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Best Car for a new teenage driver

599 messages,  Last post on Mar 15, 2013 at 1:49 PM

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Messages Page 57 of 60

#559 of 599 Re: personal suggestion. [dtownfb] by euphonium

Dec 18, 2009 (5:02 pm)

Replying to: dtownfb (Dec 18, 2009 2:50 pm)
A 50 cc scooter maybe? After all, he is a first time driver. If a student pilot - a Piper Cub would be appropriate vs a Twin Beech.

#560 of 599 Re: toyota roll bars [plekto] by mkmacnab

Mar 28, 2010 (5:42 pm)

Replying to: plekto (Nov 07, 2009 5:06 pm)
Plekto - I came across this post of yours when I was searching for info on side impact protection for toyota tacomas. I'm about to buy a 99 tacoma and want to reinforce it for side impact if possible. Can you tell me a little more about your roll bars, especially the one you have behind the seats. Where did you have it done? Is it a particular brand? Anything you can tell me would be a great help! - Thanks.

#561 of 599 Re: toyota roll bars [mkmacnab] by fezo

Mar 28, 2010 (6:30 pm)

Replying to: mkmacnab (Mar 28, 2010 5:42 pm)
Best car for my daughter? An Amphicar but taht's been going on in another thread...
 
She's not a teenager though. 21. Drowned her Camry two weeks ago. Just got to a full fleet again yesterday.

#562 of 599 Re: toyota roll bars [mkmacnab] by plekto

Mar 28, 2010 (8:23 pm)

Replying to: mkmacnab (Mar 28, 2010 5:42 pm)
Plekto - I came across this post of yours when I was searching for info on side impact protection for toyota tacomas. I'm about to buy a 99 tacoma and want to reinforce it for side impact if possible. Can you tell me a little more about your roll bars, especially the one you have behind the seats. Where did you have it done? Is it a particular brand? Anything you can tell me would be a great help! - Thanks.

 
Mine's made by Marlin Crawler. But there are others. The idea is simple - a roll bar or internal cage a few inches back of the rear of the seats. It's not going to keep the door from caving in, but it will add another hard object that the other vehicle has to get through in a side impact. Given the width of a typical car's front end, only hitting the door and nothing front or rear of it seems improbable.
 
I also have side bars/sliders on it that are welded to the frame, so that's layer #2. If it gets through both, I'd have died in a normal car anyways.
 
Come on over - it's a nice forum with tons of helpful ( if a bit nuts ) people.
 
EDIT: They only have stuff currently for the older Tacomas.
http://4xinnovations.com/pages/cages/cages.htm - something like this might work, though I.m sure someone at MC or on the forums would know more than I do about this.
 
http://www.smittybilt.com/product/index/1.htm
My sliders are these - it might not look like much, but it's enormous compared to nothing or even an internal steel bar in the door. The new Tacomas are very good but the older ones like yours and mine aren't designed for side impacts, so this is pretty much all you can do. Combined with a 2-4 inch suspension lift, it will be at their front grille height. The cage and this make for a very tough side "wall" from them to get through.
 
EDIT - if it's a normal 4x4, a lift isn't required, really - just put 30-31 inch tires on it and go.

#564 of 599 Re: mbt shoes on sale [lucypearl] by fezo

May 08, 2010 (7:51 am)

Now I know a host will soon delete the spam above but I find it kind of appropriate that in best car for a teen driver we get a shoe commercial....

#565 of 599 Honda Civic Si or Accord by adrag

Nov 10, 2011 (9:43 am)

Honda Civic Si or an Accord hands down. I don't care for the new ones as much. Prefer 1999 - 2005. They're sturdy, solid cars. Low maintenance, have good sized cargo room. You can forget to put oil in, drive them into the ground and they keep going.
Believe it or not, they handle well in the snow. Just add a little weight to the back.
I drove mine across the Coquihalla hwy in BC in the winter when it was closed. Several times with all season tires. Everyone else was in the ditch or stuck. The secret is not to brake and down shift even in an automatic. I had a 18 wheeler trailer slide over my car and drag me for half a mile at 100km. Car was a little twisted but I was completely fine not a scratch. Several nights before a woman in a 4X4 truck had the same thing happen she didn't make it.

#566 of 599 Re: Honda Civic Si or Accord [adrag] by qbrozen

Nov 10, 2011 (12:12 pm)

Replying to: adrag (Nov 10, 2011 9:43 am)
An Si for a new teenage driver? Hell no!

#567 of 599 Re: Honda Civic Si or Accord [qbrozen] by im_brentwood

Nov 11, 2011 (7:31 am)

Replying to: qbrozen (Nov 10, 2011 12:12 pm)
Why?
 
Shouldn't cost more than $5-6k a year for liability

#568 of 599 Re: Honda Civic Si or Accord [im_brentwood] by robr2

Nov 11, 2011 (10:47 am)

Replying to: im_brentwood (Nov 11, 2011 7:31 am)
My son will be driving in two years. The best car for him will be a 2005 Passat wagon or a 2000 Honda Odyssey. His choice.

Messages Page 57 of 60

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