Best car for 16 year old girl?

[Cdog]

I am not a fan of the Mazda transmissions at all…
One of my very good friends bought one brand new and at 60,000 miles, outside of Palm Springs… failed on the side of the road on a 115 degree day…

He literally just traded that one in, while it was bring repaired (not under warranty), for a brand new one… guess what happened to that one at 50,000 miles… saame fuckign thing, but he was about 50 miles out side of Mohave …..

He finally listened and bought a Camry… That was 7 years ago ish… Pretty sure that Camry is still rolling.

Your feedback certainly isn’t typical as Mazda avoided the CVT transmissions and uses a basic automatic transmission due to its reliability. Not pointing any fingers, but I’d say it’s likely an operator issue. Specifically failing in the heat.

If you don’t allow the torque converter to lock up transmission generates a lot of heat & cooks the fluid. Fails in temp extremes

 

[Dannyo]

Had a Mazda and an Audi. Up until 100k, Audi was good. After not so much, and expensive to repair. The Mazda is still going strong at 140k.

 

[Boatymcboatface]

Regular cab truck is my suggestion that way they have less distractions from friends in the back seat.

Any brand should do the trick and hopefully with a 4 cylinder manual transmission. It’s what I started with and had a blast with it into my 20s. It took a good long downhill stretch on the 10 freeway from Redlands to Yucaipa to get that bad boy up to 90mph but it got there! Eventually.

 

[Dog]

The only issue I see with the Tahoe is if the high school is anything like mine space is limited and a bitch to get around in a "large" car.

Besides that issue seems the perfect option.

 

[BabyRay]

Our daughter went to school in San Diego while we were in the Seattle area. In the interest of providing her with a trouble-free car, we went the new-car route, with an Acura Integra. It served her well, aside from the time her seats were stolen outside her dorm, and right up until the time it was stolen and completely stripped shortly after she graduated.

EDIT: Actually, the Integra was her college car. When she turned 16, I bought her a used Toyota Tacoma. I figured she couldn’t get in too much trouble with only two passengers, and it had 4WD so she could get to school when it snowed. For some reason, it made me feel proud to see her lock the hubs before she drove off to school.

 

[Dog]

Square body with a 3 on the tree...

 

[Ducksquasher]

Get a cool project car for the two of you to work on. I'm pretty partial to old VW's so this was a natural choice.
I built this over the course of a year for my daughters first car. It was fun, and she didn't drive a cookie cutter car around.

My sons GTI in front, turned out to be a total nightmare BTW.

While we built the Squareback, her daily driver was that old C-10 Pre-runner in the background.

View attachment 1425675 View attachment 1425676 View attachment 1425677

I so want to do this...if I could find a bug that isn't a million dollars right now. This is what my Dad did for me with a '73 beetle.

 

[steamin rice]

We went with Mazda. They seem to be the forgotten value amongst the jap cars & I’ve seen Miata’s barrel roll at the race track & finish a race.

Don’t spend a lot. Girls treat cars as disposable items

We just went through this and ended up with a Mazda CX-5

They have a great record for reliability and safety, and don't have the price premium that a Toyota or Honda has.

Another car on the list was an Acura RDX. They seem to depreciate quickly, so buying used is a good option.

 

[Your ad here]

Fiat 500

 

[CLdrinker]

Nissan Sentra has caught my eye. Mainly the price tags lol.

They any good? Looking at 20teens

 

[ChumpChange]

I remember starting a thread just like this a few years back. Bought myself a new car and said it would be perfect for when my daughter turned 16. Some member, if I could only remember who that was, lol, was giving me shit that I’d put my daughter in a used car.

 

[Dog]

 

[Yldboyz]

Honda Civic for sure, or your Porsche.

 

[hallett21]

Budget?

 

[Cdog]

Nissan Sentra has caught my eye. Mainly the price tags lol.

They any good? Looking at 20teens

Cvt transmission is hot trash

 

[Xring01]

Your feedback certainly isn’t typical as Mazda avoided the CVT transmissions and uses a basic automatic transmission due to its reliability. Not pointing any fingers, but I’d say it’s likely an operator issue. Specifically failing in the heat.

If you don’t allow the torque converter to lock up transmission generates a lot of heat & cooks the fluid. Fails in temp extremes

Lets see, Operator issue… driving the car thru the desert in the summer with 60K miles… Not sure how that can be operator issue..
If there is a operator limitation on when you can drive a Mazda, that would news to me, and be a key reason to never buy one.

Not calling you out… This makes no sense. Dude literally commuted alot between his SoCal house and his Mohave house… kept boat/truck in Mohave, used the commuter to go in between… Like most do. He did put 25K/year on it them. But that should have nothing to do with 2 Mazdas failing in very similar ways, in practically the same conditions….when they are 2-2.5 years old????

 

[whiteworks]

Honda Civic for sure, or your Porsche.

I actually thought about giving her the Porsche, but it’s just too clean to have sitting in a highschool parking lot, I also don’t think she needs the kind of attention that would come along with something like that, good, bad, indifferent.

 

[whiteworks]

I remember starting a thread just like this a few years back. Bought myself a new car and said it would be perfect for when my daughter turned 16. Some member, if I could only remember who that was, lol, was giving me shit that I’d put my daughter in a used car.

I’d think a big time banker would be handing out new cars like Oprah on the mother’s day show.

 

[whiteworks]

Get a cool project car for the two of you to work on. I'm pretty partial to old VW's so this was a natural choice.
I built this over the course of a year for my daughters first car. It was fun, and she didn't drive a cookie cutter car around.

My sons GTI in front, turned out to be a total nightmare BTW.

While we built the Squareback, her daily driver was that old C-10 Pre-runner in the background.

View attachment 1425675 View attachment 1425676 View attachment 1425677

I do believe that VW ownership as a kid has its merits, that being said there are way too many stunt drivers out there now a days that have survived horrendous accidents due to airbags, were then able to breed another generation of even worse stunt drivers that do even dumber shit in cars.

Maybe if I had a couple of kids, you know an extra one, but I don’t so we’re gonna bubble wrap her up pretty good when we do send her out there.

 

[RiverDave]

I kinda agree with Tank on this.. something large and heavy

 

[hallett21]

We’ve had good luck with our 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trail Hawk. 4x4 decent on gas with the V6 and pulls up to 7k if you want. Kills it in the snow and is pretty sporty in a canyon. 160k on the clock

 

[Dog]

Triple A membership to get free rides home also.

 

[monkeyswrench]

350/350 with 3.54 gears. Ac, ps and pw. A bit tougher to park. Cheap, not fast enough to be dangerous as others, and teaches about fuel cost and driving habits (quadrajet). Not flashy, but my daughter loved it.

 

[zhandfull]

I was going to say Kia Soul. Then I remembered that my daughters is at the dealer waiting on a new engine.

 

[Cdog]

Lets see, Operator issue… driving the car thru the desert in the summer with 60K miles… Not sure how that can be operator issue..
If there is a operator limitation on when you can drive a Mazda, that would news to me, and be a key reason to never buy one.

Not calling you out… This makes no sense. Dude literally commuted alot between his SoCal house and his Mohave house… kept boat/truck in Mohave, used the commuter to go in between… Like most do. He did put 25K/year on it them. But that should have nothing to do with 2 Mazdas failing in very similar ways, in practically the same conditions….when they are 2-2.5 years old????

Talk to any mechanic. Keeping your foot in the throttle trying to eke out an extra 2 mph revving the engine and transmission verses backing off throttle a little and allowing the converter to lock makes a big difference over 50k miles.

Believe what you want. I know how they work

 

[n2otoofast4u]

We are right there with you! Here they cannot get a permit until 15 and 6 months. Mine will be there in December, and will start drivers education about that time as well. I've been letting her drive on the backroads for several years, and she drives a wakeboard boat better than 90% of the fools we see, including loading and unloading it on/off the trailer. That all to say, I think she will be ok, but is SCARES ME TO DEATH knowing she's going to be on the open road.

We scored an hail damaged 2008 Acura RDX little SUV that will be her starter car. I already know its going to smack every bollard in every Starbucks, Chipotle and Dutch Bros parking lots within a 100 miles of us, I've just got it already sorted in my head that "its a girl thing" LOL

 

[Dog]

View attachment 1425698
350/350 with 3.54 gears. Ac, ps and pw. A bit tougher to park. Cheap, not fast enough to be dangerous as others, and teaches about fuel cost and driving habits (quadrajet). Not flashy, but my daughter loved it.

ONLY if it is a 3 on the tree...

 

[River Dirt 2]

2 door shortbed Chevy truck was my sons and my daughters first vehicle. Limited the friends that can come along, sits high enough for good visibility and safety.
was a great truck until one of their “friends” stole it and totaled it…

 

[Dog]

I started with regular cab trucks, my first was a "chevy luv". I was pulled over to many time for having to many people in the bed for these recos of limiting people in a regular cab truck. lol

 

[rivergames]

Tahoe

 

[n2otoofast4u]

I have this old Tahoe sitting out behind my barn, it was my dads for the last few years of his driving days, it’s ready for a trans and has some little dents here and there from him hitting shit. Was thinking about throwing her in this for the reminder of highschool and then seeing if she needs a car for college or not. This car is on my list of things to get rid of, anybody want a smoking deal on it without the trans repair hit me up, high mile LTZ that had a new engine put in it with some dingers here and there, front and rear buckets, interior is Sano. View attachment 1425688

PM Sent

 

[TrollerDave]

I do believe that VW ownership as a kid has its merits, that being said there are way too many stunt drivers out there now a days that have survived horrendous accidents due to airbags, were then able to breed another generation of even worse stunt drivers that do even dumber shit in cars.

Maybe if I had a couple of kids, you know an extra one, but I don’t so we’re gonna bubble wrap her up pretty good when we do send her out there.

My wife’s only requirement was that it was safe according to the IIHS
https://www.iihs.org/
We considered Mazda6 and CX5, and Honda Accords. We went with an 2014 Accord with 140K miles, this was 2 years ago. It was our 2nd car and needed something that would fit tall people. it’s not great for that, but not bad. Had to by a third car because the daughter graduated HS and would be on a different schedule. She took the Honda and we got a 2013 Charger for the boy. It handled his accident like a champ, but unfortunately got totaled . Now we have a 2013 Accord manual trans. The Hondas are easy to drive/park and good on gas yet zippy enough to get on the freeway at speed.
Funny the VW is mentioned, my boy went out and bought a bug on his own and it freaks my wife out. He’s still working on it, but has a reliable car until then.
CA law says a minor aged driver cannot drive with other minors for the first year or until 18. Just an FYI.

 

[2Driver]

Assuming safety is criteria 1 then stay away from a framed hard bumper vehicle like jeeps and 1/2 trucks. Anyone suggesting bigger stronger, tougher is safer doesn’t understand what happens in accident. Its about energy absorption and getting it away from the occupants.

Get a modern midsize unibody car preferably with side airbags, rear camera and blind spot monitoring. Camry or Accord would be my choice

 

[TrollerDave]

Maintenance nightmares

Before we bought our first Honda, we considered a Jetta. We asked a friend of a friend about owning one, he has a VW repair shop.
Him- “I wouldn’t get one unless you want in the shop every other week.”

me- “Honda it is!”

 

[Deckin Around]

I still have a bit of time, she’ll be 16 and driving in June, but I’m starting to think about what type of car to put her in. A couple schools of thought cross my mind. I’m not gonna run out and buy her a brand new car, she can buy her own brand new car when she gets her shit together and has a career. That being said I figure whatever I buy her should last her long enough to get her to that position in life. Aswell I don’t want to be dealing with maintenance issues now or when she goes away to college, or pretty much ever. Something that is safe, you put gas in and can have basic service done by any decent mechanic.

The baby beemers and baby Benz’s might not be a bad way to go, find a low mile creampuff she can run hard for the next 75k miles, safe solid German cars are never a bad way to go.

So what’s the move here? Obviously some UJV (universal Japanese vehicle) is most likely a solid move aswell, but god damn you only live once and those cars just suck the will to live out of a person, I believe cars need to be sexy, and make you feel good, when you get out of your car and are walking away from it, if you don’t look back at it, you’re driving the wrong car.

Give her Moma’s Jeep. I didn’t read all the responses. Is that not an option?

 

[boatnam2]

both daughters drove same car through high school, a VW Touareg, things are tanks. Now my buddy has his niece driving it.

 

[River Dirt 2]

Give her Moma’s Jeep. I didn’t read all the responses. Is that not an option?

Maybe the Jeep when she gets a bit older and moves off to college

 

[golakers]

We did a VW Jetta for 1 and a VW Tiguan. Both have been great. Bought used but certified.....

 

[Cole Trickle]

After you put a list together call your insurance agent and have a chat. Prices for new drivers are terrible right now.

New car + new driver will cost a fortune. 10+ year old conservative 4 door cars from a domestic company will be the best. Older 4 door 4cyl accords and camrys aren't terrible. Corollas and Civics have some of the highest loss ratios and in turn and be pretty bad to insure.

If its a cheap car you can risk it and remove collision and the cost will be about half the insurance cost. Of course they are going to bang them up so weigh the options of taking the risk. (I'm gonna gamble as I'm into the car less than 7k)

We are in similar situations as my son turns 16 in February. The kid has been driving in parking lots and in neighborhoods for many years and I taught him how to drive a stick when he was 11. I decided I wanted an older car that still was safe with airbags that was manual fun and rwd. I'm also a firm believer of getting kids into a manual as they will be too busy shifting to dick with the cell phone that is causing all the issues. We are a car family and he has caught the bug a bit.

I purchased a 2006 BMW 330i manual. Car has 145k miles on it with a long list of maintenance work completed by the previous owner and this generation BMW with the inline 6 are known as being extremely reliable. The car was semi trashed paint wise and dirty when we picked it up and with some elbow grease some wet sanding/detail she is now a solid 5 footer with a mint interior. I just did the oil pan gasket as well as motor mounts, etc at home and have found the car pretty decent to work on and maintain and it has been a good learning experience having my son in the garage turning wrenches.

Biggest thing is practice while they have that permit. My kid has put down some serious road miles in a variety of cars/trucks nd jeeps since February and I'm not just talking around town but freeway, off-roading as well as towing and backing trailers. I'm not throwing him to the wolfs and want him to have all the experience possible before February.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Gx460 or 100 series land cruiser

 

[mash on it]

After you put a list together call your insurance agent and have a chat. Prices for new drivers are terrible right now.

New car + new driver will cost a fortune. 10+ year old conservative 4 door cars from a domestic company will be the best. Older 4 door 4cyl accords and camrys aren't terrible. Corollas and Civics have some of the highest loss ratios and in turn and be pretty bad to insure.

If its a cheap car you can risk it and remove collision and the cost will be about half the insurance cost. Of course they are going to bang them up so weigh the options of taking the risk. (I'm gonna gamble as I'm into the car less than 7k)

We are in similar situations as my son turns 16 in February. The kid has been driving in parking lots and in neighborhoods for many years and I taught him how to drive a stick when he was 11. I decided I wanted an older car that still was safe with airbags that was manual fun and rwd. I'm also a firm believer of getting kids into a manual as they will be too busy shifting to dick with the cell phone that is causing all the issues. We are a car family and he has caught the bug a bit.

I purchased a 2006 BMW 330i manual. Car has 145k miles on it with a long list of maintenance work completed by the previous owner and this generation BMW with the inline 6 are known as being extremely reliable. The car was semi trashed paint wise and dirty when we picked it up and with some elbow grease some wet sanding/detail she is now a solid 5 footer with a mint interior. I just did the oil pan gasket as well as motor mounts, etc at home and have found the car pretty decent to work on and maintain and it has been a good learning experience having my son in the garage turning wrenches.

Biggest thing is practice while they have that permit. My kid has put down some serious road miles in a variety of cars/trucks nd jeeps since February and I'm not just talking around town but freeway, off-roading as well as towing and backing trailers. I'm not throwing him to the wolfs and want him to have all the experience possible before February. View attachment 1425751

^^^ Exactly this.

Daughter had a 260z, (back in 2003?) she bought herself. I dolled it up for her, and once on her own, she immediately traded it for a late 90s Hyundai 4 dr/4spd. She only drove the Z car once.

She learned on a manual transmission, in a K30 big block wrecker. And a CJ7 with the same trans. A car manual trans was easy compared to the truck transes.

Dan'l

 

[dread Pirate]

Maintenance nightmares

You get used to it. I can put one in "service mode" as pictured in less than 20 minutes now.

Had to swap the radiator, but the front end has to come off for damn near everything.

That said, we have two in the family. My wife and daughter both love them. They are built like little tanks and are safe. Like driving a go cart.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

I have this old Tahoe sitting out behind my barn, it was my dads for the last few years of his driving days, it’s ready for a trans and has some little dents here and there from him hitting shit. Was thinking about throwing her in this for the reminder of highschool and then seeing if she needs a car for college or not. This car is on my list of things to get rid of, anybody want a smoking deal on it without the trans repair hit me up, high mile LTZ that had a new engine put in it with some dingers here and there, front and rear buckets, interior is Sano. View attachment 1425688

What is cheap?

Seriously, you fix the tranny, put in a nice stereo and she will be in heaven! Maybe find some good used 20 or 22's and that ride would be sano for her.

I do believe that VW ownership as a kid has its merits, that being said there are way too many stunt drivers out there now a days that have survived horrendous accidents due to airbags, were then able to breed another generation of even worse stunt drivers that do even dumber shit in cars.

Maybe if I had a couple of kids, you know an extra one, but I don’t so we’re gonna bubble wrap her up pretty good when we do send her out there.

Man, I think the problem now a days is people are either on their phones while driving or driving while high on weed, gummies or whatever. It's not one out of a million, they are everywhere!

My son is getting a 3500 with 37's because I don't want that call where they are having to cut him out of a small car.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Can we return to the 80’s and bring back the VW Golf/Rabbit Cabriolet that all the hot girls drove?

The pluses are it’s gotta be simplistic, doesn’t support any phone integration and probably wouldn’t be stolen.

Other than that my only advice is the same advice my father followed. Put student drivers in large tall vehicles so if there is the inevitable accident they won’t get the worst of it. I’ve been driving the Suburban platform since high school.

 

[rivermobster]

My kids have each totalled one car each.

That being said...

My daughter LOVE the Chebby Volt I got her a couple years ago now.

50mpg on gas, if it even has to run on fuel.

We drove it all over last summer up to Washington, Idaho and back. Was a quite and comfortable ride.

Excellent car for the price.

 

[JL95]

put the tahoe on methods and throw a $3k transmission in it and she will be riding clean at school lol get a diamond bedazzled license plate cover and bam.

 

[Hypnautic]

Our Daughters both attended Univ of Oregon.
With weather mixed into the conversation of their first car--I wanted something with all-wheel drive.
Needed something that they could travel back to NV without concern. They would also drive over the mountain to Medford to see GParents.
That narrowed down choices a lot.
Girls are 3yrs apart and so are the cars. Both were 3yrs old when purchased with 35-40K on the odometer.
We looked at every brand from Jag to Kia. Like OP mentioned--I too wanted them to have something to be proud of driving. They worked hard to get here and this was part of the payoff. Our rule is--we will pay for college and your first car ($22K budget on car). If you want a 30K car--shes paying the difference. Car should be able to get you through school and start of career.
White A4 is 2017. Only issue were motor mounts around 85K
Grey A4 is 2020. No issues.

 

[River Dirt 2]

My kids have each totalled one car each.

That being said...

My daughter LOVE the Chebby Volt I got her a couple years ago now.

50mpg on gas, if it even has to run on fuel.

We drove it all over last summer up to Washington, Idaho and back. Was a quite and comfortable ride.

Excellent car for the price.

100%, now my daughters daily driver is a Volt, the Jeep was great when she lived in Colorado but the Volt is a better work/school/volunteering ride.

 

[rivermobster]

100%, now my daughters daily driver is a Volt, the Jeep was great when she lived in Colorado but the Volt is a better work/school/volunteering ride.

I was surprised how nice it drove!

 

[Big B Hova]

My first car was a 66 bug that I bought at 14 years old. Now my son wants to buy a bug and fix it up for his first car, but safety is a concern...