Jeep for 16 year old

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stockrex

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Well it happened sooner than I thought, my oldest is driving.

The desired vehicle is a jeep, needless to say I am in a bit of bind financially and there is no way in [censored] I can cough out mucho mulas for a new or even semi new vehicle.

Mind you this is west MI, salt is our middle name.

With that in mind, which model, year JEEP would you guys suggest please? Automatic must.

USE - 2 miles each day to HS and then icecream shop,
 
I saw 2 XJ's for sale on the road just yesterday.

What is your budget? How is your maintenance and repair-response capability?

A vehicle without AC OK?

edit: Just read above. Yeah, why a Jeep? A Jeep is a small truck and they cost more to operate.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by ecotourist
A first vehicle is a good chance to learn to drive a manual. Consider it a life skill.

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Check insurance rates for a 16 year old in a Jeep before you buy. You may be very surprised.

FWIW

Oldtommy
 
XJ or TJ- and send your kid to Street Survival. Ignore the hand-wringing bed wetters who will moan about how you should get a car with 25 airbags and an alphabet soup of electronic safety nannies. My son's first car was a 1975 2002 and he survived just fine.
 
Well, I'd put my kid in a 2002 before I'd put them in a Jeep, FWIW.

My daughter wanted one. I convinced her to buy something else. She's enjoyed her Ford Escape for the past couple of years.

I just don't think it's a good vehicle for a new driver. But yeah, parents do what they need/want to do.

I put my daughter in a 1999 Grand Marquis, because I had it. Two air bags and it was $2,000 5 years ago. If she dented it, meh!


Originally Posted by MCompact
XJ or TJ- and send your kid to Street Survival. Ignore the hand-wringing bed wetters who will moan about how you should get a car with 25 airbags and an alphabet soup of electronic safety nannies. My son's first car was a 1975 2002 and he survived just fine.
 
A Jeep might not be the best choice if your budget is tight. Prices for used ones tend to be high for the age/miles, and in your area rust is going to be a big concern.

I've been helping a friend look at older 4x4s, including Jeeps, and the Wranglers and Cherokees have been awful. Always in worse shape than advertised and even down here rust has been an issue. One guy wanted to meet at night to look at his Wrangler that was advertised as rust free...floors were eaten up. Clean Cherokees and Wranglers are going to be over $5K unless you get a 2WD or one with a bunch of miles.

My cousin recently sold a very clean 2WD 2000 Cherokee for around $3800, everything worked except intermittent door lock issues. Good beater/1st car for a good price, but 2WD.

A Liberty might be a good option. One of my friends took one over 250K despite serious neglect. It had a LOT of issues towards the end, but would get from A to B. That may not be the Jeep they are wanting though.

If they are wanting 4WD + SUV and can live with it not being a Jeep, I still think 91-01 Explorers and S-Series Blazers are where it's at. Good, durable small truck platforms, plenty of parts availability, capable of very high miles with basic maintenance, and no crazy Jeep prices. You need to look for rust on these, but that would also apply to any Jeep or really any vehicle where you live.
 
Getting a 2006 Wrangler TJ together right now. Last year of the bulletproof straight six. Automatic, cold air and low miles. From what I read it's a 5 figure truck. Hard to believe a 13 year old Jeep is worth that much.
 
Originally Posted by 2oldtommy
Check insurance rates for a 16 year old in a any car before you buy. You may be very surprised.


Fixed that for you
 
Originally Posted by stockrex
The desired vehicle is a jeep....

Our, at the time, 16 year old daughter wanted a Jeep as well. A brand new one was preferred but she would take a slightly used one if it came to that.

She's driving my '99 Accord 4-door with missing clearcoat and 230k miles..... She quickly learned that not every kid gets the car of their choosing at 16 years old and you know what ? She's fine with it now. It gets her where she needs to go.

Anyway, look for a practical, safe, and affordable vehicle that you choose, not your child.
 
Originally Posted by atikovi
Getting a 2006 Wrangler TJ together right now. Last year of the bulletproof straight six. Automatic, cold air and low miles. From what I read it's a 5 figure truck. Hard to believe a 13 year old Jeep is worth that much.

The 06 is the year that has camshaft problems. the OPDA assembly eats the gears off the cam. Tha'ts why I recommended the 04 and older.
 
My first car was a Ford Bronco in 2013. I about killed my self and my friends a couple times (not kidding). I wish I had a cheap 4 cylinder car in high school that was cheap on parts and gas. I did get my sunfire but it wasn't till my senior year. It was sad little car but it was my sad little car that didn't need much.
 
Anything you buy is going to be trashed one way or another. Old SUVs are bad on gas, but new ones are expensive to buy.

$1500 car of any make or model dependent completely on condition. It seems to be easy to get older American old man cars at that price. Having an undesirable or dying car is good motivation to work and make some money to replace it.
 
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