while i agree that 16 year old girls probably do not get impressed by a 1967 Mustang in the same way that a 16 year old boy would, is there any doubt that if the caller’s son shows up to school in a brand new BMW 330i that the girls would not only notice, but be interested and impressed?
Are you referring to the muscle car discussion? Any cool girls would appreciate a muscle car for sure. Sure some would like the BMW, but they are probably gold-diggers anyway, and who wants that kind of attention. I would check out the guy in the sweet classic before the yuppy in the beamer anyday.
I have to back several decades … I was in high school in SoCal in the late 50’s. At my school you WERE what you drove. Think American Graffiti. In this hotbed of hot rods I drove (gasp) a tomato soup red Nash Metro convertible. To the guys I was nerd central, but you know what the girls loved that car.
I say find something really unusual, Metro, Citroen 2CV, Fiat Topolino, Mini-Moke, Subaru 360 … oh, did I also say ‘underpowered’.
Hmmm, guess I didn’t have to with that list. If you’re buying a car to impress a girl, you’re looking at the wrong girl, boyo.
Also, everything in the list gets about 35 mpg on regular; try THAT in your Camaro or 'Stang!
I strongly agree… but the biggest chick magnet these days is a classic Beetle.
Of that I have no doubt. But IIRC from the show, the kid was looking in the 2’3K $ range. 'Corse, I can’t imagine what Camaros he was seeing at that price, so I could be wrong.
I missed the show sadly. Did um. Did no one mention that if the girl is so shallow as to require a certain level of car in order to date the guy, he probably doesn’t want to date her anyway?
There is no particular girl. Just an over-testosteroned teenage boy that is convinced that peers of the female sex are ‘impressed’ by big fast cars; and a concerned mom that is trying to convince him that it ain’t so … whilst keeping the horsepower down to a reasonably safe level.
There are girls who are impressed by speed, just as there are boys who are interested in Beetles or Solara convertibles.
As the parent of a 16 year old girl who wants me to buy her a car, the answer seems to change on a daily basis. For a while she wanted a motorcycle (but doesn’t want to be seen on mine), then she was interested in a 60s vintage domestic convertible (mustang, camaro, vette, whatever), she seems to think SLs are cute (especially in red), at one point she wanted an old porsche, last I heard she likes new bug convertibles (but isn’t interested in real bug convertibles because they look too old, no accounting for taste there). At one point I think she wanted a jeep (even less taste there). She definitely doesn’t want an “old guy car” like I drive. The only constant seems to be the convertible criterion. At the moment she is still car-less, we’ll see what happens.
The amount that she cares about any guy’s car seems to have a lot more to do with the “hotness” (is that a word) of the guy than the car. Does anyone know a good boarding school?
i have to say (as a girl)that when i was in high school i had a sweet chevelle. My boyfriend and i built it together. well, to be honest, we worked on it together as long as it wasn’t raining, snowing, or too hot :-), it was all him during those lovely “weather” days. It wasn’t perfect but it was cool. As a mother now in the age of airbags, ABS, and OnStar i would be hard pressed to put either of my teenagers in something that vintage. don’t get me wrong, the chevelle was built like a tank and i have no doubt it was safer than a lot of vehicles on the road back then but why trade the safety of your children for a cool looking car when technology has improved so much? Now that i am older (and more paranoid according to my kids) i have a problem putting my kids in a vehicle that is crappier than the one i drive. as a result, they have the nicest SUV in the dooryard. it all comes down to safety and peace of mind.
My personal recommendations to replace the muscle car are a CJ-7, CJ-5 or vintage Mini-Cooper. All you can probably get in the 2-3k price range, depending on condition, have a classic look and would satisfy his desire for a classic car that could separate himself from the pack.
The best advice I have ever heard about buy kids cars is to purchase the safest car on the market. At the time the advice was given, the consideration was a late 80’s volvo. When the kids is disappointed with the car, take them to the local car stereo shop and let them get a new head unit and speakers. With today’s mass iPod appeal, a stereo that controls and iPod and a set of 6x9’s can go a long way.
Cars are the tin Gods of our culture. In high school parking lots, they are a simple display of family wealth and status. Girls always keep track of those things. It’s in their DNA to do so…Part of the mating game. Natural Selection. They still teach biology in high school don’t they?
The car has to be cute, not powerful.
I would not have impressed my daughter. When she went to her senior prom she couldn’t have cared lss about a BMW or a limo. She wanted to ride in a vintage '50’s car. I called a friend with an all-original, fully documented, 3-owner, white-with-red-trim 1957 Chevy convertible. A true showcar. He cheuffered (sic) them. On a beautiful night with the top down. Everybody, including the limo drivers, gathered around to look at the '57 and get their picture taken.
Now THAT impressed my (at the time) 17 year old daughter! And everybody elses!
I was at a charity event today with my 1923 Model T Touring Car hot rod. No teenage boys seems to show any interest. A number of the girls did, and one 16-year-old girl was just so enamored of it, I let her drive it (and me) around the block.
She’ll go home and make her dad miserable, I’m sure.
HELLO YA I AM 15 TURNING 16 AND I LOVE CARS ESPECIALLY MUSCULE CAR. WHILE MAYBE BECUASE I LOVED AND WAS IN CARS AREA ALL MY LIFE BUT WHO WOULD HATE SUCH A BEAUTY LIKE THAT…