Yes, that is exactly what you should tell them. 1  If two clauses are connected with a coordinating conjunction, it's a compound sentence. 2  If two clauses are connected with a subordinating conjunction, it's a complex sentence.
Trains were first- 1784, but cars weren't invented until 1890.
Ferdinand Verbiest invented the first car in the year 1672. It was the first ever car invented and was powered by steam. Verbiest was an experimentalist and a missionary to China. He built his car in China as a toy for the Chinese emperor. Hence, you could rightly say, the first ever car was made in China.