The $25k Sports Car

[masraum]

Originally Posted by LWJ

My 01 Boxster S is spectacular. Also cheap. Has been flawless for me. Well below the 25K price- like 1/2!

kid doesn't want a ragtop. But then that's why I suggested a boxster with the optional hardtop.

[JavaBrewer]

As fun as a conversation about cars is, I have to agree with the others who commented about insurance and collisions. I speak from experience.

When our son Zack got his DL his ride was a 2000 Ford Explorer that my Dad gave him. He is a great driver but in the first 4 years he had two incidents, backing out of a parking space not seeing a car that pulled behind him. Last one he was driving home in the afternoon on I-5 after a USMC event that lasted 2 weeks. He was sleep deprived and rear ended a car at 10 mph. No serious damage for Zack but both times the other party made insurance claims. We never did repair body work to his Ford, it was worth less than $3K, and damage was just to paint and small dents. His insurance doubled to something like $450/month. He took his more sporty driving to K1 Speed indoor cart track where he met up with friends.

My daughter Elora is not a great driver. She travelled up and down the CA coast for her job. I insisted she get something reliable and sporty but not powerful. She purchased a used Lexus IS 250 and was thrilled. Well that lasted 1 year before she rear ended a car on the highway for being stupid (changing songs on her phone). That ended up as a total loss. The other vehicle was a construction truck and they made no claim. Replaced her car with another IS and keeping fingers crossed. Her insurance also doubled to the mid $400/month range - which she pays for.

Part of learning to drive will generally involve damage sometime in the first few years, especially if in a large city with accompanying traffic. Of course YMMV however I would certainly review your list of options with your insurance company before making the decision.

Have fun with the search Matt, and for pete's sake post pictures!

[yellowline]

Originally Posted by Alan A

The kid wants a toy.
If he’s anything like mine he’ll recoil in horror at the thought of an SUV. Boomer wagon or I’m not a soccer mom is my guess at the response, regardless of how -practical- they are. (And I had a TDI Touareg. It towed better than my Ram 1500 and got 30+ mpg on the highway)

I’m in my 30s. I had a 944 as a first car. I remember.

Gas SUVs, I’d agree with you. Diesel, I stand by what I said.

Make me 16 again, give me $25k for a Porsche, and the only ones I would consider are a 958 diesel, a 996, or a 987 S.

[stevej37]

There's only one thing teen guys want in this area.....a pick-up...a big pick-up with a big engine.

[Chocaholic]

He needs a 10 year old Ford Taurus. Bullet proof, cheap to insure, reasonably safe in case of an accident, DIY friendly and reliable as a brick (worth repeating).

We bought a 2010 for my youngest son in HS. He’s still driving it and graduates from law school this May. Oil changes, tires, brakes, one battery. That’s it.

[fintstone]

Our daughter learned on our underpowered '94 4Runner (in high school) that we still have (well over 200K miles now and like new). She pretty much had custody of it as the wife replaced it with a new car (Lexus ES300). I only use the 4Runner now when I go into the mountains. My daughters first car (of her own) was a very sporty new 2002 Lexus IS300 that she took to college. The dealer (tech) apparently forgot to put the oil back in it when they changed it at the 10K mi servicing (and then drove the snot out of it). Although they admitted no fault, they could not repair it (engines and even rods/bearings were not available...as they simply did not fail), so Lexus swapped her a new 2004 model. She still owns it (has about 240K miles) but keeps it at our vacation home so she can have her own car when there...and usually drives her 2017 IS250 now.

[matthewb0051]

Here's my thread about buying the first car for my son. We got him a 2000ish Audi A4. After about 5 or 6 wrecks it was a goner.

In hindsight, it was too much car for a new driver. The Land Rover Discovery 2 that is slow as Christmas fixed his need for speed.

https://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/947711-first-car-16-year-old.html

[OK-944]

My son's first car was a 1984 944 - 350K on the clock...had been tracked/raced/ralleyed and was a bit rough when he drove it home...days after receiving his license. This car became a perfect father/son "bonding" project over that summer - and I highly and heartily recommend this approach as being priceless!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Thanks all good conversation this far. This is kid #3 with a car so we’ve been there done that by now. The coupe thing is actually my idea after our first two having SUVs, the kid with the two seat manual transmission sports car isn’t the one driving to parties on a Friday night. He’s also my car kid and I’m definitely hoping to make this a father/son bonding project. He already helps me in the garage so he definitely wants to learn. Insurance is a very valid concern and something I’ll investigate when it gets closer. Oddly enough my 20 year old son’s insurance barely went up when he went from a 2007 Pathfinder to his C6 Corvette. I think kids and insurance is just plain expensive no matter what they drive.

[Seahawk]

My first cars were horrifically horse power challenged: '59 VW, '66 VW and then as a senior in HS, a 1971 BMW 2002.

I still got into trouble: Skinny tires, a few road pops and enough 'tude to stretch the very small performance limits of each car...the fastest I have ever gone is 70 MPH down hill in the 59 VW, leaf in the wind.

We bought my daughter an FJ Cruiser she drove for almost 14 years and my son got the old 1999 Tacoma, which he drove until his third year in law school.

When I was in HS it was only important that I could go, not that is was a sports car.

The performance numbers of the cars listed in the OP, given my maturity level at 16, would have been an issue for me, perhaps not OWP son.

[Alan A]

I’m told - broker again - that after having continuous 3 years coverage is when it gets more reasonable. 3 years on my policy counts for him when he gets his own too.
Then again at 25. Then again when married. We shall see.

I’d be a fan of a murdered out C43 from your original list.
Or (for me) an E63 wagon. But I like wagons a lot, and it’s more than a 25k car.

[berettafan]

I’m a bit shocked at the hp/platforms (maybe more platform than hp) being offered to a new driver. Are kids more mature these days? I’d be dead if I had several cars off that list as a 16yr old. My 82 rabbit manual was a total blast to play with. Slow car fast, not fast car slow.

Ps my new GTI is fast enough for me to be in jail if I don’t make a real effort to curtail my jackassery. And that’s all the modern safety bits with ‘only’ 250hp.

[onewhippedpuppy]

A few car specific comments:

We talked about a Boxster, but he would rather have a Cayman and I don’t disagree
I’ve never driven any of the newer Z cars but I don’t like modern Nissans and they have a reputation for premature interior wear
We’ve talked about getting an ND RF because I love Mazdas and Miatas, but I am worried about him fitting. I had an ND RF as a rental and it was ok, but I think he’s going to end up taller and bulkier than me. He’s an offensive lineman if that gives you an idea of body type.
We’ve talked about the E36 and E46 but it’s really hard to find nice ones.
Mini, I’ve had three. Fun to drive but poorly made in my opinion.
Mustang, neither of us are really big on that option

We’ve also looked at some of the hot hatch options like the GTI, Focus ST/RS, Veloster N, GTI. But I’d really prefer something smaller.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by berettafan

I’m a bit shocked at the hp/platforms (maybe more platform than hp) being offered to a new driver. Are kids more mature these days? I’d be dead if I had several cars off that list as a 16yr old. My 82 rabbit manual was a total blast to play with. Slow car fast, not fast car slow.

Ps my new GTI is fast enough for me to be in jail if I don’t make a real effort to curtail my jackassery. And that’s all the modern safety bits with ‘only’ 250hp.

My thought process is that any modern car can get you into trouble fast. My daughter has a GLK, it has 305 HP. My oldest has a C6. My kids learned to drive in my wife’s E63. If they’re going to do stupid stuff, they’ll do stupid stuff.

[javadog]

Consider an Audi. Pretty solid when they get crashed, hard to break a tire loose with four-wheel-drive, and nice, gentle understeer.

As you know, from your ownership history…

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

My thought process is .... they’re going to do stupid stuff, they’ll do stupid stuff.

^^^^^ Me too

I drove my dad's '70 Cougar with a 351 at 16.... much safer than in the Pinto we packed 5-6 people into and raced off to lunch

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by javadog

Consider an Audi. Pretty solid when they get crashed, hard to break a tire loose with four-wheel-drive, and nice, gentle understeer.

As you know, from your ownership history…

We’ve looked at the newer S5 with the supercharged V6, forgot that on my initial list.

[TimT]

Forget the Cayman/Boxster if he is 6'1" and growing..

There is a finite distance between the pedals and seat.. I'm 5'10, and have the seat pinned back as far as it can go in my Cayman
.

I once took my 6'3" boss to lunch, and he barely fit in the passenger seat.. knees scrunched up


They are wonderful cars though.. and the nannies work really well.. but you can still over drive them..

[HobieMarty]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

He needs a 10 year old Ford Taurus. Bullet proof, cheap to insure, reasonably safe in case of an accident, DIY friendly and reliable as a brick (worth repeating).



We bought a 2010 for my youngest son in HS. He’s still driving it and graduates from law school this May. Oil changes, tires, brakes, one battery. That’s it.

Haha, how about a 1997 V8 Taurus SHO??? Safe, fast enough for a teenager, and can carry 3 or 4 friends along!!!

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[DWBOX2000]

If he wants to work on it, choose wisely.