Teenagers First Car

[Trailboss]

Hi Everyone,

I am hoping someone can give me a little advise on a good model of car to get my teenage daughters. They are ages 17, 16, 15. I want cheap ($3000 range), dependable, cheap insurance, good gas mileage, and can handle dirt roads that get really messy in rainy weather.

They would love a Jeep, I would love to get my hands on a good VW Beetle. I think manual transmission so they would be able to drive most anything later. They are farm kids and not into image (well..... not the mall-city kid type image anyway ) More horses, Tomboy sort of thing.

Any suggestions?

What should I be looking at, for, and asking about? I know a little bit about car's, very little, I know to check the oil and see if there is water in it or if it is dirty. Look for oil leaks and things like that. And that is about it.


And how do you go about "checking out" a used car anyway. I know......I know! Find someone knowledgeable to help me.......easier said than done.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Kamelot]

Im 18 myself and about just over 2 years ago my parents helped me purchase a 1965 Volkswagen bug. I love that little car, its a fun car to drive, as far as volkswagens go its easy to maintain (my father owned a 1980 rabbit for about 12 years and 250 thousand miles, so compared to that my bug is a diva) Has a 1600 CC motor in it and makes about 28 to 30 MPG. A good bug is somewhat hard to come by, i was just lucky to have a idiot neighbor who did not know how to price things (bug was worth at time about 1500, bought for 500).

I suggest a bug or a Volkswagen Jetta Diesel (older one, mid 1990s on up) The diesels make killer mileage, if you get a turbo on it, it has get up and go, if not, well even with a turbo it wont be a race horse like the bug wont so you dont have to worry about your kids going rat a$$ed around town.

I say get a volkswagen, I think the older ones will outlast anything on the road including your ricer hip hop monza tube possys hondas.

 

[CTCStrela]

I think your best bet would be an early 90's Jeep Cherokee for that price. They can be had will around 100k on them for 2500 all day every day. They are stone reliable, and very easy to work on. Good choice for a first car, with the proviso that it is a truck, so it will handle a little bit differently than a car..

The beetle's, while decently easy to maintain, can be difficult to get certain parts for them, and they do REQUIRE maintainance on a regular basis, or they will start running wonky. I think the beetle idea isn't the best one, the car, regardless of build quaility is very old to start with...

 

[Hamilton Felix]

We recently found a '79 Honda Accord for our son. It was really straight, had the two speed "automatic" that you still have to shift. Good mileage with the 1.8 liter CVCC engine, and it's not terribly fast.

Back in my high school days, a friend had a four door '64 Chevelle Malibu with 230 ci six cylinder and Powerglide automatic. That was pretty close to a "kid proof" car. The 230 is a really bomb proof engine; and between the limited horsepower and the old Powerglide, it was pretty hard to shock load the drive train. I can still remember it flat out across Eastern Washington at 90, with six high school kids and a trunk full of luggage. But in never broke down on us.

Actually, I encouraged my youngest son to look for a decent half ton pickup, but he wasn't all that hot about it. I guess I'm thinking of my own past. My '69 Chevy C/10 was very basic and had about the same operating expenses as a standard car. I hauled a lot of wood with that truck, went a lot of places, and had some good times. "There's something about a pickup man..."

Of course, the Ramblers were king of the drive-in movies. Not hotrods on the street, but that bench seat that folded to match up with the rear made them the hands down choice for parking.

If you want safety and not too much speed, go find an old Volvo 242 or 244 DL. My daughter learned on our 1978 Saab 99 Turbo.

Good luck. Don't listen to the kids when they explain they have to have a red Corvette or a Thunderbird convertible.