The only convincing I had to do was for my parents to let me get a car, because I drove their 74 chevy pick-up just like my brother did. But that thing didn't have enough power for me so I decided to look for another car. Once I convinced them, they were happy to know that I wanted an old car instead of one of these rice grinders. Plus it also helped that my dad had a 67 fastback with a 428 cobra jet in high school and that my uncle has a 1970 Mach 1.
My advice to you is too make a list of all the pro's and con's of classic mustangs and then compare it with another list of pro's and con's for the other car they would rather have you get. I know working on my mustang has helped me learn alot more about cars and it's definetly one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!
Most parents love their kids. I'm sure they aren't denying you this pleasurable car because they want to beat you down or keep you from the good things in life. Most parents feel better about themselves if their kids are happy. Consider this... what if they have seen more things than you have? What if they feel that getting where you need to be safely, will make you happier than looking good in a car while it's stuck in the driveway? Everyone here would have to admit that these cars do break down at a fairly consistant rate. I've used the best parts I could find, and sometimes these old things are just designed poorly. I know what it's like to fixate on some new toy... It is not always the smartest decision in hindsight. You need to practice being content. Consider it a blessing to have a way to get around at all. Your folks might not be as dumb as you think...
Well, Im not gonna buy a cheap car because I intend on crashing it. If I had a nice car that I had to work on I would respect it and I would drive crazy. I go to a school where everyone is insanely rich and they all drive 50,000 dollar cars but have no respect for them because if they crash them, daddy will buy them another one. I have to pay for my car, so anything I get Im not gonna crash because I paid for it, I know sometimes you dont have control, like if someone hits you, but I wont be speeding down the street.
I was also just thinking, just how safe are these cars? I know that they are made of steel, but what would happen if I was in an accident? I am pretty sure there are no airbags, and will the seatbelts really stop me from flying through the windshield?
I have also never driven one, but how are they to control versus newer cars? Does not having power steering make it harder to turn the wheel?
Thanks for all the replys and I hope some of you can answer more of my questions
Well, Im not gonna buy a cheap car because I intend on crashing it. If I had a nice car that I had to work on I would respect it and I would drive crazy. I go to a school where everyone is insanely rich and they all drive 50,000 dollar cars but have no respect for them because if they crash them, daddy will buy them another one. I have to pay for my car, so anything I get Im not gonna crash because I paid for it, I know sometimes you dont have control, like if someone hits you, but I wont be speeding down the street.
I was also just thinking, just how safe are these cars? I know that they are made of steel, but what would happen if I was in an accident? I am pretty sure there are no airbags, and will the seatbelts really stop me from flying through the windshield?
I have also never driven one, but how are they to control versus newer cars? Does not having power steering make it harder to turn the wheel?
Thanks for all the replys and I hope some of you can answer more of my questions
There isn't much comparison when it comes to the safety of these cars versus the new ones. Air bags are non existant and so is ABS. Not having power steering makes it harder to turn the wheel but it is likely that the car you find will have that option (the majority did). Yes, seatbelts will serve their one and only purpose of not letting you fly anywhere in the event of an accident quite well.
With that said, I was 14 (16 now) when I got my '67, live in a town a lot like you're describing, and didn't know a thing about fixing engines. Since then I've gotten it running and am making quick progress on the interior. Power isn't a reason for your parents not to let you get it. My '07 Honda Pilot runs very similar 1/4 mile times to the '67 stock for stock and my 'Stang is a 289. Insurance might be expensive but tell them that doing easy oil changes and various maintenance yourself brings down cost dramatically. Even offer to do that stuff on their cars . Worked for me...
i'm 15 and have a 69 coupe with no power steering and the only time i hate having it is when you have to manuvere in small areas and have to turn the wheel while not moving. but hey you'll be strong as an ox after driving it for a month. or you'll just get used to it like i did and figure out how to make it easier to drive w/o power steering. hope ya get one!!
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--------------1969 MUSTANG COUPE------------- 302 2bbl 3 speed nuthin' special, but hey, its better than my bike
Posts: 303
Joined: 11/17/2003 From: Connecticut,United States Status: offline
Okay. Power is not an issue. A newer fuel injected car will get you moving fast faster than a carbed car(unless mods are made or it's a high performance model). A good economical 68 would be one with an I-6. As far as insurance, yes that will be tough seeing as how you're 15. I would offer(if you could) to help offset some of the cost. Classic car insurance companies wouldn't even touch it, because they don't do daily drivers or drivers under 25. What I would do is see if your parents insurance carrier has "Agreed Value" coverage for a 40 year old car. Most carriers will at least offer coverage for "Book Value" which may or may not be more than the cost of the car. Safety isn't a real issue, risk is the same as any vehicle, but it is true there are no airbags/ABS in a 40 year old car. A 68 will have better braking/handling than a 64-66 and 3-point belts can be installed in an afternoon. Also there is an ample amount of steel in an older car to hold up better should the unthinkable(accident) happen. Learning to do your own maintenance will be priceless, and should you enjoy it, maybe a rewarding career. In a nutshell, I was 18 when I got my 1st 66, and am happy I did. If I had kids, I wouldn't hesitate to get them a classic as a first car.
< Message edited by bob emmerich -- 7/10/2007 2:54:09 PM >
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between the cars,house,garage,will there ever be time?
1) Even with upgrades, they'll never be as safe as a newer car...not even close. 2) While easy to work on, (which means nothing if you don't know how) they still aren't going to be as reliable as a newer car. 3) But the main reason not to get one now is that 16 yr olds are statistically the worst drivers out there by a huge margin. Check out the data that the insruance companies put out. It's amazing how much safer a 17 or 18 yr old is over a 16 year old, if you ever see the stats. My suggestion is to get a piece of junk for a year or so and then get a classic mustang later on. I say this not only for safety sake (as mentioned in #1 above), but also for the sake of the car. I mean it's not fair to the classic car for it to get dinged up by a new driver.
my dad was all for me getting an old car, my mom was not. so to make my mom happy my dad paid for disc brakes ...im still ****ed if i hit anything hard enough, and the old v8s arent taht fast, but have alot of potential for mods, and mods are much cheaper than they are for new cars.
oh and they handle like ****
< Message edited by EmperorOfChicken -- 7/10/2007 4:07:16 PM >
1) Even with upgrades, they'll never be as safe as a newer car...not even close. 2) While easy to work on, (which means nothing if you don't know how) they still aren't going to be as reliable as a newer car. 3) But the main reason not to get one now is that 16 yr olds are statistically the worst drivers out there by a huge margin. Check out the data that the insruance companies put out. It's amazing how much safer a 17 or 18 yr old is over a 16 year old, if you ever see the stats. My suggestion is to get a piece of junk for a year or so and then get a classic mustang later on. I say this not only for safety sake (as mentioned in #1 above), but also for the sake of the car. I mean it's not fair to the classic car for it to get dinged up by a new driver.
This is the only part I disagree with at all. It's definitely true that 16 year olds are the worst at the wheel, followed closely by Senior Citizens, Soccer Moms, and BMW Drivers. The reason I say I disagree is because I treat my Moms car much differently than I treat the Mustang. A car which you've worked on gives you respect for the car. So perhaps the classic will help him be a better driver?
ah, but respect and situation awareness dont always meet at the same line...you could have all the respect in the world, but experience helps a lot. mistakes do happen too
ah, but respect and situation awareness dont always meet at the same line...you could have all the respect in the world, but experience helps a lot. mistakes do happen too
This is true but I think your situational awareness gets worse in a new car too. I've caught myself just leaning back and not paying quite enough attention in the Pilot on more than one occasion. I'm not trying to say that the classic is more safe I'm just trying to say that there are benefits to it as well. I don't think the possibilty of crashing it is a good reason to pass up on the oppurtunity. Besides, no one here can say that they wouldn't have taken a Mustang when they were 15...
Obviously all of you have much more experience, and are coming from a different point of view than both me and my parents, but I would have to say that a car I buy and constantly work on, is not a car I am going to take risks of crashing with. I might be wrong but I feel that if I am spending my hard earned money and time on a car I will respect it and understand it's limits.
Pretty much, I will own a classic mustang. Period. If not within a few months or next year, I will own one soon. I kinda had an idea that I would get one, work on it through highschool, and sell it for a more reliable car for college. Again, I might be wrong, but I think if I buy a classic now, in 3 years it will still have the same value.
And right now, the decision is between a classic mustang and a 2000-2002 ford explorer. Two things in common, both by ford, and both get sh*ty mileage.
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Joined: 7/5/2006 From: Long Beach, CA Status: offline
oh another thing I want to mention.... if you get good grades (B average) most insurers give a good student discount. Mine does
Or you can just scan your report card and "fix it up" in photoshop and fax it over... works like a charm. My dad had me do that for my sister when she fudged up
lol, I hardly think any insurance company will give any discounts when I send my report card. They might even charge me extra. lol and my dad wouldn't let me fake good grades. Hes a very honest man.
This is the only part I disagree with at all. It's definitely true that 16 year olds are the worst at the wheel, followed closely by Senior Citizens, Soccer Moms, and BMW Drivers. The reason I say I disagree is because I treat my Moms car much differently than I treat the Mustang. A car which you've worked on gives you respect for the car. So perhaps the classic will help him be a better driver?
It's true that some people will drive their classic more carefully. I know I do now, and I did when I was a teenager too. Like you, I was super careful in my 65, even if I wasn't careful in my parent's cars and such...but at the time I also had daily access to a brand new 90' fox-body that was faster than 99% of all the other cars on the road. So I didn't feel the need to do anything stupid in my slow old mustang. I have a feeling that most 16yr olds wouldn't respect their classic as well as you do (or I did).
You're right that it could make a better driver like it did for you, but if it doesn't make him a better driver, then it will create a rather dangerous situation. Also, I got my 65 when I was 17.5yr old. Had I got it 18mo earlier, I probably would have beat on it hard the way I did on the 86stang I got at 16.
BTW: you're right about 16yr olds being the worse, then senior citizens being the 2nd worse out there, and 17-20yr olds being the 3rd worse group. But, I wanted to point out that senior citizens are DISTANT 2nd, not a close 2nd. There must be a steep learning/maturity curve when it comes to driving.
< Message edited by five pt oh -- 7/10/2007 8:48:01 PM >
I think it depends on the kid. I have a friend who is a complete dumb ass, a nice kid, just a retard and will go 130+ with 4 people in the car without thinking twice.
Posts: 1998
Joined: 9/5/2006 From: Barossa Valley, South Australia Status: offline
peer group pressure plays a big part in young men and car accidents. Example - Emp's buddy.
If you can maintain a careful approach, then I think a classic is not a bad way to go. It will have limitations and you must drive accordingly. There will be times when you feel the need to open her up a bit...just use your brain first. One advantage is you will learn to drive the car according to conditions, rather than just sit in it and take it for granted like the modern cars.
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quote:
A 2007 study found on average Australians walk 900 miles a year. We drink 26 gallons of beer. That means, on average, Australians get about 34 miles per gallon. Not bad hey!
it wont mater. my first car was a 78 datsun b210 (loved that car, want it back) and I got raked over the coals because of my age and gender. Face it as a teenager you are going to take it for insurance. I'm 32 with a decent record maried with a kid and I still get hammered for insurance. Insurance is a scam in my book. My last ticket came off my record a couple months ago and my insurance company raised my rates for it. My wife and I are always joking now that I need a ticket to lower our rates back down. Now you did it . got me on a rampage about insurance. Now I wont be able to go to sleep.
Totally not true.I did the same thing of having my name on a cruddy lil truck and my dads name on the mustang and way cheaper..Go that route o and ps The classics have I6's not v 6's ..I totally know where u are at cuz i was there a few years ago.15 and getting a mustang...I think with classics people generally drive better because they take more effort and care to drive therefore more concentration at least thats how it is for me.I rarely hit above 80 in mine even tho shed gladly climb higher.Now my moms car 100 everywhere and 130 in a friends 07 g35, doesnt make it smart i think it just proves the point that generally speaking people drive better in classics.
< Message edited by mat11089 -- 7/10/2007 10:39:28 PM >
My last ticket came off my record a couple months ago and my insurance company raised my rates for it. My wife and I are always joking now that I need a ticket to lower our rates back down. Now you did it . got me on a rampage about insurance. Now I wont be able to go to sleep.
Sounds like you got a ticket, then took a driver's safety class in order to reduce your rates. If so, go back and take another class and your rates will go back down. Sometimes people forget that they can take those classes even if they didn't recently get a ticket.
BTW: I'm in the same situation as you, since I haven't had a ticket in over 3yrs. I look at it as a good thing though in that I don't worry about getting a ticket these days since I'll actually come out ahead financially if I get one. Talk about a messed up system though.
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RE: Convince my parents - 
