What Jeep for a 16 yr old new driver?

R Q

R Q

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Charlotte
My kid is 14 now and he wants a Jeep. Something newer than mine ('68 Jeepster). He's not sure what he wants so I'm just looking for a deal on a YJ, TJ, or Cherokee. Actually I'd rather see us get the YJ or Cherokee to keep the costs down.
4.0 motor only, he wants an automatic tranny...and big tires! lol
Actually he wants a Chevy truck but I've had to rule that out for fuel mileage reasons.
I'd like to get ya'll's input on what you think would be best for a new driver who is definitely going to wheel it.
 
R Q said:
I'd like to get ya'll's input on what you think would be best for a new driver who is definitely going to wheel it.
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A Toyota! :flipoff2:
 
Go for the TJ.

I got rid of mine about a year or so ago to get a Cherokee and I HATE it.

Zero character. Nice car, but its nothing like a TJ and I really regret selling it.
 
Gas mileage shouldn't even be a concern if you're looking at putting on a lift and tires. My 87 Suburban got 17mpg when it was younger, and still does around 15 with 230k and 32" tires. Pretty much any 4.0 with a lift and tires is going to get somewhere in that ballpark, and I can tow that Jeep with my Chevy. If you want a Jeep, get a Jeep, but toss that fuel mileage reasoning in the trash.
 
An XJ is much more practical, cheaper, lighter, more utilitarian, and significantly less cool in stock form. For a 16y/o the only thing that matters is the last, haha. TJ's are getting cheap enough that they would be affordable and you can buy anything in the world for them. I believe the auto in the XJ's is the best of the bunch auto, but get the kid a stick and make em learn.

At 16, from those options, I would have wanted a TJ, which is which I worked through high school and college to pay for mine. In hindsight, I kinda wish I had an XJ because they are a little more practical.
 
Here's what he needs & why:

- Commanche = can haul himself + 1 person, PERIOD!
- NO bed (maybe a toolbox) = No driving a bunch of broke ass kids around on YOUR gas card & no room for scroggin'... inside or out...
- 4 banger = the best mileage to be had with a Jeep (still crappy) & dang sure ain't gonna be out "racing" it, unless it's against a Smartcar! :lol:
- The biggest set of bald, out-of-round GroundHawgs you can fit & still move the truck = hard to speed if it won't do the speedlimit & vibrating so bad he *MUST* keep both hands on the wheel... will also negate driving & talking/texting on cellphone! Slick will keep him out of the local mudholes... after the first 2-3 times it's buried past the axles!

2 years of a teen driver have opened my eyes... Given the slightest chance, even the preachers kid will show their asses in spectacular fashion! :rolleyes:

DANIELSAN!
 
^^ I'm w/ Dave on this one.
You gotta think like a parent, not what HE wants.

TJs are cool but are chick magnets (BAD) easy to pile buddies into the back, topless (BAD) and too tempting to beat up (BAD).

I vote 80s Toyota truck w/ 4 cyl + auto. It will be SLOW, have 2 seats, easy to work on, cheap to buy/insure/repair, and due to the inevitably rusty bed, his buddies won't be piling into the back...
 
Although gotta say, my first (own) car (at 18) was an XJ, it was perfect for hauling around my drum set...

Before that, if I wanted to drive, my only option was to borrow Mom's 'Benz 300TD wagon... which was SLOW, safe, and goofy enough to not be a shag-wagon. I hated it but I see now my parents were pretty smart.
 
I have to say...the Comanche and a Toyota truck has crossed my mind for just those reasons Dave.
And you KNOW the boy's gonna wheel it! He's seen more trail riding than most grown men. But I know he's going to be mudding it:mad: so I'm going to buy him a hand crank come-a-long and a long rope!:D
 
Caver Dave said:
Here's what he needs & why:
- Commanche = can haul himself + 1 person, PERIOD!
- NO bed (maybe a toolbox) = No driving a bunch of broke ass kids around on YOUR gas card & no room for scroggin'... inside or out...
- 4 banger = the best mileage to be had with a Jeep (still crappy) & dang sure ain't gonna be out "racing" it, unless it's against a Smartcar! :lol:
- The biggest set of bald, out-of-round GroundHawgs you can fit & still move the truck = hard to speed if it won't do the speedlimit & vibrating so bad he *MUST* keep both hands on the wheel... will also negate driving & talking/texting on cellphone! Slick will keep him out of the local mudholes... after the first 2-3 times it's buried past the axles!
2 years of a teen driver have opened my eyes... Given the slightest chance, even the preachers kid will show their asses in spectacular fashion! :rolleyes:
DANIELSAN!
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BWAHAHAHHAHA!

Yep, it's all true. Dang I have havin' 2 drivin' teenagers.
The biggest thing is to have them with you when looking at it ...... I don't care how cool us old farts think it is, it they don't like it they'll whine continuously.
And this goes for anything from color to pinstriping to interior.

Matt
 
I vote 4 banger YJ, little power
Max 31X10.50 AT, safe for the road, but bring the suck in the mud.
Take out rear seat
Full cage(safety)
come-a-laong as noted
a Sleeping bag and small tent(and let him not to call you afterXX;XX, he can sleep in the woods, if he gets him self there
go ahead and upgrade it to 9" and a 44(or close in strength)
NO RADIO
 
my first truck was a 79 Jeep J10. 360 auto quadratrack. It would get up to 60 pretty quick but I didnt want to go any faster (vibrations). 1 other person could ride with me (bench seat worked good for messin with the girlfriend) Crappy gas mileage so I wasnt cruisin around much.

I agree with Dave though.
 
R Q said:
4.0 motor only, he wants an automatic tranny...and big tires! lol
Actually he wants a Chevy truck but I've had to rule that out for fuel mileage reasons.
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Well you just threw up a big contradiction there. 4.0 Jeep, and an Automatic is going to get no better if not worse than a mild fullsize truck. Not to mention most people want a premium for a YJ/TJ and you could be in a fullsize truck for 1/2 the price. When I was DDing my 97 TJ with the 4.0 and 5 speed I was averaging only about 15mpg with about 17-18 hwy, an auto would be a couple MPG worse. My 88 Chevrolet 1500 4x4 with the 350 TBI and auto would do the same average around town, but would get up as high as 20 highway. Both vehicles were on the same size 32" tires, and both had 3.73 gears.

Of course the Jeep would be more offroad capable out of the box, but fuel mileage is not the reason to rule out the truck, especially when you consider the initial cost of the Heep is higher than the truck. An XJ on the other hand can be had for much cheaper, but will still get the same if not worse fuel economy.
 
ManglerYJ said:
So are you suggesting he look for a truck with BUCKET seats??? Perhaps a nice console?????
:)
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yes, a huge, uncomfortable console.

And, very rusty truck bed so she won't be willing to get back there.
 
I had a CJ5 when I was 16. I loved it. It ran good but was UGLY when I got it at 15. I spent time and effort on it to fix it up and look good. I had pride and value for what I had. it was a CJ and was cool with the ladies :D It wasn't fast but looked good and was practical for the most part. Good parenting will be your alli when deciding what vehicle to get. Good parenting will get a kid that is responsible with whatever you get them, even if it IS what they want. I wanted a CJ and was good with it.

If my kid wanted a CJ, I'd do it in a heartbeat if it was affordable and I taught them right. If the kid wants a Jeep, go for it if you have confidence in how well you have taught responsibility and liability...

If not, get some big slow tank like Dave described :lol:
 
I vote 4runner. Safer, more reliable. Much better riding and still gets crappy mileage. This 4runner i have now gets similar mileage to any 5.7 or 5.3 fullsize gm i have had but is much easier and more manuverable to drive. And wheels better. I wouldnt throw a kid in any mid 80's minitruck based yota. 1 star crash rating and I HATE a 22r. Im probably going to get flamed for that but well hell....i do. Ive had 2 and sold both with a quickness bc i didnt like them. Spend 4-5 grand and stick em in a 60 series or 80 series. Built like a tank and TOUGH. Nothing on the road can match their durabuility. As for the gas, make him get a job or mooch of his rich buddies whose parents pay for gas. If the budget is lets say 5 grand, do this: 2500 dollar focus and 2500 yehaw vehicle. Make him pay to upkeep and register/insure the yehaw vehicle and help him with the car. Much cheaper in the long run bc it will give him something cheap and reliable to drive and he will take better care of both. The car because its not thirsty and will only see road, and the yehaw vehicle because he pays to keep it up.
 
i wouldnt run anything old and topless. I know i sure as crap wouldnt let a kid drive my fj40 unless it had an AWESOME cage, and good harness/seatbelt setup. Even if they are carefull id feel like shit if some woman on her cellphone in a suburban plowed them and they get hurt when they would have been fine in a normal vehicle. And if my kid ends up anything like me they will be an idiot behind the wheel when they are between the ages of 15-old. I flopped my explorer twice when i was 16/17. Jumped it so hard in a field the headlights blew. and did more doughnuts in my pickup then i could count.
 
He's only gonna be 16 once, get him the wrangler and let the kid have fun! He will be the envy of everyone else driving grandma's old car, he'll learn to wrench, and he will get it stuck and learn some humility! I say a YJ is your best bet, and lucky you I'm probably gonna be selling mine soon! PM me if your interested, it's got a full cage!!
 
Lizooki said:
BWAHAHAHHAHA!
Yep, it's all true. Dang I have havin' 2 drivin' teenagers.
The biggest thing is to have them with you when looking at it ...... I don't care how cool us old farts think it is, it they don't like it they'll whine continuously.
And this goes for anything from color to pinstriping to interior.
Matt
Click to expand...
Can you imagine how I felt when my dad took my 15 year old ass to pick up the Jeep that he had bought ME? It was something I had never seen nor heard of...a Jeepster Commando! :shaking: I was freaking sick!:confused:
We got it home (barely) and put it in 4wd and hit the trails... the rest is history...:beer:
 
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