Oppopinions...

"mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
10/28/2015 at 11:52 • Filed to: None

1st Gen Durango as a first car for a 16yo girl.

DISCUSSION (26)

CalzoneGolem > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 11:57

I’m of the oppopinion that first cars should be able to hold about 2 people and that you can’t have sex in the back of it.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > CalzoneGolem
10/28/2015 at 11:57

Soooo MR2? It’s hard to get fresh when you’re inside the engine bay.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 11:57

Is she a good driver

DrJohannVegas > CalzoneGolem
10/28/2015 at 11:59

Challenge Accepted.

CalzoneGolem > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
10/28/2015 at 11:59

That’s my fetish.

HammerheadFistpunch > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:00

How much do you want to teach her about the financial costs of life?

LongbowMkII > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:00

is it a stick? there’s your answer.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > CalzoneGolem
10/28/2015 at 12:00

My. That has taken a dark turn.

Party-vi > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:02

Give the keys for a 4,500lb vehicle to an inexperienced driver? Sure why not?

Other than that, I wouldn’t think this is a good choice for her, considering it has lots of room for friends (aka people she should not have in her car until she’s had a lot more experience driving without distractions), and gets shit gas mileage and is expensive to insure compared to something non 4WD.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:03

Obviously not a girl, but I learned how to drive on a 1st gen 2001 Durango. Said Durango is FINALLY for sale now that my mom has babied it for 14 years.

It’s for sale if you’re looking.

BigBlock440 > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:11

It was the first car for the children in my family until we bought our own. Really sucks down gas (we had the 318), was fairly slow, and my brother smashed it up within a few weeks of getting his license (I at least waited until I got my own car to wreck it), but I’d get another one. Basically a Dakota without a bed, so the aftermarket’s decent.

MultiplaOrgasms > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:12

Oh hell no. Get that (wo)man a Tercel.

jariten1781 > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:13

Not ideal; Not a death trap.

Personally I wouldn’t get any large vehicle for a first driver...not because they’re more dangerous or anything, but because there’s likely no point. Her needs are going to be <20 mile trips with at most a couple friends and some bags. Why have the cost of towing capability, mass storage space, etc?...it’s just spending unnecessarily.

My first car was an 88 Suburban...that shit is expensive to run for shuttling back and forth to school.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:13

Looks like too much car for an inexperienced driver.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:14

No. The first gen Durango isn’t really a good car for anyone, let alone a 16 year old girl.

How about something cheap like a Saturn SL or SC? Bonus, they’re made of Tupperware so when she inevitably bumps into something there won’t be as much damage.

Punk_Girl_98 > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:18

As one, i’d like one! :)

Ash78, voting early and often > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:19

Heavy, thirst, mediocre crash safety, RWD (in snow?), and too much room for fun & games in the back.

I’m leaning towards no. Unless she needs a large canvas for a pink buckhead decal on the back window, in which case I say GO FOR IT :D

My citroen won't start > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:19

No (says the guy who decided a Toureg was the best first car for his sister), get her something safer and smaller.

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:22

Seems like a bad idea.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:27

There’s a reason for their resale being so low. Old Hyundais have a similar reason, but the actual unreliability ended around 1999. I’d say get an old Elantra.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:29

The only good thing is they get miserable gas mileage, so it should keep her poor, so you don’t have to worry about her spending money on drugs. (my dad had a friend who bought a 70’s Suburban with a 454 for his kid for this reason.)

Seriously though, probably not the best choice. My old roommate had one and we all hated it. It’s an unwieldy beast, has poor sight lines, and relatively mediocre crash rating given it’s size. Seems like not the best combination for a new driver.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 12:30

Kinja'd!!!

This is a much better choice. Economical, safe, can be had for ~$5-6k in decent condition, and most importantly it feels like you’re going ridiculously fast at normal traffic speeds. Low cowl and big windshield equal a better perception of speed for a young inexperienced driver. Plus they handle better, which generally means a lower chance of flipping over while overcorrecting a mistake on the road.

Takuro Spirit > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 13:39

You could get one with a 5.9L and 2WD. Auto only, but still. Oh wait, 16yo. NM.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Party-vi
10/28/2015 at 18:04

Fun fact: My 4Runner 4WD is one of the cheaper vehicles to insure for someone my age(21). 4WD wasn’t even a factor.

mad.anthony > mkbruin, Atlas VP
10/28/2015 at 23:50

Only if you can find a pink one

(ok, that’s a second gen, but still...)

Party-vi > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
10/29/2015 at 08:40

4WD is probably a factor, as it’s been a factor on my Cherokee, my Willys, and my wife’s Pilot. Unless there is some difference between my insurance companies and yours.