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Smart Shopper Best Car for a new teenage driver
554 messages, Last post on Nov 08, 2009 at 7:33 PM
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Replying to: morin2 (Nov 04, 2009 4:21 pm) I'd have recommended a Volvo 240/940 as well, but they are approaching 15+ years old and are a potential problem as a result. Still, the 240 with manual was by far my favorite car in the last ten years aside from my 67 Mercedes. Oh - one interesting thing to note is that old Mercedes can be had for almost nothing as well as they are fine things to get around in. But maintaining it is a bit of money each year as you might expect. The best examples are anything from the 60s and 70s. Somehow, the sedans aren't appreciating at all in value despite being reliable and fun to drive. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/1451940927.html Awesome cars.  Big, slow, safe, reliable, and a +5 on the visibility score since everyone looks twice at it. The trunk is almost as large as the entire interior of a Smart Car. 
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Replying to: plekto (Nov 04, 2009 6:48 pm) **** Of course, my personal beater truck - mind you I could afford most anything used - is an old 4Runner. Dirt cheap, reliable, and a nice 45/55 weight ratio so the rear stays planted. I've made emergency maneuvers at 70mph on the freeway and the rear end didn't budge an inch. http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=61461.0 Mine's not nearly as nice as this, but you get the idea. - fun to work on and indestructible. Mine's approaching 400K miles rapidly as my daily driver and when this engine does, it'll cost me $1300 for a new one. If it ever dies. It goes like stink with the new header I put on it. The transmission was $1200, brand spanking new three years ago, installed, with a clutch. It's a fun, aggressive thing that costs nothing to maintain and can literally go to Alaska and back. Old Land Cruisers are also nice as well, but are a bit pricey lately. http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=59811.0 I'd love to own this thing... heh. My next rig will likely be one of these. There are so many better ways to spend that money and keep your kid safe than buying some jellybean-mobile commuter box.
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Replying to: js06gv (Nov 04, 2009 5:59 pm) I decided to keep the car for the kids. The kids are excited, and my mother is happy to do this for them. I am sure that in the hands of two teenagers, this car will see the inside of body shop a few more times. With 12K on the clock, how can I go wrong. In six years or so I'll sell it for $3K and nobody will care about the previous body damage. |
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Replying to: plekto (Nov 04, 2009 7:22 pm)
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Replying to: morin2 (Nov 05, 2009 4:57 pm) Plus they're cheap - just stay away from the 3.0 V6 and you'll be fine. Mine is about 4-6 inches higher than a typical pickup and has big metal bars on the sides(added - $200 used) plus I added another roll bar inside. It's safe and then some. Probably run over a Smart Car without realizing it
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Replying to: morin2 (Nov 05, 2009 4:57 pm)
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Replying to: explorerx4 (Nov 06, 2009 4:36 pm) 3rd paragraph, last sentence: "The IIHS also tells us that small pickups have the highest driver death rates of any vehicles on the road, which makes these tests all the more significant." Somewhere there are rates by model as well. Ranger was highest for many years. The data for small pickup death rates has been the highest of any vehicle type for at least the past 3 decades. |
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Replying to: morin2 (Nov 06, 2009 6:53 pm) The reason he survived was certainly because his old Toyota was so solidly built and all the extra stuff he put on it(the big bull bars and so on saved the engine from ending up in his lap, though the truck was totaled otherwise)) Look, nothing is perfect. little econoboxes aren't much better. If it was me, I'd get my son an old Town Car, but....
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Replying to: plekto (Nov 06, 2009 7:25 am)  Maybe if the driver of said Smart was shaken you could load their car into the cargo hold and bring them someplace to calm down.
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Replying to: tankbeans (Nov 07, 2009 7:16 am) Looks like someone already had that idea. http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/smart%20car%20crash1.jpg Of course, you're right - it might be easy to just load into the cargo bay after a crash. I honestly haven't seen anything that bad since VW Bugs were on the road.
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