Ministang

No way I'll let my kids own a 300+ hp car when they are 16, much less drive any of mine, unless I'm with them. I got into enough trouble with the 1981 Mustang V8 Cobra (120 hp!) I bought the week I turned 18. My dad refused to co-sign a loan for any of us kids (I was upset at the time, 22 years later I understand why). So as soon as I turned 18, I went out and got a loan and bought the Cobra on my own for $3000. IIRC my payments were $186/month for 18 months. The 4.2L V8 Ford used for two years in the Mustang back then sucked, so I dropped a 5.0L engine in from a 1979 parts car I bought and hopped it up a little bit on a budget, might have been putting out 180 hp after I was done if I was lucky.

hawkeye18

I think SHOs are a great car for a 16 y/o. The old ones, mind, not the new ones. A 15 y/o 4-door sedan means they won't be "the coolest kid on the block" and have to show off all the time, it only has 220hp (makes me sad to say that, but it's the truth, 220hp ain't s*** nowadays) and isn't easily modifiable for more power (it's nigh-on impossible to get 300chp without FI). And, it'll teach them how to work on cars, cos they break all the **** time.

At least, that's what I did. I was 19 instead of 16, but same concept. And insurance is hella cheap on a '94 SHO, I tell you what...

fdjizm

I don't see a reason for a 16yr old to have a 400hp car, that's just asking for troouble and going ahead with it anyway, "but dad i'm mature" will never work on me.

YardSpecial

So all young kids are immature ?? Come on now. Our son had his GT for 1 1/2 years with zero issues.


I think proper parenting comes to play here................

jjS89LX

Have to agree... Being 19 now.

Had a fox body when I was 16. Watched it sit in my drive way for 6 months before I turned 16. I took care of that car more than anything and it kept my butt out of trouble and busy. When the car broke down and parents said lets take it to a shop I begged to work on it. I will say I was lucky and given a second car a two months before I turned 18, due that the coupe kept breaking down. But, Finally fixed it and put it in the garage and sold it this year. Planning on trading the mustang I drive now in and buying a new 2011 Gt.

Any child raised correctly, will learn to value that qualities of life. For the some that do not know qualities of life will take everything they have for granted and treat everything like it can be replaced tomorrow.

My daily

My coupe.

Blue Notch

Your story sounds really similar to mine. 19 here too. Bought my notch at 15 and put my heart in it. Was lucky enough to get a new edge GT for a DD when I was 18, which I'll buy from my dad once I finish college. Any more pics? Love that color!

tacbear

I pulled over a 2010 Camaro that passed my unmarked patrol car going 95 mph. The driver was a 16 year old female with 2 passengers (none wearing seatbelts). The bill of sale showed the car cost $30,000+...Mommy and Daddy paid $5000.00 down. Mommy and Daddy have $550.00 in fines to pay!

officespace56

I am about to turn 20 and I have had an '06 GT since I was 16 years old. No speeding tickets, no accidents. This car is my pride and joy and to this day I still clean it once a week minimum, wax it twice a month, and clay, polish, and wax it at the beginning and end of the year. My dad and I have worked on this car together since day one and have added various modifications to it on our own in our garage. It has been a great 4 years and has taught me to value and take pride in the things I own. I have also taken driving courses at Brainard International Raceway, and learned things about cars that I would have otherwise not been interested in if I didn't have a beautiful car like the Mustangs we all own.

laserred38

It's really hard for me to stay out of this thread without falling into an envious, parent-disliking rant. But guys really. Smarten up. So a handful of you/us have been responsible with our cars (and even then, most would look at me and see me as irresponsible as all heck), but look at the numbers. They don't lie. Kids, and young males in general, are more reckless, especially with a high powered car. You guys who are all going "look at me, I did it, I'm responsible" probably represent 0.00001% of the population of drivers.

BA Mustang

I was lucky enough to get my 67 at 15. Since then I have pretty much put everything I have earned into it just to make it look like it does now. I'm 18 now and have yet to be pulled over and yet to wreck. I'm now to the point where getting a GT is actually an option.

cntchds

I can't say that I'm against a kid having any car that he puts his hard earned dollar into, but handing over the keys to a car with that much power to even the most responsible 16 year old will have him(or her...) listening to the devil on their shoulder more than they should.

All through my freshman year of high school I saved my money to buy my 200k+ mile 94 GT, and I put my heart and soul in this car. I could count on my hand the number of kids who could claim the same achievement at my high school. I could also count on the same hand how many responsible drivers there were at the school. People who are given things simply do not treat them in the same fashion as people who earn their things. Every one of my friends say that I drive like a grandma, because all of my friends beat the hell out of the cars they were given.

I don't mean to sound cruel, but a car should not be seen as a gift, but as a responsibility. I believe that earning it is the only way to feel the weight of that responsibility.

jjS89LX

Oh yeah, I have plenty more... Just to give more background... I took this and edited them myself.







Edit, for some reason photobucket does not enjoy detailed pictures?

Blue Notch

Very nice!

fdjizm

No of course not all but most and it's been proven time and time again.

not ALL though.

jjS89LX

Thanks

Jayhawk

The school district we belong to is known for high school parking lots being full of really nice cars - cars I could not afford even. 16 year olds running around in Audi A4s, Land Rover Discovery, some Mercedes and some Porsches, even. A couple of years ago, some parents bough their then-16-year-old a brand new black Shelby GT500! drove me nuts. I don't care if you CAN afford it, those parents are setting expectations a bit high for a kid.

coffeejolts

I had a big message written up, then deleted it. Long story short: when my son is sixteen, I want him to focus on his school work, not his car payment. Besides, most colleges won't let you park on campus for the first two years. He'll have his whole life to work his @$$ off. I'm all about teaching responsibility, but there are lots of ways to teach it.

THebb22

I'm sure some of you will probably hate on me a bit for this. I actually caught some crap when I first posted pictures when I got my car back in 05. I was given a brand new Saleen 281 for my 18th birthday. I've worked hard my entire life. Got straight A's all through school, was my class valedictorian, and was always involved in sports. I didn't have time to work during the school year. I just worked as much as possible during the summer. I'm now almost 23, finished with college, working as a full time manager, and still driving the same car. I do everything I can to take care of it to the best of my ability and always have. I've done all of my own work on this car and have been very responsible with it the entire time. I never took this car for granted as a lot of people do. I don't like the fact that I got thrown into that group of irresponsible teenagers because there are plenty of people out there who can actually handle the responsibility. However, at the same time I completely agree with you because at this age I see too many kids out driving like idiots or being given something and not taking care of it at all. I feel like that makes me sound like a hypocrite but there are so many variables from person to person as to whether they should actually be able to own a 300+ hp car at a young age that I can't say people should feel one way or another. Just depends on the person...end of story.

laserred38

Jolts, I had a long message written too, from the other side of things. Who says he has his whole life ahead of him? Tomorrow isn't guaranteed to anyone. One of the worst problems with our younger generation, myself included, is the notion of instant gratification. We want what we want, and we want it now. And all you guys who have ordered 11s and are *****ing about not getting your cars on time all fall under that category too. Our society has become obsessed with the newest thing and getting it now, and even if we can't afford it, we'll get it on credit. So I understand from a parent's perspective, you trying to curb that notion and teach your child responsibility by making them wait to buy their own brand new car with their own money.

But if your child has money saved up and has been responsible, IMO you should let then buy their own car (within their means of course) as SOON as possible. Again I had a long life story message typed out, but my story doesn't matter and no one wants to hear me whine about my situation, but you parents out there need to realize that there comes a point in your child's life that no matter how many times you try to TELL them something, they just will not take it to heart until they've done it on their OWN. And the majority of us on this site are car enthusiasts, raise by car enthusiast parents, and will probably raise car enthusiast children. I've had so many deals with my parents fall through when I was younger, that in some ways I don't trust them. I never ever asked them to buy me a car. And well, they never did anyways, but I was handed down both of the only cars I have driven to date, one by my godfather, and my current V6 used to be my mom's. I've paid all for all the maintenance and insurance and mods though. The thing is though, I had money saved up for a car. Living under their rules, with them paying for my school meant that even though I had money, they wouldn't let
me spend it. Well not on a car anyways. They let me waste as much as I wanted on my ex girlfriends without telling me that would be a waste. I would have much rather them let me "waste" my money on the car that I wanted when I could have afforded it, as even though it would literally be a waste of money too, it would at least still be around today! ...My point is, the only way they are going to learn, as evidenced by the guys who have chimed in on this thread, is if you let them teach themselves, as young as possible. If you try to shelter them all through college, they will never grow up. I am fortunate enough to have been still living at home when I lost my job last month (I graduate last May, 2009). But I have wanted nothing more than to be out on my own, since I was 16. But being an only child, and a cop's son, I haven't been "allowed" to do that. Luckily so I do have parents that love me, but in a way, they have done TOO much for me, more than I asked them to. I know I won't know what that's like until I (hopefully) have my own kids, but I know there are many things that I would do differently.

So while some of you guys are young and have your dream cars now, if you bought them yourselves and are doing well, I salute you. But you guys sound like you have this complex of being representative of our whole age group. And really, you don't. You/we are the minority. And I do NOT want to think about the majority of kids our age getting a 305+ hp RWD car for their 16th birthday. Not only because I would worry about driving next to them, especially in the rain/snow, but also because once I am in a position to (fricken finally) buy my dream Mustang again, I want to actually be able to afford the car AND the **** insurance. I'm young, I want to be able to buy and enjoy my **** toys before gas costs $10/gallon and the govt takes away our high horsepower V8s! If there's one thing that my parents have tried to teach me, but I failed to grasp until I learned it the hard way (multiple times now, sigh) it is to prepare for the worst. Calculating things out, assuming I live a healthy life into my middle age, the world for us car enthusiasts is going to get pretty ugly in the next 20 years or so (especially in California, as if it wasn't bad enough already). Those of you who are enthusiasts who are raising enthusiasts, let them get out there and buy their dream car, within their means, as SOON as possible. Nothing will teach them responsibility better than owning their own dream car, paid for with their own money. You say you want them to focus on school? Well trust me, if they're any kind of enthusiast like I am, they will be much more focused knowing they have that shiny Mustang to go out to after class, that they bought for all themselves. Throughout my 16 years in school, I would guess that in total, I have spent 2-3 years of that day-dreaming about buying and modding my own V8 Mustang. And if they're anything like me, a V6 will not cut it. I'd rather have many other cars than a V6 Auto Mustang, and I mean this, no offense to any of you guys who own a V6 Auto. It just doesn't do it for me. And honestly the 11s are in such a different league than the SN95 cars, that I don't even think about them when I say that! . Not only that, a car that I was handed down, without asking for, does not cut it for me. Call me ungrateful, call me selfish. I'm not. Giving me that car didn't teach me anything, other than my parents love me. And I didn't need them to give me a car to tell me that. I would have much rather them let me blow my savings on a POS barely running 5.0 that I had to work on to drive. Trust me, I would have gotten my homework done a LOT faster knowing my own car, that I bought with my own money, was waiting for me to put my elbow-grease into, than sit there day-dreaming about putting my elbow grease into a car that I didn't have...

Do you guys get it now?!? Yes, I'm obsessed. I blame my parents.

laserred38

Get out of here. You're an outlier, you don't count!