16 yo new driver, 10k budget? Help plz

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08-10-2010, 10:17 AM
SixAce

16 yo new driver, 10k budget? Help plz

The gf's 16 yo daughter is up for her first car. Budget 10k. Recommendations?

1.) Slushbox
2.) Safe
3.) Reliable
4.) More than 2 seats.
5.) Safe

I have some in mind, but interested in anything I'm overlooking...

Thanks!

Ready, set, go :D
08-10-2010, 10:18 AM
CosmosMpower

Used Civic/Accord, used Corolla/Camry, used Mazda 3/6
08-10-2010, 10:38 AM
HudsonHawk

By that CRX HF that is for sale. It only has 62 HP and 2 seats, so its hard to get into trouble and gets great gas milage.
08-10-2010, 10:42 AM
CobaltFire

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonHawk

By that CRX HF that is for sale. It only has 62 HP and 2 seats, so its hard to get into trouble and gets great gas milage.

72HP thank you very much!

We just bought a Scion xA for the wife, not too bad of a vehicle actually. Picked it up with 95K and some cosmetic blemishes for $5500.
08-10-2010, 10:45 AM
trickyrix

1.) Slushbox - I say teach her to drive stick. Might make her focus on actually driving the car instead of texting and jawing with friends and fixing her face.
2.) Safe - Tell her not to run into stuff. :)
3.) Reliable - Japanese.
4.) More than 2 seats - Fewer seats = fewer distractions, no back seat to make out in, etc...
5.) Safe - Strap pillows to her and send her on her way.

...but you can't really go wrong with Cosmos' list. I'd still get her a stick shift, though.
08-10-2010, 11:03 AM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by SixAce

I have some in mind, but interested in anything I'm overlooking...

Thanks!

Ready, set, go :D

Yea stay out of the purchase of this car altogether and play dumb(er) that way when the car turns into a turd you throw your hands up and say "No one asked me!" ;-)
08-10-2010, 11:10 AM
Sharpie

Spend less than $5k on the first car for a 16 yr. old. Save the other 5k and get something more nice when she turns 18.
08-10-2010, 11:21 AM
patf

+1 on sharpie

save a little for the mailboxes to be replaced too.

we got ours a 6 cyl mustang standard... the stick kept him from squawking on the phone pretty well.

whatever you get, its going to be abused
08-10-2010, 11:40 AM
goofygrin

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Yea stay out of the purchase of this car altogether and play dumb(er) that way when the car turns into a turd you throw your hands up and say "No one asked me!" ;-)

Spoken like someone that's btdt. GF, not spousal unit? You have no say in the matter. Agree with whatever they decide on.

I recommend looking at something from Scion. I liked my tC and the xB (old style) is really comfortable and slow.
08-10-2010, 11:50 AM
bnordin

Jeep wrangler has been a popular choise at my house.
08-10-2010, 12:11 PM
Radio-Active

Mini Cooper!
08-10-2010, 12:26 PM
general default

The best investment in the safety department is better driver training. The courses are cheap and provide a life long benefit.

The following link has some interesting numbers and links on the subject. They also have suggestion for cars.
Teen Driving
08-10-2010, 12:39 PM
cwisenheimer

Quote:

Originally Posted by patf

+1 on sharpie

save a little for the mailboxes to be replaced too.

we got ours a 6 cyl mustang standard... the stick kept him from squawking on the phone pretty well.

whatever you get, its going to be abused

+2

"First car" == "disposable car"

You can plan for it or be surprised by it, but it's true either way. I say, go for a safe/reliable car with good driver interaction (not too numb, i.e. Caddy). At $5K, there are a ton of mid-size, quality cars available.
08-10-2010, 12:56 PM
OZMDD

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmosMpower

Used Civic/Accord, used Corolla/Camry, used Mazda 3/6

+1

Really, that's all that needs to be said. Anything outside that list is probably too much car or too much money. All good for insurance too, which the popular-with-teens Scions are NOT. I can also recommend the Yaris, though its not as much metal around her as you'd probably like, but you can get a 2008-2009 for under $10K, still under warranty.
08-10-2010, 01:58 PM
miataspeedracer

Volvo 240D
08-10-2010, 02:15 PM
Electro

/\ That's the wagon right? I would so rock one of those these days. :)
08-10-2010, 02:24 PM
Nails

99 or 00 Miata for about 5k. Teach her stick.
08-10-2010, 03:15 PM
motorollow

My daughter drove a 91 Ford Ranger for 2 years without any problems. Then I bought her a new Hyundai Accent and she backed it through the neighbors fence after 6 months of driving it.

Also, make sure that whatever she gets has good rear visibility eapecially if she is short. Many cars nowadays have tall rearends like Accords. A young co-worker of mine has a 2008 Scion tC and she says it has terrible rear visibility.
08-10-2010, 03:40 PM
CosmosMpower

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio-Active

Mini Cooper!

I don't think you can get a good Mini for 10K or less. Plus they aren't as reliable as Japanese econobox.
08-11-2010, 07:32 AM
SixAce

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmosMpower

Used Civic/Accord, used Corolla/Camry, used Mazda 3/6

These are my first inclinations, with the addition of Nissan (love my Titan), a family member in Cali swears by her Altima as well...

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Yea stay out of the purchase of this car altogether and play dumb(er) that way when the car turns into a turd you throw your hands up and say "No one asked me!" ;-)

QFT. So far I've been able to dodge real estate, stock market, religion/private school, general rasing kid issues and politics landmines. Kinda hard to dodge the car stuff when you have stacks of wheels and tires and two toy cars in the garage. I keep telling her I just drive em, not work on 'em but so far she's not buying it. I should be able to just get away with recommending a japanese unit and staying away from the actual pick. As the fatefull day draws near, I feel an unscheduled trip out of the country may be in order....

Quote:

Originally Posted by general default

The best investment in the safety department is better driver training. The courses are cheap and provide a life long benefit.

The following link has some interesting numbers and links on the subject. They also have suggestion for cars.
Teen Driving

This. Already keeping an eye out for opportunities...

Thanks everyone.
08-11-2010, 08:50 AM
TurboDuane

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickyrix

1.) Slushbox - I say teach her to drive stick. Might make her focus on actually driving the car instead of texting and jawing with friends and fixing her face.
2.) Safe - Tell her not to run into stuff. :)
3.) Reliable - Japanese.
4.) More than 2 seats - Fewer seats = fewer distractions, no back seat to make out in, etc...
5.) Safe - Strap pillows to her and send her on her way.

...but you can't really go wrong with Cosmos' list. I'd still get her a stick shift, though.

+1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharpie

Spend less than $5k on the first car for a 16 yr. old. Save the other 5k and get something more nice when she turns 18.

:salut::cheers: Sharpies right, keep the price down and create an incentive for her. If she doesn't total the first car and graduates h/s then you'll buy her a nicer car with the additional $5k and her car as a trade in. 1st car's are usually wrecked often totaled.
08-11-2010, 09:05 AM
Radio-Active

I had only one choice when I was a kid. Learn to drive a stick or don't drive. I also had to buy my first car and pay for my own insurance. All in all, I think it helped me realize that cars were expensive and was probably what kept me from having an accident until I hit 30 years old.
08-11-2010, 09:14 AM
TurboDuane

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio-Active

Why not teach her how to drive instead of assuming she's going to have a wreck. I didn't have my first wreck until I was 30 years old with over a half a million miles under my belt.

It's not a matter of knowing how to drive, it's a matter of maturity. I taught both of my boys how to drive, both were very proficient. Yet the oldest totaled two cars before getting out of H/S. Once it was his fault, and once another drivers fault, although he could have avoided both accidents if he had he been paying attention to his surroundings and driving defensively. Strange thing is my youngest is a much more aggressive driver, so I figured he'd be even harder on me, yet he has not had an accident since he started driving three years ago ( knocking on wood as I write this). It's hard to know who will have a wreck and who won't.

But hey don't take my word for it, just ask your insurance company. Why do you think your rates double once a teenage driver is added to your coverage? It's because statistically they will have a wreck.
08-11-2010, 09:19 AM
Rob®

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio-Active

I also had to buy my first car and pay for my own insurance. All in all, I think it helped me realize that cars were expensive and was probably what kept me from having an accident

I didn't "have" to learn to drive stick, but my first car ever was ('84 300zx turbo), so I kind of had to. Like you, I had to buy it myself, drive it home myself, and pay for the insurance myself. When I have kids, it will be the same way for them.

I also think that my moto-x background helped me realize how quickly things can get out of control at speed, so I was a step ahead of the game once I legally got behind the wheel. When i have kids, they will definitely be involved in some kind of motorized racing before they are even close to being old enough to drive.