Considering buying my 16 year old a brand new Wrangler High Altitude

[Baconator]

When I turned 16, my parents got me a brand new car. It was a Ford escort, so not quite the same, but my point stands and is probably strengthened by your more costly purchase.

Do not buy a 16 yo a new car. I don't care about being spoiled and all that. Get him a beater for a year or two.

I broke a tie rod hitting a curb at about 20, had to get 2 new automatic transmissions from doing stupid shit, friend put a big dent in the hood sitting on it.

16 year old boys brains have not developed to take care of something they haven't earned.

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[John VonJeep]

My daily driver is a 2018 6-speed manual hatchback. When my daughter goes off to college in 4 years, she will get it. The car will be 7 years old at that point, but I will know it has been well-maintained and (hopefully) that it hasn't been in any wrecks. It has ABS, stability control, airbags, and an excellent crash-test rating. But it also has manual windows, no cruise control, and no active safety.

The car will be worth about $5k at the point she receives it, which strikes me as about right for a college student. I will send it off with fresh tires and brakes, a fresh battery, fresh fluids, and any other maintenance that needs doing. I will make her help me perform as much of this maintenance as possible. I'm sure it will have some nicks and scratches. It will not impress her friends. But it should serve as safe, reliable transportation that will also require her to learn how to drive, rather than relying on a bunch of electronic aids, and to pay attention to what is going on around her. Which is the point.

If, at any point, she can afford to buy herself a nicer car, then she is, of course, welcome to do so!

 

[MtCamper]

Do what you want and can afford. Be aware that it takes an entire car for a male to learn how to drive. It can be done a piece at a time or all at once but it still takes the entire car. Jeeps are pretty safe so the kid should be Ok when (not if) he wrecks it.

 

[Philly_]

Four doors will feel more planted than the two doors, and each generation of Jeep has improved on the suspension and on-road driving dynamics which makes them significantly harder to roll than an old CJ-5. He won't flip this thing unless you (improperly) jack it way up in the air and he drives like a maniac.

My brother, sister, and I all had Jeeps growing up (not new, but newer) and they were fantastic vehicles that we proceeded to modify and run into the ground. Highly recommend as a first car, but you should consider an extended test drive, borrow, or rent one to get a good feel for the vehicle.

It is definitely not a Mercedes, but I see that as a good thing.

 

[wcjeep]

Do we think this is a good idea? Not the average car for a 16 year old for sure, but this boy is for sure deserving of it. It was either this or a Mercedes but we're worried about that getting keyed (or something (the wife is quite the paranoid freak) ). Ive heard the wrangler is easy to flip which is definitely a concern.


Please feel free to share any opinions or info

Thanks.

Just bought my 16yr old daughter a new 2dr Sport. She preferred the 2dr. She drove an 07' Grand Cherokee until it died. I looked at 2012 era JK's. Side airbags were a $400 option most owners of the time didn't bother to purchase. Insurance went up $8 per month for the new JL. Used JK's with low mileage are $1k to $2k cheaper than buying new. Found a local dealer that sold at msrp. Not sure how JL Wranglers perform on the Moose Test. Any SUV or truck will tip over easier than a Camry or Accord.

 

[goose77]

Sahara High Altitude would make a good first car with all the safety options. Chances are he would take it off-road, but that is what a Jeep is for. As for all the comments, I went to a high school where kids would show up in new Benzs, Porsches, Caddys Hummers etc.. If you are fortunate enough be able to afford your kid a car like that go for it. Its a safe reliable ride. My first Jeep was used rusty 1980 CJ7. I rolled it twice but it just rolled back on its side and kept driving.

Good luck

 

[RickC137]

New Wrangler or a new Mercedes for a 16 year old?

Either one is a fabulous idea. Truly fabulous.

 

[DanW]

Do we think this is a good idea? Not the average car for a 16 year old for sure, but this boy is for sure deserving of it. It was either this or a Mercedes but we're worried about that getting keyed (or something (the wife is quite the paranoid freak) ). Ive heard the wrangler is easy to flip which is definitely a concern.


Please feel free to share any opinions or info

Thanks.

You are the parent, so it is your call and nobody has the right to judge.

Just remember that a 16 year old's frontal lobe is underdeveloped, and that controls many things including judgement. I say that because my son is like me and would immediately think of off-roading it. I helped him to buy and fix up an 04 Grand Cherokee. It didn't take him long to find dirt and rip the front bumper off of it, along with the front fender liners and also breaking a shock and shock mount in the rear. He then cut the exhaust off to "make it sound better." Yep, he's just like I would have been. Fortunately, I had a Chevette at his age which would get stuck in dust.

But I will tell you this story, really to share with every parent, when thinking of what they give to their kids. A pshychiatrist who treats serious drug addicts and their families shared it with me a few years back.....

A young man, about 23 years old, was in the ICU after going into a coma caused by heavy marijuana use. (Yes, majuana, which everyone these days seems to think is harmless.) Anyway, he was a mess and in a coma and my friend was working with his Dad to try and help him cope. His dad was one of the weathiest men in our state and will go unnamed. He was the CEO of a big company and had a long track record of great success.

Anyway, he told my friend, "I don't know where I went wrong. I grew up dirt poor. I gave him everything I did not have growing up, and now this." My friend then said, "Well, you grew up poor and had to work for everything you got, right?" The man responded, "Yes." My friend then said, "What exactly did you not have that you needed to become the success you are?"

I'll leave it at that. There is a pretty big lesson learned there and it begs the question, what is our job as a parent? Friend? No. Bestower of rewards? Maybe sometimes? Or is it to raise our kids to become successful adults? I believe the latter, but I've not always been as disciplined or consistent as I have intended.

Parenting is very hard. I have 9 children and their mother and I have made plenty of mistakes. And one size doesn't fit all. I've got several kids that never ask for a thing and are very successful students and young people. I've got others that are pretty spoiled (I use that term generally, as a short way of saying they get most of what they want, so not suggesting your child would be or is spoiled) and do just fine. And then I've got one who was spoiled and totally acts like it. I worry most about him. But then I've got a 13 year old who we've made what I think are all the right moves with and she is challenging us at every turn. The jury is out on her, but she's definitely not spoiled. No cell phone, no computer, no nothing, because we've taken them away due to abuse. One thing I do know is that I've not spared the rod with any of them. When they screw up, they get consequences, sure as the sun rises in the east.

I know this. As an educator who has worked with tens of thousands of kids over 28 years, most as an administrator, I see farrrrr fewer problems with kids who have strict and relatively frugal parents than those who get everything they want. But there are always exceptions.

All that said, I am the last to be able to judge anyone, as again, I've made as many mistakes as anyone. The best thing I've found is prayer and leaning on God as much as possible, and training the kids to keep Christ at the center of their lives. The older ones (3 of them) appear to be mostly doing that and are on their way to success as loving and caring human beings who make mostly good sound decisions, and I'm talking much deeper/broader terms than financial success.

 

[Suspect]

This has gotta be a troll post lol

 

[OllieChristopher]

I'm in full agreement for Rob to purchase a brand new wrangler for his 16 year old. But please come back here in a month or two with pictures of that ride being wadded up. And rest assured it will be crashed. Almost every single new teenage driver either crashes or causes wrecks within the first year.

If you are lucky your teen will cause someone to crash and get away with it unscathed the first few times. If you are unlucky you will get a call from law enforcement notifying you of your child's demise. The rest of us can only hope the young punk does not take someone else to the morgue with them.

It's kind of like the young teens desert racing at novice level. They either win or DNF. Not much in between. It's throttle pinned and roll of the dice whether they crash or not.

 

[Cjanak21]

Spoken like a truly spoiled 22 yr old. Well done. I rest my case.

Ok Boomer-

 

[DaltonGang]

Ok Boomer-

i am proud to be a Baby Boomer, and have earned what I have. What have you done for yourself, in life, without it being given to you?
With an attitude like yours, I am surprised Mommy and Daddy didnt buy you the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63. Your frontal Lobe is clearly fully developed. Not.

 

[RickC137]

I just realized this is a brand new member. Joined to ask this question? Nice troll.

 

[Cjanak21]

i am proud to be a Baby Boomer, and have earned what I have. What have you done for yourself, in life, without it being given to you?
With an attitude like yours, I am surprised Mommy and Daddy didnt buy you the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63. Your frontal Lobe is clearly fully developed. Not.

Put myself through college, graduated with good grades, got an extremely well paying tech job making more than my parents ever did all on my own. I was going to just buy myself a used Toyota until my parents gifted me the Jeep. Don’t worry about my frontal lobe, I’d worry about yours, hence you are arguing with a 22 year old on a Jeep forum because I got blessed with opportunities you didn’t when you were my age. Calm down and go plan your retirement or something

 

[The Last Cowboy]

The responses to this same question on one of the MB boards is probably being better received than it is here.

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