra versus a car, so there’s that.
I could probably get a pretty decent amount for it via trade in or personal sale. Probably enough to pay most of what a car would cost me. I was thinking along the lines of a Toyota CHR or a Honda HRV like her sister has.

What do you guys think? Does this sound like a reasonable idea, or am I just being a paranoid dad?

 

I would pick up an older camry for around 5k and be done with it, especially if the Tundra is paid for. You will spend more than that difference trading in, and then just sell the car after college.

 

Know what you mean. It will get dings for sure. Wife and mainly me didn’t want our daughter to carry around a bunch of people and need something that got good gas mileage so went out and got her a 2dr single cab Tacoma with a six cylinder and nothing else in there. It even had roll down windows and manual locks!!

 

what does your daughter want?

 

^^Yep, put the Tundra in mothballs until your daughter graduates. Get her a nice used inconspicuous gas friendly car for now if budget permits.

 

She loves the Tundra, hates driving it in limited space.

 

There’d be no point in keeping it just as an extra vehicle. I also don’t want to just pay out of pocket for another one.

 

Ok....another crazy idea... trade it for a RCSB 4X4....easier to park

 

Trade it in on something nice for her.
Tell her when she picks it out she will have to love it for years.
I see a Rav 4 or a Tacoma (If she likes trucks)

 

that's a tough call

 

I have no idea what that is.

 

Congratulations on your daughters next great adventure, your not being paranoid at all. Were on the same boat here, cant go wrong with the Toyota or Honda. We ultimately went with the Subaru crosstrek, due to the fact my wife wanted her to have an all wheel drive and my daughter loved the way the Subaru drove. We are also selling the vehicle she drives now, no need for the extra vehicle if it will not be used...and you being paranoid, shes moving from Ventura Ca to Denton Texas..

 

Regular Cab Short Bed Tundra..

 

That sounds like a plan.

 

She's in a new, totally foreign environment, and she's having the "learn the ropes" all over again. She'll figure out where to park once she learns the place. I would monitor her feelings for a few weeks, and see how she adjusts with the Tundra. If she remains anxious, and wants something different, make a change.

 

That’s another thing. She’s the only one with anything more than a couple of years old. Her sister is actually on her second new one. She got a Honda Fit when she was a senior in high school. It got totaled, so it was replaced with her current one. In that case, we got enough from the insurance company that we barely had to put any money towards another one.
I actually did give her the option when she got my Tundra, but she wanted the truck. Even used, it was worth more than what her sister got. I could’ve traded it for a brand new car and still come out ahead. Now that it’s depreciated a couple more years that’s probably not the case anymore.

To be clear, she’s not asking and hasn’t mentioned it. It’s just my own concerns that have me thinking about it.
Her older sister has suggested that they just share hers up there, since she doesn’t drive it much. The problem with that is she does have to travel out of town in it on occasion, mostly on the weekends when she would need it to get home. That would just be temporary anyway, since her sister graduates next spring.

 

She did drive her sister’s car up there a few months ago. We had it getting repaired after someone rear ended her. When it was ready, she drove it up there and I met them and brought her home. She absolutely hated driving in a car. She’s only driven a truck, so she knows first hand how much better it is.

 

No back seat in my daughter’s car always sounds like a great idea. Did I mention her boyfriend is going to the same college?

 

Never mind guys. My wife just said hell no, so end of discussion.

 

RCSB are the smallest full size tundra ever made, my RWD RCSB is very maneuverable and it has a tight turning circle. If it were me, I would look for a pampered 2005 or 2006 AC Tundra. The 1st generation Tundra are much better in tight situations.

 

Happy wife, happy life

 

She’s all about putting them into the biggest vehicle we can. After my oldest had that accident she’s pretty set on them not driving little cars. That’s why we replaced the Fit with an HRV, because it was at least a little bit larger.

 

Smart kiddo. Minimal hassle for everyone, but they would have to live near each other. Being sisters, they've probably been sharing as long as they remember.

If your older daughter is keeping her car after graduation, and the younger is agreeable to sharing a car until then, it makes a lot of financial sense to keep the Tundra home until graduation. Drive it enough to keep up the battery and circulate the fluids. Then, after the older daughter graduates, let the younger take the Tundra to school. Minimizes your exposure, and it eliminates one more thing for the new freshman to worry about/adjust to...if she's agreeable to share for a few months.

 

......wait...boyfriend going to the same school?....bucket seats, no benchheh....heh

 

How in the **** did you let that happen (as if you had any input)?

 

Hell, I don’t even remember approving boyfriends to begin with. Nobody even asked me if it was ok for him to go to the same college.
Guess it doesn't matter in the long run. My older girl didn’t take one with her, but found one once she got there. Kind of hard for me to say much, considering my wife and I started dating in high school and got married two months after I graduated. That’ll be 25 years ago in a couple of weeks, so I can’t really tell them what a bad idea that was.
At least I know where this one lives and where he and his family sleep at night....

 

Maybe something lke this will help prevent door dings.

 

I’m more worried about her hitting someone else’s. Hers sits a little high, and it has nerf bars. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have any door dings yet after 8 years. It does have a pretty good scratch at exactly the height of a Sonic menu though.....

 

Get her a Chevy bolt. Those things are mini but fast as fuck!

 

Get her a bicycle or scooter for campus