By Alan Chenkin, Shade Tree Mechanic- Bicycles, Cars, Boats, and more…
A 1980 Camaro is, in my personal opinion, a poor choice for a new driver. Inexperience of the new driver, the age of the car, etc., can make it a poor choice. (caveat – if you got it free and it was roadworthy, and the teen is very responsible).
A better choice may be a reliable Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Saturn, etc. One with airbags, good maintenance record, 4 cylinder engine (automatic).
I bought my daughter a 7 year old Saturn when she got her license. She was happy to have a car, and I was happy it had a small footprint (for easy parking), a passenger roll cage and air bags. It was also very affordable and easy on gas. The girl who sold it to us told us how her father gave her a “grandpa car”, and how she added Tinkerbell appointments (mats, seat covers, stickers, key FOB, etc.) to turn the car into her “Tink-mobile”. It lasted about 2 years before it was in an accident (no one hurt, but car totaled). My daughter still talks about that car, and had two more Saturns because “she was comfortable with them and they were good cars”. After that she had a Mitsubishi Galant, A Pontiac Sunfire convertible (inherited from me), and now a Nissan Sentra.
A safe, reliable, and modest car is a smart choice for the new driver, in my humble opinion.
While we may disagree on make and model, The parents of these children may regret letting them have high powered cars:
5 teens killed in fiery I-5 crash in Irvine – OCregister
—The list goes on, but you get the idea; ignoring speed limits, alcohol, and not buckling up. Teens have a feeling of invincibility which can fuel disaster. Go for the safe reliable, and unremarkable car – that is my recommendation.
Please be smart when considering a new vehicle for your new driver!
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EDIT: Based on a discussion with a friend (Who has a very, very, sneaky and precocious teenage child), I want to add a link for Tracking Devices. They are available from Amazon and numerous other sources, and will track location and some even track vehicle speed. You may not find these necessary, but if you have concerns, it’s about keeping your young driver safe (not looking to start a debate – I only offer this to verify where your driver has been and if local speed limits may have been broken).
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