"Dad, I don't want to drive anything else"
03-12-2019, 11:12 AM
#16
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Very true on the XC70 and why we purchased it in the first place for our daughter. It really is a tank. Everything just feels hefty on the car in a good way.
Good lord! IDK if I would be alive if someone handed me a 400HP anything at 16. LOL
I feel behind the times once again... Gen Z is the Z short for Snowflakes?
(JK, some of the HS kids now are high caliber young folks. Maybe there is hope)
This 100%!!! Due to our age in life you start to hear about the HS and young College kids in the area that end up in car accidents and it becomes scary as a parent. On a rainy weekend you can count on at least one accident for a HS person. Now, not all of these accidents are the kids fault, but as you all know with greater experience they may have been able to avoid the accident IF they had better driving skills. Even if you are not the cause of the accident you are still screwed as you are now probably hurt to some degree, so it is a loose loose all around.
On the plus and minus, the press only covers the accidents as generic accidents as most all people live through the accidents due to higher quality crumple zones and safety features... BUT the people/kids in these accidents are still potentially super effed up! One of my daughters good friends as a HS Junior had an offset head-on collision on a narrow backroad (farm country) between her mid 2000s MB E320 and an older Explorer... The Explorer cavitated the E320 and the girl ended up in the hospital and rehab for months. Bruised organs, crushed pelvis, broken left leg, and multiple contusions... It was a mess. The Explorer driver walked away no problem (IIRC drunk and of questionable legal standing, but that is another story). I was shocked that the E320 did not hold up better as it is a competent car of solid build quality. Moral of the story... Put your kids in the safest vehicles you possibly can with excellent tires, brakes, handling, and when all else fails great crumple zones. Statistically speaking the Volvo XC90 from what I understand is still the "safest" car on the road per fatalities. (something like 15 total, it is an amazingly low number)
Petza, I was in the same boat on get the kids something awesome for their cars... But then FUD kicked in and I went boring. IMO find a semi-fun but ultimately safe "cage" for that young man.
Full disclosure, I have a few old cars that I drive knowing full well that they are completely unsafe in an accident compared to modern cars. You just take the risk on as part of the enjoyment of vintage metal.
Good lord! IDK if I would be alive if someone handed me a 400HP anything at 16. LOL
I feel behind the times once again... Gen Z is the Z short for Snowflakes?
(JK, some of the HS kids now are high caliber young folks. Maybe there is hope)This 100%!!! Due to our age in life you start to hear about the HS and young College kids in the area that end up in car accidents and it becomes scary as a parent. On a rainy weekend you can count on at least one accident for a HS person. Now, not all of these accidents are the kids fault, but as you all know with greater experience they may have been able to avoid the accident IF they had better driving skills. Even if you are not the cause of the accident you are still screwed as you are now probably hurt to some degree, so it is a loose loose all around.
On the plus and minus, the press only covers the accidents as generic accidents as most all people live through the accidents due to higher quality crumple zones and safety features... BUT the people/kids in these accidents are still potentially super effed up! One of my daughters good friends as a HS Junior had an offset head-on collision on a narrow backroad (farm country) between her mid 2000s MB E320 and an older Explorer... The Explorer cavitated the E320 and the girl ended up in the hospital and rehab for months. Bruised organs, crushed pelvis, broken left leg, and multiple contusions... It was a mess. The Explorer driver walked away no problem (IIRC drunk and of questionable legal standing, but that is another story). I was shocked that the E320 did not hold up better as it is a competent car of solid build quality. Moral of the story... Put your kids in the safest vehicles you possibly can with excellent tires, brakes, handling, and when all else fails great crumple zones. Statistically speaking the Volvo XC90 from what I understand is still the "safest" car on the road per fatalities. (something like 15 total, it is an amazingly low number)
Petza, I was in the same boat on get the kids something awesome for their cars... But then FUD kicked in and I went boring. IMO find a semi-fun but ultimately safe "cage" for that young man.
Full disclosure, I have a few old cars that I drive knowing full well that they are completely unsafe in an accident compared to modern cars. You just take the risk on as part of the enjoyment of vintage metal.
She wants something practical, easy to drive (automatic), where she's up high. I'm thinking a Macan, Range Rover Evoq, 4Runner, or Infiniti FX35. Not sure if this will be her first car or her off to college car, as odds are she'll wreck the first one at least a little bit.
The boy is tougher, as he likes cool cars like I do and doesn't really have much interest in the newer cars with all the electronics. Something new enough for air bags and abs is probably about as well as I'll be able to get him to take - maybe a base model 996 if the prices keep falling over the next few years. $10-$15k for a 996 isn't totally unreasonable for a first car, with a few hundred dollars to fix the look of the front headlights, and maybe a 4 for more neutral handling dynamics.
03-12-2019, 12:26 PM
#17
Racer
Thread Starter
Yep, luckily my older daughter that's closer to driving age (permit this fall) doesn't care a thing about the cars. Her favorite car of ours is the 2001 GMC pickup LOL.
She wants something practical, easy to drive (automatic), where she's up high. I'm thinking a 955. Not sure if this will be her first car or her off to college car, as odds are she'll wreck the first one at least a little bit.
The boy is tougher, as he likes cool cars like I do and doesn't really have much interest in the newer cars with all the electronics. Something new enough for air bags and abs is probably about as well as I'll be able to get him to take - maybe a base model 996 if the prices keep falling over the next few years. $10-$15k for a 996 isn't totally unreasonable for a first car, with a few hundred dollars to fix the look of the front headlights, and maybe a 4 for more neutral handling dynamics.
She wants something practical, easy to drive (automatic), where she's up high. I'm thinking a 955. Not sure if this will be her first car or her off to college car, as odds are she'll wreck the first one at least a little bit.
The boy is tougher, as he likes cool cars like I do and doesn't really have much interest in the newer cars with all the electronics. Something new enough for air bags and abs is probably about as well as I'll be able to get him to take - maybe a base model 996 if the prices keep falling over the next few years. $10-$15k for a 996 isn't totally unreasonable for a first car, with a few hundred dollars to fix the look of the front headlights, and maybe a 4 for more neutral handling dynamics.
Lasts forever as well (#LSEverything) FTFY on the SUV category
Just be careful on the College car as most Freshman aren't allowed to have cars on campus. (depends on school of course) At least at Eckerd College where my daughter is headed this fall they have "loaner" cars that you can rent per hour to get groceries etc. IIRC $4 an hour which makes it a no-brainer vs having a car at college. Each college is different, but car access/transportation as we know it is changing in population dense areas.
Smart kid, the electronics will fail in all these modern cars. Not IF, but WHEN and at what subsequent cost/PITA factor.
03-12-2019, 12:49 PM
#18
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Well played on the truck, she has good taste Lasts forever as well (#LSEverything)
FTFY on the SUV category
Just be careful on the College car as most Freshman aren't allowed to have cars on campus. (depends on school of course) At least at Eckerd College where my daughter is headed this fall they have "loaner" cars that you can rent per hour to get groceries etc. IIRC $4 an hour which makes it a no-brainer vs having a car at college. Each college is different, but car access/transportation as we know it is changing in population dense areas.
Smart kid, the electronics will fail in all these modern cars. Not IF, but WHEN and at what subsequent cost/PITA factor.
Lasts forever as well (#LSEverything)FTFY on the SUV category
Just be careful on the College car as most Freshman aren't allowed to have cars on campus. (depends on school of course) At least at Eckerd College where my daughter is headed this fall they have "loaner" cars that you can rent per hour to get groceries etc. IIRC $4 an hour which makes it a no-brainer vs having a car at college. Each college is different, but car access/transportation as we know it is changing in population dense areas.
Smart kid, the electronics will fail in all these modern cars. Not IF, but WHEN and at what subsequent cost/PITA factor.
A base 955 or 957 Cayenne might not be a bad option for her either, but I think she wants something a little smaller - the RR Evoq 2-door is pretty cool to check all her boxes, but I haven't even looked at, driven, or researched one of those yet.
03-12-2019, 08:32 PM
#19
Racer
Thread Starter
Remember you are trying to get rid of them! LOL I have mixed emotions on that. You want them to go off and do wonderous things, but still stay connected to family... But not live in your basement forever either.
Ahem Ahem... USC! You can't lick our *****! Move to the big city of Columbia and mingle with the movers and shakers! But sadly the football team wasn't and still isn't much to talk about.
VA Tech is a great choice! It is very very competitive these days at least for in-state (4.0+ GPA + activities). My uncle used to go to all the home games, but stopped a few years ago due to age. He loved VA Tech and played on the Basketball team (this was in the late 60s IDK how competitive they were).
My wife went to Auburn and I went to USC so our mantra to the kids has always been: You can go to any college you would like... As long as it is in the SEC!
Ahem Ahem... USC! You can't lick our *****! Move to the big city of Columbia and mingle with the movers and shakers! But sadly the football team wasn't and still isn't much to talk about.
VA Tech is a great choice! It is very very competitive these days at least for in-state (4.0+ GPA + activities). My uncle used to go to all the home games, but stopped a few years ago due to age. He loved VA Tech and played on the Basketball team (this was in the late 60s IDK how competitive they were).
My wife went to Auburn and I went to USC so our mantra to the kids has always been: You can go to any college you would like... As long as it is in the SEC!
03-12-2019, 08:40 PM
#20
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Remember you are trying to get rid of them! LOL I have mixed emotions on that. You want them to go off and do wonderous things, but still stay connected to family... But not live in your basement forever either.
Ahem Ahem... USC! You can't lick our *****! Move to the big city of Columbia and mingle with the movers and shakers! But sadly the football team wasn't and still isn't much to talk about.
VA Tech is a great choice! It is very very competitive these days at least for in-state (4.0+ GPA + activities). My uncle used to go to all the home games, but stopped a few years ago due to age. He loved VA Tech and played on the Basketball team (this was in the late 60s IDK how competitive they were).
My wife went to Auburn and I went to USC so our mantra to the kids has always been: You can go to any college you would like... As long as it is in the SEC!
Ahem Ahem... USC! You can't lick our *****! Move to the big city of Columbia and mingle with the movers and shakers! But sadly the football team wasn't and still isn't much to talk about.
VA Tech is a great choice! It is very very competitive these days at least for in-state (4.0+ GPA + activities). My uncle used to go to all the home games, but stopped a few years ago due to age. He loved VA Tech and played on the Basketball team (this was in the late 60s IDK how competitive they were).
My wife went to Auburn and I went to USC so our mantra to the kids has always been: You can go to any college you would like... As long as it is in the SEC!
Interception, contraception, block those clocks!
03-13-2019, 03:08 AM
#21
Watch enough crash videos on youtube and you will no doubt want to put your learners in an XC90 for the first couple of years. With the number of distracted drivers these days due to smartphones and lack of experience of a new driver I have a hard time thinking about putting them in anything else... maaaaybe a v6 cayenne. I had access to fast machines as a 16-25 year old and it is a plain miracle I lived through those years. I won't worry about my kid's abilities, it will be all the other kamikazees on the road looking down at their phone in one hand. Unfortunately, the last people to get self-driving cars are the first people who should!
03-13-2019, 08:01 AM
#22
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03-13-2019, 09:57 AM
#23
Racer
Thread Starter
I'm a VT alum. Got there the same year Frank Beamer did.
Interception, contraception, block those clocks!
Interception, contraception, block those clocks!
LOL
Watch enough crash videos on youtube and you will no doubt want to put your learners in an XC90 for the first couple of years. With the number of distracted drivers these days due to smartphones and lack of experience of a new driver I have a hard time thinking about putting them in anything else... maaaaybe a v6 cayenne. I had access to fast machines as a 16-25 year old and it is a plain miracle I lived through those years. I won't worry about my kid's abilities, it will be all the other kamikazees on the road looking down at their phone in one hand. Unfortunately, the last people to get self-driving cars are the first people who should!
OMG I hate to see any driver fiddling with their phones going down the road, even at lights it is bad form. Soo soo dangerous - statistically it is a nightmare. Please add the Bluetooth modules to any older car for hands free. Also it amazes me how many adults that have built in Bluetooth don't use it (program/sync it)... It just blows my mind. People should take others and their own safety seriously.
03-13-2019, 10:12 AM
#24
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03-13-2019, 05:25 PM
#25
For any of you with kids in the 15-21 range, look into the Tire Rack Street Survival program, and sign them up if available in your area. The volunteer coaches, myself included, are members of local car clubs (PCA, BMWCCA, SCCA), and I have yet to encounter a student that did not get a smile on their face as they were learning car control skills.
It's texting that is really dangerous, talking on the phone is less so. Too bad talking is just not cool anymore and you can only text people these days. Add touch screen phones (gone are the days when you could type by feel on a physical keypad or keyboard), social media, and the result is a slew of 2-ton projectiles you have to dodge any time you get behind a wheel.
03-14-2019, 06:28 PM
#26
Racer
Thread Starter
For any of you with kids in the 15-21 range, look into the Tire Rack Street Survival program, and sign them up if available in your area. The volunteer coaches, myself included, are members of local car clubs (PCA, BMWCCA, SCCA), and I have yet to encounter a student that did not get a smile on their face as they were learning car control skills.
Thanks!
03-15-2019, 12:46 AM
#27
Also, regarding the offset head-on collision situation mentioned earlier. This is the remarkable difference between a Cayenne (Q7) and an XC90. You have to hand it to the Swedes. They destroy a lot of cars in interesting ways to improve. Also search for videos of the moose test, etc.
03-15-2019, 12:10 PM
#28
Racer
Thread Starter
If you are willing to deal with the rougher ride, the R-design definitely steps up the handling a notch. I was pretty surprised when we upgraded. Not Cayenne level, but damn good for an SUV. If you can spring the newest model with all options, it is handles and brakes quite well.
Also, regarding the offset head-on collision situation mentioned earlier. This is the remarkable difference between a Cayenne (Q7) and an XC90. You have to hand it to the Swedes. They destroy a lot of cars in interesting ways to improve. Also search for videos of the moose test, etc.
Also, regarding the offset head-on collision situation mentioned earlier. This is the remarkable difference between a Cayenne (Q7) and an XC90. You have to hand it to the Swedes. They destroy a lot of cars in interesting ways to improve. Also search for videos of the moose test, etc.
Some of the Volvo testing videos are crazy. I give them full credit on pushing the safety envelope. We will see how that keeps up now that they are owned by Gheely (sp).