raycanales

My Daughter is 15 yrs old now and its starting to ask for a car .. I would of course like to get her a MB ... what do you guys think C32 and buy her some lap time at the only track close to me ..

btw

shes only driven my 4X4 trucks and loves them and we are in South Texas where trucks rule the roads

alpinweiss

Quinceañera present? You didn't mention how much you wanted to spend.

Any AMG car is very high performance. This means it will be very expensive to insure and maintain for a teenage driver. Does she really need this level of performance? Perhaps a C230k or C320 sport sedan would give the sports car experience with a bit lower risk. The track time is an excellent idea, and will help her explore the dynamics of the car in a safer environment.

raycanales

I want to spend somewhere in the 20's 25K maybe .. I have reconsidered the AMG for a tamer version maybe an Acura TL or something in that ball park, now I could always get her a typical South texas Vehicle
2500HD 4X4 with a 6" lift and a tumba burros on the front ..

the track time is a must .. just waiting for the track to open in march again

1985mb

Get her something with a clutch and stick

Preferably RWD.

Ecin

get her a 03 c230 or a brand new altima... then give her a nicer car when she's 18 cuz you know that is coming.

MercedesFTW

Did she say she wanted something performance oriented?

Most of my girl friends liked the ML better than the C55...I have no idea why.

Scoop55

I'd lean towards a C230K or 3-series. They have plenty of zip for a first time driver. If she proves to be a smart, safe driver, then I'd raise the performance bar a bit.

AndrewAZ

Pick up a used 3 series. Unless you want to lease a new 3 series for a few years you can do so for about $14K total cost for 3 years(total cost will vary based depends on options). Just about everyone has an accident in the first 2 years of driving, my best advice would be lease a new 3 series for 3 years. That way when she totals it you have GAP insurance or if its minor you dont have to worry about the cars value being depreciated because of the accident since you dont own the car.

Also another car worth taking a look at is an audi A4 with quatro, very safe car and has a lot of control, you can lease a new one for a few thousand less than a BMW.

My last bit of advice dont give a kid a car with more than 250hp, I still remember all the kids back in high school and how many accidents happened because of kids not being able to control their car. Even with driver training you will crash, in fact I went to bonderant teen driving course and another kid from my high school was in my class. His last year in highschool he was making a left turn a little to fast in his pickup and ended up sliding the back end out and spiing around crashing into a curb and a bush he was lucky he didnt hit the light pole.

AndrewAZ

Or the ML is a great first time car, you really cant do anything wront driving it. Its really a fool proof car, under very hard driving it exhibits just a tad of under-steer but getting to that point wold scare the crap out of most drivers. Let me tell you all the girls loved that car, after I got an ML way back just about every teen in my neighborhood got one, fantastic first car for the spoiled teen.

MercedesFTW

If I could rechoose my first car, it still would be the ML.

It's very safe, as I learned through experience. My ML got hit in the back by a hyundai and the complete front of that car was destroyed, yet all I needed was a new back bumper. Then a year later, a honda hit me at a slower speed. The whole front of his hood was dented in...my hitch cover fell off (if only I had the tow hitch!). It's a tank.

thegeneraltso

for a 15 yrs old, i would get her maybe a scion tc or something low-key. i wouldn't want her to attract the wrong boys.

she is after all only 15, she has a life time ahead of her to truely enjoy a mercedes... like your quote says "too much of anything is good for nothing..."

1985mb

Not doubting what happened, but the damage to each car is also going to partially depend on relative weight/mass, right?

A presumably smaller and lighter car (like the Hyundai in your example) will, all else being equal, sustain more damage than your heavier ML.

Take a MB C-class and replicate that accident with a Hummer, Escalade or LX/Landcruiser. That C-class will probably look a lot like that Hyundai that crashed into you.

1985mb

Acura TSX instead of TL (assuming stick)...

Or Accord V6 w/ 6-speed stick?

Could also consider:

Mini Cooper S (optional JCW package)
Golf GTI/Jetta GLI
Honda Civic Si
Mazda Miata
MazdaSpeed 3
E36 3-series
Subaru Forester XT (tamer version of WRX)
Etc...

MercedesFTW

1985MB380SE- Yea, it's all relative to weight, etc. Conservation of momentum/impluse. Doesn't mean that the ML isn't a safe SOB

The C is also pretty strongly built...it's heavier than the comparable jap-sized car.

raycanales

Im starting to lean towards a 3 Series Bimmer ... why not afterall I liked those little bimmers when I was young , maybe I should ask her what she would like to own and go from there ...



she does love big trucks, maybe the fact that we are in Texas has something to do with it ...

scottw

http://www.wnbc.com/news/10727172/detail.html


I am not sure this thread will work...but I would caution against getting a teen any sort of high performance car. If a MB is in order, I would get a nice and pokey used C 240 with AWD. No manual. My son is now 15 and he too is asking for a car.....I think it will be an H3 Hummer, since he is 6'4'' already.

1985mb

True that

1985mb

Good point


This I don't understand. If the young driver is willing, why not get something manual? It will mean a lifetime of freedom (to drive either transmission).

Why take away those options at such an early stage?

If you're going that route, you could also consider their new line of crossover SUVs (GMC Acadia, forgot what the Saturn and Buick versions are called)...supposed to be built on a better platform.

All else being equal, crossovers will probably be safer than truck-based SUVs because they're built on car platforms, have a lower center of gravity and will be less prone to roll over.

TREZ63

I bought my own car when I was 16. It was a 1972 coupe deville (back in the early 90s). The thing was a damned boat and weighted like a million tons. I don't really understand the mindset of parents that spend a lot of cash on their kid's first car but far be it from me to judge ..

With that said, I would really really really consider the C240 idea if I were you. Here's why:

You can get one for song these days still under warranty
Its a great looking car
It's extremely safe
Insurance is about as low as they get
And its not a rocket like the C32 so she'l stay out of trouble
She'll still be the envy of all the kids at her school cause her daddy bought her a benz

Just make damn sure you buy the extended warranty cause now matter how well she drives, teens just have a way of destroying cars that's beyond me.

Good luck and make her work for it

HLG600

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-...QQcmdZViewItem

ironcheflam

i got a civic when i was 15... i wish you were my dad

MercedesFTW

A girl at my school drives a G500...we're all scared of her! It's not that she tries to be a bad driver, somehow she ends up on the sidewalk half the time she tries to turn...

Get her a X3? It's a hate/love design, but I think it's fitting for a 15/16 year old girl.

HLG600

But they're in Texas, where trucks "rule the road." And the G500 is the king of street-legal 4x4. I understand what you're saying though, except girls in my school ride around in RRs and other SUVs which could also do a fair amount of damage. X3/X5 isn't a bad idea either. My friend just picked one up and she loves it.

ironcheflam

wouldnt they have drivers then?

MercedesFTW

Probably meaning Range Rovers. Not Rolls!