Funny you ask, because one year I did actually drive into the cottage and knock down the porch while people were on it.
I actually had to look up what crochet was. Are you saying cottage parties are for old people? :s
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best car for a 16 year old guy
- Thread starter acebudad
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Funny you ask, because one year I did actually drive into the cottage and knock down the porch while people were on it.
I actually had to look up what crochet was. Are you saying cottage parties are for old people? :s
Oh lawd, down here cottages are houses on lakes, so you can get drunk and go swimming/see how deep you can get your car in the water while drunk, basically it's a house where you get wet and drunk. Most look like this:
Third generation Camaro (1982-1992) with a 305 V8 (TBI, some of the later TPI cars are rather quick).
Sporty, excellent handling (.92g in bone stock form), decent gas mileage, good enough power for a first car without being too much to get you in trouble (305 TBI/Crossfire), a very, very long nose for when you rear-end someone, and the whole body is steel. And you gotta love cruising with the T-tops off. Insurance shouldn't be too bad either. Also tons of room under the hood to work, and parts are cheap.
Sporty, excellent handling (.92g in bone stock form), decent gas mileage, good enough power for a first car without being too much to get you in trouble (305 TBI/Crossfire), a very, very long nose for when you rear-end someone, and the whole body is steel. And you gotta love cruising with the T-tops off. Insurance shouldn't be too bad either. Also tons of room under the hood to work, and parts are cheap.
I got a '97 Yukon SLT to take to university because my other car would have gotten destroyed. This was 4 years ago and I got it for 5K. I fixed it up like a boss, pretty much back to stock. It was a GREAT student vehicle. Leather seats, power everything (it was the Escalade of its day, lol). It was also 4wd and where I went to school it snowed all the time and they never cleared the roads, so I was the only one that could go anywhere when it really came down. Not to mention that we could put 7 kegs (7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) in it when we had keggers/going down to cottage parties. Most people would walk into the cottage because of the rough terrain but we would drive right in. It is the ultimate student vehicle.
Not to mention, one night in the middle of a HUGE blizzard going down a freeway at about 75km/h and I hit someones bumper that had fallen off and gotten buried in the snow which sent me into a wild spin (we knew this because it got stuck in my wheel well), I slide across the freeway and hit the centre divider at about 75, on a slight angle. Bounced off, slid around a second time and hit the same divider in the back of the truck then slid around AGAIN and hit the front one more time. Came to a stop perpendicular to the flow of traffic and saw a huge truck barrelling towards me, I stepped on the gas and drove into a ditch beside the road. The engine never stopped or anything, if it did, I would have been toast... if I had been driving my other car I would have been in a world of hurt for sure. The damage was incredibly minor for hitting a concrete divider at such a speed. The front of the truck was pushed in quite badly to the point where the bumper was touching the wheel, and the back bumper was flattened against the back of the truck, but there was no permanent damage to the vehicle/frame. In fact, when the tow truck got there, he strapped the truck to the bed of his tow truck, and connected a winch to the front bumper and pulled the bumper off the wheels and I drove it home that night. Ended up being about 5K to repair after all was said and done (which I'm sure was the cost of the truck) but we fixed it because it saved my ass and stuff. I'm taking it to school for the 4th year this year
Moral of the story, get a giant SUV when you're young, because you're going to hit stuff and you want to be able to walk away from those dings, haha. It gets about 11MPG (I've got headers/exhaust/filters and I drive it like I stole it). The Vortec 5700 in this bad boy is pretty bulletproof as well. Even if you don't get a Yukon, there's a reason everyone is telling you to get an SUV when you're young
And the unfortunate sod that gets hit with that tank? No concern for their being able to walk away? New drivers do not belong in huge SUVs. It's a selfish thing to do and could ruin totally innocent lives.
Fortunately the OP sounds more sensible. Whatever normal and safe car appeals to you is a good start.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
Honda and Toyota compact cars hold their value too much for you to get one for 2k. I like the new compact cars Ford is putting out, but I'm not sure about the reliability of their older models.
This might not help, but I have come to the conclusion that buying a really cheap used car is just sort of a sad, long drawn out affair where you keep putting good money after bad in a futile attempt to keep the car functioning. In our family we have either bought new Japanese compacts and just keep them because they run forever or in my sister's case bought a used Japanese compact in the 8-9K range. I myself don't drive and don't have a car so my advice isn't the best perhaps.
But I think if I were in your situation, I would explain the logic to my parents of buying you a nicer used car or new car. I would explain that given the lack of good public transportation where you live, your need to get to school and your job, and school activities, etc., a car is a necessity--not a luxury. If you lived in Manhattan a car would be a ludicrous idea. In Newport News, VA (I'm familiar with the area--a land of of strip malls and urban sprawl) you can't really get around with public transit or walking. I'm sure there is some great value in making you work to buy the car, but I don't buy into all that. 16 year olds already have a lot to worry about; if you've already saved up 2,000 you could use that to help with gas and insurance for a year or so. It'll go fast for that alone!
Sorry if that is very impractical. I was one of those kids who would try to get my way, even to the point of making a DVD once to convince my parents of all the reasons we shouldn't move where I showed pictures of the place we were moving set to sad music interlaced with pictures of homeless drug users and then ended with all the pictures of how happy we were where we lived set to upbeat music. I even created with a CD with tranquil sounds with my voice faintly in the background saying "I don't want to move" --in a vain attempt to implant subconscious thoughts. Both of those projects were done using iLife by the way (iMovie, iDVD, and GarageBand). Anyhow, all that was to say, I have never had a problem telling my parents what I want--and if you can lay out the reasons of why they should meet you halfway (or maybe even a little further) I think that could be a good idea--although you know your parents better than anyone here. I admire your practicality and doing this on your own--but the question is do you have to?
This might not help, but I have come to the conclusion that buying a really cheap used car is just sort of a sad, long drawn out affair where you keep putting good money after bad in a futile attempt to keep the car functioning. In our family we have either bought new Japanese compacts and just keep them because they run forever or in my sister's case bought a used Japanese compact in the 8-9K range. I myself don't drive and don't have a car so my advice isn't the best perhaps.
But I think if I were in your situation, I would explain the logic to my parents of buying you a nicer used car or new car. I would explain that given the lack of good public transportation where you live, your need to get to school and your job, and school activities, etc., a car is a necessity--not a luxury. If you lived in Manhattan a car would be a ludicrous idea. In Newport News, VA (I'm familiar with the area--a land of of strip malls and urban sprawl) you can't really get around with public transit or walking. I'm sure there is some great value in making you work to buy the car, but I don't buy into all that. 16 year olds already have a lot to worry about; if you've already saved up 2,000 you could use that to help with gas and insurance for a year or so. It'll go fast for that alone!
Sorry if that is very impractical. I was one of those kids who would try to get my way, even to the point of making a DVD once to convince my parents of all the reasons we shouldn't move where I showed pictures of the place we were moving set to sad music interlaced with pictures of homeless drug users and then ended with all the pictures of how happy we were where we lived set to upbeat music. I even created with a CD with tranquil sounds with my voice faintly in the background saying "I don't want to move" --in a vain attempt to implant subconscious thoughts. Both of those projects were done using iLife by the way (iMovie, iDVD, and GarageBand). Anyhow, all that was to say, I have never had a problem telling my parents what I want--and if you can lay out the reasons of why they should meet you halfway (or maybe even a little further) I think that could be a good idea--although you know your parents better than anyone here. I admire your practicality and doing this on your own--but the question is do you have to?
^^^While I think your last paragraph is a bit strange, I agree with the stuff before it.
It is true that more often than not an old, cheap car will just cost more in the long run. I once had a $7k E36 that was mint looking with full service records, because I didn't want to spend $15k on one (which I could've easily done). Well, four years, $8000 later, I sold it just to get it out of my site STILL needing $4500 in work. Then you factor in all the time I lost, all the times I was pissed at the car, or just flat out worried I'd get stranded or limping from one place to the other with $1000 repair surprises. Then you realize I could've just bought the $15k car and had a way better car, way more reliable, and way more predictable budget-wise.
If you can get your parents to help you, say even match what you have, $4k will get you twice the car as $2k. And if your parents can get you up to $8k, you can get some pretty decent little compacts for that you won't have to worry about. Nothing sucks more than a $500 surprise repair when you make $7 an hour at the grocery store that you depend on the car to get to...it's a vicious cycle.
It is true that more often than not an old, cheap car will just cost more in the long run. I once had a $7k E36 that was mint looking with full service records, because I didn't want to spend $15k on one (which I could've easily done). Well, four years, $8000 later, I sold it just to get it out of my site STILL needing $4500 in work. Then you factor in all the time I lost, all the times I was pissed at the car, or just flat out worried I'd get stranded or limping from one place to the other with $1000 repair surprises. Then you realize I could've just bought the $15k car and had a way better car, way more reliable, and way more predictable budget-wise.
If you can get your parents to help you, say even match what you have, $4k will get you twice the car as $2k. And if your parents can get you up to $8k, you can get some pretty decent little compacts for that you won't have to worry about. Nothing sucks more than a $500 surprise repair when you make $7 an hour at the grocery store that you depend on the car to get to...it's a vicious cycle.
Sure, yeah.... Or you could read the story I posted directly before the part you bolded and realize that I meant he was going to hit barriers/trees/porches (was that only me...?)
The trouble with accidents is you can't pick and choose what you are going to hit.
I want to disagree with you there, because you have control over the car as you're crashing in some situations, BUT ALAS! You and iBlue have fallen into the trap of hating on large SUV's for their danger to other motorists!
What about accidents involving pedestrians?
While I think snakersizzle probably has a pretty reckless drinking and driving problem, I do also throw in my .02 that an SUV in college would be pretty sweet for kegs and keg activities, or snow/ski trips.
Or sex when your roommate passes out in your bed.
Or sex when your roommate passes out in your bed.
nothing reckless about driving around hammered at the cottage on your own property miles way from the nearest other person to see who's the best at it
You should buy a cheap and old car, so you gain experience driving a "piece of junk", that is the best way to gain experience. I own a Opel Corsa B from 1996 with a 1.2 liter engine and with no ABS, traction control, no steering assist, no nothing and I've gained a lot of experience with it, I can safely drive my mother's Audi A4 and also got the opportunity to drive an F430 and a Gallardo, although I was extremely careful because an Audi A4 and a Gallardo can't be compared x)
This is my example through what I've learned since I got my license 3 years ago. If you take these facts into account, I'd say pick you poison
This is my example through what I've learned since I got my license 3 years ago. If you take these facts into account, I'd say pick you poison
nothing reckless about driving around hammered at the cottage on your own property miles way from the nearest other person to see who's the best at it
Ahh, to be 12 years old again
Don't laugh, we set up a very legitimate course. We had pylons, parking tests and everything. This was pure science!
You are right. The Micra is for the U.S and European market, the March is for the Japanese market
You are right. The Micra is for the U.S and European market, the March is for the Japanese market
Thought so, thanks
In that case I would look into getting a classic muscle car. You could fix it up yourself. I also think you are less likely to drive it recklessly and get into an accident. Once you fix up a car yourself you become much more attached to it. It stops just being some car and becomes more a part of you.
You don't need to get something that you would see on the Mecum Auto Auction. Heck that would defeat the point of a fixer upper. But for a couple grand you can get something that looks presentable. Then work on fixing it up with stuff like a Holly double pumper, Edlebrock intake, Flowmaster exhaust, Hooker headers, posi, Kicker subs and so on
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You assume I didn't read it. You also assume I am some sort of SUV hater. Both false assumptions. I maintain what I said - a large SUV in the hands of a new driver (& 16 qualifies as new) is selfish for the potential danger they may cause someone else.
a SUV for a new driver ?
why not get him to buy a Ford F750 Pick up
..are we talking about a 16 year old or a bloke in his 50's with a midlife crysis?
what about sensible vehicles, ok i know with such low petrol prices like in the US it does not make sense to buy a economical small car , but a cousin from me is 20 and he drives a Fiat 500 nuovo now, economical ,5 star EuroNCAP rating and 6 airbags , abs, esp,.... and he lives in Fort Lauderdale ,he says its the best car to pull girls as they find it soooo cute
small economical cars dont need to be embarrassing
so its up to you ..do you want some high school blokes hanging around your car admiring it , or do you want girls jumping inside to get a lift home
why not get him to buy a Ford F750 Pick up
..are we talking about a 16 year old or a bloke in his 50's with a midlife crysis?
what about sensible vehicles, ok i know with such low petrol prices like in the US it does not make sense to buy a economical small car , but a cousin from me is 20 and he drives a Fiat 500 nuovo now, economical ,5 star EuroNCAP rating and 6 airbags , abs, esp,.... and he lives in Fort Lauderdale ,he says its the best car to pull girls as they find it soooo cute
small economical cars dont need to be embarrassing
so its up to you ..do you want some high school blokes hanging around your car admiring it , or do you want girls jumping inside to get a lift home
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