What Jeep for a 16 yr old new driver?

GCncsuHD said:
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.
Click to expand...
I know NOTHING about newer Jeeps, mine is 44 years old. I thought Cherokees were known for good mileage. I would much rather have him a full size pickup... Hmmm... we may be looking at the Chevys again:beer::flipoff2:
And like I've always said, if I'm going to be in a wreck, I want to win!
 
Think he's safer in old iron? Think again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_ptUrQOMPs

1st off, Make HIM buy his first vehicle and it should be a manual trans so he HAS to learn to drive one. (EVERYONE should.) It should honestly be an 80's Toyota Pickup. Totally gutless even in 5 speed form, bulletproof for stupid teenager tricks and easy and cheap to work on. I jumped mine numerous times (Mom and Dad still don't know and I'm 34) and it kept on going.
 
I had an 88 xj at 16. It was quick and with "30 tires went everywhere. Lots of memories in that jeep and the only problem at 250k miles was a new ignition module. Plus the seats laid flat in the back for ladies. You won't go wrong and no it's no as cool as a wrangler but it was cheap and for a 16 that wheeled it and put about 100k miles on it in a few years it was indestructible.

Buy an xj and never look back.
 
I got my TJ around 16 now that I think about it (probably closer to 17, my first car was my dads old Chrysler Sebring).

It was a 4 banger manual. Id say get him the manual, you learn something most people dont really know anymore, plus with a TJ thats really the best way to go.

By the time I sold mine, I had a 2" bb on it and 32's. Still ran fine, was slow, but meh....its a Jeep. Loved the soft top and mine had half doors. Brought the suck in Boone in the winter, but really I regret getting rid of it.
 
Back when I was in high school my dad basically said no Wranglers and no Sports Cars due to insurance cost. He may have just been saying that, but I've always been under the impression that Wranglers were very expensive to insure for a young driver. It might be worth looking into.
 
Fart said:
but I've always been under the impression that Wranglers were very expensive to insure for a young driver
Click to expand...

With the "new" pricing (probably used the "new math" to cipher)...

EVERYTHING is expensive to insure for a new driver! My 17 y/o's insurance (on a 14 y/o Camry) is more than myself/wife on the 4 other vehicles! :rolleyes:

My insurance guy told me the latest intel was showing many many parents not allowing their kids to drive until 18, skirting the higher premiums. of course, now they changed their premium structure to read "first time drivers"... so the next door neighbor that's gotta be 40+ & driving for the first time (dopey husband still subscribes to barefoot, pregnant, & in the kitchen) pays more than the average double DUI recipient
 
I love the comments about buying tires or something so he won't try to wheel it or something slow so he can't speed....

My dad bought me a 96 2dr Explorer 2wd for $400 bucks.

I had to fix a bunch of random crap on it and pay to have a head gasket replaced.

I wheeled that thing more than my damn K5 on 44s I had later on.

I sped like a dumbass, yea that mofo could hit 95.

Buy him something he will have pride in, I HATED my explorer, so I beat the shit out of it.

If you buy him something he likes but needs work, take the time to work on it with him now, before he's 16 so by the time he can drive he hopefully wont want to thrash it.
 
kcon said:
Buy him something he will have pride in, I HATED my explorer, so I beat the shit out of it.
If you buy him something he likes but needs work, take the time to work on it with him now, before he's 16 so by the time he can drive he hopefully wont want to thrash it.
Click to expand...


Well said, I think that's the key point in all of this.
:beer:
 
On the milage deal, if you can find a TBI full size chevy say 88~95 you may be shocke at the mileage you can get. Tuned up in good shape with 33-35s 20+ isnt out of the question if driven like a grandpa...so he should be able to get at least 13mpg lol
 
an early Toyota truck. 85-92

gets 20 mpg, slow as all get out, still 4WD and he can learn to work on it.
 
Back
Top