Buying a car for a high school or college student doesn't have to be as frightening as the first time you loaned them the keys to your car.

Still, experts recommend that you consider more than whether you can afford to buy a car. You also need to look at how and under what conditions it will be used and how responsible your child is.

"We did a recent survey by our parent company, and what we found was that kids really do want advice from parents on the issue of buying a car or truck," said Jack Nerad, editorial director at Kelley Blue Book.

One of the first things students want to know is how much money is available. How much is the student expected to contribute to the venture?

Co-signing for an auto loan is usually necessary. But co-signing means that the parent is responsible for making the payments, and missteps could seriously damage a credit record. If a child is not responsible with money, perhaps he is not responsible enough to own a car.

Calculate all the costs of buying and keeping a car.

A four-year loan at 6 percent on a $10,000 car costs $187.88 a month, but there are added costs for perhaps four oil changes a year ($120), replacement parts ($200 a year), repairs ($100), gas ($1,128), insurance ($1,500), initial sales tax at 6 percent ($150) and annual registration ($60). That $187.88 monthly car note becomes about $460 a month.

Some parents think about leasing instead of buying, but the word from Nerad is: Don't. "Leasing provides far fewer options for getting out if it, if you have to do that," he said.

Once you've established how much you're going to spend, you can start looking at vehicles. Consumer Reports rates cars on a host of factors, and Kelley Blue Book and its Web site are excellent places to start.

Be sure to have a used car inspected by a trusted mechanic and check the car's history. Several Web sites can tell you if the car has been in an accident or flood.

What to buy in a used car? "Certainly you want to think about reliability first and foremost. In terms of bargain shopping, Kias, and even more so, Hyundais, might be very good buys because the most recent ones are very reliable, but resale value is not commensurately high," Nerad said.

Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans and some domestic makes such as Chevrolet and Ford also are good candidates because they are inexpensive to maintain.

If you're willing to buy a new economy car, you might find that you can get a better used car or truck for the same money. If you're looking for new cars, check the Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo, which are as nicely equipped as cars costing far more.

Look for anti-lock brakes, side and side head/curtain air bags, and traction and stability control, all of which can save drivers from serious injury or death.

Also consider the cost of insurance, Nerad said. Drivers who are 16 are the riskiest; they have a crash rate that's almost three times higher than 18-year-olds. And, yes, boys cost more to insure.

If your child has good grades, there may well be a student discount rate. And if you have a good driver discount for yourself, your teenager may get a lower rate.

Many companies give big discounts when young drivers have taken a driver training and safety class.

— Don Hammonds' e-mail address is dhammonds@post-gazette.com.