SUV's for a 16 -17 year old

[Miscue]

4-Runner.

[Alley]

I was in an accident involving a large toyota truck (lifted and large tires) I wasnt driving but, we collided with a VW .....the smaller car created a ramp for the big truck we flipped and ultimately landed on the passanger side of the truck (where I happened to be sitting) ..... The accident required me to be life flighted and several screws inserted into my arm....I'd say the best way to win an accident is not to get in one drive safely teenager.

[Lohman446]

The problem with the SUV size argument... it only matters if you are in one with the wheelbase to be stable (Suburban, Excursion). If you are dealing with something that has a shorter wheelbase they become prone to rolling in an accident. And your "I weigh more" argument is not that true. Look at the weights of the larger cars (Taurus, Bonneviles, the big Mercedes) and they are not exactly light vehicles.

[Python14]

Jeep Cherokee....hands down.


I flipped mine twice (chill out, I was fourwheeling. It's part of the game.) and not only did I not crush it, It was plenty safe to drive afterwards(I had it checked out at the dealership after both rolls.

Honestly, I think more kids need Jeeps.

[WickeDKlowN]

Two of my friends just got Jeep Wranglers(one's a '90 YJ, other is a '04 TJ). I almost want one now because they're badass vehicles, but they're just not me. I've driven both, and I don't know if it's because I dont care for standard's unless it's a car or what, but I prefer my truck to them. I just wish my truck was 4x4...

[ej_y4]

Jeep Cherokee....hands down.

I saw one flip when it got tboned , anyway get what ever you want. Toyota is a great choice, they are not to expenise to mantain.

[rehme]

no you need a truck. i have a 78 ford f-250 and that is a safe ride. it has been rolled a couple times in different ditches not by me but it is still going. it has 4 wheel drive. and a 400 and it can pull anything and anybody. if somebody hits it all well. i can tear the hell out of it all i want because it aint worth anything. best part is it is a ford

[PyRo]

Lets face it, most crash devices are rated for 25mph or less - a crash at highwayy speed will mess you up if you are in a bus, or a passat.

I disagree I took my 91 camaro into a telephone poll at a minimum of 70mph (I'm not sure exactly I was going over 100 when I lost control and went about 40ft with the wheels locked up on dirt). The only injurys I got were a mag lite I kept next to my seat flying into my ankle and a tiny nick on my hand from some broken glass climbing out of the window.
I just got lucky I caught it just to the driver side of the engine so it didn't push the motor back and the car spun around the poll absorbing all the momentum. That spinning also cause the 50lb floorjack in the back to be launched out of the hatch a good 30ft instead of directly into the back of my head.

Lessons learned:
Don't drive like an idiot
If you don't want it flying at your head at 50mph don't have it in the car

Of the two definatly the Toyota it's going to be more reliable, cheaper to maintain, and probably get better gas milage. Cherokees are your friend though

[slateman]

I don't think I'd get an SUV for my kid's first car. My parents had one and it was defintiely not a good idea. Honestly, an old, but realiable, beater is what you want. Easier to fix, runs on minimum amount of maintaince.

But in that case I'd probably have to agree with getting the 4runner

[Dayspring]

That made me laugh...

best part is it is a ford

[warpspyder]

Maybe a car but no way in hell am i driving a minivan
then again who says im inexperienced and also ill be about 17 so.....

Got something against mini-vans huh? 1998 PURPLE Ford Windstar. Man that thing's bad . With the window that doesn't work and the moose on the antenna. Makes me fell very manly. You should get one.

[mcveighr]

Since youll be 17, why dont you jsut get sometihng cheap and good on fuel.

[Vex]

At 17, you need a KIA Sportage or a Hyundai Tucson. We don't need 17 year olds driving Sherman tanks down the highways while they dick with their iPods and talk on their cell phones.

[MarkM]

Between those two, definately Toyota. Rovers are for afficianados (like everything British ) who don't mind a trail of parts following them around. Parts and labor will also be exorbitant.

/wants a 110 Defender badly
//sorry Britons, but I've had two MGs and a Triumph in my family

I agree with you, A Discovery is not a good idea unless you have deep pockets for parts (you will need parts) They drive like a boat in a storm and change gears when they feel like it unless you drive sensibly. The Defender is a different vehicle altogether and a whole different driving style other than being the same company they are like chalk and cheese to compare them...oh another thing to think about with the Rover group cars, they just went bust (about a month ago) so parts prices are going to skyrocket.

Inline with other replys here about buying an SUV as a first driver, not the most sensible thing in the world but then given the costs of both of the vehicles asked about it would be a fair guess to assume that this is not being paid for by Maxama10 and the money would be better spent on a car not an SUV.

[Kevmaster]

i strongly believe in the size argument. i will grant you, though, that anything above 30-40mph headon and your likely gunna be f'd no matter what you're driving. but what cars are regarded as the safer cars? benzes...volvos (pre-ford)...bmws. three heavy cars. sure, they have great saftey measures in the car and have lots of research done to enhance saftey, but they all weigh a TON.

its just the physics of it. throw a 5oz clay ball at a 1oz clay ball at the same sped and what happens? they collide and the 1oz clay ball sticks to the bigger one (while getting crushed around the big ball in the process) and they move in the path of the 5oz ball (slightly adjusted). sure, a car wreck isn't that extreme (5:1) nor is steel as maleable as clay, but the basic laws of physics still happen, to a lesser degree.

im not saying you havn't seen bad wrecks involving SUVs. And some of it may relate to the design of the SUV where that manufacturer may have flaws in their design. But when big object 1 hits small object 2, in most cases big object 1 'wins'. (winning here, though, may be which body is less mutalated)