Tough call. I am 37 and I drove a lot of sports cars in my teens and did not have any problems. I certainly pushed the limits but the cars in the 80s were a lot more dangerous than this 997 turbo. The car is scary in control which might be the worst part about it. You can cruise at 110 like it is nothing. Let him take it on the track and ring it out. If he complains beat the **** out of him for being to spoiled.

 

I am 17 and my dad has had his 997 4S cab since april. Before this he had a 2003 SL500. I have always wanted to learn to drive stick and I finally convinced him around february to get rid of the SL after showing him swapalease.com. He owned a 986 before the SL and he liked it a lot so he decided a 911 was the next step. He knows that I love cars and because of that I respect them. If something were to happen to that car I would be much more upset than he would. Because of that, my dad has no issue with me driving the car. I have never driven it myself because I would feel like a spoiled brat when all my friends see my driving it. I'm also not perfect with using my left foot yet, so I am planning on taking a lesson or two in a toyota camry which should be much easier to learn on then a 911. I think that saying teenagers aren't responsible enough to drive a 997 turbo or any sports car for that matter is very stereotypical. Yes there are teens who do not respect the other people on the road or the car they are in, but many are not like that. I would say that for every bad teen driver there is at least one bad adult driver, probably more. The amount of bad teen drivers is totally distorted by the few idiotic teens who crash their car, whether it be a honda or a porsche, and make their story national.

 

It depends on the kid. I was never reckless so my dad was not worried. The car was a corvette convertible that I loved and drove it modestly and occassionally got on it. My oldest son is 7 so I have some time but if he shows me that he is going to be cautious I would let him drive whatever I have when he is 17-18.

 

In 1968 I drove a new candy apple red stingray with the 435 hp/460 ft lbs of torque.

I didnt get into an accident thank god but I shouldnt have had a car this powerful as a 17 year old kid. I abused the power so many times and I am just lucky I didnt get ticketed or killed. Kids dont have the fears or arent as mature as most adults, I remember passing on a 2 lane with 5 cars in front of me and seeing a car coming toward me.

The 435 hp big block Vette had more power then my Turbo does and was literally a rocket on wheels.

I would never let a teen drive a car now with the power of a turbo.


Cabman

 

I've been there..... in my early 20's my dad let me drive his porsche turbo and he also allowed my brother (one year younger) drive the Ferrari just around town, not too often, but it was exciting. It really depends on the individual, my only daughter(13 yr old) said, someday she will drive my car also.....

 

So, case by case basis. But 99% of teenagers shouldn't be driving anything with more than 300 horses.

 

Some very mature young adults in here. Nice to see.

 

^ It is pleasant to finally see some more level headed younger adults on the car forums. Finally an end to the stereotype that ALL teenagers are idiots... well I guess we all were, it's just a matter of to what degree.

 

For every instance of a teen crashing himself in a high powered car, there is another instance of a grown adult doing the same thing.

I still think this is a case by case scenario.

 

I let my 6 year old daughter & my 8 yr old son drive my Turbo cab but only in parking lots, slow in teh driveway & when no one else is on the road, etc. My daughter is getting pretty good, she still has some trouble shifting the 6-speed (shes better w/ the F1 in my F430) but she's getting there. Here she is taking my son for a ride.

 

are you serious? ^^^

 

I'm 19, I drive my dad's GT2 all the time. I do alot of DE's and feel that I do know how to drive, however I never push the car on a normal road, it is stupid and dangerous and could be very expensive if caught. It requires a person with alot of self control and a brain that understands their are consequences for being a hot shot.

I also drive a fairly high powerd car every day and have been doing so since i was 17, e46 m3, so i guess im used to not being able to drive full out on the road. My dad always told me he would pay for me to go to the track but not for my ticket so ive just kind of stuck to that and try and keep myself out of trouble. I must say i have never been pulled over. However, most of my friends dont need even 200hp, this is a case by case scenario based on maturity. My 2 cents.

 

Also 19, Lol dont drive my dads turbo...but i should! No problem handling it..
I drive an 03 svt cobra though with a healthy 530 to the crank, lol

 

case by case basis IMHO. The majority, no...but excluding someone from anything because "all the others etc..." is never really the best way to go about things.