OT - Cars for my son (NEW driver)

[wooly]

Wel, my boy's 16 and in need of a car. I want to get him a safe, reliable car. Since I can't my hands on a Sherman Tank, I'm looking at a Volvo 240 which I hear is reliable and safe. I was also looking at some old Benz's, the bigger the better. However, I thought that I would check with my friends here in the forum for additional ideas and guidance. I can't shell out a lot of clams on the purchase but obviously don't want him stranded at the side of the road.

Sages, I welcome your feedback!

Wooly

[Ozz]

look for a car that is:

• underpowered

• reliable

• good gas mileage

• built like a tank

• has no room for friends

• is the car nobody wants to drive cuz it's not cool

you are probably on the right track with a Volvo or old Benz....maybe even a diesel. preferably in some awful brown color.

[Too Tall]

+1 for a nice 240. Amazing car. You can find meticulously serviced late 80's to mid 90's at give away prices. As a survivor of a rollover in a 240 with nary a scratch...yep get that.

[wooly]

That's a good thought. I hear that they can run forever. When looking at these used cars, the mileage is a bit staggering. Should I be trying to stay under a certain mileage cap when buying used? Are there makes and models that have reputations for being ultra endurable / long lasting?

Uncool car? I'm sooooo with you on that. I'm hoping that a fringe benefit of getting him an uncool, safe car is that no girl will want to go out with him

[William]

As a long time Volvo owner, and one who wedged his 240 wagon between two huge boulders in HS, I second the vote. Safe and reliable for all ages.



William

[wooly]

What should I be looking for? All of the ones on Autotrader.com have 150k miles +. Is there any specific questions I should be asking the sellers?

[alembical]

My thoughts are just that some of the newer cheaper smaller cars may actually be safer. Sure the old Volvos and Benzs are built tough, but avoiding accidents, brakes, airbags, etc... might be things that would trump the stoutness of the others. My extremely underpowered subaru wagon would be something I would seriousely consider if I had a 16 year old. I would definitley stay away from the real small and the real cheap cars, but personally I would stay away from the tanks too.

Alembical

[Sandy]

Show him that you really love him. Get him a 911 turbo.

Sorry.



Sandy

[znfdl]

Subarur Forrester 5 star crash rating

[Sandy]

How about an older used Honda or Toyota? They seem to be very reliable.



Sandy

[rdparadise]

I don't believe you want to get him a tank with gas where it's at. We're currently in the market for my stepson and we're looking at late 90's Honda Civics. Reliable as any car out there and good on gas. I'm looking to find one with under 100,000 miles but this is a challenge.

He's had a Saturn SL1, mid-90's and that held up real well into the 150k mileage range and beyond.

Both cars don't have the power to drive too crazy which is a good thing too!

Bob

[William]

http://www.volvoadventures.com/200.html

This guy knows Volvos,

The following is just a clip...

I have been asked many times what to look for when buying a second hand 200 Series Volvo. First thing to do, is NOT to switch on the engine yet. Let us start with the outside, the visual examination. Signs of damage repair or misuse will often show up by looking for variations in the colour of the paintwork. Although Volvo's have a good reputation for not rusting there are a few places that the 200 did suffer. As mentioned earlier, the very early models suffered badly because of poor anti-corrosion processes. The rear wheel arches tend to show signs of rust because moisture gets between the lips of the wing and inner wing panel. With age the sealant becomes cracked and loose. It is not too expensive to replace the wheel arches. The tailgate of the estates has long been a problem, but later models received extra attention in that area. For some reason the models of the early 80's suffered rusting at the bottom forward corners of all four doors. Rusting of the windscreen aperture seemed to effect some cars. Water leakage through the bulkhead can lead to all sorts of problems, and many suffered such leakage. The source was often bad fitting grommets or blanking plugs. Water leaked down the inside of the bulkhead and settled in gullies in the floor pan and if left undiscovered would gradually start the rusting process. Often, cars less than 10 years old would suddenly develop holes in the floor pan along the sides. The fuse box also suffered from corrosion through moisture build-up because of its poor location. Regular cleaning and some Vaseline often solves problems here. Continuing the visual examination, the car should not sag on its suspension, if it does then the springs have taken quite a load over its life. Most 200's had oil-filled shock absorbers and should be checked for leakage, but some GLE's and most GLT's had gas-filled shocks. The 200 also had quite an appetite for front tyres, especially models with power steering, which for 'town' driving I consider essential, unless you eat three Shredded Wheat a day, and once you've had the pleasure of power steering you don't want to go back to 'tug and pull'. A common problem for many years was rapid wear on the outside edge of the front nearside tyre. This was rectified by fitting a harder brush to the wishbone-to-body bracket. Fitting a stiffer front anti-roll bar will also help.
Having satisfied yourself with the outside of the car a good look inside is next. Make sure all the bits of trim and panels are properly mounted and not held on with tape or other means. Make sure all the switches work. Look at the mileage, don't panic if it is high, often a high mileage car is better because it has been used. Make sure all the digits are in a straight line. If one is crooked then the clock may have been altered. Look at the condition of the upholstery as this gives some idea of how much use it has had. In the boot look at the wells each side and look for rust. On older cars expect to see some, but make sure it has not started munching big holes. Under the bonnet look for oil leaks, and if the car has been serviced by Volvo this will be easy because they often steam clean the engine. However there are not many Volvos around that are dirty under the bonnet. Check the oil dipstick, making sure it is between the two marks, and look at the colour of it. If it is grey or has bits of white ‘cream’ then the oil may be contaminated with water. This may be because it has done a lot of short journeys. When satisfied that all looks well then start up the engine. If the engine is cold and not run for some hours a gentle tap may be heard, especially on high mileage engines. This is normal and goes when the engine warms up. If it has a manual choke make sure it is working. Injection engines and later carburettor engines had an automatic choke system. The rev counter should register around 1200rpm. Press the accelerator a few times and the engine should respond positively. A test drive comes next, and the car should drive away smoothly without jerking. The gear changes of both auto and manual boxes should be smooth, otherwise a problem with that unit may be the cause. There should be no or little transmission noise, the 200 is very quiet even with 150,000 miles on the clock. A short drive should indicate if there are any problems with engine, transmission, steering or brakes. Some repairs can be expensive so it helps if you can get the assistance of someone who knows what to look for, such as an AA vehicle inspector.

I am sure the Volvo 200 will be seen on the roads for many years to come and one day I expect to see it listed as one of the great classic cars of the great era of motoring.

[C5 Snowboarder]

Wooly--
Being a dad myself and having brought up 2 kids I know the pain and angst of which you speak.

I brought both of my kids up in a 1974 GMC Suburban -- with 4 wheel drive.
Both survived the teen years and are now sucessful mid aged adults. Thank God!

Anyway - here is my 2 cents worth of advice... don't know about the Volvos ( I am a Mercedes/BMW/Corvete guy) and dunno about your $$ budget. But first on the list if I had to this again would be Anti-lock brakes and air bags driver and passenger side. Then if you are squeezed for $$ -I be looking at the japanese cars like Toyota or Honda with an automatic tranny. Be sure to have the car inspected for soon to be faulty CV joints. The 80s -Mercedes are great cars but not everyone of them had airbags. But they last forever unlike the new Mercedes which fail like Fords.

[wooly]

You definately have a good point. i've thought about this one a lot. The issues that I have are 1) if I lease a new car for him that has the airbags, etc, I'm afraid that i'll be paying to repair it (when he dings it up) when I return the car. 2) buying a newer car that meets your description will cost a lot more money. I'm already considering selling one of my bikes to finance the deal (kick me!) 3) I don't want to send him the wrong message that a new / leased car would communicate to him. We live in a very affluent area and it's tough keeping kids grounded. Sandy - 911 turbos are not out of the question for some of the kids around here!!! I have no idea what some of the parents are thinking when they buy their newly turned 16 year old a Hummer or BMW M5. It's insane.

tell him he can have his own car when he earns the money to buy a used 240...naw...that'll go to his head. tell him he can buy a nice used astro minivan but if he gives anybody a ride you'll sell the thing.