What car: Teenage driver edition

My top picks:

Scion xB
Mazda 3 hatch
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube
Honda Fit
Ford Focus or Fiesta hatch
Chevy Sonic hatch
If she can do a sedan, Honda Accord

novaderrik wrote:

Flight Service wrote: The c30 is a good idea with the back seats removed, so is a Smart, iQ, Miata, Del Sol, 2.7 Boxster (with IMS replaced). Just about any 2 seat car or car you are willing to make 2 seats with lower power. Why? The #1 reason teens are in wrecks is distracted driving. Passengers as much if not more than cell phones. Don't even give her the option. The Answer is still the answer.

I once had 9 people in my mom's 86 Mustang, then 11 people in the 66 Lincoln I had a couple of years later.. I know of a Fiero that had 4 people in it.. I also know that 9 teenagers fit in a Subaru Brat, and that it will still go thru a fully grown corn field in that configuration.. I guess what i'm saying is that a lack of seats does not mean there will be a lack of passengers..

11 people in a Mustang and 4 in a Fiero...you sure about that?

In reply to Flight Service:

Counting me driving, I've had 5 people in the regular cab of a 98 Sonoma

As for a first car, and I'll probably get burned for this, but Forester? Outback? They can be had fairly cheap, are fairly reliable, and also pretty safe. Also, good in inclement weather if that's an issue where you are.

In reply to revrico:

I can see where I was unclear

Do you want your daughter to have 11 people in the car or 4?

I was going to say Honda Fit, not fast , but not boring either and they did come in some different colors. I am pretty sure tube would fit with it's unique seat folding arrangement.

My daughter? No, she's getting my Miata. Or whatever unsexhaveable car I have sitting around at the time. With GPS tracking to boot. But I get what you mean, just agreeing with nova that seating won't limit passengers. Needing to carry around a tuba is unfortunate, that pretty much adds to requirement of a back seat or big trunk.

revrico wrote: As for a first car, and I'll probably get burned for this, but Forester? Outback? They can be had fairly cheap, are fairly reliable, and also pretty safe. Also, good in inclement weather if that's an issue where you are.

No flaming from me. Both those are definitely on the list. Safety ratings are 'top pick', which is trait #1 in importance!

In the same boat with my 16 year old son. I've been teaching him to drive a manual... he loves it. Upside? Using more appendages to drive the car, leaves less appendages to screw things up. He likes the Fit(my car). Fun to drive, scooty, and minimal power. Plus side, there's a ton of them out there. What he really wants... my old '91 SE-R. His music equipment will not fit in it but with fit in the Fit.

I am in the same boat as well. My son will be 16 in September. My current plan is to hand my 03 BMW X5 down to him. It is a manual trans. I figure with 180+k it is worth about nothing. It is built like a tank, not fast, and very safe. And I can use it still for towing my '47 CJ-2 up north.

vladha wrote: In the same boat with my 16 year old son. I've been teaching him to drive a manual... he loves it. Upside? Using more appendages to drive the car, leaves less appendages to screw things up. He likes the Fit(my car). Fun to drive, scooty, and minimal power. Plus side, there's a ton of them out there. What he really wants... my old '91 SE-R. His music equipment will not fit in it but with fit in the Fit.

I love B-13s, but I'm guessing one wouldn't hold up well in a crash.

oldopelguy wrote: First cars should be random 90s FWD GM products with 3800 v-6s. Spend $3500 and get a nice one, then use the rest of your $10k for your deductible and the replacement car after she wrecks it.

QFT!!!

Big, slow, safe, and ugly is what a teenagers' first car needs to be. You might even screw down the throttle stop so it can never get past 1/2 open.

Think of things that were built specifically for fleet/rental/taxi service and you have your answer of teenager first cars. If she REALLY wants something "quirky" go with a Saab. Safest place to park a teen behind the wheel I can think of.

revrico wrote: Or whatever unsexhaveable car I have sitting around at the time.

I am 6'5" and my girlfriend and I had "relations" in a Fiero in High School, add that to the Miata being an open top roadster and well, you need a better plan with a smaller car with a fixed roof.

In reply to Flight Service:

I guess I hasn't considered that. Just about how difficult it would be IN the miata for me, at 5'10 300. My cavalier was surprisingly roomy in the regards. I fully suspect though that cleaning the shotgun on the porch in my underwear will be a good preventative measure. Or invite some biker friends to work on their rides before her first date. But my daughter isn't even a year old yet, so I've got time for that.

On topic: my first ride was a gmc Sonoma owned by mennonites after the power company. Should be read as destroyed by. Spent more time and money under it than it in, and taught me all the things to look for wrong for a replacement. Sometimes the best learning experience is a hole to throw money at.

In reply to revrico:

When it comes to daughters having sex, I can only see two options (I have two boys)

1. Shoot the first one and leave them in the yard as a warning.

2. Tell them to have a good time, and then tell them what ever they do to her, you are going to do to them.

Either should have the desired effect I think.

I bought my son an XJ Cherokee, because somehow it never occurred to me that buying him a vehicle that can go anywhere on earth with a twin bed in the back might be a bad plan for a teen driver.

So basically, don't listen to me on this topic.

Kylini wrote: Used Gen 3 Prius? Mine's pretty boring, safe, and has good fuel economy. They're also $10,000 or less all day long on Craigslist (around 60,000 miles at this price).

Give a new driver a Prius?! C'mon, we're trying to get his daughter transpo, not make her suicidal!

In reply to oldopelguy:

This is the best advice. Something disposable, but invincible

What about a W126? Preferably in 300SDL spec, although a 420SEL would be great too.

Sure about that? That's what the back seat of my 300SDL looks like. Big enough to carry a 25-gallon gas jug with the front seat about halfway back. I think I measured it at like 25 inches from front of rear bottom cushion to rear of front seat. And that's just the LEG room. The seat itself is huge, too! I wouldn't recommend buying your teenager one.

nepa03focus wrote:

dyintorace wrote: Thoughts on the Focus 5 door?

Get the 5spd and it should be all good.

Yes! Yes! These are dropping into the $10k range. Plus they offer the Ford MyKey which requires seatbelt use, you can limit her top speed and radio volume and some other stuff.

I've discovered somewhat by accident that a V6 powered full size pickup with a manual is intimidating enough to slow my kid down and make him think about the process of driving. Plus he now realizes that I'm several magnitudes more awesome of a driver than he is .

Flight Service wrote:

novaderrik wrote:

Flight Service wrote: The c30 is a good idea with the back seats removed, so is a Smart, iQ, Miata, Del Sol, 2.7 Boxster (with IMS replaced). Just about any 2 seat car or car you are willing to make 2 seats with lower power. Why? The #1 reason teens are in wrecks is distracted driving. Passengers as much if not more than cell phones. Don't even give her the option. The Answer is still the answer.

I once had 9 people in my mom's 86 Mustang, then 11 people in the 66 Lincoln I had a couple of years later.. I know of a Fiero that had 4 people in it.. I also know that 9 teenagers fit in a Subaru Brat, and that it will still go thru a fully grown corn field in that configuration.. I guess what i'm saying is that a lack of seats does not mean there will be a lack of passengers..

11 people in a Mustang and 4 in a Fiero...you sure about that?

In highschool, my friend had a 240sx. We managed to fit 5 fairly large dudes and our girlfriends in there once. Trust me, if there's a way, teenagers will find it.

Quick update. Daughter is going to start driving mom's Jetta TDI sportwagen while mom starts driving the 2006 4Runner we just bought. I'm going to sell my e46 M3 and start dailying the '99 Miata. Lots to do!

Good car, relatively slow, very safe. Well done sir!

Moped.

Pretty sure nobody here has ever had sex on one, especially while hauling a tuba.