First car for a 16 year old.

[Nitrousbird]

My (just turned 17) year old brother inherited my mom's 95 Civic DX (only options being A/C and floor mats; didn't even have a radio when she bought it new). 5-speed car with no tach. Seems to be a good first car for him; reliable, drives well, not fancy but not embarassing.

 

That said, it's in decent enough shape w/ under 100k miles, so you couldn't get one for 1k. But perhaps buy him a Civic with a blown motor and do a motor swap; would be good for him. And fix the rear wheel well rott you KNOW the Honda will have.

[Buck531]

Even if it does have miles:

 

1. its easy to fix

2. parts are dirt cheap

3. they do well in crash tests

4. theyre good on gas

 

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41141

 

160K+ miles. $3k.

 

Right.

 

But it does have a "performance exhaust" and a "ricer intake".

 

Maybe I should hit it? no.

[heelside1647545510]

1g dsm, looks good, fun to build, fun to drive but not fast enough to get you in trouble(stock), come in auto, and you can pick them up for very cheap

[Guest Scooter]

I agree with the stick shift for the first car. Not only is knowing how to drive a manuel a handy skill in life, but it's more fun! My first car was a 92 CRX Si. Awesome first car. Too bad there was no back seat...

[Crossle]

Then you need to learn how to down shift.

 

Braking is not good, skiddage for sure in bad conditions. I would much rather use my engine to slow myself down then by using my brakes in snowy/ rainy weather.

 

Brake modulation is you friend. Downshifting in those conditions is a good way to get rearended as well.

 

Everybody was brought up different so everyone has an opinion about what is too strict. This may seem too strict to some because mom and dad payed for a nice new low mileage car. I agree that buying a car before your kids 16th birthday and having them help you fix it up gives them a little more APPRECIATION for what they have. They will then be rewarded in a year or two with an "upgrade" based on how well they do with their current car. Yes my parents payed for my car, but i showed appreciation for the cars i have had and shown a cartain level of responsibility with them. Now I pay for 100% of my parts instead of how ever much i could swing.

 

I would say just cruise craigslist or search for "mechanics special" on craigslist to start. Then go based on what is available. Good luck.

[thorne]

Early 90s Subaru or 90s civic. Both are reliable even at higher miles.

 

The other option is a 4cyl or 6cyl pickup truck. Dirt cheap to insure, maintenance is a snap, and even rusty trucks still have a coolness to them. Plus, it makes for a handy beater for the family when he's not using it.

qft.

 

I would avoid the pickup truck myself just because RWD + Light Rearend + winter = FTL.

 

My first car was a 85 Cavvy.

[Rotarded1647545491]

Then you need to learn how to down shift.

 

Braking is not good, skiddage for sure in bad conditions. I would much rather use my engine to slow myself down then by using my brakes in snowy/ rainy weather.

 

Recipe for disaster: Driver with less than 2 years of experience downshifting in the rain rather than braking.

 

Let me ask you what happens when your downshift doesn't slow the car enough to avoid an unexpected situation? You slam on the brakes? You most certainly will lose control of the vehicle.

 

Down shift to slow down at the track or on dry pavement when slowing easily to corner. Use your brains and your brakes when on slippery public streets.

[turbospec29]

Check out some b13 sentras. You can find an xe and swap in an sr20, a very reliable engine and a great car all together. Make it an xe-r. Even some b14s are going for a pretty low price, or a 200sx. Most Nissans are as reliable as the honda crowd and dont carry that high resale. Also, very easy to work on.

[copperhead]

A 4x4 compact truck, like a Toyota or Nissan would be a great choice. 4x4 for winter conditions, 5 speed to teach how how to drive well. Still a "cool" vehicle for a high school kid, and if you go with an older one it will require at least some work that you two can do together. The gas milage won't be terrible, but it wont be great. The upside to poor gas milage is that he wont be running around all the time if he cant afford gas.

[TheHaze]

Definitely agree on considering a manual. I just think it would be a better starting platform to know the mechanics of a car and paying attention. I started with an auto Civic and my first winter of driving I was in my one and only accident. I've had 5 or 6spd cars ever since and haven't come even close to another accident.

[V8 Beast]

I dont agree with getting a manual. They are going to talk on the cell phone anyway. At least this way they are not driving with their knees while trying to shift and talk. I would vote on a v6 fwd auto with a good crash rating.

 

I would make the manual the second car....

[IceMan20k]

I'd stick with either Fwd or awd. Nothing turbo'd. Find out his opinion on stickshift or auto, see if he's willing to learn it, or if he wants an auto.

 

Personally my first car was an $750 1990 Chevy Cavalier RS 5-spd 2 door. It was a pig that couldn't get out of it's own way, but I still loved it. Got my 1st two tickets in it too.

 

I'd imagine you could find something decent (for a 1st car) for $1k or less, just keep your eyes peeled in the autotrader and auto-rv magazines.

[2 Sweet]

You can easily find a late 80's GM a-body (Chevy Celebrity, Buick Century, Pontiac 6000, Olds Ciera) in good shape for $1000. They came with the 2.5L "Iron Duke" I4 or the 2.8L 60* V6, you can't go wrong with either of them as they are both very reliable and easy to work on. Not to mention there are dozens in salvage yards if you need parts.

 

I'd also recommend an S10 or Ranger although they aren't exactly the safest vehicles on the road. 1st gen Cavalier or Sunbird would be a good option, as well as an early 90's Lumina or Grand Prix.

[smokin5s]

I'd recomend driving them to Krogers for the next two years as he works as a cart boy and have him buy his own 1st car... that will give him way more appriciation for the vehicle than anything given to him. case in point, both of my sisters were given cars.... they were trashed and totaled within a year... I had to buy my own car.... that thing was spotless and I sold it 2 years later in better shape than I bought it in. now go 15 years into the future, neither one of them treat vehicles well and both of them look like they've driven through a war with all the dents and dings in them.

 

if you are set in getting him a car, get him an early 90's late 80's cavalier wagon.... trust me, it will be named the "shagg'in wagon" and he will make you proud :-)

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

Now that I think of it, if you are looking for a car that needs some work, I have found it. One of my friends has a camry w/ a blown tranny in it. Has some rust on the outside of the car, not on the frame. It is an automatic. If you think you may be interested, get back to me.

[kirks5oh]

i'll sell you my wife's '99 sentra this coming june before i leave for florida for $2500 (negotiable). it'll have right around 100k miles on it, and i've maintained it meticulously since 20k miles. oil changes every 3k miles (i have all the mileage recorded), brand new brake pads, discs, drums, shoes. new tires as well. no rust, been in two VERY minor fender benders 5 years ago--both accidents only needed the plastic bumper replaced.

 

its a 1.6 liter automatic with dual airbags, great gas mileage--perfect car for a teenager.

[Science Abuse]

I'm in late, but here is the suggestion to end all suggestions:

Get him a pickup truck, Ranger/S10/Dakota/Yota/Nissan/DIHATSU! Read on for the brilliance....

-No balls

-RWD so he can lear a proper driving dynamic.

-Who cares, fix the mailboxes, leave the truck beat up.

-2 seats. This is very important, kids get into most wrecks when there are kids with them, i.e. distracting passengers. 2 seats means one passenger, this will help, trust me. If its shitty enough, he'll have no passengers. lol

-IT'S A TRUCK! You can use it too! You know you want one.

 

My 89 Dakota was a champ. I-4 that I could sit next to int he engine bay, seriously. 5 speed, no power, but snow was still challenging. Got rear ended by a hyundai doing 30, never had to fix the truck, just made the bumper crooked. And no one EVER wanted to ride in it. lol

[BloodRed]

I agree that you shouldn't buy your kid a car. Make him save up money and help him find a good one. I honestly would suggest a 1st generation Neon. I had one for over 5 years and it never let me down. You do have the head gasket problems in ones that are '97 and older, but by now, most have been fixed with the correct gasket. They are easy to work on and you can take apart 80% of the car with a 10mm and 13mm socket. If you go with one of these, also pick up a MAPP torch. You will need it to get those rusted bolts off.

[351mach11647545510]

I am still in highschool and I feel that you are being a little strict. I mean yes he doesnt need 300 horsepower or anything of that nature. But if your parents paid $500 when you were in hs, $500 now would buy shit. You should make it $2000.

 

this is why you are still under your parents rule. your opinion doesnt matter cause you're not smart enough to make your own decisions.

 

make him do like i did, buy his own car. I had no help what-so-ever when it came to me getting my first car. I appreciated it more and I had to really work for and on it.

[Boost-n-Juice]

Most kids do not have the patience at the age of 14 or 15 to work on junker. If he's a gearhead like his dad he should already be out in the garage learning already. Have him get a job. Tell him to save as much money as he can and you'll match it when he turns 16.

 

I think he'll learn a more valuable life lesson this way.

[Science Abuse]

this is why you are still under your parents rule. your opinion doesnt matter cause you're not smart enough to make your own decisions.

Actually, he's spart enough to make a perfectly valid statement. He's talking about inflation, and the fact that it should be taken into account when setting the budget.

$500 in 1995 would get you a fairly rust-free base model sedan in decent running order. My corsica was such a car.

Also, Shawn said his car was an 84 cavalier, 10 years old'ish. In the intrest of fairness, the car he gets for his boy should be a 96. Though inflation hasn't changed the value of $500 much (would be $650ish now), the automotive market has significantly changed and prices are higher.

 

With $500, you're may get something that will cost $1500 a year in repairs to keep on the road. I would agree that the budget should be raised, but to no more then a grand.

[s13]

Why not make him buy a car? My parents gave me 300 dollars to buy my first car, and I had to pay them back that 300.

 

He will definitly care more about his car if he has to pay for it.

[Patrick]

Driving a manual in every car I've ever owned has made me pay attention on the road and as a result, able to avoid accidents and keep control of the car. FWD, 4-cyl, 4-door sedan will fit him perfectly in high school. It did me.

[Tshensley]

You can easily find a late 80's GM a-body (Chevy Celebrity, Buick Century, Pontiac 6000, Olds Ciera) in good shape for $1000. They came with the 2.5L "Iron Duke" I4 or the 2.8L 60* V6, you can't go wrong with either of them as they are both very reliable and easy to work on. Not to mention there are dozens in salvage yards if you need parts.

 

I'd also recommend an S10 or Ranger although they aren't exactly the safest vehicles on the road. 1st gen Cavalier or Sunbird would be a good option, as well as an early 90's Lumina or Grand Prix.

 

 

QFT the 2.8L is junk and you can hardly find them.

 

Try taking a look for an early 90's Grand Prix. From about 91-96, they had the 3.1L which is a very decent motor that parts can be found all over hell. The biggest problems you might have as everyone knows, intake gaskets which can a learning lesson as you mentioned you would like him to have.

 

Its FWD, and not too much HP but enough to get out of its own way, and doesn't do all that bad in the snow

[kirks5oh]

QFT the 2.8L is junk and you can hardly find them.

 

Try taking a look for an early 90's Grand Prix. From about 91-96, they had the 3.1L which is a very decent motor that parts can be found all over hell. The biggest problems you might have as everyone knows, intake gaskets which can a learning lesson as you mentioned you would like him to have.

 

Its FWD, and not too much HP but enough to get out of its own way, and doesn't do all that bad in the snow

 

 

+1 for the '90 grand prix. mine only stranded me one time in the 7 years i owned it, and that was for the intake gasket, which lead to coolant in the oil, and a blown head gasket due to a broken head bolt. i did the head gasket job myself $200, and now my grandfather drives that car and LOVES it. it has over 150k miles on it, doesn't use a single drop of oil between changes, and idles perfectly, gets 20-28mpg, and actually has a bit of pep, but not enough to get into trouble