OT: Talking Cars Tuesday - New Driver Suggestions
Per suggestions from last week, what car would you get your 15/16 year old son/daughter/self TODAY?
Many people may suggest something lame and "reasonable" like "an older civic/corolla/focus/etc". This is no place for platitudes and reason. Get on Cars.com/Autotrader.com/Ebay Motors and find one. Let's put a price cap at $5,000. Don't pick "just a car", pick the BEST car and tell us why it's better than anyone elses.
And/or you could go another way and tell us why your first car was the best for a new driver(what I'll do in the comments)
Happy hunting.
and just found the car I'd choose
A 1985 Porsche 944 in Michigan City. 5 speed manual with no rust. Runs good. $3500
I realize it's not really a fast car by todays standards, but I think it's cool. Manual is cool to learn and keeps kid focused on driving.
There are still cheap 944s out there? Send me the link and wait while I pretend to call my wife about it...
When I found it, I definitely thought about it. But with kid 3 on the way, too much going on
https://southbend.craigslist.org/cto/5642432472.html
Let me know if you do get it, or see it and it's the real deal.
I was interested unitl I saw "Hawaii" car in the ad, and it does have Hawaii plates. How'd it get to Indiana like that?
Also, I live in Chicago, have a car payment and no where to park it... but I'm super intrigued anyway
Hawaii and had my two vehicles, one of which is a 2003 Corvette, transported back. They were shipped by freighter to California and then transported cross-country by car hauler. The Vette is being delivered tonight, but my truck arrived last week without any issues. So don't let the Hawaii plates scare you and pull the trigger!
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I want to go back. To my little grass shack....
I had a brand new cavalier, might explain it, rusted to the roof. I would think twice about salt water enviroment cars.
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Aren't you a Porsche lover, and a 944 hater? I kind of remember us setting in the class room talking about it. Miss the class room not the job or lack of money.
Not as bad as 914s, but yeah, codeveloped with VW and has lots of VW/Audi content. All Porsches are VWs now a days. Also... If I could have any Porsche a 944 is low on my list, but prices are through the roof on just about anything above it.
Hey! I loved my 914! Yes is was the VW of Porsches but it was also the best handling car I have ever owned. The 916 would have been better. btw girls did not know is was VW under the Porsche badge and I needed all the help I could get.
is true.
However, '80s middle School Me still loves the 944 because it was cool.
Someone once said, if you are quiet and turn out the lights you can hear the Porsche rusting in your garage.
My first car was the BEST first car for a new driver for the following reasons:
- It was a convertible
- It had 4WD for the winter
- It was amazingly simple - great to learn on/maintain/repair/upgrade
- It was slow (my parents appreciated this more than I did)
- It sounded fast! (I appreciated this part)
- It had a manual gear box and kick parking brake (friends never asked to borrow it)
- No ABS or Traction Control (I had to learn to drive safely without electronic nannies)
- Dents looked cool! (never got in a big wreck)
- Only sat 3 other people (never had to drive big, distracting crowds)
- Great visibility
- Plenty of interior volume for stuff hauling (hockey player)
Negatives:
- Bad on gas
Here's one for $4800
Everything you listed in your "pros" section is exactly why I will buy my kid a used jeep. They are not real fast, you can't fit many people in them, you definitely can try but are unlikely to be successful having sex in one (unless the back seats are out - obviously), etc... Even the gas mileage isn't a really big problem - they may even have to get a job to finance their driving habits. All pros in my book.
(for obvious reasons). They are really a great kid car. Convertible with 4wd really makes it good for all seasons. gas is not much of an issue either as kids don't usually drive that far. I'd prefer a CJ-5, but that's only because I grew up with one from my dad.
Price will be the big factor. Wranglers hold their value extremely well (limited design changes, etc) but that should limit the total costs from purchase to sale
Rectangle headlight Jeeps are garbage FYI.
Always go for the round headlights. Better vehicles all-around.
Some purists hate the YJ's square headlights. They seem ok with XJs and ZJs though. The YJ was nice because it still had leaf springs which made for cheaper lifts.
My TJ was a better all-around car, but for $5,000 any TJ you find will have tons of miles. For a 16 year old today I'd highly recommend a TJ over a YJ.
Not long before you will see kids driving them around.
had 250K on it before he sold it. For an '01 TJ.
It ended up rusting out the tub, but the drivetrain was fine. A kid bought it to mod it.
The YJ's are fine. I don't get the hate. Its not that far from the CJ-7 that preceded it.
What's a ZJ?
ZJ = 1st gen grand Cherokee.
WJ = 2nd gen grand Cherokee
WK = 3rd gen GC
CJ = "old school classic" wranglers
YJ = square headlight wranglers.
TJ = newish round head light "quadra coil " wranglers.
JK = current Wranglers.
JKU = 4 door Wranglers.
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Rectangle headlight Jeeps are garbage FYI.No kidding. Get you stuck on the way to the dock and can't even keep a lousy Dilophosaurus from getting in.
Easy. Jeep Wrangler.
Just finished checking the listings within 200 miles of Sioux Falls and I can find about ten for under 5000 that I would go after. Kids are both under four, but who gives a shit, I may just do it for myself.
found this one
http://annarbor.craigslist.org/ptd/5654791212.html
might go check it out, got that good 4 liter in it
I just found the Gull Wing icon on Craigslist, and bought it for $5000 cash. I sent the money via PayPal to an intermediary, and I get the car after I check it out in Omaha. Silver with red leather interior. So that's the one I'd buy.
I guess the owner had a loss in his family and just wants done with the car. Too many hard memories. Insisted on doing the negotiations by email.
You got yourself quite the deal! BTW, my cousin, who is a former Nigerian deposed King, needs some help transferring some money to me, do you think you can do me a solid and help out?
I have some "beachfront property" for you, sir. Please send me your contact details.
Also, as a former prince recently run out of my small African country, I cannot access my vast fortune there under my own name anymore. Could I have your bank account number to transfer through? I will leave you a handsome reward.
Also also, I have a bridge for sale. Interested?
Edit: Cousin! Good to see you!
:)
Trust me - been through three of these. You want dependable, egalatarian transportation for the masses that will register a big fat zero on the coolometer. All teenagers beat the living shit out cars and the boys will try and impress their friends so make it hard to do so for their sake.
Think of something like a 2007 Pontiac Grand Am. Four doors. Total crap car that's slower than hell and ugly. And when they kill it (and they will kill it) you're not out a lot of money.
If I'm a car person (guilty) and I want my son(s) and/or daughter(s) to be into cars I can't just buy them a beige crapcan
when my older daughter got her license in 2012 we bought a 2001 Jeep Cherokee. Not fast, but is apparently cool enough. Also daughter driving=no trying to impress friends
"We Build Excrement"
I'm guessing you never drove the Pontiac GTO's of the 60's or 70's or a 455 ci Firebird Trans Am Super Duty. I had a '74 Firebird 400 and that car would melt the tires from a standing stop. Handled ok and gas mileage was horrible but fun car to drive.
Forgot, but the Jeep checks that box too.
Those school permits for 14 year olds scare the hell out of me.
Thankfully we don't live outside of town so I didn't have to go that route.
it's a diesel so will run forever and it's not fast. didn't cost much. very good visibilty. and heaven help them if they get in an accident they are likely to be around to discuss liability.
is it a Dodge?
I know a guy who has an '05 with the Cummins and that thing is indestructable.
'02 with the cummins diesel. getting just under 20 mpg. rides like a buck board. just had some of the sons unload a literal ton of feed from the back. not pretty, but very good farm truck.
don't tell me you are going to let your kids drive that miata of yours. too dangerous for my heart to handle.
The doorstop for cars is mine. I'm well insured and my wife is a great mom.
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is: i'm (jfw) worth more dead than alive and the mgowife can raise the kids?
jfw, jumping the miata while fully insured.
"Should I merge in front of that Logging truck on 72? Did I pay the premium this month?"
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Get him a lambo. Just do it.