Kids and learning to drive
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My son turned 16 yesterday. He got his restricted license. Michigan as far as I can tell is a little different. At 14 years and 8 months you can get a permit. You have to take 2 levels or drivers education to get a license at 16. I drove with him to school for a little over a year. He has driven a lot at this point. Because of school and sports my wife and I drive the kids all over creation. Given the opportunity for him to drive himself I was up for "buying an extra car for him to drive. " Those words are chosen very carefully. It is not his car, the privilege can be removed at any moment!
I chose to get a 5 star crash rated, cheap used car. The best midsize candidate I found was a 2011 Chevy Malibu, 49K miles. What it lacks in sexy it makes up for in slowness. 11 airbags in that bad boy. Today he drove himself to school for the first time, I had the feeling of freedom and fear simultaneously, unique combination.
Not commenting on others choices just sharing my own experience.
I chose to get a 5 star crash rated, cheap used car. The best midsize candidate I found was a 2011 Chevy Malibu, 49K miles. What it lacks in sexy it makes up for in slowness. 11 airbags in that bad boy. Today he drove himself to school for the first time, I had the feeling of freedom and fear simultaneously, unique combination.
Not commenting on others choices just sharing my own experience.
Oh, snap, I think the BMW has at least as many - making it a zeppelin? As for your first day - and his, of freedom - bravo and I feel ya! As for driving being a privilege, I totally agree. I told her when, and ifshe does get her own car, I have the right to revoke her driving privileges until she is 40!
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Other than the fact that Michigan appears to start the process early, I like the overall plan - sounds unusually well thought out, for a government! As for the Malibu, I wonder if anything with 11 air bags should not be better called a blimp. Oh, snap, I think the BMW has at least as many - making it a zeppelin? As for your first day - and his, of freedom - bravo and I feel ya! As for driving being a privilege, I totally agree. I told her when, and ifshe does get her own car, I have the right to revoke her driving privileges until she is 40!
Oh, snap, I think the BMW has at least as many - making it a zeppelin? As for your first day - and his, of freedom - bravo and I feel ya! As for driving being a privilege, I totally agree. I told her when, and ifshe does get her own car, I have the right to revoke her driving privileges until she is 40!
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My first car was a 12 year old VW super beetle.
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My experience
I grew up in Brooklyn NY. My mother got a new 300E a year before I was expected to get my drivers license, so my parents decided to keep her old 1987 Subaru GL for me. Perfect car for a beginner at the time - slow, ugly and AWD.
When I got my license, that was my first car - for a week. Exactly 1 week after getting my license we were on our way to church and watched a car run the red light and barrel directly into a very similar Subaru GL! The car was destroyed right in front of us, dragged across a major intersection and landed on it's side. The parents sold my car the very next day and I got to drive my mom's barely used 300E
I remember hearing my parents defend the decision, with many people explaining that I was being "spoiled", and that getting a nice car would ruin me. My next car was my dad's barely used SL500. And people continued to opine that I was being ruined.
I don't think I was ruined. I respected everything that was given to me and never abused my privileges. No speeding tickets. No accidents. Came home on time. I was raised right.
Anyways, I went to medical school and after many years of hard work, I can now afford my own toys. Now that I have my own young kids, I will probably do the same for them. I know that the only way my kids will be ruined/spoiled is if I don't raise them well.
John
When I got my license, that was my first car - for a week. Exactly 1 week after getting my license we were on our way to church and watched a car run the red light and barrel directly into a very similar Subaru GL! The car was destroyed right in front of us, dragged across a major intersection and landed on it's side. The parents sold my car the very next day and I got to drive my mom's barely used 300E
I remember hearing my parents defend the decision, with many people explaining that I was being "spoiled", and that getting a nice car would ruin me. My next car was my dad's barely used SL500. And people continued to opine that I was being ruined.
I don't think I was ruined. I respected everything that was given to me and never abused my privileges. No speeding tickets. No accidents. Came home on time. I was raised right.
Anyways, I went to medical school and after many years of hard work, I can now afford my own toys. Now that I have my own young kids, I will probably do the same for them. I know that the only way my kids will be ruined/spoiled is if I don't raise them well.
John
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I grew up in Brooklyn NY. My mother got a new 300E a year before I was expected to get my drivers license, so my parents decided to keep her old 1987 Subaru GL for me. Perfect car for a beginner at the time - slow, ugly and AWD.
When I got my license, that was my first car - for a week. Exactly 1 week after getting my license we were on our way to church and watched a car run the red light and barrel directly into a very similar Subaru GL! The car was destroyed right in front of us, dragged across a major intersection and landed on it's side. The parents sold my car the very next day and I got to drive my mom's barely used 300E
I remember hearing my parents defend the decision, with many people explaining that I was being "spoiled", and that getting a nice car would ruin me. My next car was my dad's barely used SL500. And people continued to opine that I was being ruined.
I don't think I was ruined. I respected everything that was given to me and never abused my privileges. No speeding tickets. No accidents. Came home on time. I was raised right.
Anyways, I went to medical school and after many years of hard work, I can now afford my own toys. Now that I have my own young kids, I will probably do the same for them. I know that the only way my kids will be ruined/spoiled is if I don't raise them well.
John
When I got my license, that was my first car - for a week. Exactly 1 week after getting my license we were on our way to church and watched a car run the red light and barrel directly into a very similar Subaru GL! The car was destroyed right in front of us, dragged across a major intersection and landed on it's side. The parents sold my car the very next day and I got to drive my mom's barely used 300E
I remember hearing my parents defend the decision, with many people explaining that I was being "spoiled", and that getting a nice car would ruin me. My next car was my dad's barely used SL500. And people continued to opine that I was being ruined.
I don't think I was ruined. I respected everything that was given to me and never abused my privileges. No speeding tickets. No accidents. Came home on time. I was raised right.
Anyways, I went to medical school and after many years of hard work, I can now afford my own toys. Now that I have my own young kids, I will probably do the same for them. I know that the only way my kids will be ruined/spoiled is if I don't raise them well.
John
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This is my wife's favorite vehicle... Too bad it isn't scheduled to be released in the 'States, and it costs $400k+. (It was just a special project)
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I would say no for now, I remember when I was driving at 16. I didn't speed or race anyone that much. I was really responsible for my age but I am glad my father brought me a really old corolla. When you are young, you take chances, I remember backing up and just kept going thinking I will not hit the trash can. Boom, hit it and dent it. I went in at an angle and scratch the side of the car in the garage. I put a lot of dents and scratches on my old corolla. A year later, my father brought me a Eagle Talon turbo, $22K brand new. A lot of money at the time and for a 17 year old, it was unheard of. Everyone of my friends were jealous. With this car. I didn't not have a single scratch and dent on it. I learned not to take chances with the Corolla.
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Now honestly I wouldn't buy one, but I'd sure love to try one !
Edit: found them
Last edited by bccars; Sep 26, 2013 at 01:53 AM.
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Another thought for all of you concerned parents is this: Take your kid to a driving school to learn car control. When my son turned 18 , I took him to the Bondurant school for high performance driving. There is a fallacy out there that schools like this one are for racing. They are not strictly to learn how to race. They have a number of courses that deal with teenage driving and a whole host of other things. It was invaluable in teaching him car control in emergency situations like slippery surfaces, etc. There are many schools throughout the country that have these courses. Well worth the cost.
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Another thought for all of you concerned parents is this: Take your kid to a driving school to learn car control. When my son turned 18 , I took him to the Bondurant school for high performance driving. There is a fallacy out there that schools like this one are for racing. They are not strictly to learn how to race. They have a number of courses that deal with teenage driving and a whole host of other things. It was invaluable in teaching him car control in emergency situations like slippery surfaces, etc. There are many schools throughout the country that have these courses. Well worth the cost.
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V6 Volvo. Pull one of the plug wires to make it even slower. Put R-compound tires and upgrade the brakes to Brembo. Remove the rear seat and weld the rear doors closed. Add a roll cage. GPS tracker and remote kill switch.
Marc
Marc
