Anyone have teen drivers? Vehicle selection?

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I'm a bit stuck on how to narrow down vehicle selections for my oldest, who is driving in a year. Right now we're debating between good on gas yet sporty looking OR cross-over/SUV/higher up but not as good fuel economy. He won't be travelling great distances--to and from school, to and from activities, and to his grandparents' house about 30mi away twice a month.

Is a sporty looking car a "sports car" if it only has a 1300-1800cc engine in it? It's not at all powerful, but I had a wise friend caution me that if something *looks* sporty then that could impact driving style. My oldest son is extremely responsible and I have zero concern about his driving...but my second son, who would be co-buying the car with his brother, is...not so responsible!

The key here is that we would prefer he have manual transmission and FWD or AWD for the odd snowfall and for more control in the rain (we get a lot here..) Yet most automatics have traction control and are in my SUV/Crossover category below. It's possible he won't drive in the snow at least his first year of driving, since he'll just barely be 16 (our driving age)..

Right now I'm looking at:

Sporty/good on gas/smaller motor:
VW GTI
Audi TT (*AWD* but 2000cc)
Nissan 350Z
Mazda RX-8 (RWD though, but 1.3L engine..)

Small/less cute/cheaper cars (I think their budget is a bit higher, but they don't have to spend 100%):
VW Golf (or Golf TDI, a bit more $$$)
Toyota Matrix
Nissan Versa (cheeeeeeeeeeeap)
Nissan Sentra
Toyota Yaris
Toyota Corolla
Mazda2

Crossover/SUV/SUV wannabes:
Subaru Forester (very PNW of us!)
BMW X3
Nissan Rogue
Mazda CX-7
Toyota Venza
Ford Escape / Mazda Tribute (my son has already driven this and liked it)
Porsche Cayenne (DS2 wanted that in consideration)
VW Tiguan / Audi Q5
VW Touareg / Audi Q7

DS2 also wants a 3series BMW on the list, but it would have to be an xi for the AWD.

I'm really hoping for something *small* for the first little while, but I know that is potentially compromising safety...but they gain fuel economy (we're in Canada, and fuel is about $5/gal).. What's small, high up, good fuel economy, and great safety ratings?

Has anyone else hit the teen drivers stage yet? I'd love to hear your advice on car selection. I promised the kids I would give them a list of 5 cars to choose from later this year so I can have their dad pick up a car for them in the US sometime early next year. I need at least a few months to research once I've narrowed things down.

Damn I feel old.

-Nicole.
 
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Morganthe

New member
What about a Ford Focus or a Mazda 3 series? I rented a Mazda 3 (automatic) a couple of years ago. I was surprised how much space and pep it had for a 'small' car. Don't know much about US Ford Focus, but it might be something to look into. :shrug-shoulders:
 

twinkletoes

New member
that's quite a selection you have!

If it scores well with ratings, what about a Ford Fiesta? it gets 40 MPG and is a lovely car.

Also, a mini cooper (the basic is manual) gets good ratings for a car of it's size..

the small cars are going to be VERY nippy - they are lightweight with 1.6 or 1.8 engines! in the UK, we get our children 1.0 engines :p the fiesta, mini and VW polo or VW Golf would all have the small engines...

these small cars are nippy but hold to the road really well - I actually think in terms of driving, a small car you have more control over than an SUV - they are also more fun to drive than an SUV, but it doesn't mean kids are reckless in them.

I drove an Audi S4 Wagon in NYC - I liked that it was AWD.. but then I was a mature female driver... but I also felt very much in control of it.. I hate driving our SUV as I feel it doesn't hold the road so well. I also feel more in control of a manual than an automatic (although both of these cars were automatic) I think buying a manual is a very good Idea ;)

All the best - it must be daunting...





a Hyandai may work too? they have a crossover that does 31 mpg.
 

geekKT

New member
Are they paying for insurance or are you? That would be a factor for me, that and how much it costs to repair said car. I don't know how BC insurance works but insurance in Canada is so expensive!
 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor
They are paying insurance--it's about $3200/yr to start and really doesn't change too much from vehicle type to vehicle type (or cost).. Warranty should cover repairs, so I'm not worried about that unless they end up getting something older..

I am making the kids hold back enough money for 3 years' insurance :)

-N.
 

TXAggieTech

Active member
We have been looking lately and are thinking a used Ford Focus. I really want a Ford Fiesta but I'm thinking that used would be better for the teens. Smallest engine possible. We will probably put an alarm that costs as much as the car just to monitor driving habits.

Some of the new Fords have My Key which I would love.

•Persistent Ford Beltminder™ with audio mute. Ford’s Beltminder system typically provides a six-second reminder chime every minute for five minutes. With MyKey, the Beltminder chime continues at the regular interval and the audio system is muted until the safety belt is buckled. A message center display “Buckle Up to Unmute Radio” also appears on the instrument cluster.
•Earlier low-fuel warning. Rather than a warning at 50 miles to empty, MyKey provides a warning at 75 miles to empty.
•If MyKey is in the ignition, features such as Park Aid and BLISTM (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert cannot be deactivated.
Additional MyKey features that can be programmed through the vehicle’s message center setup menu:

•Limited top speed of 80 mph
•Traction control system, that limits tire spin, cannot be deactivated
•Limited audio volume to 44 percent of total volume
•A speed alert chime at 45, 55 or 65 mph
 

twinkletoes

New member
The Mazda 3 is a 5 star rating.. I Like that ;) the focus is close behind, scores 5 for head on collisions and 4 for side impact (so therefore scores 4 out of 5 total) where as others that score 4 out of 5 total may only score 4 for both head on and side impact... there should be a 4.5 rating for the cars that score 5 in one area but 4 in another, such as the focus... tee hee....

It think i'd be looking at a compact car with good gas milage and 5 star ratings :) but at the very least a 5 star for head on... side impact, it's not so much their fault?, so I could drop to a 4 for side impact collision ;)..

The Honda Fit would be a great car too - it gets five star ratings and is desirable by young youth.. I can't remember if that was on your list?

so, I think i'd personally look at the Mazda 3, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta (it's cute like a mini and does 40 mpg) and the mini cooper - because it's just the best looking compact car our there lol (and it is now owned by BMW) so it may be really appealing to young youth?
 

Jonah Baby

New member
My Stepmother owns a Vibe, the cousin to the Matrix.
She drives up and over the Berkshire mountains 5 days a week year round and in some of the worst possible weather conditions around our area. She has never had an issue with this thing. It has excellent control.
I don't recall any bad or troublesome blind spots.
I LOVE that vehicle. They are very easy to drive. They accelerate well, surprisingly fit me well at 5' but can accommodate my very long legged and obese Stepmother comfortably. They have nice cargo space, shoulder belts 3 across in the back and easy carseat installs of nearly anything if it matters.
She never had any mechanical issues until the engine blew - she didn't change the oil for 14 months (which is about 30,000 miles for her.)

My Dad owns a Yaris.
I wouldn't go with this one.
Awesome mileage, even when he beats on it, but it is squirrely as shit. . VERY hard to hold on the highway or speeds over 38ishMy Father is the best damn driver I know, drives highway to work and back, and many days cannot remain in good control of this vehicle in snow. Even with the best tires they could get, IT IS HORRIBLE IN WINTER. If my Stepmother's school closes, they switch vehicles and sometimes my Father even goes in several hours late to work to avoid driving his car until roads clear a bit.
Not a good choice living in Canada.

I owned a Sentra.
I was totally in love with that car. I bought it for $600.
Drove it home from the dealer in a snowstorm. It performed very well on dirt cheap all weather tires for a 1400 pound car. I don't recall ever losing traction in this vehicle in any weather.
My Sentra had a Japanese Domestic Motors engine in it and was a manual to auto tranny swap. This thing was FAST. I, uh...definitely took on a few races (that I know I shouldn't have, thank you) in this car and won. This is the only thing I'd caution you on - make sure they don't have the JDM motor, make sure its an American engine LOL.
I was rear ended by an SUV going 30 MPH in this car. The car held up surprisingly well (my Sentra was a '96, I'm sure you'll get something MUCH newer.) The frame was bent, so the car ended up being totaled. The insurance gave me just over $2600 for it, HAH! Good deal, I'd say, but part of me still wishes we had taken a junk title and fixed it with the $2200 they offered to keep it. :rolleyes:

I'd have them, and you, check for blind spots in all these vehicles you look at. IME, blind spots are one of the biggest factors with young/inexperienced drivers, besides pure distraction. They haven't quite learned vehicle dimensions yet, so if they can't SEE it, it is subject to getting bumped against something. My Sentra had NOTHING for blind spots for me, loved it, but the newer models are built differently.
Did I help at all?
 

catchthewind

New member
Our first car was a Honda Fit, and we loved it. The only reason we don't have it anymore is because it didn't fit one kid and a dog well for trips, let alone two kids. We're actually discussing moving into the country and if we do we may end up with another Honda Fit as a second car.
 

geekKT

New member
I c/p your post in an email to my DH as he is better with cars than I and he wrote me a novel back. Must be a slow day at work. I'll try to summarize then post it.

ETA: This is part of DH's response...

From a parents point of view, from that list if I were getting my son his first vehicle, in order of preference
1 - 4cyl Ford Escape
2 - Toyota Matrix
3 - Toyota Corolla (the matrix/corolla are interchangeable as 2 and 3, just depends on if you want a hatchback, or if AWD is important to you)
4 - Mazda 2
5 - Nissan Rogue

Something to consider, if you are considering the Mazda 2, and the matrix/corolla. The Mazda 3 is in the same class with either a hatchback/sedan. However if you are looking at the newest model year, it is considered around the automotive enthusiast world as a pretty ugly car with it's "smiley face" However previous generations of the 2009 and older are fantastic cars.
The Mazda 2 is essentially the same thing as the Ford Fiesta. Ford owns Mazda, so go have a look at both, the only difference is the looks of the interior and slightly different exterior looks. Pick whatever one you like the most, it is mechanically the same.

Also, the Ford Focus has been winning awards in the newest model years through JDpower. I know they had a bad rap for older versions but the recent model years are serious top pics for every reliability rating they can come up with on mechanical, fit and finish, interior quality and so on.
 
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safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I can tell you what NOT to let a teen driver have....a slick little T-bird that tops out at 160mph. Yeah, I was a BAD kid.
 

TXAggieTech

Active member
Other cars to avoid:

Corvette. Especially if you have kicked your teen son out of the house a few times already because of drinking/drugs. Even if he does have a really good 2 weeks.

Jag. When you teen daughter has already had 4+ wrecks. Even if all but one were minor.
 

geekKT

New member
So here's most of DH's response. I tried to edit for clarity and spelling. He tends to not mince words so my apologies if anything comes off harshly. Warning...this is long.

...........................​

I have no reason to sugar coat things. This is coming from a guy, I was 16 at one point, I had friends who were 16. I now spend a lot of my life researching everything about vehicles and have a number of friends and acquaintances who have, and do own every range of vehicle up to and including owning multiple vehicles in the six digit range.

Okay, first thing to consider, your kids are 16ish. The people they hang around with, friends or not are the same age. Your sons may be very mature, but just keep in mind who their friends are. Your kids may know how to drive, but the road is filled with other people that think they know how to drive as well. Things happen, minor or severe. There are going to be people with shopping carts in parking lots, people will park beside them and swing their doors open too far, people walk by and rub against the car, scratching it. There are also people and many kids that have jealousy issues.

That being said first thing to think of is the capability of each car. Most people now that own typical Toyota Corollas, Honda Civics, Chevy Cobalts or Dodge Calibers may love them and think they are quick and fun, but being realistic they have under 200 horsepower and most have 2/3'rds that in torque. They are not all that fast so for the most part people and kids can put their foot to the floor and it is still fairly easy to keep the vehicle under control. You take people that drive something like that and put them in a 350Z, Audi TT and they do the same thing, and it gets them into a lot of trouble. I seriously, seriously suggest that if you do want them to have something like a 350 or a TT that you put the money and make them put the time into taking a track racing/school course. It teaches students how to properly take corners, estimate speed, properly brake and most of all learn the capabilities of the vehicles. For the most part these schools are a good idea anyways, but lets be realistic, if you put your kids in a Yaris, they are not going to be getting into too much trouble.

Be careful getting new, young drivers rear wheel drive cars. Without experience in powering corners they have very little tolerance for mistakes and could get your kids into some trouble if they decide to show off. Also, something to think about is how other drivers are around vehicles such as TT's, 350's, and RX8's. They will have an endless supply of people trying to get them to street race, believe me on this. Because of stuff like this the police also know, target, and profile these cars. For a young driver, the less attention that gets drawn to them the better.

This is a HUGE list and I know people who own them, or have driven or been in most of this list. I will try to keep this short but go into very basic positives and negatives of each. If you have anymore direct questions please ask and I can go into detail when you have narrowed down this list. I will also try to list these positives and negatives based on an outsiders view of a 16 year old having these vehicles.


VW GTI - VW's are "cool", I can't dispute that. Thing to be careful of is that VW (Who also owns Audi) is notoriously plagued with electrical issues. Something to also be careful of is that a lot of VW’s require a very specific type engine oil (not a brand, not weight, but a type of oil). Not just anything regular you pull off the shelf at Canadian tire, Walmart ect. As long as you are aware of this it is fine. VW’s reputation with reliability is what has kept me away from owning any of the vehicles they have produced in the past decade.

The other VW's that are on the list still fall under this. The information from reputable long term reliability studies is out there (such as JDPower's lists) VW doesn't even rate in the top 22 for overall manufacturer reliability. It rates below GMC and Chevrolet, and well below industry average. To put it as simply as I can, you will either get a car that is perfect and won't have anything wrong, or you will get a gremlin plagued car that you will never be able to fully fix. I don't mean to diss VW, but the information is out there. However if you are adamant about a VW I strongly urge you to consider the VW Jetta TDI. As long as it is taken care of (and the proper oil used) the motor itself will last a long time, and the fuel economy is through the roof. As well overall the TDi Jetta is a fun car. And of the list of the VW's that you named, that would be my only choice.

Audi TT - Older body style is not well liked among car enthusiasts. The new body style of the previous year are excellent. Old and new body styles considered I have nothing really bad to say about TT's. Handle well, fun cars. However the TT does not come equipped with the standard "quatro" technology AWD system. It is actually the Haldex system AWD, which HEAVILY favors the front wheels. Nothing wrong with it, but just consider you are not getting a true AWD car with a 50/50, or even a 60/40 Torque split. Haldex system delivers 97.5% of the power to the front, and only 2.5 to the rear. So in some cases, if you are considering a TT a sporty car it is pretty much considered a FWD car and is a little safer for a first time driver.

Audi is outside of the top ten for reliability but isn't in a scary spot. However, like all German autos it is rather costly to repair and maintain. Service intervals can be expensive. If you are leaving all repairs and maintenance up to your kids, I hope they have good summer jobs. For vehicles like Audi you NEED to follow the service intervals, especially transmission and differential fluid changes. All basic stuff that people should be doing anyways (following manual for service intervals) So as long as that is kept up, regular fluid changes, you are all good. You may or may not consider it a downside, but TT's are basically only two seaters, so your sons can have one person riding with them and that is it. Little to no trunk space either.

Nissan 350Z - No downside to this car really as far as a drivers car goes. It handles very well, it is reliable, looks good. It is rear wheel drive so like I stated above for first time drivers I would strongly urge you to have them take a track driven school with it to learn how to handle it. I also mentioned above that for young drivers this car could be trouble. Even if your kids are angels, other people are going to be trying to get them to race constantly. All things considered the 350Z is a street track/race car.

Mazda RX8. - Overall another good street track/race car. As long as you can get past the looks they perform well overall. You mentioned you know it is a 1.8L. But don't be mistaken these are very quick cars and they make decent power, I will explain why below. Same as the 350Z, they have a reputation about the drivers as street racers.

Something to note is that this isn't a standard piston combustion engine, these are rotary engine cars. These do not fall under the same rules as standard flat/inline 4cyl cars. The rotary engine has a very good, strong power band, but the design itself is self destructive. There are a lot of wear on these engines and thus the recommendation is an oil change every 3000Km. This is regardless of oil used, as I said they don't fall under the same rules as a piston driven engine. Also you will hardly ever see a rotary engine "running like new" over 150,000Km. Life is very hard for those motors, but while they last they are a lot of fun and sound fantastic.


The next list comes off to me as a much more practical first car for 16 year olds.

Versa, Yaris, Mazda 2. I will start off with these. All good choices. All available in 4 doors, all 4 cyl, all available with manual. Overall very practical, fun cars and a little bit harder to get yourself into trouble with. Of all the choices the Mazda 2 is the newest platform (to North America) It is based off the Ford Fiesta which for many, many years has been a European model. Very cool and two thumbs up for me. Features and looks alone it is cool and would be a safe bet. I am sure your kids would be happy with it. The Versa in my opinion isn't the best looker, but reliability and everything else it has little to fault it for in the price range.

Corolla, Sentra, Matrix. I will start off with the Sentra. Reliable, fun 2L car but to me the looks of the newer models are not as appealing, the only thing I can fault the car for really. A slightly bigger sedan then the three choices above, more power, more practicality. These three are all kind of the same idea, they are in the next price range up from the three above, more room, more power, at the price of fuel economy. But being realistic the Versa, Mazda 2, and the Yaris are going to be getting in the mid 30 US MPG's on the highway, the Corolla, Sentra, Matrix (FWD variant, I will get into the AWD after) are going to be in the low 30's. Not that much of a difference depending on how fuel conscious you are.

The Matrix is the only one of these to be offered in an AWD option. The AWD system used is the same as the Rav4, and is basically front wheel drive until the front wheels slip and it can go to a maximum of 55/45 torque spit. It isn't a full time AWD system, but it is a decent one. You will lose fuel economy, as I believe the AWD Matrix gets about 28Mi/G. Of all the choices the Matrix is the most infinitely useful. The hatchback with fold down seats means room for pretty much anything. If your sons are into camping, biking, whatever. The inside of the vehicle can probably be configured to fit it.

Any of the six from this section are great choices, cheap to run, fix, reliable even if some service intervals are skipped here and there.


Next, your SUV's/crossovers.

Subaru Forester - I may be biased, I own a 2005 Subaru WRX wagon. Love it to death. I am assuming you're looking at the non turbo XT model? Either way, great all around vehicle, useful, practical. The non turbo versions lack a little bit of the power for the size of the vehicle but it isn't that bad. Of any of the vehicles you listed the Subaru comes with a true, full time AWD system, it is the best of any of the AWD systems from anything in your list. Any sort of winter conditions don't mean anything to this car. Previous generations have suffered from being somewhat bland, but in the recent model years from 2008 and up the interior is quite a bit nicer.

BMW X3 - A quote from someone I know who owns a BMW M3. "Nothing will get you to the mechanic faster or in better style than a BMW" As far as a drivers car goes, the X3 does nothing well, it isn't fast, it doesn't handle well, and it doesn't get good fuel economy. However it is comfortable and looks good. Any sort of BMW service is going to hit you hard in the pocket book. However as far as being 16 goes, having an X3 would be pretty awesome. Girls would like it too.

Nissan Rogue - Another vehicle I can't fault for being what it is really. Available AWD makes it a good choice. I think they look good, reliable and pretty good on gas for being a small SUV

Mazda CX-7 - competition for the Rogue, Although I believe the CX 7 is a little bigger. It shares a platform with the Ford Edge. Same as the Rogue you can get it with AWD as well. Really between the Rogue and the CX7 it comes down to which one they like the looks of, which one they like the interior on the most, and which one you can get the best price on.

Toyota Venza - You are considering getting this? Nothing wrong with it overall, it is considered a higher end of the Toyota line, more luxury SUV. All things considered it comes off as an adult's vehicle. In my opinion it is overpriced for what you get, and in that price range you open up a lot of other options that are cooler, especially to teenage sons.

Ford Escape/Tribute - Can't fault them. My first vehicle was a 4 door Suzuki Sidekick and for comparisons sake they are near the same thing. That was probably some of the most fun I have had during my teenage years was driving it. Fun for some off-roading adventures, enough room for stuff and friends and they are not powerful enough to break anything. Reliable cars, decently priced and easy to fix. Really good choices. If they already drove them and liked them I can think of no reasons to tell you to not get it.

Porsche Cayenne
You may be looking at between $200 and $300 for an oil change. For any large service intervals don't be surprised when the bill reaches past the four digit mark. Everything is more for a Porsche. If you can afford to buy it and maintain it go for it, they are a complete pleasure to drive. But the trick with any high end vehicle is keeping the maintenance up to date. I will put it this way, the price of the vehicle being ignored if you compared it to say, a Yaris. Just to give you an example from a well known parts distributor where I buy my brake pads from - the cost of very good set of front break pads for a Yaris was $90, the same brand for the Cayenne were $190.

The VW/Audi's - I already talked about the VW's above, The Audi's are the same as the X3 really. Nice looking, comfortable. But not good on gas, expensive to maintain and fix. Not horrible choices, but when looking across the list there are much safer choices for the money.
 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Wow he put an amazing amount of effort into this for us!!

I realized this evening that one thing I wasn't considering when they put their list together is that my son is almost 6', and some of the vehicles on our list don't actually have a seating position (34"+ inseam) that will be comfortable for him.

I really like the idea of taking a track racing course. We actually have a race track here, too, and you can take your own car on it to push the limits. You don't really know when you're going to lose it until you've done it once or twice.

RWD--that's why I was excluding RWD. It's useless here in our weather--rain, rain, rain, with some snow and sun thrown in for variety. I definitely want FWD or AWD for him.

Also--not worried about his friends pushing him into driving crazy...we have driver restrictions here so he won't actually be allowed more than 1 other person in the car until he's 18. The other kids at his school won't be jealous of anything he's able to afford--they mostly drive high-end cars. Around 5-10% of the kids in his school have large houses to themselves (or with siblings/friends) while their parents are in Hong Kong..so when they get cars, their parents send them what the car would cost in HK without really accounting for things being cheaper here. The kids could get an M3 and still not have the nicest car in the lot.

VW - I've owned a few of them, and know to get the extended warranty :) I know they can be total lemons, and my VWs were in constant need of repairs! The reason the GTI and Golf are on the list is because of the small engine, nice wheel base and cornering, decent height and good visibility. The TDIs, unfortunately, sell 10-15% over MSRP here! Honestly, the GTI I had drove like a sports car.

Audi TT - Thank you for the input on the body style part. I hadn't thought about the new body style perhaps being easier to sell down the road. I was aware of some "issue" with the AWD but that was a great explanation. The fact that they're basically two seaters is a non issue, since they can't have other people in the car anyways :) In fact, I was favouring the idea of a two seater...especially because the Audi TT backseat being useless also means there's a decent amount of leg room there for my leggy kid. {BTW--I'm thinking the new bodystyle is over their budget!}

350Z - My concern with it is the leg room (oh considering 370Z too, which has a bit more) and visibility from the interior. I also don't like the rear bumper being body colour, since there will be incidents here and there and the way the rear of the car is designed any little bump will require a trip to the body shop.

Versa, Yaris, Mazda 2 - I'm going to have to get him into these, since I have concerns over the leg room. I'm thinking the Mazda 2 is at least 50% Ford Fiesta (also recommended in this thread)..? As is typical of Mazda and Ford. But the 2 is less torquey :)

Forester - This is my front-runner for the cross-over category. Glad you like it :) He would buy new on this, too, since it's one of the cheaper ones on this section of my list. They're in the low 20s. If they could afford a Volvo XC60 it would rival this on driving and safety for me (but not reliability!)

X3 - They think the RAV4 and CR-V are "gay".. and the Freelanders are total lemons, even in comparison to the X3, so I think it's going to stay on their list.

Venza - Heck, I'd consider it for ME. Love the look of it... but they'd have to buy a year or two old... {same as with the X3, though}

Escape/Tribute - We owned a Tribute and loved it :) Plus, the price is RIGHT!

Cayenne - We're aware of the expense of maintaining a Porsche, but their grandpa has an in with Porsche and that can take a bit of the edge off. They wanted Boxster on the list, too..haha.. My downside on this is that they'd have to buy used...quite used. I'm humoring them with it on the list, really.

I'm going to have to talk to the boys about what their long-term plan would be.. We can probably scratch some of these cars of the list if they're planning on keeping the same car after university because of long-term reliability. The boys actually have 22k saved right now so they sort of have a budget, but their dad will be driven around by my son while he's in town visiting them and will also be the one responsible for maintenance and fuel... So I don't think maintenance and fuel are big issues, although I'd LOVE to trade cars when I have to go anywhere long distance and need some fuel economy. We have a year-long learners period here so that's a lot of supervision for a new driver. Maybe too much, in his case.

So tonight, my son told me he really likes the Mini. So he wants it added to the consideration list (because of some movie it was in?!) .. But I need to know if anyone has ever driven one and what the driver's seating position is like? Would a 6'2" man be able to fit comfortably? I suspect he'll hit 6' but his legs are longer than a mere (HAH!) 6' would really warrant :)

-N.
 

twinkletoes

New member
the thing is...a lot of us in europe are over 6ft and drive small cars (such as the mini cooper) that said, they may very well be made very differently for the US market...

you son has good tastes ;) the mini is FUN to drive yet it feels so safe and you feel very much in control!

The fiesta doesn't have a lot of leg room - but it is the best selling small car in the UK.. we actually have the Ford KA which is smaller than the Fiesta.. but dh thinks the Fiesta is too small... hmmm. I have to take him to Europe! I personally like the look of the fiesta and it's MPG lol... but it's not the best for tall folk, that's for sure..

you don't have Fiat here do you? what about in Canada? the Fiat 500 is very popular right now although I would imagine it to have less leg room than a mini... although it looks about the same size.. Mini's were known as the small 'big' car ;) and they are bigger now than what they were when they were first brought to the market in the lat 50's (or was it early 60's)

gosh, VW not reliable here? that's wasn't the case in the UK.. although the Jetta had some issues in the UK... a lot of youth want a VW Golf in the UK (Ideally the Golf GTI.. which is probably your GTI? we have the Polo and Lupo in the UK, both are smaller than the Golf. the Lupo being the smallest..

all the best :)... Mini's are around 25 grand brand new (at least they were when we brought ours a few years ago)
 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor
No Fiat here.. and, as you probably know, we don't have the Polo. I love the Polo, but it was never made to North American standards. Last time I was in one I couldn't find a top tether location :)

We have mostly the same vehicles as are available in the US, with a few exceptions. (We had the Smart cars before the Americans, but we did not get Mitsubishi until recently, I don't think we have Scion?, don't have about 2% of the staples found in the US. Otherwise the same.) We'll be getting a car in the US, since they're too expensive here and my ex lives in California. We DO have the Mercedes B200 here, and it's not (yet?) available in the US--it would be a GREAT option for a kid. We also have the Nissan XTrail.

I do think the Fiesta is too small, and I suspect the Mazda2 is as well. They're designed for the rear seat to be functional, whereas some of the sportier cars really are not..giving the driver more room. That was part of my consideration with allowing sportier cars on the list. (That and NO passengers!)

The Cooper base is 19,500 (no discount off MSRP).. more for the Cooper S. They lose next to nil after use so it makes no sense to buy used in this case. Neighbour has one so we can try Kyle out in it.

In skipping domestic, I also skipped the cheap Jeeps--Liberty, Patriot, Compass. Any input? Or Koreans? Soul?


-N.
 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I just realized some more bonus points for the Escape and the Forester--they are both capable of towing my son's boat! He only needs is towed twice a year in and out of launch.

-N.
 

geekKT

New member
DH bugged me to see what your response was. Cars are his thing. Here's what he said back:

Reply to her that I am 6'3" with a 36" inseam.
I fit in the Fiesta just fine. I however DON'T fit in a Mini, like quite literally with the seat all the way back and the steering wheel up, I couldn't get into the drivers position. I forget what it was, but there is some fairly significant issue with the Mini, I don't remember what years it affects. I do know that the non S versions are very underpowered and quite slow, but they can still be fun cars. First look into if they fit inside of it if they are considering it, if they still are then I can look further into the issues that affect them. I know that as far as performance and design they are fairly good cars, but I think reliability as only so so.
If you have an in with Porsche all the better, but consider that most people who own Porsche don't even put 15000Km's on their car's a year. Getting into high mileage Porsche's is something to be very careful of, I would be very weary of buying it from a stranger with high mileage. I have been in and driven a Boxter S. Fun cars for sure.

I am looking into getting a Jeep TJ right now for fun/summer driving. But consider how safe you want them to be. It isn't fast so they are not going to be getting many speeding tickets, but crash tests and roll overs may cause you concern. Jeep TJ's/YJ's are easy to maintain, fun to mod and great to offroad. I can go further into Jeeps if you want, I know enough about the Cherokee (XJ platforms) and the YJ's and TJ's. I don't really know much about the Compass, I drove my aunt's briefly once. The Compass as well as a very select few Cherokee's were available with a CBD (clean burning diesel) These motors are not domestic made, they are a Mercedes Diesel. Those motors are bulletproof to put it simply. Now for my sake I wish they offered it on the JK platform (newest Jeep wrangler platform)

The Kia Soul is basically competition for the Civic. But from a car enthusiasts point of view the civic is too common and played out. I like the Kia Soul from a looks point of view, and KIA is doing a LOT of things right now adays as far as reliability goes. If they are interested in a sporty economy car I would say check it out. I used to own a '99 Civic SiR with the sunroof I couldn't wear a hat because depending on the bump I hit the smartie on the top of my head would smash the roof. The non-sunroof equipped model will give you between 3/4" and an inch more headroom. But to be honest I never once regretted having a sunroof in that car, even if I did hit my head a few times.

If you are considering importing from the US I can get into it, but that opens up a HUGE market. But consider things that are options/standard here, may not be options in the states. For example my WRX comes standard with heated seats (I would like to never own another vehicle without them) The US versions do not come standard with heated seats and mirrors. The Canadian sedans come standard (aside from heated seats and mirrors) with a "ski" passthrough in the backseat (where the center armrest folds down for a passthrough into the back seat, otherwise the seats do not fold down) The US versions do not have the ski passthrough.
So consider the features you want, what comes standard in the US and Canada. With that said though, if you are looking at anything higher priced there are some good deals to be found in the states.
 

Melanie

New member
If they like the Nissan 350Z, how about an Altima coupe? I think it looks like a stretched out Z. The older version Altimas had tons of front seat room. My 6'3" DH fit with room to spare. I'm assuming the newer body style would be the same. Front wheel drive, manual. New starts at $22k in US.

You might want to take a look at the headroom in the back seat on coupes. We just got a Civic coupe. Anyone over 5'4" would literally have their head touching the back glass. I could see a teen putting passengers back there because they'd still fit, even though it's unsafe. This is the first coupe I've had in a loooooooong time, so I don't know if they're all like that or if it's just a Civic thing.
 

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