Would you recommend a mopar for a teenager??

[craigsmytcudas]

i guess it would depend on his or her job ,what can they afford .just give a kid a car is just bad parenting . to kill off your kid is a high price to pay for your own ego ,most kids would be laughed at by their peers with a e body .why not find a pt cruser or a honda my grand daughter will get a saturn 2. air bags excellent foot well crush zone these are things a good grand father or father would think about .im sure she will junk something in her first few years ,i hope to some day have great grand kids this whole post sucks safety first .

[craigsmytcudas]

o and by the way welcome to the site .

[RaptorF229]

My Dad had a fit when I sold my silverado to buy my barracuda. My other vehicle was a Harley Sportster. But I was a teenager when I got my car.

[Jacksboys]

My Challenger was my second vehicle at age 17 and it is still in one piece, but I was very careful and had several close calls, so I ended up putting it in storage for a few years.

Overall, I do not think it should be their first vehicle because unless they are a good driver and very careful, something will most likely happen to it.

[Andrew]

Generally its not a great idea to let a teenager choose their own car. And trying to teach "responsability" by making them pay for it themself is an extremely bad idea - because it means you have no say in what they buy at all.

Imagine you are 17 again. If you had the choice between a brand new toyota 1.6, or a dirty old muscle car with 400+hp, worn and probably substandard suspension and brakes and very few safety features - which would you choose?

I was offered a 2007 dihatsu charade last year (16 going on 17), but instead I decided to buy my holden commodore. its not a musclecar by any means - but compared to the dihatsu its fast. Shocks are horribly worn too!

[69bronzeT5]

I'd say yes. It all depends on HOW MUCH RESPECT the kid has for the car. I'm 15 and my first car is a '69 Charger with a 383. I have a HUGE amount of respect for the car.

Now, I'd say no to getting him a Cuda/Challenger for a first car IF he dosent care about it and treats it like crap.

[Chryco Psycho]

I had a 440 R/T Chall when I was 17 no issues sold the car for a great profit & then had to buy 60 more since

[MJS73]

And trying to teach "responsability" by making them pay for it themself is an extremely bad idea - because it means you have no say in what they buy at all.

As a parent, you should have 100% say over what your kid buys, no matter whose money it is.

It all depends on HOW MUCH RESPECT the kid has for the car.[/quote

I'd be more concerned about how much respect the kid has for life and for how responsible they are.  Even with that, you can be the most responsible driver in the world and get killed by an irresponsible driver.  I'd be looking at safety first and coolness last.

Mike

[Andrew]

As a parent, you should have 100% say over what your kid buys, no matter whose money it is.

In an ideal world, yes. But very rarely that happens. Im 17, and If I had to list and justify every purchase I made and every item I sold I would go mad.

[Chryco Psycho]

As a parent, you should have 100% say over what your kid buys, no matter whose money it is.

 Glad you were not my parent , I would probably be a die hard chevette lover now 

[RaptorF229]

Yeah too many power  hungry parents trying flex their muscles on their kids. If you help and educate them on everything before you let them make a decision they will usually make the right one. You don't necessarily have to be the decider (lol Bush).

[bb71challenger]

The thing is to raise them the best you can and then let them do their own thing within reason. My son loves Mopars and can pick out different cars and even years of cars but his favorite is Eleanor. Hey its a cool enough car and to be honest I am just glad my son likes musclecars lol. He could want a Honda with a fart tip. My daughter loves E-bodies though and had claimed dibs on my 70 Challenger. I will see how much she really helps me with it but I am leaning towards letting her at least drive it. They both have to spend a year in our Tempo SB. I named it but the kids do agree with the title(Sh*t Box). If they can show they can drive a car that is hideous then I will let them or get them a cool one to drive. BTW, my daughter is 14 and my son is 13 so I do have some time left, well a little anyway. Time seems to go faster the older I get 

[challenger6pak2]

In an ideal world, yes. But very rarely that happens. Im 17, and If I had to list and justify every purchase I made and every item I sold I would go mad.

I had to justify everything when I was your age. I still have to in order to maintain a home and raise a family. I still have my 1st car;the 71 convertible. It and I survived my parents and my being a teenager. A common thing I read in this thread is that it depends on the individual and their maturity. I fully agree . I'm glad this old thread was dug up again.

[MJS73]

In an ideal world, yes. But very rarely that happens. Im 17, and If I had to list and justify every purchase I made and every item I sold I would go mad.

I don't know how rarely it happens, but that's the way it is in my house.  My house, my rules.  Too many parents try to be their kids' friends instead being "the bad guy" when required.

Don't worry, Chryco, I'd still have raised you to appreciate old Mopars, even if I wouldn't have let you buy one.

Mike

[ChallengerGary]

Wow  - this thread is an oldie for sure.

My answer is you an old Mopar is fine for a kid IF they have the respect and personality to match.  My first car was a Challenger at age 16 so I'd be a real hypocrat if I said no.  The main thing is they need to be responsible for their choices.  My parents made me buy my first car and pay for everything.  I grew up always making better choices because it hit me in my own wallet.  By the time my younger brother was able to drive, my parents had more $$ and they bought him everything so he "did not have to worry."  Well, guess what, his first car got wrecked pretty quickly as did his second and third.  My first car left my possesion in better shape than when I got it.

My two boys are already planning on having old Mopars as thier first cars.  My 10 year old wants a Roadrunner and my 7 year old wants a Duster.  I am already planting the seeds that they will be responsible for the cars.  Not only that, I am telling them they are going to have to buy them, so, start saving now.  Both are planning on helping build their cars themselves, so they will have plenty of sweat equity in them when they are finally able to drive.  NOw, I am sure their cars will be a lot better than my first 71 Challenger was, but hopefully, they will have enough respect for their cars not to be stupid with them. If not, they will hand over the keys  for a short time. If it becomes a "problem," the cars will get sold or put away until they are responsible enough to treat their property properly.

That said, in today's market, your best value is a A-Body.