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What what you get your 16 year old kid for a car?


Buck531

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Now this is me getting old. My son turns 16 in September and depending if his grades are right, he'll get his license this year.

 

Is there any cars out there that are halfway decent for say under $2,000

 

- If it's a 3800 I can fix it, cheaper the better. I'm looking for a turd with a 3800 with either a blown trans or motor for cheap I can swap in

 

- If that doesn't work, something small, cheap, econobox that won't break down every other day.

 

- He's not a car person. He's just not into it. He's more into computers, and the xbox.

 

- Needs to be FWD, no RWD, no V8, preferrably a 4 banger or smaller v6. Auto, no stick.

 

Throw out some ideas.

 

Oh yeah. if you're in the 16-20 age bracket, GTFO. you just got your license. I don't want to hear what mommy and daddy got you :).

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by sept i could sell him a kia rio, but its a stick. ive had it a year, no problems...minor shit i fixed from the previous owner...2 new tires, new flex pipe, new brakes...gas guage is broken, so i fill up every 300 miles and put 9 gallons in. gets 36+ in summer, about 31 in winter. $3k to pay off the loan
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Why not a bigger 3800 car? Park Ave FTW. I could have killed myself when I was 16, econoboxes FTL! a bigger car is safer.

 

Yeah..if I can get a higher mileage 3800 (Monte carlo, Lumina, Regal, whatever) I'd be happy to dump some money into it to get it running.

 

The car doesn't HAVE to be a small econo box.. just that might happen if I can't find a decent 3800.

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by sept i could sell him a kia rio, but its a stick. ive had it a year, no problems...minor shit i fixed from the previous owner...2 new tires, new flex pipe, new brakes...gas guage is broken, so i fill up every 300 miles and put 9 gallons in. gets 36+ in summer, about 31 in winter. $3k to pay off the loan

 

you can get the sensor to fix that..they seem to eat them since the gauge moves so slow..

 

 

 

dont get him a car. make him work for a ride. i have learned one thing, most kids that get shit handed to them, dont keep the shit nice. go get him a jazzy scooter or a moped.

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dont get him a car. make him work for a ride. i have learned one thing, most kids that get shit handed to them, dont keep the shit nice. go get him a jazzy scooter or a moped.

 

This, plus one million. Also, force him to learn a standard transmission. If you just hand him over a car that involves little to no work to acquire and takes little to learn to drive, he may very well become one of those types that can't drive and doesn't respect anything on the road.

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Wow, stereotype much?

 

no shit. considering i bought my own car when i turned 16.

 

you can prolly get an older hyundai or kia for around that money. or a real beat to shit civic.

 

i second the make him get a manual. cheaper gas mileage anyway.

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When I was in high school kids who had foxbodies and kickass trucks got all the ass in the world, and with a little bit of power under their belt they learned to respect it early in life. If you get your boy some bitchmobile he'll buy some sports car later on that he can't afford.. trying to relive his past. Of course that's not black and white, maybe he just won't care, but if you buy him something that demands a bit of respect it will help him grow up quicker.

 

I have to agree. Let him have some say in what car he gets. He will respect it more and take better care of it. I had to deal with a Chrysler LHS... The second I got a job I went and got my TA on an 18% interest rate. Just because I wanted a sporty car and not a grandpa mobile I was willing to throw away money. It took me paying $700 a month for a year before I had the credit to refinance. I learned my lesson the hard way :(

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My parents helped my to buy a car, the last word was theirs. They chose a 96 Accord LX. Good call, it was actually a safe car. My dad is in a similar situation. My brother will be looking for a car in the next year or so. I did suggest a 3800.
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geo tracker. driving the NHTSA-rated deadliest vehicle on the road sure gives you a lot of respect for other drivers and keeps you aware of traffic flow in intersections. and that's not even mentioning the winter driving skills acquired from driving a top heavy, 2wd, 2000lb vehicle around.
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I already have a few thousand saved for my daughters first car and wedding on top of her college fund. She just turned two. I didn't get a car until I was 19, my mom wouldn't let me get my license until I was 18. I don't want the same stuff for my daughter, she will have a nice car when she turns 16, I will be 48 and I don't want to be wrenching on a car then, hell I'll most likely walk with a cane. :D

 

She will have to have good grades and and be a good kid though. I'll let her pick out her first car, but I don't think it will be a BMW or anything, a new small car, maybe by then they will be electric...

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Well, currently having two kids (18 & 20 one boy, one girl) that have survived the transition to driving, heres my .02!

 

I allowed both of them to provide some idea of what they would like to drive, truck, car, suv and I provided it for a cost of under $1500 fixed up and safe to drive. My son started with a $200 Ranger with a smashed bed - we fixed/went over the whole truck, added factory aluminum rims, new tires and better speakers. Had a little over a grand in it. My daughter wanted a jeep, wound up with a Tracker for $1100 bucks. In both cases, the deal was they drive it for a year, if no accidents, no tickets, car was taken care of, they could upgrade. Other than minor stuff, both did well and Sean has stepped up, my daughter and I are currently shopping for a replacement for hers. By the way the "upgrade budget" (Dad's part) $2K-$3K ready to drive. If they want to kick in some saved cash to go above that, that's OK too. After the upgrade, they're on their own (as much as kids are ever "on their own" anyway.

 

Having some say in the car (I feel) keeps them from the stupid idea of just beating it to death to get something else. Both kids liked what they had, the cars looked decent, were somewhat "cool" to them, and they knew they could be a stepping stone to something nicer. Good luck with the process. I know decent used stuff is getting tougher to find - took me three months to find a decent older full sized pickup to use for the summer!

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I just bought the cheapest thing I could find when I was 16 I wanted wheels

 

ended up with a yellow 83 subaru gl wagon with 4wd it went 22.x in the quarter I cleaned up bracket racing from people trying to run my down with an 8-10 second head start :)

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Have him get a 4cyl 5speed jeep wrangler

 

When i was 16 i had a 2004 Lexus Rx330, then a 2004 Mustang Mach1, then a wrangler for fun. And i had more fun in my wrangler than the other two cars listed! Their cheap, 4x4, I had wheels and tires put on it (33") and it wouldnt go past 70mph so he wont be speeding!

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