First Car For A 16 Year Old?

[69 Soft Targa]

For the sake of this discussion let's say his budget is around $3000.

What advice and/or experiences do you Dads & Moms have regarding the first vehicle for a 16 year old?

I've wrenched on just about everything but my own experience with a daily driver over the last several years has been with my butt firmly planted in the seat of a '69 Porsche.

[cantdrv55]

Volvo 240

[Nostril Cheese]

Im Portland? Volvo 240. Plenty of good examples around for cheap. He can then use some of the money left over to hop it up a little.

[Flieger]

I had a BMW E21

[69 Soft Targa]

Volvo 240

That cracks me up that it's the first response!

I recently had one in hand from my wife's cousin. It was rear-ended by a Honda. Very little damage but they totaled it. I bought it and the new owners are my niece and her husband with their one year old girl.

Of course the kid now realizes that it just might have been a good driver for him. Unfortunately he and his mother had their minds set on something "newer" at the time.

[Nostril Cheese]

1984 Volvo 240 Ti 244 turbo $3250 240 Turbo 5 speed

1989 Volvo 240 $1500 5 speed, BBS wheels

[mossguy]

Volvo 240! Built like a tank and IPD is around the corner.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

W124 sedan.

[URY914]

[fred cook]

Keep in mind that most new drivers will severely damage or total a car in their first year or two of driving. That said, I would look for a car with modest amount of horsepower, airbags and a good safety record. An early Ford Taurus would be a good choice. My son managed to drive his Mom's Taurus into a ditch and roll it when he was
17 years old. Neither he nor his buddy were hurt. Fortunately, both were wearing seatbelts at the time. Every panel on the car was bent but the cabin structure maintained it's basic shape and protected them. Since then (1989) we have owned 5 other Taurus cars. My wife insists that is the only thing that she wants to drive! Another choice might be a standard cab pickup. Again, small engine and airbags. With the standard cab and bench seat, he can only have two other people in the truck wearing seatbelts. Trucks are cool and tend to be more difficult to break than cars. Plus, it never hurts to have a P/U around the house! Good luck on your search!

[Por_sha911]

My first car was rusty and ugly but it sure beat riding my bicycle around and I loved it like it was a new CGT.
As others have said, something with low to moderate power, safe and (I would add) economical to repair. Add a decent sound system and you're there.
Tell him if he takes care of it he'll get help when he's ready to buy something better.

[RedBaron]

944. Work on it with him and he will learn to appreciate and love cars.

[Seahawk]

1990's vintage Toyota truck.

Slow, cool (at least around here), useful and easy to work on.

[Scott Douglas]

You asked for advice so here's mine.
Don't 'give' him a car, make him earn it or at least a good part of it.
I couldn't afford to 'give' my kids cars when they finally decided to start driving. My son's first car was a M-B 240d that my brother donated to him. At first he didn't want it, but, once he came to the harsh realization that Dad wasn't going to say no to it and if he did, he'd be riding the bus to school, it suddenly became a no brainer. He worked a week on the paint/chrome/interior before it was ready for its school debut. All his friends loved it 'cause they all fit in it at once.
My daughter 'inherited' my BMW 325e but it was quickly replaced by a Honda with an automatic which was replaced just as quickly with another Honda which was a lot nicer than the first and for which she worked to pay off.
All too often I see/hear of kids that are 'given' cars and invariably they don't take care of them since there's no 'sweat equity' involved on their part. When there is sweat equity in the equation, the car is washed on a regular basis, is kept up better and usually looks better sitting in your driveway.
So I'd recommend you find a car for $1500, and take the other $1500 and put it into tires/brakes/battery/hoses/insurance and let him enjoy the wrenching to get it into shape. It will make a difference in how he treats the car from then on.

[aigel]

I'd spend more and get something large and slow with a vg good safety rating. Front, side and curtain air bags. Any newer big sedan like a Ford Taurus, Toyota Avalon etc.

G

[74-911]

Something to think about. Saw this on the news the other night: parents searching high and low for decent, economical cars with standard shifts (from my own personal experience with my granddaughter, they are very hard to find).

Reason: very difficult to text or use a phone when driving a standard. (not to mention the fact that everyone should know how to drive a standard). The parents all interviewed thought their kids were better, safer drivers with standards - had to pay more attention to the actual driving.

[A930Rocket]

My 17 yo son is driving my old 2001 SuperCrew. Big, heavy, ABS and low powered, but could use side airbags. He helps me work on it and keeps it clean. No tickets or accidents in two years, unlike all his friends.

[MRM]

We went through a similar search lately. Newer cars of any type are safer than older cars of any type. The Ford Taurus stands out for its safety record. It is also cheap and reliable. It is pretty ugly and has no sex appeal and has little sportiness about it. It is perfect for a first time driver.

[FLYGEEZER]

Gotta go with MRM. The Ford Taurus is an excellent choice for first time driver. Safe, cheap to repair and low cost insurance.

[9dreizig]

Old Miata,, great gas mileage, fun to drive, can't fill it with a bunch of other kids ,, bulletproof engine/tranny