Teenagers and cars, best ride?

[Charles Cook]

Too bad they don't have coupes and fastbacks like in the 60's and 70's. The girls drove the coupes and the guys had the fastbacks! I'm laughing because it was true back then lol

I have a 79 mustang pace car I hope to restore as a project with him one day. It has the 302 V8 in it. We’ll find him a Mopar once he learns to drive responsibly.

 

[70 sublime]

Get something small front wheel drive and 4 cyl All new drivers need something that has no chance of going very fast because they will all try it out just to see
will be better on the insurance end too
Durango or Dakota are a bit bigger but might be handy
Truck you can only take one or two passengers at the most with you makes less chance to get in trouble ??

 

[33 IMP]

It's too bad that Datsun and Toyota don't make those itty-bitty pickups anymore, they were perfect starter cars. Small , cheap, underpowered, dependable, utilitarian, and decent gas mileage.
Us built is nice, but I would suggest a small, cheap, underpowered, dependable, Toyota or Nissan small fourbanger sedan. A Subie or Korean would also work.

 

[Cranky]

Get something small front wheel drive and 4 cyl All new drivers need something that has no chance of going very fast because they will all try it out just to see
will be better on the insurance end too
Durango or Dakota are a bit bigger but might be handy
Truck you can only take one or two passengers at the most with you makes less chance to get in trouble ??

What's wrong with having something that has some spunk? My first car didn't have much....but after having go carts and mini bikes, I wanted something more than a modor family car as my first car but that's what I got in 69. It was a 66 Belvedere 4dr with a poly teen but by late 70 I was pulling the poly teen (once I moved away from home) for a mild 383 and man, what an improvement!! It was enjoyable to say the least but it was fuel thirsty which wasn't a problem as I had a decent paying job at the time. Even my dad told his friends what a good job I was doing at work (been working for him since 14) and on the car.....just didn't know that at the time. He wasn't exactly a person that said much anything positive.....

 

[70 sublime]

I grew up on a farm ( still on the farm ) and my first road car was a 4 cyl rear wheel drive 1973 Mercury Capri in about 1980 was not a very fast car but I did manage to roll it over on the way home one night on icy roads Can only imagine if my first car was a V8 what I would have done

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Datsun 280zx. They’re cool, easy to work on, cheap to maintain, and fuel efficient, did I mention cool?

Daily driving mine for 2 years, 17 city, 20 hwy mpg.

 

[Charles Cook]

Datsun 280zx. They’re cool, easy to work on, cheap to maintain, and fuel efficient, did I mention cool?

Daily driving mine for 2 years, 17 city, 20 hwy mpg.

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You ever put a timing chain on one of them puppies with out removing the head? What a job. Shhheeeee

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

You ever put a timing chain on one of them puppies with out removing the head? What a job. Shhheeeee

Timing chains are bad on anything, don’t hate on the Datsun, at least it’s not a 944 timing belt

 

[1STMP]

I just bought my grandson a car for his birthday. I know you guys are going to give me hell but it wasn’t that bad on insurance And it has the V6. I told him I would help him as long as he keeps up his good grade’s. He lives with me so I watch him closely. Ok here is a picture of it. Take it easy on me guys.

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Not to worry, I bought one and love it.
Good gas mileage and V-8 power.
7 years old (bought new), and not a
single problem with it, with a good
highway ride. Of course I'm a lot
easier on 'em now then I was at 17.
I think you made a good choice.

 

[1STMP]

Gents,

Have teenager beginning to drive, looking at a ride for him to put less strain on transport duties. Was looking at a V-6 Charger due to ease of access to work on it, but insurance guy barely suppressed a laugh on that one, seems those and Impalas are on the insurance "hot sheet." Wifey speaks Honda, but I'd like to stay with the USA. So from a dependability/less insurance standpoint, what's everyone else doing? I know I should make him buy his own/gas/insurance like I did coming up, but prices being what they are he would never get there. Have a thick skin, so "boy's have at it."

As afore mentioned,
A Jeep Cherokee. The things are
bullet proof, and are a good start
toward mechanical aptitude. They
also maintain a fair resale value,
parts are readily available, and
insurance is reasonable.
From the 1984 thru 2001 model
years (XJ).

 

[RemCharger]

As long as it wasn't designed anywhere near Germany you should be good to go.

 

[DoomRunner]

Did you ask what he would like to have?

 

[RTDaddy]

Did you ask what he would like to have?

Or course he has wanted for a couple of years for me to learn him to drive a 4 speed so he can drive the wingcar or the T/A Challenger.

 

[Triplegreen500]

If a Charger has higher rates, try a Magnum. It's classified as an MPV (SUV), believe it or not.

If he wants to learn to drive stick...encourage that. It's a lost art, and...just good to know. (and, hide the keys to the classics)

Anything from Jeep with a 4.0. Seriously. XJ Cherokee, YJ or TJ Wrangler. EFI, torquey, not a lot of top end, 4x4, easy to learn mechanics on, easy to get used body parts for (they WILL get wrinkled, after all), and other than the rust monster...pretty damned bulletproof. I just bought an '06 TJ and (admittedly I'm 50) it added a whopping $6 a month to my policy.

I'd spring for the car...and have him make the monthly bills - insurance, fuel, maintenance. BEST way to learn some responsibility and "life lessons". Make him part of the insurance conversation, too - "you're looking at this car, the insurance company says the rate will be this much a month, can you handle that? No? OK, there's that car, it costs that much..." and so on.

 

[HawkRod]

I gave our kids each a car. Then they had to pay repairs and gas. I also had a strict rule: Let anyone drive your car, or have any passengers in it without my wife or my permission and it's gone. No warnings. The biggest cause of accidents are kids showing off to their friends and cell phone use while driving.

Having said the above, I gave my 2007 California Special Mustang to my daughter. The Mustang actually does quite well in crash tests, looks good and gets decent (although not great) mileage. The best thing was, this car is a 5 speed manual. So she couldn't mess with her phone while driving it - all arms and legs were occupied with driving. I think that was a great choice, although I realized the benefit of a manual transmission with cell phone use after I gave it to her.

Bottom line: I'd seriously consider ANY car with a manual transmission - it helps kids concentrate on driving. But that also limits choices, and I do think a manual Mustang is a good choice due to it's good performance in crash tests.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[hunt2elk]

A very popular car around here, young and old, is the Subaru. Many models to choose from and are quite reliable, good on gas. Working on one might be more of a challenge compared to other makes.

Subarus are popular around here as well. They seem to hold their value extremely well and the all wheel drive is a small piece of mind for parents in snow/ice States. All 5 of our kids are driving a Subaru.

 

[chargervert]

Datsun 280zx. They’re cool, easy to work on, cheap to maintain, and fuel efficient, did I mention cool?

Daily driving mine for 2 years, 17 city, 20 hwy mpg.

View attachment 1434682

Up here they look like the Rotsun on Roadkill, rotted up to the door handles!

 

[chargervert]

A very popular car around here, young and old, is the Subaru. Many models to choose from and are quite reliable, good on gas. Working on one might be more of a challenge compared to other makes.

The number one car choice of lesbians,often seen in the parking lots of carpet remnant stores! Lol

 

[1967coronet]

I also was surprised to hear the impalas have a bad insurance rate.
They get great mpg for their size and hold up well both in wrecks and mechanical wise.
Any how I can tell you what not to buy.
Anything with the CVT transmission.

 

[Hey-O]

Most will always dislike a Chrysler 200, I had a 2012, loaded with a 3.6 V6 and it was a great car for me. It was the family throw away. We all drove it when needed and it made a great lake car, over 26 mpg on the highway. It would get on down the the road pretty quick when called on. Worked a deal with my neighbor and about gave it to his daughter when she turned 16. Looked and ran like new with 68 thousand miles on it.