How to talk my 17 year old son out of buying a camaro

[the DRIZZLE]

If you are dumb enough to kill yourself in a Camaro, then you're dumb enough to kill yourself in a Civic too. There's nothing inherently dangerous about a Camaro. It's rwd, and hopefully has a v8. Big deal. That's how cars are supposed to be. I would only be worried if your son is thinking about a v6 Camaro. My only other advice to him would be to save up for an ls1 Camaro, which was around 1998. But the lt1 in the '94 is probably a good starter car.

Then why do insurance companies charge different prices?

 

[Baked]

This is why you have 2 children. If one's too stupid to listen, then you still have a backup to pass on your genes. If you only have 1, then you're out of luck.

 

[Ricemarine]

I would've thought the insurance discussion would be enough to get the point across.

If anything, 17 is a good age for him to keep saving money for college. If it was me, I'd sponsor 50% of the car if he buys the civic as long as he saves the other 50% for college.

 

[TalonStrike]

He's a grown man. Let him make his own decisions.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Let him live his lesson. I'm a much better driver for having a muscle car at that age. Did some stupid stuff, but learned fast.
You only have to learn a lesson once if life gives you that chance.

I feel sorry for those that didn't go through the same experiences.

yeah, this is not the best advice

 

[0roo0roo]

94 camaro?

i wonder how many horses have left the barn at this point...

upkeep/tires/insurance/gas...he may have a car but he won't have much money left.

old camaro poor handling kind of keeps you safe, it doesn't inspire confidence to say the least.

 

[alkemyst]

In reality I see more wannabes wrecking four door family imports than muscle cars.

When a kid wrecks a muscle car, luxury car, or other showy car; it gets more media attention.

 

[JulesMaximus]

In reality I see more wannabes wrecking four door family imports than muscle cars.

When a kid wrecks a muscle car, luxury car, or other showy car; it gets more media attention.

You do realize that 4 door family cars way outsell muscle cars right?:whiste:

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

muscle cars are a bad idea because he will want to test out the muscle.

He needs a neon or some low powered thing.

 

[janas19]

The best thing to do is have your son learn more about Camaros. Once he does that, two things will happen: a, he won't want to buy one anymore. B, he'll appreciate it even more, so less likely to wreck it.

The worst thing that can happen is if he takes it for granted and only for fun. Then he'll have no respect for it = bad.

 

[eldorado99]

I don't appreciate your concern about him buying a fast car, because a 94 Camaro is not fast by today's standards, not even close. In any event, any car is fast enough for an inexperienced driver to get into danger easily. If your son is a dangerous driver then he is a dangerous driver, but everyone goes through a period where they are inexperienced and is more at risk. I know I made plenty of stupid mistakes when I was learning to drive that could have cost me my life, and there are plenty of kids that make the same mistakes and end up paying with their lives.

At some point you have to have some trust in your son that he is his own man. Life is not without risk, and it is scary to extend control to your kids to the point that you cannot mitigate any damage they may do with the choices they make... but that is also part of life. Let him buy the Camaro because it is his preference. Him getting a driver's license is the part you should have been "stressed" about, but it has to happen as part of growing into a capable adult.

 

[blankslate]

Tell him that you'll give him your blessing if he pays to take performance driving classes. Then bribe the instructor to not compliment him too much.

 

[disappoint]

old camaro poor handling kind of keeps you safe, it doesn't inspire confidence to say the least.

Poor handling is not safe. You want him to flip over?

Tell your son you'll pay for a Chevy Cruze. One of the safest cars out there with 10 airbags, ABS, traction control and stability control standard.

Handles great too if you get a 2LT or LTZ they have sport suspension standard. The LS and 1 LT have mushier suspension. Yuck. Thpugh the suspension can later be modified anyway.

Not a dog in performance either with its decent flat torque curve from 1850rpm on up. Though its no muscle car but muscle cars are overated, especially 18 year old ones. He's getting a car older than him?

 

[SparkyJJO]

Poor handling is not safe. You want him to flip over?

The Camaro, like most cars, isn't that easy to flip over. Actually, it is fairly hard due to how low it sits and the low center of gravity. We're not talking about an SUV or crossover here

Tell your son you'll pay for a Chevy Cruze. One of the safest cars out there with 10 airbags, ABS, traction control and stability control standard.

FWIW, ABS and some form of traction control are federally mandated rolleyes on all new cars now. And 10 airbags in a smaller car? Holy crap. Are car makers on some airbag count race like Intel and AMD have had core count races? Why not just make the car have a billion of them like the Mars rovers did. Bump a curb and you're instantly encased in an airbag cocoon.

 

[ussfletcher]

When I wanted to buy a used Mustang a couple years ago, all my dad had to say to me to change my mind was something along the lines of "what will be the first thing you do if you get that car?" My answer, burnout of course, his response "now imagine that car enduring 6 years of that, and you want to buy it?"

 

[0roo0roo]

Poor handling is not safe. You want him to flip over?

Tell your son you'll pay for a Chevy Cruze. One of the safest cars out there with 10 airbags, ABS, traction control and stability control standard.

Handles great too if you get a 2LT or LTZ they have sport suspension standard. The LS and 1 LT have mushier suspension. Yuck. Thpugh the suspension can later be modified anyway.

Not a dog in performance either with its decent flat torque curve from 1850rpm on up. Though its no muscle car but muscle cars are overated, especially 18 year old ones. He's getting a car older than him?

no more than any other big sedan.

its the light pocket rocket i'd fear, folks think they are more nimble than they are.

 

[j&j]

A 94 Z-28 camaro even, 5.7L LT-1 based engine car is only a 14second 1/4 mile car. Any modern V6 sedan is just as fast today actually, Altima, Camry, Accord, blah blah blah.

Anyway, just make sure he understands rear wheel drive, take him out in the rain in parking lot away from light poles, learn to control the car when it gets sideways and make sure you have some decent tires on the car.

Once you do that, it's plenty safe, there is a million parts for them, the engines and transmissions are reliable, and they are cheap to work on.

 

[disappoint]

The Camaro, like most cars, isn't that easy to flip over. Actually, it is fairly hard due to how low it sits and the low center of gravity. We're not talking about an SUV or crossover here



FWIW, ABS and some form of traction control are federally mandated rolleyes on all new cars now. And 10 airbags in a smaller car? Holy crap. Are car makers on some airbag count race like Intel and AMD have had core count races? Why not just make the car have a billion of them like the Mars rovers did. Bump a curb and you're instantly encased in an airbag cocoon.

Love the rolling eyes icon. You think you're real smart don't you? I suppose you think I'm real dumb too right?

Here, you could learn a lot from a dummy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcTf78b8WfY&feature=related

Notice how the dummy in the blue car hits his dummy head on the A pillar even with the front airbag going off.

I'm still alive to roll my real eyes at all the real dummies out there.

 

[mafia]

when I was 18, I saved up and bought myself a Honda S2000. Still have it to this day. Learned so much from that car.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Learned something crazy today... if you have a power position and you want someone to do something then just ask.

 

[Rhoxed]

I'm very 50/50 about this... you have to know your sons personality.

My brothers first car was a 1986 Chrysler New Yorker (it saved his life) Then a 1996 Ford Explorer - Now he has a 2006 Dodge Ram
My girlfriends first car was a 1994 Geo Prizm (almost got her killed) Then a 1996 Cutlass (saved her life) now a 1986 Grand Marquis Coupe
My dads first car was a 1964 Mustang (almost got him killed) He hasn't owned anything but Firebirds, Camaros, Mustangs, and Corvette's since I have been born.
My first car was a 1989 Firebird (still have it) and I own a 2001 Accord Coupe. *knocks on wood* I have a much better driving record than most in my family.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Lets see a Civic do this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSPjC1Ek7vA

i don't know if you know this, but just about any car made in the last 20 years can go over 100 mph.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Car safety is the difference between life and death when he eventually gets into an accident, over here we have very strict codes on that.

You could drive a modern mini straight through this car and while everyone in the Camaro would be dead the people in the mini would all be ok.

It's like getting anything over 1000cc's for your first bike, you won't have the experience to control it and once you do crash you are going to crash real hard.

Get him a used Volvo or Audi, it might save his life.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

when I was 18, I saved up and bought myself a Honda S2000. Still have it to this day. Learned so much from that car.

I hope you're not racing any Escorts with that thing...

Better double clutch or your manifold will break (that means the floorboard on the passenger side falls out).

It's amazing what you can learn from watching racing documentaries.

 

[Dulanic]

My 2nd car was a 94 firebird which is same as the Camaro... I'm still alive.... Barely. It is actually still kicking as I know who owns it.