Would you let your 16 year old have a Jeep?

[mtbjeep]

The more I drive it (and bear in mind I LOVE my jeep) the more reinforced I am that this is a terrible first car. A windy day on the highway is enough for me to white knuckle it after 35 years of driving. Not to mention off-camber expansion joints on overpasses etc. What gives the jeep it's capability and uniqueness also gives it some less than desirable on-road manners; of which could be problematic for a new driver. imo

Maybe the IFS Bronco makes the better first car

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[Rubi SoHo]

My first car was a hand-me-down Dodge Spirit. My parents retained ownership, I was allowed to “borrow” it, even though they had one other vehicle that they used and they never drove that dodge. It was my grandparents before I had it.

I paid the insurance and I paid the gas. Essentially I got most of the daily expense of owning a cheap car, but my parents reserved the ability to use it when they needed it, and to bar me from taking it when they didn’t want me out. I respected that, and it wasn’t a source of resentment or argument between us.

my second vehicle, as soon as I graduated highschool and could afford my own vehicle was an 85 CJ7; which I sold at a profit after 4 years when my first child was born. I still regret selling that. I’ve got teens now and it would be a heck of a vehicle to be restoring with my 14yr old today. And yes, I’d let him have it if he put in the effort to work on it and learn how to maintain it. It would be a great father-son project that he could then have when able to drive.

But he’s an extremely well behaved and responsible kid who takes excellent care of everything he has, and doesn’t act entitled or spoiled. And I’m now in a position to afford something like that for him.

 

[Micky]

16 year old is still a careless kid at times. plus inexperience is a bad combination. I am ALL for giving kids older (no smart technology) stick shift cars that force them to be more focused on driving and limited access to phones and other distractions.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

The more I drive it (and bear in mind I LOVE my jeep) the more reinforced I am that this is a terrible first car. A windy day on the highway is enough for me to white knuckle it after 35 years of driving. Not to mention off-camber expansion joints on overpasses etc. What gives the jeep it's capability and uniqueness also gives it some less than desirable on-road manners; of which could be problematic for a new driver. imo

Maybe the IFS Bronco makes the better first car

If you learn on the Jeep, then you don't expect it to drive like a Honda. I find that my 2 door JL drives great. Check to see that your tires aren't over inflated. Or did you put load range E aggressive tires on it?

I drove miserable vehicles that I loved for my first few years of driving, always cleaning them up and selling it to get some thing better. Driving a vehicle that requires some degree of attention and skill makes for a better driver. When I was in high school I had a '66 Chevy truck, short bed, stepside, inline 6, three on the column. Then bought a '69 Buick GS. Sold that and bought a '75 Scout II. They would scare the living daylights out of a majority of people today. Even the '69 Buick GS I had was archaic by today's standards. How in the world did I survive with no ABS, airbags or 8" screens?

I've said it before. Here's a tip from someone who has raised kids. Don't get them a little 4 door econo-cruiser. Get them a 2 door Jeep (no lift) with no back seat or a regular cab pickup (no lift). Yes they are harder to drive, yes they get worse fuel mileage. These vehicles limit the amount of passengers and, if you make them pay for gas, makes them think long and hard about where and how far they are willing to drive. This is turn reduces your exposure to liability. They also do very well in crashes that occur at average speeds. They are not fast (or fast looking), so they are not tempted to race with them. That's the opinion of a 24 year police officer who spent time as a crash investigator and has seen many horrible things. The worst thing you can get your kid is a Mustang, Camaro, JDM modifiable car, or a lifted anything. I've seen too may high speed crashes and roll overs, and notified too many families of a death or serious injury in the middle of the night.

 

[Steph1]

I have seen a bunch of very young kids driving Jeeps. Not sure how I would feel about my kids having a Jeep as their first vehicle the more I think about it.

I traded my JKU 10A Rubicon for a JLU because of the 4wd auto for my daughter to drive to college and week-end part-time job. However, after 1 year, she decided she wanted her own car, so I got her a little Ford focus and got my Jeep back.

 

[Overwatch]

You might be surprised how fast those teen boys can jump into a convertible. They wont be using the doors. Better go with a hard top.

A buddy of mine just suggested yesterday i rip our the back seats and put in a tool box bolted in. Make it a true 2 seater.

 

[JABCAT]

I got my first Jeep when I was 17, a brand new 1994 Wrangler Sahara. I made all the payments, paid for any accessories, and all maintenance. We were going to sell our ‘16 JKU to our son when he turns 16 (3.5 years from now) but decided with the current used car market to trade the ‘16 in and order a ‘22 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited Altitude.

The plan now is for him to purchase the ‘22 from us when he turns 16 or when he has saved up enough that meets our pre-determined purchase price. The same thing applies to him for modifications and maintenance. He’s already started a mod list and just purchased his first mods - OEM Rubicon front & rear steel bumpers.

The deal is he cannot sell the ‘22 until he finishes college. So the ‘22 with a Mopar MaxCare extended service contract should get him through until then.

 

[MyDaughters20JL]

My 16 yr old drives a 2018 JLUR as his first car. I had a 2015 Ram 2500 and sold it to buy my JLUR. Then I got a security contracting job in Afghanistan and am home only 2 months every year.....so he gets it by default. My wife prefers him driving it as it's new and with a warranty, that way she doesn't have to worry about an older vehicle breaking down.

It's pretty much his now and he will take it to college or military. He has purchased a 2.5" RK lift, Synergy tie rod, drag link and front track bar reinforcement bracket, Warn winch and winch plate, various skid plates, Hikeit throttle controller, Tazer JL Mini, Dynomax muffler delete, MetalCloak Sportgate tire carrier, 37" Patagonia MT's, and Vision wheels for it. He is waiting (in)patiently for me to get home in March to install it all.

Plus.....he grew up helping me wrench on the ORIGINAL Jeep Rubicon.....my 2004 TJ Rubicon in Electric Lime Green Pearl Coat. I had promised him that Jeep for when he turned 16, but sadly had to sell it years ago when the family outgrew it.

I'm not going to get into the whole argument of yes or no, but maybe...while you're gone, he could join the forum, read everything he can about the jeep & have the parts installed by the time you get home. yes, there's something to be said about bonding time, but I'd bet he'd learn more if he were to do it on his own

 

[S2k Chris]

When my daughters (9 and 4) are old enough, I plan on leasing them something boring and practical for $200-300/mo. If they want a Cherokee or Renegade or something that’s fine if in budget, but I would probably lean towards something like a CRV or Civic. The idea being for them to have something safe and reliable to use for transportation that isn’t necessarily a reward, thus an appliance car feels like the right choice.

 

[limeade]

I'm not going to get into the whole argument of yes or no, but maybe...while you're gone, he could join the forum, read everything he can about the jeep & have the parts installed by the time you get home. yes, there's something to be said about bonding time, but I'd bet he'd learn more if he were to do it on his own

He was in the garage with me every time we installed parts to learn. Not only did I show him how to do things, I explained the purpose of the parts and how the different systems work (suspension, brakes, etc). We would also discuss how to identify broken or worn out parts, proper diagnosis, and methods to replace and/or reinforce those parts. He also understands the domino effect when you do modifications and how they can cause other parts to fail or wear prematurely.
He can do most of the work himself now. He installed his Metalcloak skid plate system, diff covers, rear track bar, PRP seat covers, and exhaust system on his own. He also does his own oil, diff fluid, and t-case fluid changes.
It’s his Jeep now and I rarely get to drive it or work on it. I have no regrets in being able to do this for my son. The time we’ve spent together working on it or spending on the trails is priceless.

 

[3TV]

I read some of these post, and I can't help but think that some of you guys are the biggest mother hens on the planet, LOL.

After saving my money for years, my first vehicle was a 1961 CJ5 that I bought for $600 when I turned 14 years old, in 1976. I didn't even have a driver's license yet, so I had to have my dad drive it to a dirt road, where I could take over driving the Jeep. It was a FANTASTIC first vehicle. I can't say how much I learned about motor vehicles, and how they functioned, how they were serviced and repaired. Learning how to drive was almost a second objective. That Jeep drove horrible! It had been rolled by a previous owner, and although the body had been shoddily repaired, the steering column was still bent. The steering would stick right in the middle of where you needed it to be to go straight. So you would fight the steering to turn just a small amount, then the steering would unstick, and you would suddenly be in the next lane. You got used to it. I owned it for two years, fixed a number of things, repainted it, and sold it for $1900. That was my first Jeep way back in 1976. I have always owned a Jeep in the 45 years since then. Sometimes I have owned as many as 4 Jeeps at the same time. To have deprived me of that first Jeep would have been a terrible shame.

So for me to now say that my son could not have a Jeep for his first vehicle would be about the worst thing I could do. If he wants to buy it, like I did, then he can buy whatever he wants. And I'll work with him to get it running right, repair things that are needed, and go driving with him until I think he is safe.

 

[MEHillwalker80]

Only if you want him or her dead or disabled. Google for the stats.

 

[Snellville392]

I just got my 17 year old son a 4xe sahara and my 18 year old daughter the same and am happy with my choice. this is my son's first car but before the 4xe my daughter had a xc40 recharge (waaay to fast and also too "comfortable" with all the nanny systems) and an i3 (great car but she drives too far for college).

also, at least my insurance company considers the sahara to be less "risky" than either of her prior cars since insurance actually went down.

 

[MonopoliJLUR]

I’m 21 and just bought my JLUR, I had a tj since I was 17 and that was my first car my parents bought me

it was such a fun car and I loved it, I don’t think a Jeep is gonna encourage any kid to do something they wouldn’t in a Honda Civic or something, but unless you know and trust them as a driver I wouldn’t spend a bunch of money on a brand new one for them to learn in

 

[bumpit]

My first vehicle at 16 was. 95yj in 1998. Made for some awesome memories.

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