Top ten first cars a boy would hate to haveThat seemed a little too easy for me - minivans, subcompacts, and nondescript sedans are anathema to young males, and there are many examples of each from which to choose.
So I swapped it around a bit - Here are the Top Ten Cars to buy for your son's first vehicle. The criteria are simple: It needs to be something that you could reasonable afford - no Lamborghinis, fully restored 1957 Chevy Bel Airs, or BMW 7-series. It should be something moderately safe - ridiculously overpowered sports cars and tippy SUVs need not apply. And it should be somewhat appealing to the boy - while the 2005 Honda Accord with only 40K on the clock might be luxuriously appointed for one's first car and reliable until the cows come home, it means nothing if it's always sitting in the driveway.
So here goes!
1. Toyota Tacoma 4X4 regular cab. Automatic. Four cylinder. With a moderate lift (3-4") and 31-33" tires to give it curb appeal. This has it all, really - it's going to be slow as a riding lawnmower, so your son won't be tempted to race it; it only seats two, so he will only have one other teenaged boy egging him on; and with the right accessories, is a right neat lookin' truck.
2. Ford Mustang V6. Sporty, yet not fast enough to race. What young man wouldn't want the pony car di tutti pony cars as his first vehicle? While he won't appreciate the neutered engine at first, down the road when he still has his license and he's picking up his buds who lost theirs it won't seem so bad.
3. Jeep Wrangler 4 cyl. Another "do it all" vehicle, the Jeep has four wheel drive for inclement weather, a soft-top for summer cruising, and an anemic 4-banger than won't win many stoplight contests. Add that it only seats 4, two rather uncomfortably, and you've got a ride that's good to go in sun or snow.
4. Mitsubishi Eclipse 4 cyl. It's not the "Fast 'n' Furious" ready rip-snortin' 210HP V6, so it should keep the speeding tickets to a minimum, but at least it's got sporty looks and Japanese engineering behind it. Small back seat means his buddies won't be jumping in to go cruising all that often (and it will hinder - notice I don't say stop - any amorous adventures).
5. Ford Bronco. Gotta have one nostalgic throwback to the old school. Large, heavy, four-wheel-drive and a removable roof. Plus if you get it in white you get the bad-boy image conjured by a low-speed police chase...
6. Nissan Sentra SE-R. Quick but not too quick and made by Nissan so it'll run forever. Plus it gets good gas mileage, has enough sporty touches to appeal to his inner douchebag, and will be easy to stuff in crowded high school parking lots.
7. Chevrolet Camaro V6. Pretty much see the V6 'Stang. Same deal, but different manufacturer. Not as fast as the LT1-powered SS model; not as Guido as the IROC-Z. Sporty looks plus muscle car heritage; not to mention the white trash cred when he loses his license racing it and you put it on blocks...
8. Toyota Celica. Toyota quality. Sporty enough to get him noticed, anemic enough (without mods) to not get him in trouble. Plus it's FWD for decent inclement weather handling.
9. Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Falling into the same niche as the Sentra, the Jetta is a sporty option with good handling that won't push the envelope too much. He'll have a reliable, albeit pricey to fix sedan with German engineering. And Fahrvergnügen.
10. Ford F-250 Diesel. Regular cab. Throw an 8' Fisher plow on the front and you can use Junior's wheels to make a little extra money in the winter time. The diesel means he ain't gonna be racing anyone in it; the regular cab means he can only take along a friend or two to keep mischief levels down...
So that's my list of cars to buy for your teenaged son's first wheels. Leaving aside the "let him buy his own car" argument (which, I remind you, is a perfectly valid point but it doesn't allow for this exercise if we do that, does it?), what's on your list?
Does a Sherman tank or Brinks truck make anyone's list?
That is all.
22 comments:
My son will get my hand-me-down Honda Civic, and he'll like it. It'll have 100K by the time he's ready for it. Still plenty of life left for junior. He may be allowed to drive the Suburban (Assault Vehicle) on occasion but it definitely won't be "his" vehicle. Of course the first car that I bought myself was a '78 IH Scout. Wish they still made those tanks....
Since I don't have a son, my question for you is: What about a first vehicle for daughters?
I'd looove to see the first cars for daughters list too. Can that be next week?
Anon,
If our Accord was just a little bit newer, TheBoy would be getting it. As it is, *especially* with the way Mrs. G. neglects the maintenance (AHEM), it's probably not going to last another 8 years... It *SHOULD*, mind you, but...
TheBoy is most likely going to get the Toyota. Should be pretty easy to find a 6-10 year old 4 banger auto tranny version for cheap money; we've got a friend of the family who's a master mechanic for Toyota (and another friend who's a master mechanic for Ford should we get the F-250...).
He'll be stylin' alright, just VERY slowly...
Christina,
I think kissmyfranny has an excellent idea - next week's Fun Thread will be the Top Ten cars for BabyGirl G.!
(Here's a hint: #1 is a VW New Beetle convertible. In pink.)
kissmyfranny,
See above. Thanks for the idea!
"Since I don't have a son, my question for you is: What about a first vehicle for daughters?"
I'm voting Pony! ; ]
Mitsubishi Eclipse 4 cyl
Oh, right, the non-turbo.
The turbo versions can get you in ALL sorts of trouble. If you have enough money left over for premium gas after you get done tweaking it.
Well, I certainly can't speak for the yoot of today, but in my teenage years *any* wheels were good wheels. If it ran at all it was most definitely not left in the driveway.
And my first car... it was a 1953 Ford custom coupe. It had a flathead 6 with an air filter that you had to fill with oil, a six volt electrical system, and one of Ford's first automatic transmissions. It was older than I was, was built like a battleship, and also had the steering response and cornering capability of one. It got about 10 miles to the gallon, but that was in the day when a gallon of gas was only 35 cents.
I traded a rebuilt color television set for it. (Yeah, I was a geek.) They gave me the car and $50.
Oh - the year was 1972. Fun times.
Well, how responsible is The Boy likely to be? If he's a speed demon, then he should get a slug. If he's mechanically inclined, he should get an old beater that he can practice on. If he's reasonably responsible for a teen, then a sporty car, like the Sentra SE-R, or perhaps a Civic Si. Before you sneer, consider that the "Si" means "Sport Injected" -- IOW, a pocket rocket.
Whatever it is, under no circumstances should it be red.
While my son will be getting the Honda (he's 15 now)the Suburban is the perfect venue for a rolling party - be it for 20 or 2! Too many bad choices can be made with that much room to be had...
Be careful with the diesel trucks. A Ford power stroke diesel, with only the computer re-flashed for performance, will run low 13 second quarter mile times all day long. That is Mustang GT territory. There is a F350 power stroke diesel up at Epping that is slightly modified, that runs low 12 seconds consistently, which is Mustang Cobra turf. FYI.
What's a hoot is that we had two of your list here Chez Borepatch.
The Wrangler does indeed have cool cred with the younguns, and has the added bonus that they'll have to learn to drive a stick.
The Ford is gone now, and was gas (not diesel), but did indeed have an 8' plow. King of the road, baby!
I've acquired two vehicles for male offspring.
One was a 4 cylinder Volvo station wagon, and the other a Ford Escort.
In both cases, the children in question have survived to 18, no major wrecks, and only one ticket.
I like what my friend Skip's dad did to him.
When Skip turned 16, his dad took him ou to the garage and said "there's your first car". Sitting in the garage was a beetle body, with all the other parts in boxes: his dad had taken HIS old bug, completely disassembled it, and had it waiting for his son. all he had to do was figure out how to put it together.
He still has that car, BTW. It's the reason I had to go in for hernia surgery...
You only THINK your kid won't be able to race that diesel... give me 5 mins with the lad, and his head will be so full of fun ideas to mod his new rig with.... :evil:
I plan on a Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor. Basically Grandma's car with Blues Brothers cred.
The police package consists of bigger alternator, radiator and silicone hoses. Nothing extra in the go-fast department.
I nominate the hand-me-down (sort of) I'm currently driving. 2002 Civic GX (the one that runs on compressed natural gas.)
It's fleet white, completely road trip-proof without planning an operation equivalent to D-Day, has a tiny trunk, and runs 30 horses *less* than stock.
It friggin' rocks.
"Plus it's FWD for decent bad weather handling"????
Good grief, Jay... have YOU swallowed that bullshit line, TOO?? Please... if you offered me a choice of a new FWD car or a beat up 1970's POS with RWD for a drive in the snow, I'd be saying "Fill it leaded" so fast it'd make your head spin. FWD is NOT better handling than rear wheel drive in snow. And yes, I've had both, and I've driven in a LOT of snow.
Yeesh. You're losing your gearhead cred, guy.
Ross, I had a Plymouth Sundance (it looked EXACTLY like the car at the ME car shoot, AAMOF) with a 5 speed transmission and four Firestone snow tires on it.
It was, hands down, the single best vehicle I've ever driven in the snow. Far and away. The only advantage the FOUR 4WD trucks I've owned offered was ground clearance.
This car would stop on a dime. Start on a dime. Turn on a dime. You could turn while standing on the brakes in the snow.
I stand by my original statement.
A regular cab, bench seat, truck works out really well for romantic adventures, plus there's an 8 foot bed in back for "looking at the stars" These are things any Texan could tell you.
My dad just gave me his '96 ranger ext cab with a 3 inch body lift and '31's and a 4 cylinder... I love it to death but it is sloooowwwww! I figure he gave it to me because wouldn't get in trouble with it, well he is right, for the most part!
I've always thought of getting a Toyota for my son's first car. I'm just so glad that it is on the number one spot. I honestly think that a Toyota Tacoma will suit my son's character and it will be the perfect birthday gift for him. Hopefully, I could get the best price when I inquire in the nearby used car dealerships in Orange County or perhaps I can go visit the Santa Ana used car dealers to give me their best quoted price.
Can't wait to read about the first vehicles for daughters as I have a daughter, too!
I go for Chevrolet Camaro from usedcarsforsale
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