my new baby... AKA The Café

[tbrown]

He's totally getting a Camry.

 

[tbrown]

Or a Prius?

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Ha, just had the dumbest half argument with my hubs about what my son's first car should be, he's turning 14 in a couple days.

Unfortunately we are expecting different things. He thinks I'll come around to his side.

We've got some time to fight about this....

If he's anything like I was as a teen... get the slowest 4cyl vehicle you can. I was given a 1997 Ford Ranger 2.3L with a manual transmission... it had a whopping 112hp. 0-60 in tomorrow. Dad knew what he was doing

 

[LadyMac]

He's totally getting a Camry.

Lol we have a Camry. It’s a good car. I miss the Monte Carlo though. We want an impala. Some day maybe.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

If he's anything like I was as a teen... get the slowest 4cyl vehicle you can. I was given a 1997 Ford Ranger 2.3L with a manual transmission... it had a whopping 112hp. 0-60 in tomorrow. Dad knew what he was doing

This aligns with my experience and expectations. However, dum dum hubs had a built 69 Chevelle as his first car so this is clearly going to be an ongoing fight. Mine was a 93 Mazda 323 hatchback. So cheap they only had 1 outside mirror, and rocking those plastic seats. We both started driving in the late 1990's. Cheap modest cars were everywhere. That's what all my friends had, hubs just broke his "normal gauge" early.

All I want is reliable and safe. Hubs thinks cool should be high on the list too.

But in hubs' defense, he worked from 13 on neighbors farms bucking bales by hand every summer and other odd jobs to afford the car. He built it himself, learned as he went and it wasn't painted nice for a few years. Car is long gone, but he is self taught and now owns his own Auto body shop, it's small but it's paying the bills. Plus it's how we met. Awww.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Or a Prius?

Quite literally the opposite of what I drive

 

[Mhamilton0911]

If kid got his wish, he and @Stang67 would be friends!

Really loves the classic mustangs.... I just don't trust my kid enough to handle a good one.

 

[907_Reefer]

Whatever it is, get something with 3 pedals! And probably something that can be beat on

My first was a 1992 Chevy Cavalier. It had a hard limiter (fuel cut) at 105 mph, would just bang bang bang bang there all day

 

[fishguy242]

all i'm gonna add ...good ol American steel 17' long ,3500 lbs ,safety 1st...
but not a driver for snow ,ice ,mountains...

...

 

[tbrown]

all i'm gonna add ...good ol American steel 17' long ,3500 lbs ,safety 1st...
but not a driver for snow ,ice ,mountains...

...

Hearse?

 

[Stang67]

If kid got his wish, he and @Stang67 would be friends!

Really loves the classic mustangs.... I just don't trust my kid enough to handle a good one.

Yeah no. Maybe he can sit in it. I vote manual ranger pickup circa 2000. Be sure, before you decide, that you contact your insurance carrier and get quotes on the prices for different cars your thinking about letting him have. The $$$ may surprise you and help with deciding which car is best, overall, for the situation.

 

[LadyMac]

Get him a Datsun lol

 

[SashimiTurtle]

This aligns with my experience and expectations. However, dum dum hubs had a built 69 Chevelle as his first car so this is clearly going to be an ongoing fight. Mine was a 93 Mazda 323 hatchback. So cheap they only had 1 outside mirror, and rocking those plastic seats. We both started driving in the late 1990's. Cheap modest cars were everywhere. That's what all my friends had, hubs just broke his "normal gauge" early.

All I want is reliable and safe. Hubs thinks cool should be high on the list too.

But in hubs' defense, he worked from 13 on neighbors farms bucking bales by hand every summer and other odd jobs to afford the car. He built it himself, learned as he went and it wasn't painted nice for a few years. Car is long gone, but he is self taught and now owns his own Auto body shop, it's small but it's paying the bills. Plus it's how we met. Awww.

I understand where he is coming from. Im a mechanic, both my boys will have the option of buying an old muscle car or truck and it being a project we work on together. If they have blood sweat and tears in it, they'll respect it. They'll also know if they tear something up, its on them to fix it.... I helped you build it, its yours now. Take care of it or not its all you got.

 

[907_Reefer]

Get him a Datsun lol

Datsun 510?!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I know he'll learn manual. Eventually.

In fact one of the runners up is a square body 90 something chevy truck, single cab Short box, with, gasp, a manual. Already lifted on some decent tires. It was tipped on it's side so it needs a couple panels and new paint.

Main hwy is a scary 2 lane with steep mountain on one side and a river on the other with the most common vehicle being logging trucks. That has me more worried than what he's driving, honestly.

I was thinking of something bulky, tank like. Like a square body tahoe. Big, slow and cheap to fix. And wrap it in bubble wrap

not really a sexy first car though....

 

[Lowell Lemon]

This aligns with my experience and expectations. However, dum dum hubs had a built 69 Chevelle as his first car so this is clearly going to be an ongoing fight. Mine was a 93 Mazda 323 hatchback. So cheap they only had 1 outside mirror, and rocking those plastic seats. We both started driving in the late 1990's. Cheap modest cars were everywhere. That's what all my friends had, hubs just broke his "normal gauge" early.

All I want is reliable and safe. Hubs thinks cool should be high on the list too.

But in hubs' defense, he worked from 13 on neighbors farms bucking bales by hand every summer and other odd jobs to afford the car. He built it himself, learned as he went and it wasn't painted nice for a few years. Car is long gone, but he is self taught and now owns his own Auto body shop, it's small but it's paying the bills. Plus it's how we met. Awww.

Not a bad idea to get your son in building his own car! My sons built cars and motorcycles with me. Now they can limit themselves to buying cars that are not all run out cause they have mechanical abilities! Get your son involved in the process and make him take ownership. The first car does not have to be cool or fast just reliable and not something his peers will not make fun of him for.

 

[tbrown]

I know he'll learn manual. Eventually.

In fact one of the runners up is a square body 90 something chevy truck, single cab Short box, with, gasp, a manual. Already lifted on some decent tires. It was tipped on it's side so it needs a couple panels and new paint.

Main hwy is a scary 2 lane with steep mountain on one side and a river on the other with the most common vehicle being logging trucks. That has me more worried than what he's driving, honestly.

I was thinking of something bulky, tank like. Like a square body tahoe. Big, slow and cheap to fix. And wrap it in bubble wrap

not really a sexy first car though....

I don't know... Those older 80s K4/K7 Blazers aren't bad... Or an older Bronco?

 

[Mschmidt]

my first was an 88 blazer. had a buddy with a 67 rambler.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

my first was an 88 blazer. had a buddy with a 67 rambler.

I had an 87 F150, 302 V8, Borg Warner T19 with low first gear, and the Borg Warner 1356 transfer case... she was a beast but the engine leaked and burned more oil than it did gas. I never got around to fixing it up and ended up selling it for $500 to some guy who wanted to get his son outside doing something.

 

[tbrown]

I had a 92 Buick LeSabre...