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Best Car for a new teenage driver

554 messages,  Last post on Nov 08, 2009 at 7:33 PM

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#4 of 554 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [alp8] by odie6l Aug 09, 2006 (12:44 pm)
Replying to: alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 9:04 am) I would say a '97-'00 Jeep Wrangler with both tops. This way you are looking at a vehicle that can take a little punishment and has 4WD. If I was going for a vehicle that was not 4WD I would go for a Del Sol or something along the line with only 2 seats.   Odie Odie's Carspace Replies to this message: alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 2:19 pm) odie6l (Aug 09, 2006 7:07 pm) alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 7:25 pm)
#5 of 554 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [odie6l] by alp8 Aug 09, 2006 (2:19 pm)
Replying to: odie6l (Aug 09, 2006 12:44 pm) odie: Please give your reasoning behind a two-seater (I think I agree with it, by the way)   I was thinking of an old Volvo V70 (XC70?) wagon, with the rear seats taken out.   "Why?" people might ask.   I am guessing Odie has the answer. Replies to this message: odie6l (Aug 09, 2006 7:07 pm) alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 7:25 pm)
#6 of 554 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [alp8] by odie6l Aug 09, 2006 (7:07 pm)
Replying to: alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 2:19 pm) The reason for the 2 seater would be less people you could put into the car = less people hurt in an accident. Also most of the 2 seaters from the late 90's you could get with-out much power to it = less chance of speeding + better MPG.   Odie Odie's Carspace Replies to this message: alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 7:25 pm)
#7 of 554 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [odie6l] by alp8 Aug 09, 2006 (7:25 pm)
Replying to: odie6l (Aug 09, 2006 7:07 pm) no, that's not the reason   come on, odie!!!   teenagers are tremendously impaired by having more passengers in the car. Hell, I can barely drive when I have 4 teenagers in the car. Teens are actually very safe drivers when they are in the car, alone.   but thank you for your ideas!!!   My daughter is a pretty sensible kid, so I think she'll be a fairly conservative driver. We'll see once we really get out there.
#8 of 554 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [bumpy] by alp8 Aug 09, 2006 (9:13 pm)
Replying to: bumpy (Aug 09, 2006 10:32 am) I like the Impreza suggestion
#9 of 554 Pontiac Vibe by mirth Aug 10, 2006 (8:26 am)
Basically a Toyota but cheaper and a lot of cargo room.
#10 of 554 alp8 by michaell Aug 10, 2006 (9:00 am)
Hmm, interesting question. I've got an 18 year old daughter who is heading off to college next week and we bought her a Saturn ION 2 equipped with ABS and traction control.   Not sure that you need AWD if you only head to the mountains a few times a year. We live in Colorado and probably see more days of bad weather in a single winter than she will experience in several years - traction control, coupled with plowed roads, should be more than enough. That way, the other 360 days a year, you don't have the weight penalty of the AWD dragging down mileage.   But, I do like the idea of the Vibe .. test drove one with some friends a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised with how much room there was inside. Replies to this message: alp8 (Aug 10, 2006 9:18 am)
#11 of 554 Re: alp8 [michaell] by alp8 Aug 10, 2006 (9:18 am)
Replying to: michaell (Aug 10, 2006 9:00 am) Michaell: I agree re the AWD, but the driveway of our place in Tahoe is north facing and steep. Unless it is absolutely clear, making it up is tough. I've made it over Donner Pass and then been unable to get up the driveway.     I'll take the decreased fuel economy, given how few miles she will be driving.   I feel differently about the car she takes to college, however, as she's likely to drive more in college, especially if college is within a day's drive of home. Making a few hundred mile drive once a month is a lot of gas, and I'd go for something more fuel-wise. But I doubt she'll put 10 miles/day on her high school car. Yeah, I've been wrong before.   Of course, we could just sell our place in Tahoe and buy one with a better driveway.....but it makes such an EXCELLENT sleddling run!!!     Best wishes to your daughter in her college adventure.
#12 of 554 Subaru by m1miata Aug 10, 2006 (9:21 am)
The Subaru line of AWD is hard to beat. That's what they do. With intelligent AWD, and the boxer engine, they are good little cars.   When I was her age, I bought a motorcycle, which of course I would not do today. With so many cars on the road, it would be going from risky in my time, to out and out crazy these days to challenge the cars on the road. But I did buy every bike, motorcycle, and car myself. Should have kept a used car called the Mustang, bought for $1,100 back around 1970. -Loren
#13 of 554 alp8 by michaell Aug 10, 2006 (10:43 am)
Sorry, for some reason I thought we were talking about the mountains in Southern California (Big Bear Lake, Arrowhead) .. must be because I grew up in Ventura County.     I have some friends who owned a house with a driveway like yours and I totally understand where you're coming from. Given that the Tahoe area gets snow measured in the dozens or scores of inches it makes perfect sense that AWD is a necessity.   Since I'm such a Saturn nut, how about a VUE with AWD? You might be able to get into a new one right around your $20K price limit. Lots of space; decent gas mileage (we average about 22-23 MPG with the Honda-sourced V6 and AWD) and the polymer panels, IMO, will allow the car to look great years down the road.

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