what do you think of this car for my kid? - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tbomachines · #46 06-12-2013, 01:24 PM

Its all relative...if you think your kid is the type to wrap the car around a tree then go for the airbags. Thinking someone is automatically going to max the car out and hit something is kind of silly. Don't worry about being "resented" in high school by kids with toyotas and whatnot, I'm sure he will be pretty happy with something that isn't a complete ****box and a little different. I would keep a nicer car to #2 though, a really cheap beater is probably ideal for just learning, once that's down move on to something a bit nicer that will last him through college or post-HS (doesn't have to be expensive, see how much he's willing to put into it).

FWIW, this is what I drove when I was 17:

fast, fun, got a lot of attention, remarkably safe and reliable too, unfortunately people couldn't seem to stop hitting it

after accident #3 it was finally totaled and I got my 300E.

spdrun · #47 06-12-2013, 01:29 PM

^^^

MR2? I had a Miata that also kept getting rear-ended. Finally got totaled by some teenage bint in an SUV that admitted to checking her phone while driving (and didn't even get a ticket for her trouble). The cop did write up the report as 100% her fault, and her daddy's insurance paid $5k book on a car I bought for $2500.

Hope their rates went up enough to keep her dumb azz off the road as a result.

elchivito · #48 06-12-2013, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P.C.

10mpg?!? My father had one of these back in the Sixties. Try 8mpg!

When I was a kid my mother lost her mind temporarily and bought a new 59. Fins and the continental trunk lid. It was pink. My brother got caught drag racing it when he was supposed to be on a date.

rs899 · #49 06-12-2013, 01:33 PM

Quote:

There were root beer stands and girls waiting

Root beer stands...that explains a lot...

rs899 · #50 06-12-2013, 01:36 PM

Quote:

By the sixties, regular was higher octane than today's Premium.

If memory serves, the highest octane around these parts in the late 60s/early 70s pre unleaded days was Hess 103+

JB3 · #51 06-12-2013, 01:43 PM

whats your son's budget? my parents had the same idea as Larry's, my first car was my first purchase.
Their involvement was helping me find one, and helping me on the insurance while I had a temp job.

I spend 2k I had saved from various kid jobs that took about 8 years to amass on a late 80s volvo wagon 5-speed, that was slow, cosmetically poor, and covered in asinine mom-mobile bumper stickers.

My father contributed 4 newish tires as a gift to me, but the car was all the money I ever had and ever made dumped into it, and subsequently I was outrageously careful with it as it represented my entire net worth.

is the 4k budget your budget or his budget? what kind of car would he like? and is he putting money down towards it with you, or is it a gift? The answers to all these questions will probably have an impact on how he drives it and treats it I think.

LUVMBDiesels · #52 06-12-2013, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P.C.

For $4k, your son could be cocooned in some real American iron! 1965 Chrysler Imperial Crown 4 Door Hardtop for sale | Hemmings Motor News

Hell, he can LIVE in that! What does it have, a six body trunk?

I love it

SwampYankee · #53 06-12-2013, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Air&Road

I agree with Speed. I taught both of my kids to drive a stick shift and they both drive one even today.

When I was a kid our Drivers Education cars were only stick shifts.

My brother, sister and I learned to drive on my dad's '66 'Vette. While it was nearly impossible to stall out no matter how little gas you gave it or how quickly you popped the clutch, to drive it well and smoothly you really needed to pay attention and work at it. Going up through the gear was easy as the shifter was spring loaded going from 2nd to 3rd but down shifting required a lot of attention to ensure the correct gear choice and the clutch had about a 1'+ range of motion from engaged to free. And while it was an all-synchro gearbox, his stated reason was he taught us to double-clutch downshift on it so when the time came to drive the big trucks we wouldn't destroy anything. I think the real reason was the synchros were shot and he wasn't going to fix the problem until he was done teaching us amateurs.

Neither my wife nor my BIL ever learned to drive a stick. My kids will and I'll eventually get my wife up to speed. That said, I'm done with manually shifting unless it a play car/truck.

benhogan · #54 06-12-2013, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

whats your son's budget? my parents had the same idea as Larry's, my first car was my first purchase.
Their involvement was helping me find one, and helping me on the insurance while I had a temp job.

I spend 2k I had saved from various kid jobs that took about 8 years to amass on a late 80s volvo wagon 5-speed, that was slow, cosmetically poor, and covered in asinine mom-mobile bumper stickers.

My father contributed 4 newish tires as a gift to me, but the car was all the money I ever had and ever made dumped into it, and subsequently I was outrageously careful with it as it represented my entire net worth.

is the 4k budget your budget or his budget? what kind of car would he like? and is he putting money down towards it with you, or is it a gift? The answers to all these questions will probably have an impact on how he drives it and treats it I think.

i am guilty of being an idiot. i will go ahead and admit it.

i have no budget. although i drive, to the uninformed, 2 piece of **** cars, i can afford to buy him anything (within reason). of course i would never buy him a Ferrari. my objective was to buy him something safe but used. the $4k was just the price of the car that caught my eye.

with egg on my face, i should probably regroup my thoughts and insist that he earn part of the money towards the car purchase.

in my defense, i have never been in this position before. He is my first kid who will be driving. I would put him in a tank if I could get away with it.

Nate Stanley · #55 06-12-2013, 02:28 PM

Son's first car was a 300D nonturbo, with a near-fresh engine and 3 grand in receipts for machine work and parts.

We bought (actually stole for $1500) the car, and that's what got us into Mercedes tinkering in the first place. It had good tires, and the front end was tight.

Here was the deal.

Car was free.

I taught him how to do oil changes, brakes, how to change a flat tire.

He was on the hook for gas, oil, insurance, tires,etc.

Any unforseen mechanical problems I would help him with.

Any problems resulting from neglect or not checking the oil would be entirely his, up to and including a blown engine. it never happened.

As a result, he took great care of it, had respect for what he drove, and that has carried over to the car he has now. His 2009 XB still looks new after 4 years of ownership and I would gladly drive it anywhere.

The 300D saved his life when he was t-boned in 2006 by a drunk. Drunk driver hit the driver's side B pillar at a 45 degree angle, pushed it in 6" and our son walked away.

I'd do it that way again.

Air&Road · #56 06-12-2013, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benhogan

i am guilty of being an idiot. i will go ahead and admit it.

i have no budget. although i drive, to the uninformed, 2 piece of **** cars, i can afford to buy him anything (within reason). of course i would never buy him a Ferrari. my objective was to buy him something safe but used. the $4k was just the price of the car that caught my eye.

with egg on my face, i should probably regroup my thoughts and insist that he earn part of the money towards the car purchase.

in my defense, i have never been in this position before. He is my first kid who will be driving. I would put him in a tank if I could get away with it.

Yeah, I understand the tank comment. I told my daughter that she could buy a car when she could find one with front, back, top, bottom and side airbags. My instinct turned out to be correct. She experienced airbag deployment THREE times before finally settling down. If it weren't for the invention of airbags, I feel quite sure that she would no longer be with us.

Her first car was an automatic 300D. She worked running the go kart track at a local place for two summers to buy it. Luckily she didn't need the air bag in that one.

Air&Road · #57 06-12-2013, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate Stanley

Son's first car was a 300D nonturbo, with a near-fresh engine and 3 grand in receipts for machine work and parts.

We bought (actually stole for $1500) the car, and that's what got us into Mercedes tinkering in the first place. It had good tires, and the front end was tight.

Here was the deal.

Car was free.

I taught him how to do oil changes, brakes, how to change a flat tire.

He was on the hook for gas, oil, insurance, tires,etc.

Any unforseen mechanical problems I would help him with.

Any problems resulting from neglect or not checking the oil would be entirely his, up to and including a blown engine. it never happened.

As a result, he took great care of it, had respect for what he drove, and that has carried over to the car he has now. His 2009 XB still looks new after 4 years of ownership and I would gladly drive it anywhere.

The 300D saved his life when he was t-boned in 2006 by a drunk. Drunk driver hit the driver's side B pillar at a 45 degree angle, pushed it in 6" and our son walked away.

I'd do it that way again.

Good plan and good parenting Nate!

Mark DiSilvestro · #58 06-12-2013, 03:07 PM

I suggest a mid '90s to early 2000s 4-cyl Camry. Reliable & big enough to be reasonably safe, but still get 30 - 35. highway mpg. Fast enough for modern traffic, but boring enough to maybe discourage foolish teenage stunts. Lots of parts still availible at auto-parts stores or salvage yards. Should be able to find one of the earlier ones with much less than 200K-miles, for well under 4K-$. All have front airbags. Some can be found with optional side airbags and ABS. Before 2002, the 4-cyl does have a timing belt, but it's fairly easy to work on and is a non-interference or 'free-wheeling' engine, so if the belt breaks, no extra damage.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Nate Stanley · #59 06-12-2013, 03:11 PM

thanks, Larry!

BTW the engine still lives on in a friend's car, I think it's got > 300K on the overhaul now and makes a 80 mile daily commute.

Skippy · #60 06-12-2013, 04:45 PM

I'm of the mind that a teen's first car should be big, slow, and disposable. Good candidates are Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, Town Car, Caprice, or maybe a beater condition 126.

Getting a manual to learn in is no big deal. It's a skill that can be picked up later, and a person who really wants to learn can do it in an hour.