Best car for new driver: 05 Avenger, 05 Dakota,

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Originally Posted By: dishdude
How about an Avenger with a 2.4? Less power and no worry about sludge! I didn't think the Avenger came out until '07...


1995. Built on the same chassis as the Sebring; both by Mitsubishi.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: dishdude
How about an Avenger with a 2.4? Less power and no worry about sludge! I didn't think the Avenger came out until '07...


1995. Built on the same chassis as the Sebring; both by Mitsubishi.


Well it was produced from 1995-2000 on that chassis, but then it became the Stratus coupe in 2001 still built by Mitsubishi, with the sedan being built by Chrysler (I had a 2001 Stratus coupe).

Then Chrysler decided they didn't like the Stratus name and called the redesigned sedan Avenger in 2007 (I think). I still can't figure out why they changed the names of all of the cars in 2001. I liked the Cirrus/Stratus/Sebring/Avenger nameplates. I think it was a mistake calling two completely different cars by the same name.
 
Vote 1 is for the Avenger, 2nd place the Dakota. I'd much rather put a kid in a FWD, low center of gravity, likely very forgiving handling right off the bat. Rear wheel drive and low traction conditions with an inexperienced driver leads to easy trouble (Though we all had to learn sometime...) An underpowered pickup isn't a bad choice, but see my thoughts with getting the avenger first...
 
16 y/o will destroy his first car.

Let him drive the Avenger into the ground and be done with it.
 
05 is too new IMO, the car should be 10 years old (and American, but I digress) so the kid will lack in its mechanical competence (even though most are suprisingly reliable) and not drive to the next state over (maybe).

Could get something even more bland, like a Malibu...
 
I was thinking the Malibu too or the Taurus. Last gen Malibu with the Ecotec would make a good car. And maybe even the Cobalt or Focus.
 
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^ +1 for Cobalt/Focus -- or even Neon (should be able to find one dirt cheap). Neon's were fairly reliable, and very easy to work on.
 
Why these 3 choices? I am the grandfather. The father is the one who is going to buy this first vehicle. So these are his choices, not mine or the new driver. A new possibility has arisen. A Scion- as in Xa, Xb, Xc, and in the 2005 era. The problem is the 'new Driver' doesn't like any of the Scions!?
My personal recommendation of the original 3 is -veto the Avenger esp. after reading the reviews on it. I vote for Dakota no. one and Explorer for no. two.
 
I think his dad should let him make a list of cars that he wants and then choose the most appropriate car from that list. If he likes any of the original three cars then that's great, but I know that if it were me I wouldn't enjoy a car as much if I didn't like it in the first place. Don't get him a Mustang or Camaro or else he'll have more chances of getting into trouble, but make sure he likes the car. That's just my opinion
 
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Hahahahahahaha.....

That's funny!

Kids today are so da*ned spoiled. Not many 16-year olds can afford that, so I'm assuming he just expects it will be given to him?

Hahahahahahahaha.....
 
I can't believe you are considering a car with the super sluge engine like the 2.7...There must be a half a million posts on here on that sluge P.O.S. engine..

The government should not give Chrysler another penny until they drop the 2.7 sludge monster.

The only really good car you mention is the Mustang..Sounds like you have a really smart,intelligent kid.

I bought my kid a used Ford Police Interceptor that was used by the F.H.P. He has no problems with it...He has 160K miles on it now.

The best thing is I fell he is in something safe if something serious happens.

You should take the 2.7 Avenger off your list ASAP...You will do yourself and your kid a favor.
 
I'd sooner buy a 16 year-old a sludge monster than a Fox Body 5.0 Mustang. Not all kids are wired the same, and most his age can be found drag-racing cars like that. What you don't want to see is your grandson wrapped tightly around a telephone pole in a V8 sports coupe.

I'm telling ya...slow and low is the only way to go with teenagers. Low power and low center of gravity until they learn how to drive like a sane adult.
 
Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
I'd sooner buy a 16 year-old a sludge monster than a Fox Body 5.0 Mustang. Not all kids are wired the same, and most his age can be found drag-racing cars like that. What you don't want to see is your grandson wrapped tightly around a telephone pole in a V8 sports coupe.

I'm telling ya...slow and low is the only way to go with teenagers. Low power and low center of gravity until they learn how to drive like a sane adult.


What you say is all true..There are a ton of other cars on the market that don't have the sludge engine..
 
Avenger no question. Don't buy a 16 year old boy a truck or SUV for his 1st vehicle. Recipe for disaster. As to the comments that the Dakota will hold fewer people you obviously were never a 16 year old boy with a truck bed. The STUPID and DANGEROUS stuff I did at 16 in an open truck bed scares me now to think about it. Kids these days as a rule are even stupider than we were. Stick with the FWD car.
 
I did recommend he eliminate the Avenger from his list. My original thought was to rec. a used S-10 or Ranger with either a v6 or a I 4 in it.
 
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