My son turns 16 in two weeks. He and my ex-husband came home yesterday with a deal on a 1993 Isuzu Trooper that my ex and I would split the expenses for. The total cost of the car would be $1750. We would also pay the first year’s auto insurance because it is so expensive at his age and he would be responsible for gas and maintenance. The car has 4WD, 4d electric everything and seems to be in pretty good mechanical shape. We would of course take it to a mechanic and make sure it passes a safety inspection. Anyone with teens, is this a good choice for a first car for a teen? He has had his learners permit for a six months but will get his real drivers license on his birthday. I am hesitant to get him a car so soon and would monitor how much he uses it for at least a year. Like, I think he shouldn’t drive at night until he is more experienced, etc…He has a summer job and will probably drive the 5 miles back and forth to work every day. Any thoughts?
How many miles/owners? How well has it been maintained? It sounds like a good price, and Isuzu’s are waaaaaay overbuilt. Of the three isuzu’s I’ve driven, my Deisel Luv ran to 300k miles before I sold it (for $100 more than I paid) my Storm ran to 200k before Garrett County salt got to it, and my friend’s 89 trooper is a stinkin tank.
Sounds like a decent price, for a decent car.
Don’t know about the miles. My ex seems to think it is a good deal and he knows more about that stuff. I know the guy who owns it now bought is from a dealerships in Florida and has maintained it at a dealership here in texas. I think it is good that it has stayed in the south - no rust.
Definitely find out the miles. That’s one of the most important factors.
From what I recall, they are decent vehicles. Insurance for a 4x4 for a youngin’ may be on the high side though. Maybe check into that too. I also don’t think the milage is “that great” on those either.
[sub]Yes, I know you’re splitting the costs for the first year, but after that they’ll have to foot the bill, right?[/sub]
A 4WD vehicle has advantages and disadvantages for a new driver.
On the plus side it has excellent visibility, and you sit high and can see over traffic.
On the minus side, the vehicle sits high and is easy to roll over, crashworthyness isn’t the best, and 4WD can be more expensive to fix.
As an alternative look into an old 240 Volvo. About as reliable as a crowbar, not to expensive to maintain, and safe as a house. Around here they can be found ranging in price from $500-3500. depending on year and condition.
I think that was kind of what I was wondering. It seems safe. but I hadn’t thought about the rollover factor. I know about expensive gas but then that might keep him home and that might not be a bad deal (smile)
Insurance on a 4x4…insurance in general for a teen is OUTRAGEOUS!!! It’s going to cost my first born child! Wait…that’s HIM! Anyway, I would check into the Volvo but…ya’ kano being a boy and all there is that stupid “cool” factor too! (rolling her eyes…)
Hey, I was driving a 1980 Volvo 245 as a teenager (still am, that’s what I get for still being in college) and I love it. Built like a tank, accelerates like a tank, handles like a tank.
And gas mileage like a tank? 
I second (third? fourth?) the idea of getting a Volvo. If the 240 isn’t stylish enough for him, get a 740. More bells and whistles, and easier on the eyes. Should cost between $1000 and $1500. I drive a 1986 740 Turbo wagon, which gets great gas mileage and wonderful acceleration. It’s also safe as hell.
[slight hijack]
When I was young and stupid (this past February) I drove my Volvo through an ice storm going 55mph. (I was a suicidal maniac, I know.) I hit a patch of ice, my car turned 90 degrees to the right, and hit a hill head-on. The Volvo bounced off. Neither I nor my passenger had so much as a bruise. I had to be towed out, but once I was, the car was in good enough shape to drive another 60 miles to my college. I had it checked out later that week, and all that was wrong was one broken headlight and a slight misalignment. $200 later, Betsy the Volvo was right as rain.
[/slight hijack]
Oh I LIKE safety! I am so paranoid about this…he just seems so young. I know all parents must feel this way.
mipiace, that Trooper might not be such a good idea. Here’s a link to cars.msn.com, which describes the Trooper’s features and other information. If you click on the SAFETY AND CRASH TEST link, that particular model Trooper gets a rather poor rating. 
Oh God, Thanks! Kids always think they are invincible…now trying to talk to him and his Dad should be fun! But at that price, there should be other vehicles.
In my opinion, 16 yr olds should use public transportation or ride a bike. Myself included, I have never met one that has the maturity, skills, self-control or responsibility to operate a motor vehicle. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend a 4wd for a young person due to maintainance and insurance considerations. Keep it simple and cheap.
Good luck.
Fagjunk Theology: Not just for sodomite propagandists anymore.
Before everybody takes off and joins the chorus about getting an old Volvo, let me just offer one general caution.
Last summer we got the Kunilou twins a 1987 Volvo 740 – you know, safe as a tank, not suitable for drg racing, etc. Four months later, one of the boys rear-ended an SUV, cuasing substantial damage to both cars.
That’s when we learned that you can’t get parts going back farther than 15 years. If the parts weren’t also used in a later-model car, you’re at the mercy of a junkyard.
And after two months of searching, we resigned ourselves to the reality that we couldn’t scrounge up all the parts we needed to fix the car, and donated it to charity.
So buying a tank-like old car is a great idea, just make sure it’s from the 1990s.
I think a 16-yo boy should own something significantly less fun and zoomy. I’m thinking like a 4 cyclinder early-90s Honda Civic.
I have never been a 16 yo boy, but I had one particular car-loving XBF who used to tell stories of totalling 3 “fun” cars before his 18th birthday hahaha.
He should not get behind the wheel of any car he considers “cool” until he has a proven record of safe driving.
Kunilou, do you live in a non-urban area?
I ask because my city-living parents have owned Volvos my entire childhood life, and spare parts were always readily available. Volvos (prior to being manufactured by Ford, which implemented new production techniques) changed design maybe every five years, meaning that the parts on a 1986 Volvo 740 might be just as good for use in a 1989 740, and so on.
Parts might also be interchangeable across models. In 1992, my father blew a rod in our 1987 Volvo wagon 240’s engine. Our mechanic had the engine from a totaled 1991 Volvo sedan, and installed it in the 240. In 2003, that wagon with the sedan engine is still running fine, with no major repairs.
When I had to have the alignment in my Volvo repaired, the 15 year limit was never brought up. I went to a Mom & Pop place (in a small town), where the parts to fix my car were available the day after I phoned in.
However, I have to agree with your general suggestion - a car from the 1990s probably is a better idea, if just for the better safety features and greater abundance of parts.
Do you live in an area where your son will take the Isuzu out 4 wheeling? Cause if he can, he likely will.
Whistlepig
Who was in three rolled over 4x4 vehicles before the age of 21 (I was driving one) and did a lot of 4x4 that could have resulted in serious injury or death. And came home at 5 am a couple of times because we got stuck in the middle of nowhere and had to walk for 12-15 miles to hit a paved road.
And then go get the vehicle out.
4 cylinder cars aren’t the turds they used to be. A 72 Pinto would go 110. any Honda will beat that easy.
Not going to tell you my “stupid driver” stunts because you would ground your kid immediately.
3 things:
- 4WD is a complete waste of money. You’re paying extra money for less fuel economy. I’ve never been stuck by a front wheel drive vehicle. Unless you live in Buffalo I would not see this as any kind of benefit.
- Troopers and other SUV cars are prone to roll in emergency situations. Not to mention lack of experience and pure stupidity. The problem with rollovers are the lack of seat belt use. Ejection from a vehicle is common place in a high vehicle.
- Any car that isn’t paid for by a teenager will be treated like crap and then YOU will be expected to foot the repair bill. I would rather see the child pay for everything and the gift money go toward a down payment for a house.
Don’t be fooled by “6 cylinder” sport cars. The modern v6 can easily produce over 200 hp which is what a V8 Mustang made in the early 80’s.
Honda’s are a great car, but they can be “fun” too. My 1985 Honda Civic (CRX) was a four cyclinder, but it managed to get me a few tickets (all at a respectable 22 miles over) and it had great acceleration. Honda’s last a long time (my still drives like new w/ 240,000+ miles, even though I had to get a new car that was “safer”). They also get great gas milage (mine got about 35-40 mpg). Personally, I say get him a car he enjoys, just let him know the keys are yours if he “enjoys” it too much