Phantom Mark

You can almost bet your arse he will crash his first 3 cars, most kids do, especially if they are not worrying about replacement bills.

For his sake and your own I would personaly suggest something cheaper and as safe as possible, for at least the first year nyways

mb43

I think if he is a good kid you should buy him the X5. It will certainly be the safest, driving a CRV or RAV on the highway will make you feel like a mouse in a washing machine.

Also, it is my opinion that Volvos are unsafe cars. Sure, they have high crash test ratings, but on most Volvos, the breaks are very weak and the steering response sucks, and there is a great deal of throttle lag. So they're good if you get in a crash, but no so good at avoiding them, which is what BMWs are all about.

It might be a good idea to send your son to BMW driving school in South Carolina if possible. It will teach him to be a much safer driver. He might not be happy about it but in the end he will have had a good time and learned a lot.

wisbmr

I have two sons currently 22 and 20. Once they demostrated the skills and respect they got to drive the 911 or the 545 but here is how I got them started. For starter cars I had three criteria - safety, skill building, inexpensive.

Vehicle one : Chevy Silverado 2 dr. pickup - full size truck frame, no back seat limits the hauling friends distraction, 5 speed manual so they learn to drive, 6 cylinder engine with no power. Great starter vehicle. Also handy to have a pickup around the house. They are cheap, nobody wants a manual trans, 6 cyl., no A/C vehicle.

Vehicle two: Volvo sedan, safe, don't worry about them driving cross country, can be bought cheaply with high mileage but they run forever - ours had 165,000 when it was retired.

BigMike

My look on the subject:

thumbsdown on the Escape and CR-V -- not safe even though they are SUV's.... I'd look at
Toyotas, etc... And kids are tough on cars and will totally trash them! heheheh

tachyon

I second that motion. Three years ago we faced the same decision and bought a used 2002 BMW 330xi for our then 16 year old daughter. It's been a great car for her and our family, and it has been completely reliable.
Next up is daughter #2 who turns 16 this summer. She wants a VW Bug ... but I'm not so sure because it's not the safest car around, even if it is cheap. Here are some of the used cars I am considering for her ($17,500 - $20,000):

Audi A4 quattro
BMW 3 series xi
BMW X3
Honda CR-V
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Land Rover LR3
Lexus RX 330
Toyota RAV4

sixcard

Sorry but I would not even consider giving my kid a Bimmer or any car at 16, if at any age.

Kids' driving problems do not involve driving skill or experience. It is an attitude and maturity issue. In the Atlanta area (and most others I suppose) there is hardly a week goes by with out some kid missing a turn at high speed, or whatever, killing himself and the passengers. And it is surprising how many of them were in a Bimmer, that the folks bought, for their last ride.

I might give him a bicycle and point him to a job where he could save and buy a car.

That might teach him some self sufficiency and and responsibility. Sixteen year olds are still just learning IMO. Many haven't learned at twenty-one!

I am probably painting with a broad brush here ... but why chance it.

sixcard

1600

My son just got his first vehicle, at my expense, at 19. I personally would never have considered a vehicle for him at 16, but that aside, I went to my dealer to see what they had last August before his semester began. He is in college in Maine, so bad weather abounds. The dealer just got in a 2002 325xi with 45000 mi. from their own customer in trade. The vehicle checked out perfectly and my son has found it to be mechanically reliable and quite stable in the snow and ice. I did get him a set of snow tires and wheels sent to him from Tire Rack. I opted for an BMW, first and foremost, because I trust the safety of the vehicle. Status had nothing to do with it at all. I also find the previous 3-series design very understated.

halston@bsw

Considered a 1996-1999 328i Sedan or Coupe?

Decently sporty. Comfy Driver. Pretty Safe.

No side curtain airbags.

While my M3 is more fun I LOVE my 328iC.


Benefit? It is not crazy expensive. They can learn to drive safely and properly(recommend 5sp manual). Not expensive to maintain as well. Take the extra budgeting money and put it into a money market of some sort. You can have your son help put money in there and soon enough he will have graduated high school and you can buy an X5 for that

The e36 is a GREAT car and that and an e30 seem to be a perfect starter car.

JetBlack5OC

Hook him up. I was given a new 325is at age 16.

Would he be spoiled? Not sure. In Cali, high school parking lots are full of BMW's and Benz's.

Phantom Mark

Unlucky, E46's have one of the worst BMW safety ratings according to Ncap the european crash rating system, 3 stars IIRC........Something I was always aware of when I had my E46.