Purchase opinions for son's first car

[tailgunn]

I was looking for a Grand Cherokee for his first car, but I came across this. Whatever, I get, I was planning on making it capable for mild trails, and then when he goes off to college, it becomes whatever I want it to be... so technically, it's not really his. :ylsmoke: I don't know a whole lot about these but I do recall that when it has an orange sticker, it has a locking rear? Haven't seen it in person. Potential good deal?

https://stlouis.craigslist.org/ctd/d/1995-mitsubishi-montero-sr/6505345712.html

 

[Swank Force One]

Yep it has a locking rear. It's been for sale forever, which to me says that it's probably a pile of junk. But, i also haven't seen it in person. Go check it out!

 

[MattF350]

You asked for opinions. And this is mine. I would pass over that particular choice. Perhaps look for something early 2000s. Unless you want to pay for all the upkeep of it...might be worthwhile going a bit newer. GC is always a nice ride

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I was looking for a Grand Cherokee for his first car, but I came across this. Whatever, I get, I was planning on making it capable for mild trails, and then when he goes off to college, it becomes whatever I want it to be... so technically, it's not really his. :ylsmoke: I don't know a whole lot about these but I do recall that when it has an orange sticker, it has a locking rear? Haven't seen it in person. Potential good deal?

https://stlouis.craigslist.org/ctd/d/1995-mitsubishi-montero-sr/6505345712.html

It has smoking issues and a cracked exhaust manifold, this was posted before and is a piece of junk.

 

[REDONE]

Depending on how you feel about YOUR SON, that is a good vehicle for a first car for the one who will be driving it.

My thoughts are that my kids first car (She's only 2 now, so we'll see how the future plays out) will be huge, slow, and inefficient, like a full size pickup with full time 4x4 and a V-8, or a work van full of shelves and stuff.

Contrary to many I'm sure, I'm a huge fan of airbags and crumple zones, ESPECIALLY when it comes to teenage drivers. However, I want it big so people see her coming, slow so the wreck (that will happen) isn't as bad, and inefficient so that she can't decided to go on a road trip on a whim. Also, the more seats it has, the more friends will pile in, and the more distractions a kid will have from actually driving. At least, back before smart phones that was the thinking...

With that thought experiment (and trip down memory lane) out of the way, I don't know your son, I don't even know who my daughter will be in 14 years, I only know who I was when I came of driving age. If you haven't done that thought experiment on yourself, it might be worth the minute or two.

All that said, I'm a sucker for fake wood and leather, and that looks like a good deal on a reasonably reliable and safe ride!

 

['round n' back again]

hell yes get that rig and be careful you don't fall for it yourself
whatever ails it can be fixed at half the cost of buying a toyota pickup.

on that note. a young male driver tends to respect only what others his age respect.
if he does not fall for the car in a big way ; he will destroy it .
thus its more efficient to buy him that toyota pick up ....remember michael j fox in back to the future....

anyhopo i like that rig. id buy it at 1800 if it ran, and have it in shape in no time ( or was that in no shape in short time)

 

[Swank Force One]

hell yes get that rig and be careful you don't fall for it yourself
whatever ails it can be fixed at half the cost of buying a toyota pickup.

on that note. a young male driver tends to respect only what others his age respect.
if he does not fall for the car in a big way ; he will destroy it .
thus its more efficient to buy him that toyota pick up ....remember michael j fox in back to the future....

anyhopo i like that rig. id buy it at 1800 if it ran, and have it in shape in no time ( or was that in no shape in short time)

I see this allll the time and it's just not true.

Source: Own a Monty and a Land Cruiser.

 

[Skidmarkart]

Depending on how you feel about YOUR SON, that is a good vehicle for a first car for the one who will be driving it.

My thoughts are that my kids first car (She's only 2 now, so we'll see how the future plays out) will be huge, slow, and inefficient, like a full size pickup with full time 4x4 and a V-8, or a work van full of shelves and stuff.

Contrary to many I'm sure, I'm a huge fan of airbags and crumple zones, ESPECIALLY when it comes to teenage drivers. However, I want it big so people see her coming, slow so the wreck (that will happen) isn't as bad, and inefficient so that she can't decided to go on a road trip on a whim. Also, the more seats it has, the more friends will pile in, and the more distractions a kid will have from actually driving. At least, back before smart phones that was the thinking...

With that thought experiment (and trip down memory lane) out of the way, I don't know your son, I don't even know who my daughter will be in 14 years, I only know who I was when I came of driving age. If you haven't done that thought experiment on yourself, it might be worth the minute or two.

All that said, I'm a sucker for fake wood and leather, and that looks like a good deal on a reasonably reliable and safe ride!

I think this is an astute comment. I love the Montero, I really think it is one of the best rigs out there you can buy, and is totally underrated. It is dependable, efficient for what it is, and really well designed. That said, I would not buy one for my kids first car. There's another post about this, search for it. They can be dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced driver. My two cents.

 

['round n' back again]

I see this allll the time and it's just not true.

Source: Own a Monty and a Land Cruiser.

ha ha at least you don't own a .....rover!
if u did, you could buy 2 tacomas, not just one, for the cost of .....

 

[vintageracer]

With first time driving teenagers only buy something you can afford to LOSE!

 

[calicamper]

hell yes get that rig and be careful you don't fall for it yourself
whatever ails it can be fixed at half the cost of buying a toyota pickup.

on that note. a young male driver tends to respect only what others his age respect.
if he does not fall for the car in a big way ; he will destroy it .
thus its more efficient to buy him that toyota pick up ....remember michael j fox in back to the future....

anyhopo i like that rig. id buy it at 1800 if it ran, and have it in shape in no time ( or was that in no shape in short time)

Any teen told if they crash / trash it a bus pass is all they get, treats their gifted ride like gold. Or they are walking and bussing it soon enough.

 

[tailgunn]

All thoughtful comments; some of them I had not considered. Thank you all for responding.

 

[Thrashero]

Depending on how you feel about YOUR SON, that is a good vehicle for a first car for the one who will be driving it.

My thoughts are that my kids first car (She's only 2 now, so we'll see how the future plays out) will be huge, slow, and inefficient, like a full size pickup with full time 4x4 and a V-8, or a work van full of shelves and stuff.

Contrary to many I'm sure, I'm a huge fan of airbags and crumple zones, ESPECIALLY when it comes to teenage drivers. However, I want it big so people see her coming, slow so the wreck (that will happen) isn't as bad, and inefficient so that she can't decided to go on a road trip on a whim. Also, the more seats it has, the more friends will pile in, and the more distractions a kid will have from actually driving. At least, back before smart phones that was the thinking...

With that thought experiment (and trip down memory lane) out of the way, I don't know your son, I don't even know who my daughter will be in 14 years, I only know who I was when I came of driving age. If you haven't done that thought experiment on yourself, it might be worth the minute or two.

All that said, I'm a sucker for fake wood and leather, and that looks like a good deal on a reasonably reliable and safe ride!

My first car as a teenager was a four banger manual transmission Isuzu Hombre. Slow as **** but it was perfect for me.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[REDONE]

My first car as a teenager was a four banger manual transmission Isuzu Hombre. Slow as **** but it was perfect for me.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Yeah, that's where my head went in my first post there. My deal with my parents was they'd match whatever I saved for a car but I had to pay the difference on their insurance, which I still think was both generous and smart. Teaches me the lessons of fiscal responsibility, while still providing me the means of obtaining reasonable transportation.
My first choice was Plymouth Satellite and my dad said "I'll let you get that car, but you'll die in it" and even as dumb as I was at 16, I knew he was right.
I wound up going through a parade of 4x4s instead and never have owned a "fast car".

Through the rose colored glasses of nastalgia, it looked just like this one (image linked from "how stuff works"):

 

[tailgunn]

I would have killed for the GTX. I probably still would... so my parents gave him an Mazda Protege that they no longer wanted. Problem solved for a while anyway, but it creates another problem: I have some extra cash... what to do with it...