Kid's first car

[BLAKE]

Those of you old enough to have teenagers, what did your kid get for a first car? If the kid is currently too young, what do you plan to put them in?

I've still got 6 years before I'm there, so it's nothing I'm moving on any time soon. She's got a good head on her shoulders, so unless hormones make her stoopied (always a possibility) I plan to get her something reasonably fun. She's a lot like me and I didn't need a beater to make mistakes on. I started with a 65 mustang and spent all my free time washing and working on it.

I'll probably get her a 7-15 year old Mustang V6. Of course, the cost of that first car is going to be directly proportional to how much babysitting or snow cone selling money she can save up between now and then.

What about y'all?

[bcoop]

I made an agreement with my son, that I would match every dollar he saved to buy his first car. So far, he's getting a free bicycle someone leaves out on the curb, so it's working in my favor. He is 14, so he doesn't have much time left to save given that he doesn't have the drive or initiative I did at his age.

I refuse to purchase his first car for him. Mine wasn't given to me, and I firmly believe working for something makes you have a better appreciation for it, thus you take better care of it, etc.

We were shooting for a mid 90s F-150 or any Ford Ranger. He wants an old square body Chevy, but I don't want him driving something without safety features like ABS, etc.

[akfodysvn]

Good ideas so far. I like the idea of single cab pick up. Gets them up higher to see better and be more noticeable. Heavier and safer. Finally not enough room to be hauling a bunch of friends. Less distractions.

[bcoop]

Good ideas so far. I like the idea of single cab pick up. Gets them up higher to see better and be more noticeable. Heavier and safer. Finally not enough room to be hailing a bunch of friends. Less distractions.

Yep, I told him no extended or crew cabs for the same reasons.

[mstng86]

I made an agreement with my son, that I would match every dollar he saved to buy his first car. So far, he's getting a free bicycle someone leaves out on the curb, so it's working in my favor. He is 14, so he doesn't have much time left to save given that he doesn't have the drive or initiative I did at his age.

I refuse to purchase his first car for him. Mine wasn't given to me, and I firmly believe working for something makes you have a better appreciation for it, thus you take better care of it, etc.

We were shooting for a mid 90s F-150 or any Ford Ranger. He wants an old square body Chevy, but I don't want him driving something without safety features like ABS, etc.

Be careful with that. It seems the new generations of kids care less and less about driving. They are cool with bumming rides or just staying home.


I am still torn on if I want to hand my 86 GT over to my 6 year old 10 years from now. It would be cool seeing a 40 year old car on the road, maybe not so cool with my kiddo behind the wheel.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I have many years to go before it will be an issue for me. My daughter is in love with mustangs, mainly the classic ones, but I simply wont be doing that. I could buy a brand new one for what it would cost to make a classic half as safe, restored.

After driving one for a while, a miata makes goddamn good sense for a kid, especially a girl. You cant physically fit more than two people in it, it's nimble enough to perform evasive action safely if needed, and if you get a manual, they cant text and drive, and the majority of their friends cant drive it. Bonus: they are cheap and dependable.

[bcoop]

Be careful with that. It seems the new generations of kids care less and less about driving. They are cool with bumming rides or just staying home.

Yeah, I don't understand that at all. I don't think I need to worry with this one though. He wants to drive. He wants a truck now. He just wastes his money on stupid shit, and I'm not caving. He needs a ride, he can call fucking Uber. I don't run a goddamn taxi service.

[snacksnack]

My wifes first car was a 88 lx mustang gt auto. We have had a 94 cobra for about 18 years I think and we plan to just give that to her. However she is only 5 at the moment so we will see how this plays out.

[GrayStangGT]

My parents got me a 94 explorer with 100k miles and then all the news reports about tires exploding and them rolling came out lol. I got a job, saved and then talked them into letting me making payments on a 1 year old GT when I was 17 and had it paid off before I was 19 and kept it for 10 years. Which lead to my screen name and joining this site.

[slow99]

Single-cab Ranger or equivalent. Reliable, not a lot of power, not a lot of room for distractions (5 other friends, etc).

[Tx Redneck]

All I read is we're all gettin old...

[Sean88gt]

My oldest wants a Tahoe, my middle daughter wants a gt500, and my son wants a truck to haul his bike.

[BLAKE]

My daughter (10) wants me to build her a pink first gen Mustang. Dammit.

That's awesome! I do have mixed feelings though. On one hand, it was a defining moment for me to get the 65 as my first car. On the other, it ain't the safest thing on the road. I feel like it'd be hypocritical for me to pull the safety card, but damn. Safety aside, I'd only do that if she helped me build it a few years leading up to 16. IF she wanted to do that, it'd be golden time that we'd cherish.

I made an agreement with my son, that I would match every dollar he saved to buy his first car.

That's what my parents did and I thank them for it. I made a lot of pizzas when I was 15 to earn half of $3,350. That was a fair amount of cash in 1990.

All I read is we're all gettin old...

Beats the alternative.

[Shaggin Wagon]

I bought a wrecked 05 mustang v6 and fixed for her when she was 13...she'll be 15 in a few months and almost ready to drive...

[Chili]

My parents did not buy me, nor contribute to my first car. I bought it with my pay from Basic Training and AIT. They did let me get my license (at 17), and I was allowed to drive my dad's truck. So there's that..

Lea's parents did give her her first car (a couple actually), so her opinion differed some from mine. Ultimately we ended up giving my son, and her son their first cars.

My son got his mom's old car (6-7 year old Nissan Sentra) about 4 years ago. Although he was living with us, we let her claim him on her taxes as partial compensation (worth about $3k to her) and she used her refund to buy a new car for herself.

For Lea's son we bought a 90 GT for a little over $3k 2 years ago. It was wrecked less than a year later (not his fault) and he now has a 2001 GT (from the insurance proceeds).

The main challenge with the matching money plan, which we really considered, was the difficulty in them having money-making opportunities without a vehicle. The alternative was they were limited to 'cheaper' vehicles.

Two of my older nephews are about the same age as our two oldest. My brother bought his first son a brand new Challenger at 15, and his second son an almost new crew cab Raptor (also at 15). That gets a bit questionable, IMO. Especially when my sister-in-law comments on kids needing to earn their own way..