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No,you're not the only one..But that's ok..Once these kids get old enough and mature enough to realize that a vehicle is a means of transportation,and not an extension of their d**k,they'll understand it better....

OP..Assuming you've never driven before,a Tahoe isn't a good first vehicle..Different handling,turning radius,parking etc...Not to mention the rollover factor going around a curve,offramp etc...Tahoe is overkill for your needs,IMO.
Well said, agree completely.

Plus the Tahoe is hideous.
 
I always am doing sports and need room to throw my crap in the back. I drive my mom's Lexus around a lot and i like how big it is, I believe it is bigger then a Tahoe actually. Gas is not an Issue cause I have a grandfather who will pay for my gas. What are your Suggestions for SUV?

I can almost guarantee you all your sports crap would fit in the back of my GTI. Seriously, take a look at a small hatchback (albeit not a GTI, insurance on one for a 16 year old will be sky high, but perhaps a Rabbit/Golf or a Mazda 3 hatch). If you put the rear seats down, hatches can hold a lot of stuff.
 
I always am doing sports and need room to throw my crap in the back. I drive my mom's Lexus around a lot and i like how big it is, I believe it is bigger then a Tahoe actually. Gas is not an Issue cause I have a grandfather who will pay for my gas. What are your Suggestions for SUV?

I wouldn't be if my grandfather didn't merry a rich woman

I am sure mom, granddaddy and his rich wife would be so proud if they could read this thread

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
I hear about more deaths of teens losing control of their mother's 4x4s than of any Prius driver.

Oh, of course! I was just saying if you hit one head-on, you'd probably win. Same with SMART cars, civics, etc.

I'm sure I'll read this thread and hate myself in a year or two.
 
I'm 16, and I have my license. I had the option of getting my dad's '97 Tahoe, which is still smaller than an '07. It's a pain in the ass all around. It gets 12 MPG, and it's an automatic, which is even worse still. Go with an Explorer, I had a 1998 this summer. We bought it for $800 when it needed a transmission, we could never find a 5 speed transmission for it so we sold it for $1000 a month later. Easy profit.:D
 
why not go for a 2000+ toyota 4runner? My brother drives a 2004 and he loves it. My dad has an 08 tahoe and it's great and everything, but for a 16 year old? I would not trust a 16 year old with anything 06 and older, Insurance must be a total bi***. But i guess if you can afford it than go right ahead.

I have my dad's old 05 sequoia, why it is big and I love it, I have to pay for the gas :(
 
OP: I think Tahoes are good-looking SUV's. I've owned two Chevrolets in my life and neither one held up very well, but that's just one person's experience.

I drive a Ford Expedition, and I can attest that driving a large SUV does take some getting used to. They're harder to park, harder to back into a space for loading, and harder to navigate using mirrors (and you WILL have to rely on the mirrors more than in a smaller vehicle) until you get used to its size.

All that being said, I love the utility and versatility of a large SUV. I'm also a very big guy, and it's quite comfortable to ride in. Mine is also cheaper to insure than my Hyundai Sonata was (the insurance underwriter's rationale is that you're less likely to be hurt in an accident), but gas is quite a bit more expensive.
 
I'm 16, and I have my license. I had the option of getting my dad's '97 Tahoe, which is still smaller than an '07. It's a pain in the ass all around. It gets 12 MPG, and it's an automatic, which is even worse still. Go with an Explorer, I had a 1998 this summer. We bought it for $800 when it needed a transmission, we could never find a 5 speed transmission for it so we sold it for $1000 a month later. Easy profit.:D

The GMT-900's are much better in comparison to the GMT-400's.

My family had a 1996 Chevy Suburban( the GMT-400) and I agree with your sentiments about it. It was loud, gas guzzling, and had a horrible turning radius.

We then got a GMT-800 2002 Chevy Suburban. Quieter, more fuel efficient, and a better turning radius. The thing could make U-Turns where the old one took backing up and finishing the turn. When we test drove the GMT-900 Suburban, it had the same turning radius as our current one.

It was my favorite vehicle to learn on. I didn't like my dads 2002 BMW 330xi due to its firm brakes and I didn't like my moms 2001 Chrysler Sebring convertible because at a dead stop, it would think it was a Corvette and lunge forward. You had to be careful on how you touched the gas pedal. The Suburban didn't have any of that. The brake pedal was softer and the gas pedal was less sensitive compared to the Sebring. Yeah, it was big and I had to be careful with it, but every chance my parents offered to go out and teach me how to drive, I begged for the Suburban. That changed when we got rid of the Sebring( it was a POS) and got a 2006 Chevy Equinox which became the car I finished learning on and did my drivers test in.

why not go for a 2000+ toyota 4runner? My brother drives a 2004 and he loves it. My dad has an 08 tahoe and it's great and everything, but for a 16 year old? I would not trust a 16 year old with anything 06 and older, Insurance must be a total bi***. But i guess if you can afford it than go right ahead.

I have my dad's old 05 sequoia, why it is big and I love it, I have to pay for the gas :(

Hey I got a 2007 Saturn Aura XR for my first car and only damage it has seen is when an idiot classmate made a left turn into me when she was in the shoulder...... No other accidents and I have taken care of my vehicle. Put synthetic oil in it, put on good tires on it due to the OEM Goodyear Eagle LS2's were junk( I originally had Goodyear Eagle F1 All Seasons on them, but they only lasted 8000 miles grrr..... Have Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Positions on now), I hand wash it when I can( when I am home in the summer. I currently take it to a place where I can wash it myself with a pressurized wand and mixes the soap in it), and my parents always comment on how the interior still looks like it did when we bought it brand new. Three years and 16,000 miles later I love it and it is in perfect condition.

OP: I think Tahoes are good-looking SUV's. I've owned two Chevrolets in my life and neither one held up very well, but that's just one person's experience.

All that being said, I love the utility and versatility of a large SUV. I'm also a very big guy, and it's quite comfortable to ride in. Mine is also cheaper to insure than my Hyundai Sonata was (the insurance underwriter's rationale is that you're less likely to be hurt in an accident), but gas is quite a bit more expensive.

We have had 3 Chevy's and they held up perfectly. The Suburban's being the most solid vehicles my family has ever owned.

And I agree with the versatility and utility of a large SUV. We use our Suburban mostly to tow a horse trailer, haul sails, fenders, lines, etc to our sailboat, and carry 7 people when needed. It is also the vehicle of choice for long road trips. When my mom had hip surgery, we had a snow/ice storm and we were having a hospital bed delivered. Due to the ice making the snow solid, our snow blower couldn't clear our long driveway so the delivery truck was unable to get up our driveway. Took the Suburban down put the bed parts in the back and hauled it back to our house. I do not know what would have happened if we didn't have the Suburban to go down our driveway and be able to fit the bed in it( all in one trip as well).
 
2007 tahoe is a good car. for a 16 year old, new driver? probably not. as with everyone else here said, look into the mini trucks or midsize vans like a trailblazer(which by the way get better gas mileage if you don't get the SS and have a 3rd row at least some do) if you have the opportunity. if hauling people and load is a necessity, Crew Cab Colorado. I DOUBT that you're gonna need the full power of the 5.3L engine to tow sport stuff unless your coach tells you to haul everyone's luggage and a car.
 
I just sold my 07'Ho for a Honda. Why? Gas! It gets 13.5mpg in the city. That translated into me filling up every 4-5 days, which with gas now it was running about 60 bux a fill up. Last year when it was sky high I was hitting upwards of 90-100 dollars PER fillup.

Gas isnt going to get cheaper, go with something more fuel efficient. There are other vehicles that can get better mpg and still carry your gear. Your grandpa will love you for it, and you will show him how responsible you can be by picking something more fuel efficient.
 
I didn't like my dads 2002 BMW 330xi due to its firm brakes...

I've driven many, many different types of cars from old Minis to new Kenworths. I've found the late model GM truck brake pedal to be almost frighteningly soft, consistently the worst of any vehicle I've driven. Using up half the brake pedal travel before they start to do anything just doesn't settle well with me.

I feel much more comfortable in a car when you control your braking power with how hard your foot is pressing on the pedal, rather than how far the pedal is moving.

But what the hell do I know, I think properly setup manual brakes feel much better than any power brake setup I've used :D
 
I've driven many, many different types of cars from old Minis to new Kenworths. I've found the late model GM truck brake pedal to be almost frighteningly soft, consistently the worst of any vehicle I've driven. Using up half the brake pedal travel before they start to do anything just doesn't settle well with me.

I feel much more comfortable in a car when you control your braking power with how hard your foot is pressing on the pedal, rather than how far the pedal is moving.

But what the hell do I know, I think properly setup manual brakes feel much better than any power brake setup I've used :D

Well it was good for learning how much pressure I needed to apply to the brakes. In the BMW, if I hit it too hard my face was going into the steering wheel due to the brakes firmness and quick response. As I drove more and learned how much pressure brakes need, I was able to get used to the BMW's brakes and not slam my face into the steering wheel. :p
 
It's an american made car, so no it's not a good car. Just my $0.02.

:rolleyes:

Do you have any experience to back up your claim of modern American cars( and not from the 80's and 90's when they did suck)? My family has owned 4 GM products and all of them have been reliable so far. As stated earlier, the Suburbans being the most solid vehicle. That is why for the past 4 years the media has recognized Ford's and GM's efforts( Chrysler still sucks) by favorable reviews and car/truck of the year awards( Aura '07 NACOTY, Malibu '08, and Fusion '10 along with CTS being '08 MT COTY). That is why GM and Ford can't keep the Camaro, new Equinox, new Terrain, and Fusion on the lots.

Toyota has been hit with quality issues the last few years( Camry transmission. Tundra crankshafts, transmission, frame flex, and tailgates bending. Avalon issues back in 2005. The Tacoma's also have had frame rusting issues as well). Toyota's are not the solid little vehicles like they used to be.

For the Germans, VW for a long time has been having electrical issues. BMW is currently cursed with problematic high pressure fuel pumps in the Twin Turbo DI Inline 6's, and Mercedes as well hit a quality problem era as well.

I am amazed that many members here resent that others use the perception/image of Mac users against them, and yet at the same uses image/perception to diss another product/user group.
 
Couldn't pay me enough to own another GM vehicle. The horrible experiences my parents had with them has turned me off to that brand for life. I don't care if they've gotten better, they have left a terrible impression upon my parents and me.

And it's not just old ones, I've driven new ones, one and two years old, and the interiors are still cheap plastic, still uncomfortable, and still a bore to drive.
 
It's an american made car, so no it's not a good car. Just my $0.02.

Your 2¢ sounds like a baseless opinion. While I firmly believe I'd prefer Japanese over American I've found many Chevys on the road for decades. The OP doesn't care about reliability because he'll likely just use grandpa's cash to get him out of a bind. This is not about reliability, it's about how awesome he will look at 16.
 
Did you consider getting a Toyota Yaris or a SMART car?

Ha ha ha! THAT is funny. On a similar line of thinking:

Question: I'm trying to decide between a 17" Macbook Pro and a Mac Pro with a 30" Apple Cinema Display.
Answer: Have you considered an Acer netbook?

EDIT: Wow, I just read that again. I AM a mac nerd. My comparison still rings true, however.
 
Couldn't pay me enough to own another GM vehicle. The horrible experiences my parents had with them has turned me off to that brand for life. I don't care if they've gotten better, they have left a terrible impression upon my parents and me.

And it's not just old ones, I've driven new ones, one and two years old, and the interiors are still cheap plastic, still uncomfortable, and still a bore to drive.

No question they deserve it. But, I just don't like the automatic, " It's American so it is crap" image. It's like, "Macs can't right click" when it isn't just true anymore. American car makers may not make a product for you, but don't just throw out the, " American= crap" with no explanation of why your opinion is that way. The funny thing is most of these people I am seeing spilling this crap are 16 year olds, etc when they were too young or not even born to even remember the craptastic cars Detroit put out. Most of these people are going off of image/perception( which again Detroit rightfully earned and has a long road ahead to earn the trust of the consumer again).

I know for you VW suits you more. The GTI is an awesome vehicle. But, even VW went through a quality problem spell recently. Guess the difference was that VW didn't burn the customer when it came to servicing the vehicle and customer service. VW is more of a premium automaker then brands like Chevy, Toyota, etc.
 
No question they deserve it. But, I just don't like the automatic, " It's American so it is crap" image. It's like, "Macs can't right click" when it isn't just true anymore. American car makers may not make a product for you, but don't just throw out the, " American= crap" with no explanation of why your opinion is that way. The funny thing is most of these people I am seeing spilling this crap are 16 year olds, etc when they were too young or not even born to even remember the craptastic cars Detroit put out. Most of these people are going off of image/perception( which again Detroit rightfully earned and has a long road ahead to earn the trust of the consumer again).

I know for you VW suits you more. The GTI is an awesome vehicle. But, even VW went through a quality problem spell recently. Guess the difference was that VW didn't burn the customer when it came to servicing the vehicle and customer service. VW is more of a premium automaker then brands like Chevy, Toyota, etc.

My VW's been good to me. I will admit that I didn't own a VW during their bad period so I don't have that negative perception. If I never owned a GM vehicle, I would be more willing to own their cars, but past personal experiences with a brand are everything when buying a product, especially something as expensive as a car.
 
Did any other "over 16 person" just pucker?
Or was I the only one?

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif


I know this guy (points to self) just got the shivers down his spine.

I get the hebegebies just thinking about the o.p., and i believe that he should probably mature a bit before getting a large tahoe that could kill just about anyone on the road (including myself in my little honda).

Perhaps a bicycle is a better choice?

/hates spoiled kids
 
:rolleyes:

Do you have any experience to back up your claim of modern American cars( and not from the 80's and 90's when they did suck)?
Our 2004 pontiac... well... anything that could have gone wrong with that car did. Now, our 2008 Chevy Malibu has lots of issues. The back bumper (idk what you call it, but it's part of the bumper so you don't see directly under the car) is falling off. The keyless entry mechanism broke (the Y bracket that holds the battery in place inside the key fob broke off). The interior lock/unlock button doesn't work that well, you have to push it 2-3 time before the car locks. And finally, the front passenger lock doesn't go down when you lock the car. You have to manually push it down/pull it up for it to work.

Good enuf for you?
 
you know we can't really hate spoiled kids because some of them don't really try to get themselves into that position. It sucks because yeah their parents are rich and they get all these nice cars, clothes, electronics, etc. but yet do they really have a choice on whether or not they wanted to be spoiled?
 
Our 2004 pontiac... well... anything that could have gone wrong with that car did. Now, our 2008 Chevy Malibu has lots of issues. The back bumper (idk what you call it, but it's part of the bumper so you don't see directly under the car) is falling off. The keyless entry mechanism broke (the Y bracket that holds the battery in place inside the key fob broke off). The interior lock/unlock button doesn't work that well, you have to push it 2-3 time before the car locks. And finally, the front passenger lock doesn't go down when you lock the car. You have to manually push it down/pull it up for it to work.

Good enuf for you?

What kind of Pontiac? Grand Am/Grand Prix? Understood those were junk. Most Pontiac's were until the Solstice/GTO/G8 came around. Especially since the Pontiac you owned most likely was still part of the crappy late 90's early '00's generation.

2008 Chevy Malibu? Ouch. Bad luck I say. I have a 2007 Saturn Aura XR and it is the same car as the '08 Malibu and it has been solid. Some TSB's( mostly reflashing the 6 speed automatic with new software due to it being a new transmission) and junk Goodyear Eagle LS2's later, solid vehicle for me.
 
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