C'mon guys...take it easy on him. I think we can all admit that when we were 16 we were the same. Maybe not all, but the majority

 

better us to tell him not to act stupid...then for him to learn it himself...by crashing his car.

 

Correction, that would be just about EVERY young teen out there. IMHO, no one who has just started driving needs something with that much power. And I'm NOT saying this because I was some poor, deprived kid who had to ride a Huffy all through HS.

My first car was an '84 Buick LeSabre. A 4k+lb car with 190hp. It was a tank though. Safe and dependable. It was GIVEN to me, I didn't have to pay a dime, and that's not my issue here.

Whether or not you pay for your first car yourself, or it's given to you, I think parents should have more say-so on what their kids get. Looking back, I'm glad my parents got me that car to learn how to drive in. I can now manuver/park/handle/etc. just about any car I get into with confidence and ease.

I've had several other cars since then with higher hp that were much faster, but I worked into them. I had a 305TBI 5sp Firebird that ran 15's, but felt like a racecar compared to the Buick. I had a old Chevelle with a mild 350 that ran 13's. Then I had a '96 Z28 that started out running mid 13's and was eventually an 11sec car. Now I have my LS1.

It's not a matter of being jealous, I just think that no 15-16yr old needs something with 300+hp for their first car, period.


I know that there will always be young kids with cars that they shouldn't "nessessarilly" have, and that what I think doesn't matter or won't change anything.



Just venting...
















Jon

 

HmMm...I see your point, but if he's a responsible driver and a good kid then I think he deserves it. I learned how to drive in my parents bucket for 5 years then got my SS (first car) and its still in good hands

 

I dont drive like an ***.I mean when i first got it I was really cocky and drove dumb, then I scared myself a couple times, 1 incudes almost totaling it if the brakes failed, so i do drive more responsible and im glad i didnt **** n e thing up. I do race but i make sure its a straight road not the back roads that are all curves. And speaking of the car... I'm thinking about selling it and getting a 6-speed SS.

 

It's not a matter of how you think you drive, what kind of grades you make in school, whether or not you do drugs, etc., you just don't have any experience driving. Or not enough.

Don't take it personal, I'm being very broad here, I'm reffering to young teens in general.


It's the same reason when you start ANYTHING, you have to get experience. EX- young pilots starting out don't fly F-16's, you go to dragracing/circletrack school, they don't start you out in a top fuel car or nascar, people learning to sail boats don't start out in aircraft carriers, etc. etc.




This is just IMO though. Like I said, don't take it personal














Jon

 

I agree with you 100%. Like you said, it's all about the lack of experience behind the wheel. There are way too many young drivers out there who havn't had the experience but who think they are the best drivers in the world and they can handle anything. (Monster Z28 I'm not saying you are like this, just making a generalization about a lot of young people I have seen) I am also glad that I didn't get my car until I was about 22. I would have been stupid at 16 and when I look back now, I am thankful that I had to wait. It is better to work your way up and gain the experience along the way. Then again, I was always jealous of the kid in high school with the Camaro SS! Anyway, be safe out there and learn the car before you get too crazy with it. Oh, and like those other guys said, don't shift the trans manually.

 

That really sucks. Sorry to hear that.

 

Good Kill and take care on the streets. You don't always know what someone else is going to do, or what is up ahead.

Many of the SRT owners have a ricer type mentality (just go to SRTforums), but the car doesn't have a fart can on it stock. If he swapped the cool dual exhaust for one, then I would say ricer. It's an american car that is kicking the crap out of all the imports in its price range and some good ol american v8s. With a couple mods, stock ls1s beware. I haven't gotten mine to the track yet with the mods and new tires, but it feels every bit as fast as the SS was when it was new (2500+ altitude). The wing is too much if you ask me, that's why mine is sitting in the garage.

 

One thing no one mentioned is the ******* cops... I've never had a problem with wrecking my car, but until I got my z a little over a year ago, I didn't realize that it's true that cops will get you just because you're in a camaro. I got more tickets than most do in a lifetime and almost lost my license... And to think, the thousands of $$ I paid in courts and tickets, I could have put into my car

 

There's a reason why people get tickets, perhaps you need to think about that

 

look man, just be careful out there. glad to hear you have learned your lesson from driving dumb a few times. I do realize that we have all been 16 and have driven dumb often. I am not going to lie, i have been HEAVY in the street scene down here in houston for years. we have done 170 mph and faster, raced bikes, done other dumb ****. BUT JUST BE CAREFUL. some people believe they know how much power is under their foot when they really do not.

I raced shifter karts professionaly (when i was 12), drag raced at NUMEROUS tracks and auto crossed several times. all comes around in seat time....

As for calling the guy in the srt-4 a ricer.. those larger catbacks actually help out and they can not help the sound the cars make. I really would not call them a ricer, but it is harder for me to say when most of those skittles down here in houston can take down bikes and run EASY 11's or FASTER

 

maybe its the way you drive? when I first got my license 4 years ago..i had a 89 camaro...got pulled over on average twice a month for a year. now i'm 21...have a 01 ss and haven't been pulled over at all.

 

Im jealous that you got your car that you wanted when you were 16. I almost got mine, a 98 Z28, the first year they were out... but Im glad I didnt. Now that Im 23 I think I can appreciate my 01 SS better than I could have loved any car at 16.... I am a better driver ( I took too many risks as a younger youngin), and I actually care about maintenance now. The first car I had I got lucky I never spun a bearing... I didnt change or add oil for 18k mile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I learned how to rally in that car.

Enjoy the car and your youth you are in a great time of your life with an awesome car.... enjoy it!!!! and dont take unecessary risks! Take it to the track!

 

Yeah, that was kinda my point... Except I just learned where and when I can play instead of keeping my foot in the gas everywhere I went. Oh, and fyi, I did get pulled over a few times just because my car was loud and they assumed if they pulled me over they would find something to give me a ticket for.

 

well, coming from experience and being in the back of a cop car for racing, etc. just be safe out there, there is always a time and place to crack that little pedal to the right to the floor

 

I've gotta wonder just how exactly you're able to pull down all of the cash for this.

Figure that you picked up that Z for a great price, say $8K. You're 16 so you must still be going to school, but honestly, how can you possibly afford that car between gas and insurance every year?

Back when I was in high school, I had a '94 Firebird with the V6, and insurance for me was $3000 a year. I can't imagine that rates could possibly be much better now.

 

I can't wait until I'm an old man. I'll have 8 year olds trying to sell me crack in front of the grocery store, lol. BTW, I'm 22. I had a 5 year old throw me this the other day only he kept his fingers up. Why did he do this? Because he was trying to kick the sprinkler head off in my dad's yard and I told him not to. This kid was ******' 5 years old. I can't imagine what he'll be like as a young man.

 

Liability helps a lot with insurance. Risky, but inexpensive.

 

it depends where you live. last year, when i lived in Nj..I had a 04 ford focus. I have a completely clear driving record...never an accident..ticket...nothing. I was paying 3800 a year. I move to pa....i buy my 01 SS...and i'm paying 1100 a year for better coverage. in NJ my deductible was 750. Now its 500. so it all depends on area....a lot of kids have their parents pay their insurance though..i know all of my friends bought there first cars...but most of their parents still pay their insurance...and they are 21...lol. i've paid my own since i started driving.