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I don't know your location but I have a 97 Nissan P-up, 2wd, 5 sp, xtra cab, 22mpg daily driver, no rust at all with 281,000+ miles (all highway miles going to church) that I'll let go for a song (plus a few thousand $).
Get him a small truck. Not a speed demon, can't take more than 1- 2 people, reliable, easy on gas, girls dig trucks, can do some light hauling side jobs etc....
"...it's got an 8 foot bed that never has to be made......"
BTW - I heard on the radio the other day that a lady had developed a program that will use your phone's GPS and will shut down text messages in and out when the phone is moving more than 5 mph.
That certainly isn't anything revolutionary, and might seem like a great idea... unless of course you're the passenger in a moving car, or on a train, boat, etc, etc, etc... oh and does it turn off email, web browsing, and phone based games as well?
As for the car - personally I think a small to midsize SUV is the best fit for high school / college. I do like the Grand Cherokees with the inline 6 or even Cherokees or wranglers, depending. Not too lame, not too fast, not too dangerous and more practical for when he goes off to college and has to move his stuff around every year. The "downside" is that YOUR kid will be the one who ends up driving his friends around if he has the best vehicle to hold 4 or 6 (or 12) people - so depends on how much you trust him with that. Kids will be kids though no matter what, as long as the car isn't something completely off the wall I really don't think it's going to have THAT much of a "safety" impact on his life.
I came closer to killing all my buddies in my parents old, brown, smoke-billowing pos diesel mercedes (top speed, 83 mph.. my speed at all times, 83 mph) than I did in the two sportscars I drove after that.
Get him the biggest car he will drive, with the most sheet metal around him. That was advice a family friend gave after his daughter trashed his Porsche, twice.
Scary part is that the V6 Accords today are faster than Mustang GTs in the 80s. I'd vote for a 4 cylinder accord/Camry. And don't doubt that a son will drive his car as fast as it will go.
Wranglers would be cool for a HS kid, but a death trap for inexperienced drivers. I've owned a couple and drove them as defensively as riding a motorcycle. You get T boned in a Wrangler and you can send the hearse.
5K is my budget he has the option of adding more if he wants a car in a different price range.
It's very common in my town for parents to buy their kids brand new luxury cars, so naturally my son assumed I would do the same. NO WAY! I feel that if kids work for what they have, instead of being given it, they will respect their possession more and take care of them.
Maybe I'm just old school
I have a 2002 Ford Focus that is in great shape and had all maintenance done. Newer brakes, new tires very clean in excellent condition no rust never been in an accident. It is a 5 speed black in color I only am asking $3000 if you are interested.
__________________ 2007 Lowe FM 185
2007 Mercury Verado 150
Motorguide Wireless
Lowrance LMS 111 HD
Mercury Temptest Plus prop
I have a 2002 Ford Focus that is in great shape and had all maintenance done. Newer brakes, new tires very clean in excellent condition no rust never been in an accident. It is a 5 speed black in color I only am asking $3000 if you are interested.
Thanks but no stick shifts for my new driver, he has too many other things to focus on.
Thanks but no stick shifts for my new driver, he has too many other things to focus on.
That is why I am selling it my stepdaughter 17 yo soon to be 18 needs her first car and she has trouble chewing gum and walking at the same time But sure she wants a newer SUV or Jeep ain't gonna happen on the first one.
__________________ 2007 Lowe FM 185
2007 Mercury Verado 150
Motorguide Wireless
Lowrance LMS 111 HD
Mercury Temptest Plus prop
I helped raise my little cousin and when he turned 16 I bought him a full size 2x chevy truck with the 4.3 V6. Wasnt sexy, not real fast, not really good on gas but livable, and I knew he was surrounded by a butt load of steel for WHEN (not if) he screwed up. Theyre easy and cheap to fix and you can find a real solid one for under 5 grand. Plus even though it was 2x and old just being a truck has a little cool factor for a 16 year old boy.
Location: SE Pennsylvania / Pirates Cove-Manteo, NC
Posts: 3,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by tcontic
Thanks but no stick shifts for my new driver, he has too many other things to focus on.
I dunno...if you can learn and pass driving stick there might be some argument that you end up a better driver? How many of us out here learned on a 3 on the tree, all-the-power-you-got steering, pickup truck ?
Almost impossible to text message if you're driving stick too.
__________________ 2009 Key West 186 BayReef - Yamaha F115
FOR SALE - 2001 Scout 175 Sportfish - Yamaha 115
----------------------------------------------- Send lawyers, guns and money, the "crap" has hit the fan.
We gave my daughter the wifes Jeep Grand Cherokee and even though we took all the steps to make driving safer she had that crash. I'm no fan of Jeeps but if she was driving something smaller she might not have walked away without a scratch. She did around $6500 dmg. to the jeep and a little over $10,000 to the other persons car. One of our rules was no Cell Phone while driving and the records show that was not an issue. Young driver will make mistakes its just will that mistake lead to having an accident. With that said by them something safe and you may also want to talk to your ins. agent for any safty tips and what kind of rates your looking at.
My youngest has had 2 crashes in a Jeep Cherokee Sport......neither her fault. First was a fender bender but the second was a humdinger sideswipe-off the road-through the trees major big deal. She walked away from both. I like Jeeps.
I think that a smaller pick up would be great because it allows to haul stuff in the bed of tow a small trailer if need be. He might acquire some summer jobs or something else where this might come in handy. You also might want to consider he could have the vehicle a while, depending on your/his situation, and you can't tell what he might encounter. Also, Jeeps and the 4-Runners are great SUVS as well. mid size, easy to park, and not the smallest thing on the road. I understand the budget completely because you feel as though he will have some accidents in it but what difference with the savings be if he pulls out in front of a big truck in a Civic? Wrap that kid in metal, give him some height, and preferably 4wd if you live in a area with snow and bad weather.
Old Pick up, no power steering, 3 speed on the column, metal dash with a plastic Jesus with his feet magnetize, metal floors, no AC, no air bags, AM radio, manual windows, CB radio mounted under the dash, bench seat so his sweetie can slide over nice and close to him with his right arm around her shoulders (yes, she can shift for him), when he double dates there will be room for another couple or her two girl friends (even better!) It just keeps getting better and better.
Man, those were the days! How did we ever survive?
) that I'll let go for a song (plus a few thousand $).
That is why I am selling it my stepdaughter 17 yo soon to be 18 needs her first car and she has trouble chewing gum and walking at the same time 
But sure she wants a newer SUV or Jeep ain't gonna happen on the first one. 
