Well, to those of you that argue against giving the child a high end car, I argued the same thing with my wife. We are all a product of our upbringings. My wife was given a high end by her Dad at this age, and she had no problem appreciating the value of hard work and making money. She studied hard, became a dentist, works hard for her money, and now wants to do the same for our daughters as was done for her growing uup. Incidentally this daughter is an honors student, and studies like crazy, and is such a good kid I have to pinch myself sometimes.

 

I had access to my Father's 911S. I probably drive slower now than he did in his day. Although my car was a pickup, he would let me take it out quite a bit. Then one of the very few in Denver in 68. After he had to get rid of it (or lose his license) my mother would remark that it was lucky I didn't get killed in that thing. It was really the other way around, since he was always trying to do a 100 in the quarter all the time.

But he said "son if your going to drive fast let me show you how to do it right"

If only we could of saw eye to eye in other things like politics. I did get Daughter 1 a BMW which she still has and Daughter 2 a Touregg (which was one of the first one and a mess, now she drives Minni Cooper S. I taught them to drive at 16 and they are doing fine. Except number 2 gets tickets, seems to want to a 100 all the time too. Like her Grand Daddy.

 

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1341841.php

Of course your daughter is much more responsible... but generally 18 y.o.'s and high performance cars are a bad mix.

Maybe a high end slug? The new C300? An E350? A 525i? Or a Cayenne V6?

 

The Cayenne we were considering is the V6 model.

 

You may as welll consider the Touareg then. Better designed interior ergonomics, probably cheaper to insure.

Or, consider, as previously mentioned, a Volvo. Incredibly well designed/safe vehicles.

 

ok... visibility is ok with the rear camera. And it's a safe, heavy tank. It's slow around town unless you're working the tip. (although the 08 has 295hp) but I think it's technically a sound and safe vehicle. If she's certainly getting a high end first car then I think the CV6 is a good choice. My logic being that if you wrap a 3 series or a Boxster around a tree you'd appreciate the heft and safety of the CV6.

I'm buying a new M3 or a Cayman later this year (depending on which I like) and my wife will drive the CV6 daily and I trust the vehicle completely to protect her as much as any car can.

 

Maybe a nice light olive CV6?

 

I have a great kid (#2 son), full ride, honors college.. blah blah.. he's wrecked albeit "minor" 3 times. "minor" from the stand point that it was 2 fender benders but cost thousands to fix.. plus one 540 degree turn on a wet road that bent the frame and cost $8K.

SOAPBOX I personally think that 16 year olds being given $50-100K brand new cars is entirely and utterly wrong. What is left for graduating from college or marriage or whatever?? All of my kids' (3 driving now) are given the PRIVILEGE to drive a car owned by my wife and me. In that way, they cannot say it's their car and not be grounded from using it!!! Nevermind, the insurance costs on 16 year olds driving cars that expensive. Each of my kids has received a lease agreement and a set of keys to a 4 year old VOLVO (think TANK). I talk about this often when kid driving is discussed and have gotten and emailed probably a 100 requests for my lease agreement.

It says the car is mine and we can ground you for attitude, reckless driving, drinking, drugs, blah blah blah.. first 6 months NO PASSENGERS.. first YEAR no cell phone talking while driving.. Yes, I could afford to give each of them a brand new car and I'd like to do that at college graduation when they're 22 and have 6 years of experience. In fact, I have fought my wife somewhat on this as in some ways all 3 kids don't take care of these cars like I wish they would (actually I've thought a set amount for each kid... i.e. the same amount) and then let them pick out the car that they want and can afford to insure.

My oldest two are boys.. the just licensed last of 3 kids is a girl. frankly, I think girls are now speeding more and distracted more than boys. We (my daughter and I just recently) had a long sit down about responsibility etc. Your WIFE needs to be shown this. I personally know of one high school girl and one boy who both had brand new BMW 3 series that are dead! Boy driving over 100.. the girl punching it infront of a SUV to make a left in heavy traffic. DEAD. My wife and I are also personally affected in that her college age brother was killed in a car accident when thrown from the vehicle as a passenger.

OTHER THAN THE ABOVE ... I have no strong feelings on the matter

 

As you know and as we've discussed year or two ago, my teen approach over the past 6 years:

Volvo 850GLT for #1 son. . great car >150K Miles.. looks great
Volvo S40 for #2 son.. wrecked 3 times.. repaired looks "okay"
Volvo S60 for daughter.. 45K miles and so far so good. looks like new.

 

I have to agree with MadFox - when I read that post I was shocked.

But hey, to each his own! I am sure the kids of Arab Oil Sheiks don't have to cut their teeth on 1970 Ford Mavericks like some of us had to, and I am sure they are MUCH better off for it!

 

my first car was a 69 chevy chevelle with mag wheels and a black vinyl top, lol... in 1983

 

...sure, if one can handle it

...if a teenage DRIVER can HANDLE it safelly, SKILLFULLY, fast and with the COLD(adrenalin free) mind in various REAL life situations and FASTER than papa&mama "handling" car payment or insurance bill...

...if a teenage DRIVER handles/masters the car BETTER, than the car ITSELF with it's safety features (PSM ON and etc)...

...if simply teenager can handle your GT3 for a 30sec of a simple corner drift and RECOVER safelly...

...all of this has NOTHING to do with the driver SKILL...
...sorry, reality check?...



...until then teenager MAY take papa's car WITH the papa in a passenger seat for a local drive to the grocery...otherwise you will be asking for trouble...

It is ALWAYS a dumb idea to have a costly or potent car as a FIRST!!! training car for real life driving...

...I suggest, start with USED BMW 3 series and as a teenager SKILL progresses you MAY UPgrade a car...

BMW is one of the MOST easy and safe accident PREVENTIVE cars on the road today.

Drive safe, cool but NOT SLOW...

OZRacing

 

You just descirbed my son. Based on his karting/driving skills, I'm pretty sure he'd have no problems......which actually may be my problem when he turns 16.

 

While I somewhat agree, that is just not fair to curse the parents of children that are given a high $$$ car. Besides, isn't it all relative? Shouldn't the FIRST concern be safety? If the "insert high end car name here" is just as safe if not safer than the ****box some of y'all want all kids to drive then what's the problem? This is all just a simple game of economic status and ability. I can and WILL buy my child anything within reason based upon a set limit my wife and I determine (ie, 3 series, etc.) but a car where safety is number one. Don't y'all agree that a new and more advanced car is more safe than an older one?

Listen, I understand the argument of "the kid won't learn the value of a dollar" but please, that argument is one that if you raised the kid properly and ALREADY instilled the value of a dollar then they will appreciate that car all the much more.

Besides, were not talking about buying the kid a GT3 are we?

ok, off the

ps. all those BMW's my parents bought when I was a teenager were insured and paid for by myself. If I wanted the car, I had to pay for the gas and insurance. Can you say J-O-B?

 

OK, how about a kid who was given a new GT40 as a car....and had his parents trade it in for a Carrera GT?
(yes, really)