How about a Ford Escort or Mazda Protege?
17 year old niece, first car, $3500 budget....?
- Thread starter mrsilv04
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I'd say go for a boring mid-size sedan. Any 17 year old is still prone to peer pressure, something sporty will certainly cause some friends to want her to perform aggressive driving maneuvers or race another friend's sporty car.
when i bought my daughters first car, i got her a VW jetta, a 1997 it had side impact air bags and abs brakes, i still own the car, and its been ok.
some what quirky but ok.
why not get her a full sized half ton pick up? it would have some size advantage, and limit the amount of friends she could bring with, granted there would be a mpg penilty compaired to some of the other suggestions, that could also limit the joy riding.
some what quirky but ok.
why not get her a full sized half ton pick up? it would have some size advantage, and limit the amount of friends she could bring with, granted there would be a mpg penilty compaired to some of the other suggestions, that could also limit the joy riding.
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
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Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
That thought came to mind. I don't know their safety rating ..but they're available cheaply, and while a marketing miscue by DC for abandoning the core "fun car" motif, have proven to be a decent (and fairly roomy) economical car.
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
That thought came to mind. I don't know their safety rating ..but they're available cheaply, and while a marketing miscue by DC for abandoning the core "fun car" motif, have proven to be a decent (and fairly roomy) economical car.
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
Absofrickinlutely not. I've driven a co-workers Neon. Too small, too light.
I like the Altima suggestion.
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
Absofrickinlutely not. I've driven a co-workers Neon. Too small, too light.
I like the Altima suggestion.
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
That thought came to mind. I don't know their safety rating
Deathbox if you must know.
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
That thought came to mind. I don't know their safety rating
Deathbox if you must know.
Sunfire or Cavalier. Anything post '01 is particularly reliable.
I'll veer on a tangent and suggest that perhaps what we want from our cars we may not want for our impressionable youth.
Reliability? Sure, we all want that.
What abou the perception of reliability? I think not. The best car for a new driver should be safe etc but make lots of creaking, popping, and grinding noises.
Just kidding; those are all bad, but a little wind noise through the weatherstripping is ok. Then she'll be afraid to drive it the next state over for Dennys at 4 in the morning. Trust me; kids think this is cool.
If given the choice between her car and her friends', if her car is uncool or whatever, they'll take the friends'. Naturally the friend will drive and our ego says the niece is the best driver of the bunch... but statistically, let's call it a wash if they're the same experience level. I'll bet dollars to donuts if her friend has a car it'll be a new honda civic and you'd be alarmed to find 40k per year being put on.
This is usually accompanied by the parents funding a gas credit card "for emergencies".
With gas where it is, it may make sense to get a (non-topheavy) gas guzzler cheap. Many parent/kid driving relationships involve the parent buying the vehicle, insurance, and maintenance while the kid buys the gas. If the gas doesn't get the car as far, there's less maintenance to be done!
Reliability? Sure, we all want that.
What abou the perception of reliability? I think not. The best car for a new driver should be safe etc but make lots of creaking, popping, and grinding noises.
If given the choice between her car and her friends', if her car is uncool or whatever, they'll take the friends'. Naturally the friend will drive and our ego says the niece is the best driver of the bunch... but statistically, let's call it a wash if they're the same experience level. I'll bet dollars to donuts if her friend has a car it'll be a new honda civic and you'd be alarmed to find 40k per year being put on.
With gas where it is, it may make sense to get a (non-topheavy) gas guzzler cheap. Many parent/kid driving relationships involve the parent buying the vehicle, insurance, and maintenance while the kid buys the gas. If the gas doesn't get the car as far, there's less maintenance to be done!
Originally Posted By: bretfraz
*Toyota Camry or Honda Accord will be mid 90's and have 100K+ on them.
*'00-'02 Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire are likely plentiful in IL and are in the price range.
*How about a Normal-built Mitsubishi Galant or Eclipse?
*'99-'02 Mazda 626 is in that price range as well.
Stay away from any DSM (Eclipse, Talon, etc) because of the serious reliability problem. For that price range, a Cavalier or a Saturn is a good choice. In IL I would worry more about the rust condition of the car more than what brand or model it is.
Ford Escort is also a good choice, as are the usual choice of Civics, Corollas, Accords, Camrys, etc. I am not too sure how much price premium are for these cars in IL but in CA the price of Honda/Toyota usually bottom out at around 3k to 4k regardless of age and miles.
Absolutely do not, and repeat it again, do not, buy an RWD SUV or pickup for a 17 years old in IL, you are going to ask for a crash, a bed or roof full of snow that cannot be easily removed in the winter for a 5'5" 100lb girl.
*Toyota Camry or Honda Accord will be mid 90's and have 100K+ on them.
*'00-'02 Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire are likely plentiful in IL and are in the price range.
*How about a Normal-built Mitsubishi Galant or Eclipse?
*'99-'02 Mazda 626 is in that price range as well.
Stay away from any DSM (Eclipse, Talon, etc) because of the serious reliability problem. For that price range, a Cavalier or a Saturn is a good choice. In IL I would worry more about the rust condition of the car more than what brand or model it is.
Ford Escort is also a good choice, as are the usual choice of Civics, Corollas, Accords, Camrys, etc. I am not too sure how much price premium are for these cars in IL but in CA the price of Honda/Toyota usually bottom out at around 3k to 4k regardless of age and miles.
Absolutely do not, and repeat it again, do not, buy an RWD SUV or pickup for a 17 years old in IL, you are going to ask for a crash, a bed or roof full of snow that cannot be easily removed in the winter for a 5'5" 100lb girl.
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Eclipse? YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.............!!!!!!!!!!
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Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
Absofrickinlutely not. I've driven a co-workers Neon. Too small, too light.
Well then ...may I suggest an Escalade or Excursion?
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
Absofrickinlutely not. I've driven a co-workers Neon. Too small, too light.
Well then ...may I suggest an Escalade or Excursion?
Wow, nobody suggested a Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis yet.
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
Absofrickinlutely not. I've driven a co-workers Neon. Too small, too light.
Well then ...may I suggest an Escalade or Excursion?
A Dodge Neon was the only car that I've been in, where I got the panicky sensation that "I've got to get out of this thing".
Too light, too low, too small.
A 5 foot 5, 100 pound, 17 year old in an Excursion. Yeah, right.
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
No one has mentioned a Dodge Neon. I've never personally owned one but have heard great things about them from some owner's.
Absofrickinlutely not. I've driven a co-workers Neon. Too small, too light.
Well then ...may I suggest an Escalade or Excursion?
A Dodge Neon was the only car that I've been in, where I got the panicky sensation that "I've got to get out of this thing".
Too light, too low, too small.
A 5 foot 5, 100 pound, 17 year old in an Excursion. Yeah, right.
I helped a neighbor buy a 93 Saturn SL2 with 5 speed in great mechanical condition for $1500. Condition is more important than anything.
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Quote:
Well then ...may I suggest an Escalade or Excursion?
For $3500????!?!?!
Well then ...may I suggest an Escalade or Excursion?
For $3500????!?!?!
1999 or 2000 Honda Civic
These cars ar dirty cheap and very reliable. When we bought our 2007 Civic, they only wanted to give us $1000 for our 1998 Civic with 180K miles......so I decided to give it to my nephew.
Now the car has 230K miles and still purring like a kitten, and it still gets 40 miles per gallon. The only thing that died on this car was the driver's power window motor ($45) and a cracked exhaust manifold ($85). Still has the original starter, alternator, clutch, A/C compressor....etc.
For the money, its tough to beat a Civic.
Look on Craigslist or autotrader and you can find tons of Civics.
These cars ar dirty cheap and very reliable. When we bought our 2007 Civic, they only wanted to give us $1000 for our 1998 Civic with 180K miles......so I decided to give it to my nephew.
Now the car has 230K miles and still purring like a kitten, and it still gets 40 miles per gallon. The only thing that died on this car was the driver's power window motor ($45) and a cracked exhaust manifold ($85). Still has the original starter, alternator, clutch, A/C compressor....etc.
For the money, its tough to beat a Civic.
Look on Craigslist or autotrader and you can find tons of Civics.
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