What Car – Teen Addition

m4ff3w wrote: My kids first cars with be X1/9s. Safe, slow, can avoid accidents, can't fit more than one other hooligan and not much room to "play" with the significant other.

My first car was an X1/9 and let me tell you, you can find ways to "play" with the significant other.

Every other point is spot on though, they're even great in snow.

mtn wrote: Just out of curiosity, how old are you? I ask because for my dads generation, he could have bought a car and gone to school. With me and the cost of school today, I'd up to my eyeballs in debt if the parents hadn't paid for school--let alone even thinking about a car. Granted, I have worked my ass off and nearly all of it goes to school, but I'm still far short of where I'd need to be. This isn't to say I don't think I'm spoiled--I was 17 and driving a BMW convertible for crying out loud!

21 years old.

I always forget how weird the USofA's education (along with healthcare system) is. How much is your tuition for a year of school? In socialist Canada, its $5k plus books here (for almost anything engineering related, diploma or degree). I have not paid for my three years total of education, as my parents were kind enough to do that. I have paid rent though (and not lived with my parents except for during one summer), averaging $800/month for 3 years (not including other expenses). That is about ALL they have payed for since I was 16.

However, if you are trying to tell me $1k couldn't be saved up to buy a reliable car, stop blowing smoke up my butt. I bought my first car when I was 16 for $1600 (so I was in grade 11). And that was working at minimum wage ($5.85/h). So, still spoiled either way, when the kid could do hard work and earn it for themselves.

As a former insurance lawyer, I have always recommended two seater cars for teens. Fewer people to urge the driver to do something stupid.

Volvo 240 or the S10 / Ranger are really good ideas.

No matter what you intend to buy do yourself this favor....
Before buying call your insurance agent and ask, "if I buy a XXXX, how much will it cost me to insure it?" You may be surprised. As an example, typically, soft top Jeeps are very expensive to insure a new driver on.

Nobody's mentioned the Ford ZX2.

1987 Honda Accord. Safe, handles well, easy to fix, cheap to buy parts for, and you can find them in my back yard all day long. Literally.

A naturally aspired 3000gt/ Stealth was my first car and is a great choice! Cool, quick (not fast), well built, reliable (especially the SOHC), not to bad to work on, and safe (the frame on these cars is very strong!)

I think all of them have driver side air bags standard and later ones had passenger side standard too. You can buy nice ones all day for 2500-5000$! This is mine and I have owned it going on 4 years and have only done routine service to the car!

I vote Civic hatch. They're always fun for a young guy to have, and they can haul people. You can't beat the aftermarket, and if you make him work on it himself, it'll be a great learning experience.

Hey W124 was suggested. Any thoughts on the W201? In other words the MB 190 from 1983-1992.

Thanks. RS

Under 25 and a Civic = raped on insurance.

You're up here in the Pac NW. I say Subaru, think 90's Legacy. AWD, slower than molasses, but still "cool". Nice and safe with airbags galore as well.

HiTempguy wrote: How much is your tuition for a year of school? However, if you are trying to tell me $1k couldn't be saved up to buy a reliable car, stop blowing smoke up my butt. I bought my first car when I was 16 for $1600 (so I was in grade 11). And that was working at minimum wage ($5.85/h). So, still spoiled either way, when the kid could do hard work and earn it for themselves.

Total cost for tuition, room board, food, etc. for me at a state school is about 21,000 a year.

I'm not saying that the 1K couldn't be saved up. I had that much saved after a summer of work at the age of 13, twice that the next year, and more every summer since. And then I promptly put 90-95% of it in the bank for college.

Sultan wrote: Hey W124 was suggested. Any thoughts on the W201? In other words the MB 190 from 1983-1992. Thanks. RS

I think its a great car, although thats just from reading stuff about it. Never actually looked at one. A local guy here studied with MB in Germany, and seems to think its about the greatest car ever.

VanillaSky wrote: 1987 Honda Accord. Safe, handles well, easy to fix, cheap to buy parts for, and you can find them in my back yard all day long. Literally.

My first car was an '88, Handelling is only limited to the 13" wheel/tire combo. And unless you had some LONGGGG straits and set yourself up for them, she whould have trouble with going "fast". You had to be COMITTED to going over 90.

When I finally had an accident, after 2 1/2 years(berkeleying deer),I had EMTs and firefighters look at it and tell me I should be dead. All I had was a nickle sized bruise on my shoulder. I would agree with safe.

As for the back seat, it was ok, but rear leg room sucked.

I still miss my car

how about a mazda mx-3 ?

Sultan wrote: Wow thanks for the reponses! I like the idea of a W124 but I worry about the cost to maintain it. I am I wrong? I know there are two of these at his high school. He doesn't notice them but I really like them.

I don't find mine very expensive to maintain. The one I currently have is my third one and I'm constantly surprised how cheap the usual service parts are (I'm in the UK though, no idea what parts prices are like the US). They're fairly simple cars as well so DIYing them is entirely possible.

Sultan wrote: Hey W124 was suggested. Any thoughts on the W201? In other words the MB 190 from 1983-1992.

Good cars, built to the same standard as the W123/W124 series. A 190D is probably one of the few cars to survive nuclear armageddon, right next to a W123 200D taxi with 3 million miles on it .

That said, I'd still get a W124 as the extra space is worth it IMHO. And you'd be able to fit four teens in either so from that perspective it doesn't matter that much. They were Mercedes answer to the BMW E30, not as sporty though and given a choice I'd probably still rather have the E30.

neon4891 wrote:

VanillaSky wrote: 1987 Honda Accord. Safe, handles well, easy to fix, cheap to buy parts for, and you can find them in my back yard all day long. Literally.

My first car was an '88, Handelling is only limited to the 13" wheel/tire combo. And unless you had some LONGGGG straits and set yourself up for them, she whould have trouble with going "fast". You had to be COMITTED to going over 90. When I finally had an accident, after 2 1/2 years(berkeleying deer),I had EMTs and firefighters look at it and tell me I should be dead. All I had was a nickle sized bruise on my shoulder. I would agree with safe. As for the back seat, it was ok, but rear leg room sucked. I still miss my car

If you step up to an 88 or 89 LXi, you get 14 inch wheels stock, bigger brakes up front, an uprated (slightly) engine, and bigger swaybars. I think you also get crash bars in the doors that the earlier models didn't have.

Keep in mind that the price range here for one of these is well less than $1000, and insurance would be cheap on a 4 door. Manual transmissions were popular, but if you get an auto, put an aftermarket trans cooler in it ASAP.

'00 Dodge Stratus... Four doors, yet no distractions from the buddies because no one will want to be seen as a passenger in one.

Safe, because it has airbags for those rare instances when it's not in the shop.

I'll give you a Helluva deal on mine!!!

Time for an off-the-wall suggestion.

'84-88 C4 Corvette. 2 seats, safe in a crash (how long is that nosecone again?), not as fast as the modern machinery (205 hp/3300 lbs), nice big tires so you can scare yourself silly well away from the limits of grip, plain GM mechanicals.

While this may sound ridiculous the insurance on my C5 is cheaper than my Miata or CRX and it has to have collision as well as the mandatory and comprehensive coverage.

The pickup trucks are useful but the older S10 is probably the least crashworthy vehicle recently sold in America. Look at the IIHS tests for the S10, or Blazer, or Astro and ask if you'd want to be in a wreck in one. To a somewhat lesser extent that also goes for the Dakota.

My teen daughter chose a 1994 Capri 5sp nonturbo (rare S2 with dual airbags, etc) and it's been an excellent choice.

Usable but not comfortable for 4, so she's not usually the bus driver. Cheap to buy and maintain, sporty and convertible, cheap insurance, reasonable handling, great gas mileage, etc.

She enjoyed taking it to a BMW teen driving school and is one of the few of her peers that can drive a standard

She's had it 5 years now and is now wanting to move up to an E30 convertible (late 1990+ had air bags) or an E36 convertible (all had dual air bags), or a Z3. All under $8k for a nice sub-100k mile example.

Bill

Mazda Protege circa 2002. The fact that it was never mentioned here shows that it flies under the buyers radar and is dirt cheap as a used car.

Three of them in the family and they are bullet proof. Some degree of Zoom Zoom or I just drive mine like there is!

If you want newer, then the Mazda 3 is an option.

Pickup trucks??? What are you guys, crazy?

Here's a BIG thumbs down vote on that one.

They are not very crashworthy. Pickups are always later to adopt safety regs than passenger vehicles.

Airbags, side impact rails, crumple zones, collapsible steering wheels, rear impact headrests, side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, drop under engines, all came LATER in trucks than in passenger vehicles. That doesn't even mention fuel saddle tanks outside the frame rails.

Plus, they make the driver feel tough, even invincible. They encourage stinkin' thinkin' behind the wheel.

Guarantee there will be moments with a bunch of kids piled in the back, or 5 girls sitting in each other's laps in the cab.

Trucks are not cars. They have always been treated differently (with exception) when it comes to passenger safety.

Saturn S-series? I know someone who owned 2, totaled 2, yet walked away from both unscathed. For the cool factor, get a coupe - particularly the early kind with the pop-up headlights (so retro!) For practicality, the sedan. For hauling his own stuff to and from college, the wagon. Easy to work on. Fairly simple and reliable. Choose a DOHC model for a bit of pep and fun, or a SOHC to slow him down a bit.

Whatever car you decide on the best thing you can do to for your son is get him enrolled in a Teen driving course. In Ohio there is one at Mid Ohio and I am sure there are many more out there, but in my opinion they should be manditory for new drivers.