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Bought Our Son A Car... Hope He Doesn't Gag!

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Ornery, looks ok. I agree that condition is VERY important. But IMO your first car (for a guy, girls don't seem to care much one way or another) can really impact your life in general. I mean, I can really relate all of my old high-school buddies to the cars they drove. But I'm not sure what comes first, the personality or the cars. I mean, the guys with jeeps were.. guys with jeeps, and the sports car guys were sports car guys.. heheh... then there was this big grey area of people who drove things like maximas, camrys, grand-ams, things like that.

Honestly if my parents had gotten me that car, I would have freaked out since it IS an old-fogeymobile land boat. But if it's a good condition land boat, it'll be great for hauling friends around, going on road trips, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not TOO enthusiastic about it at first, but it may grow on him. Then again - if he really doesn't like it, let him make his own decisions, save some $, sell it, and buy something else.

Edit: Read some of your posts.. if a 15 year old can't get excited about cars at a used car lot, then he must REALLY not care, so condition sounds like it will be the most important factor. Also I'll say that a lot of the way he'll take it will depend on his friends, the area you live, etc. I remember at my sister's school, all her friends were getting BMWs, Mercedes, and SUVs. She "borrowed" my parents Grand Cherokee through HS and eventually took it to college. Welcome to South Florida. hehehe.
 
At his age, I'd be thinking of all the things I could do with a rear-drive Crown Vic (or Grand Marquis in his case). Power Braking and roasting the rear tires, power sliding around corners, general rubber burning and peeling out, etc. I'd have gladly driven that car when I just got my license! 🙂

 
It's been a while since I was 16, but if I remember correctly, just getting a car all your own was the big thrill. Only the most disgustingly spoiled of brats wouldn't appreciate a car of their own at that age. Something tells me that no son of yours is going to be one of those types.

I agree with some of the others that have pointed out that he's going to have the big car that can haul all the gang around comfortably. For better or worse, he's going to be the one they'll all pile in with for road trips.

I think you've made a very good choice dependability and safety-wise. A sportier car could handle better on the curves, but when they find that out they try to push it, thus negating any advantage.
 


<<

<< Its better you got him the car. Trucks are not safer. Without any weight in the back trucks take a reasonable amount of skill to keep them facing in the direction you want.

BTW my first car-------> 1964 F85 Oldsmobile >>



But if you get hit from the ass-end, trucks are MUCH tougher. I just witnessed one on a highway. Late 90ish Ford Focus rear ended a Ford F-150 truck. The truck had misaligned bumper while that poor focus had its windshield shattered with its hood crumpled real good. >>


Sounds to me like the original statement had to do with pick-ups being rear wheel drive and light in the rear end and therefore somewhat less stable.
I have no doubt that a 2,700# unibody car would come in second in a match with a body-on-frame truck weighing over 1,000# more.
Have you ever driven a 'somewhat acceptable' 2WD pickup in gravel, rain, ice, or snow?
 
Wow, I wish that MY parents bought me a first car that was that nice! My first car was a 1984 Plymouth "Reliant", with over 130,000 miles on it. Sure, the car only cost my folks $250, but it was constantly falling apart. My favorite episode was where I drove it through a puddle, and ended up with 2 inches of water under the passenger-side seat. The car never smelled right afterward. It was almost as funny as the time that I piled it into a snow drift, or when I needed my friends to rock my car out of park.... but I digress.

I hated that car with a passion, but my folks wouldn't let me get a new one unless I got a part-time job to pay for it. So, I got a job stocking groceries, saved up my money, and bought myself a nice little Escort with low mileage that lasted me high school and college. Then, one day, it broke down in Utah during a cross-country trip... but that's another story.

So, the moral of this story is that my first car taught me a lot of responsibility, along with giving me a piece of junk to beat on while I saved up my pennies for a new ride. He might dislike the car now, but he'll thank you for it later.
 
Cyberian has it right. You have to know what you're doing with a pickup. Especially here in Northeast Ohio. I had forgotten how squirrelly they are.

Just checked out the rubber on this car. They're Sears Response RST 2000 - P215/70R15. Probably about a year old and NOT my first choice of tire. They're too small to fit my car, so I can't trade 'em. If they can't do the job this winter, they'll have to go. It'll cost another $500.00 for Michelins, but the peace of mind would be worth it.

My wife is STILL making noise about 'giving' him the car. I asked what she proposed instead. She said to just make it an extra car for everybody to use, particularly him if he finds it easier to drive. I didn't say one way or the other whether I agreed, just grunted and left. My mind is made up. Does anybody understand what her reservations are? She won't come right out and say it. I'm supposed to read her mind or something!

While looking for another Marquis to buy for her, I stumbled on this beauty. We used to have a '78 that looked just like it. Best damn car ever. Unfortunately, I replaced the fuel pump and forgot to tighten one of the clamps. It sprayed gasoline under the hood and caught fire! We replaced it with a '77 Grand Marquis and drove that 7 years till 1997. Rust took it's toll on that one. Mechanically they were all sound. I'd consider that one on EBay since it's in a neighboring state, but the bidding kind of high already.
 


<< My wife is STILL making noise about 'giving' him the car. I asked what she proposed instead. She said to just make it an extra car for everybody to use, particularly him if he finds it easier to drive. I didn't say one way or the other whether I agreed, just grunted and left. My mind is made up. Does anybody understand what her reservations are? She won't come right out and say it. I'm supposed to read her mind or something!
 >>

ornery
You are married long enough to have a 16 year old and are still trying to figure out what your wife means? 😉
The simple answer is that there is no answer.
 
We've been married since '78 and I knew her 3 years before that. One thing I've found, is that you are expected to read their minds, and I'm only half joking! 😕

SHE'S the one that says I'm a little too strict and yadda yadda. Now that I want to show my appreciation, she doesn't go along with it! Aaaaarrrgh! :disgust:
 
boy, I need a new dad 🙁.

all my dad does is borrow money from me, and the last (real) x-mas/b-day present I got was when I was 12 YO... I got a plant... but it looked kinda cool so I attended to it really well. It died 3 days later because I kept watering it without realizing I flooded the thing 🙁.

now my mom owes me $6000 and my dad owes me $3000.
 
Lord, that's sad! I gave you a ten rating and I'll send you some old PC hardware if you want. If I had any money, I'd send that too! 🙁
 
I think that your son will appreciate the fact that you got him a car, im 16 and my dad got me a 2k2 Ford Escape and i mean when he surprised me with it i had tears im my eyes. I didnt really ask for a new car or anything and i woulda been happy with anything as long as it has 4 wheels and it gets me from pt. to pt. If i got a 95 Grand Marquis(sp?) i wouldnt be embarrassed. I mean I'd have to "pimp" is out a little, but its all good. Drop the sucked down a few inches, put some 12's in and maybe some underbody neons and your all set.
 


<< Lord, that's sad! I gave you a ten rating and I'll send you some old PC hardware if you want. If I had any money, I'd send that too! 🙁 >>



oooh.. I could surely use a few 10 rating. Its pretty sad 2.40 right now 🙁
 
That's a better car than I've owned sofar!
It's a really great gesture from you.

Don't grunt to your wife, talk to her. 😉
 
Beats the 58 F100 straight six with three speed (on the tree) I got. One wheel drive teaches ya a thing or two 🙂
 
Jerboi,
I don't think you'll see a "10" rating being a self center piece of garbage. From your comments I'd kick your ass if I was your father! Granted, I got a sweet 57 Chevy when I was 15 and then my father paid for 1/2 of my near mint 65 Impala, but I would have been greatful if they gave me their old Plymouth Volare when I was able to drive.

Hell, you don't even know what your parents fork out in insurance! 17 years ago I paid for the cost of having me on my parents' insurance policy and it was $1000/year back then!

The real world's gonna hit you and hit you hard, kid.
 
"We did see a slick 1990 Infinity Q45 for $9,000.00, but that price is way out of line and God knows what repairs would cost for it anyway"

A friend at work bought either a 90/91 Q45.
They serviced it regularly but didn't know the camshaft belt had to be replaced too.
It broke & Infiniti (dealership) wants about $9000 for another engine.🙁
Since they had it serviced at the dealership,
I think they are working on something with the dealership.
 
I can afford my own car and I'm 17.

My parents still bought it for me because they plan to sell it when I go to college.
 


<< I would gripe at my parents if they got me something remotely crappy >>



I totally agree with you man... my cheap ass parents wanted to give me this BMW for my birthday and I was like "WTF is this?!? You cheap bastards! Get this outta my face and don't come back till you have at least a Porsche 911 to give me".


/wakes up and looks at monthly bus pass 🙁

 


<<

<< I would gripe at my parents if they got me something remotely crappy >>



I totally agree with you man... my cheap ass parents wanted to give me this BMW for my birthday and I was like "WTF is this?!? You cheap bastards! Get this outta my face and don't come back till you have at least a Porsche 911 to give me".
 >>



Hmm even though thats the impression you have of me, but I'm not that extreme.


I'd be happy as long as they get me something that doesn't look remotely crappy if you look at my car in neighborhood and that they let me have some choices. I wouldn't be so rude as you in dream. I'll just give them icky look and say "oh.... i'm supposed to be driving this...." in highly disappointed voice.
 
why don't you jusy buy your own? you could get whatever you wanted and wouldn't have to worry about your parents picking out something 'crappy'
 
Driving tanks is fun my dad use to own a cadilllac and when I drove it, it felt like a tank, but I liked that car a lot it was comfortable and it was actually pretty reponsive. He should be happy that his dad is actually getting him a car on his 16th birthday and imo that's a pretty good car to get at 16. I was driving a 93 ford taurus when I was 16, liked it a lot miss it though 🙁 One thing is for sure though when he gets a girlfriend check the backseat for any <cough> stains <cough> :Q
 
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