[TR] Teenager vehicle

[Jim Wallace]

Terry, in talking with my insurance guy a few years back, he told me the
least expensive thing to insure a teenager on is an old pickup truck.
I had a daughter coming up with a son two years behind her, so needed
something rugged I figured. I also insisted they learn to drive a standard
so bought an 87 Mazda B2000 longbox for $900. Around here, 87 and prior are
exempt from emissions testing. It has 30x,000 km on it and still runs fine.
Exhaust is now falling off, box is pretty rusty (thinking of converting to a
flatbed if I ever have spare time, ha ha ha), but it's a 5 speed, and
totally un-cool. It did the job, and he was right, the insurance was OK, as
long as I could keep everyone from being a principal driver. That happened
for a couple of months (constant change of # of vehicles on the road vs.
people living here for a while) and the bill was suddenly $4K/year, so we
changed things.
Anyway.....funny side effects I hadn't counted on:
1. The daughter, mad as blazes about having to learn a standard at first,
adapts, and her social status is greatly elevated, as hardly anyone she
knows can drive a standard. Her friends are all mightily impressed. Now,
with a few years under her belt, she much prefers it, as she can feel the
road etc. In fact she has become a very good driver. She went throught the
inevitable (for around here) deer collision, which only took off a mirror,
lucky her (really lucky; last weekend I hit one in the company Fusion
causing $11K damage), and I was glad she was in something a little bit
tough. Well, it has a frame at least.
2. There's only room for two. Think about it.
3. I thought my son, a practical boy, would recognize the value of being
able to transport his drums around (it has a cap) and get into gigging with
some group, to earn some bread. Couldn't care less! Couldn't be bothered to
learn a stickshift - not worth the hassle. Boy when I was his age I would do
anything to get out of the house.

And the benefit I had counted on of course - it's really handy for me!
Jim
-------------------
What do you think is best for a high school kid with proneness for personal
mayhem?B  ...I'm guessing vintage VW bug with a bad cylinder

Terry Smith, '59 TR3A

New Hampshire