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Worst First Car for a 16yo boy

cycle61 said:
I've owned several Hondas from that era, and they're decently balanced with a moderate understeer, unless somebody has modified the suspension. Really not sure what you're talking about.
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Eh, I think they feel nervous on the highway, with overly light steering and rear ends that don't feel planted unless the tank is full or you've got a bag of cement back there.
 
Reli said:
Eh, I think they feel nervous on the highway, with overly light steering and rear ends that don't feel planted unless the tank is full or you've got a bag of cement back there.
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My 2015 accord I had was like this. Sketchy on the highway above 60mph. Not overtly so but enough to dissuade you from speeding. Push 80+ and you'll be puckering in the corners and faster lane changes.
 
'70 Chevelle. Pic is not the car I owned but just like it. 350 with a floor console shift auto. I never wrecked it but my ex-brother in law damn near totaled it drunk. NOT a good car for a 16yr old.
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stan23 said:
Sounds like the CR500 of cars!
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That about covers it.

I always thought a VW beetle was good first car. No power, shitty brakes, no water pump to fail. One fan belt, one idiot light. They really taught one how to drive. So little power you really have to plan your driving. Same with the brakes. You absolutely MUST be aware of your surroundings and ready to apply the brakes way in advance. Sadly there are too few of them left in any sort of decent condition.
 
billswim said:
That about covers it.

I always thought a VW beetle was good first car. No power, shitty brakes, no water pump to fail. One fan belt, one idiot light. They really taught one how to drive. So little power you really have to plan your driving. Same with the brakes. You absolutely MUST be aware of your surroundings and ready to apply the brakes way in advance. Sadly there are too few of them left in any sort of decent condition.
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That, and if you run into anything more solid that a plastic garbage bin you're dead.
 
My dad had an old Volvo 444, the Red Crab we called it.... My sisters made me lay on the back dash panel under the rear window, always quite a ride when my dad would take us all down to Big Sur.
 
Maybe we should think about some driving lessons, you know TRACK DAYS or an area where we can show them what some cars are capable of doing and what the outcome might be,
I think that is what we did with our kids, let them have some fun on dirt and snow, you know all the things we did and got away with but in a controlled manner.
I know this way of thinking is alien to most of us but with a bit of common sense it might work and then we might not worry so much.
 
injun said:
Maybe we should think about some driving lessons, you know TRACK DAYS or an area where we can show them what some cars are capable of doing and what the outcome might be,
I think that is what we did with our kids, let them have some fun on dirt and snow, you know all the things we did and got away with but in a controlled manner.
I know this way of thinking is alien to most of us but with a bit of common sense it might work and then we might not worry so much.
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This might work, or just give the kid more confidence to drive like a complete knob (albeit more skilled one) on the road. I had a buddy that drove racecars that his dad ran all the time. He was a complete maniac on the road. I think it was partially because he was such a good driver. To his credit, he never really wadded anything up, but the shit he did would make just about anyone cringe.
 
injun said:
Maybe we should think about some driving lessons, you know TRACK DAYS or an area where we can show them what some cars are capable of doing and what the outcome might be,
I think that is what we did with our kids, let them have some fun on dirt and snow, you know all the things we did and got away with but in a controlled manner.
I know this way of thinking is alien to most of us but with a bit of common sense it might work and then we might not worry so much.
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ThunderHill has quite a few "Teen Clinics" where they are taken out to the skid pan and let loose. My buddies daughter flat spotted a set of tires on his Camaro.

Relatively inexpensive if I remember, maybe $50? Not counting fuel and tires:teeth
 
oobus said:
ThunderHill has quite a few "Teen Clinics" where they are taken out to the skid pan and let loose. My buddies daughter flat spotted a set of tires on his Camaro.

Relatively inexpensive if I remember, maybe $50? Not counting fuel and tires:teeth
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They have a similar thing at Sears Point.
 
Well, I don't have a kid. But if I did, I would ask him what he wanted as long as it was something that I could afford + full coverage insurance. I probably wouldn't mind letting him have a 5.0 Stang, WRX, 350z, something cool. I know what it was like having a fast car and how it just dramatically improves your life and young adulthood memories. Now, in order to have a cool car, he'd have to impress the hell out of me with his report cards and be getting full ride scholarships into top notch Universities!!!

It actually seems like more and more kids these days are more into little econoboxes (ex. Honda Fit?) maybe those are the 'cool' cars in high schools these days?

True Story: Within 3 days of driving a brand new '98 Mustang GT black on black, manual trans to school, the hottest girl on the cheerleading squad basically offered herself up to me and break up with her current bf. Now I wasn't a nerd or labelled 'uncool' in high school or anything, but she was definitely one of those girls that I didn't think I would have a shot at. Too bad I already had a cute gf, and rolling around with me in my new Stang certainly raised her social standing too hahaha!
 
My 1983 Subaru wagon may not have been a stereotypical cool car but the combination of punk rock stickers in the back window and my board on the roof up to the ski hill every weekend was bitchin'.
 
954Rider said:
Well, I don't have a kid. But if I did, I would ask him what he wanted as long as it was something that I could afford + full coverage insurance. I probably wouldn't mind letting him have a 5.0 Stang, WRX, 350z, something cool. I know what it was like having a fast car and how it just dramatically improves your life and young adulthood memories. Now, in order to have a cool car, he'd have to impress the hell out of me with his report cards and be getting full ride scholarships into top notch Universities!!!

It actually seems like more and more kids these days are more into little econoboxes (ex. Honda Fit?) maybe those are the 'cool' cars in high schools these days?

True Story: Within 3 days of driving a brand new '98 Mustang GT black on black, manual trans to school, the hottest girl on the cheerleading squad basically offered herself up to me and break up with her current bf. Now I wasn't a nerd or labelled 'uncool' in high school or anything, but she was definitely one of those girls that I didn't think I would have a shot at. Too bad I already had a cute gf, and rolling around with me in my new Stang certainly raised her social standing too hahaha!
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Was she black? :later
 
1986 Toyota 4Runner with 4cyl 22RE and removable top.

The deal was that I had to rebuild the engine during my Junior/Senior year of HS..........that engine is still going strong on my uncle's farm today but boy did that rust bucket cause me a lot of repair headaches and eat up all my money in gas during the early 2000's.....did a ton of offroading in it too!
 
speak of the devil. neighbor bought his kid a red mustang before he got his drivers license. dad tricked it out (lowered, exhaust, wheels, tires, blackened windows - kid thought he was bad ass). dad told us a few days ago the kid totaled it. said he was going to buy the kid a truck as replacement. came home today and there was another mustang in the driveway. :rolleyes
 
littlebeast said:
speak of the devil. neighbor bought his kid a red mustang before he got his drivers license. dad tricked it out (lowered, exhaust, wheels, tires, blackened windows - kid thought he was bad ass). dad told us a few days ago the kid totaled it. said he was going to buy the kid a truck as replacement. came home today and there was another mustang in the driveway. :rolleyes
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Some parents just don't like their kids.... :laughing
 
littlebeast said:
speak of the devil. neighbor bought his kid a red mustang before he got his drivers license. dad tricked it out (lowered, exhaust, wheels, tires, blackened windows - kid thought he was bad ass). dad told us a few days ago the kid totaled it. said he was going to buy the kid a truck as replacement. came home today and there was another mustang in the driveway. :rolleyes
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Sounds like Dad has less common sense than Jr... :laughing
 
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