Chevrolet SSR

[427L88]

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My son is 16 and we are trying to decide on an appropriate vehicle for him. One thought was a 2005 or 2006 SSR truck. I've seen a few in the $30K-$35K range with 10,000 or fewer miles. Anyone have any experience with these and would it be a fun, reliable, and somewhat unique vehicle for a 16 year old? I don't know much about them other than the '05-'06 had the better engine.

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My friend had two of these '05 & '06 and he had problems with the retractible roof sticking either in the up position or when it was down... When the first one did it he took it into chevy and they fixed it and told him it was a harness problem, not two weeks later it happened again so he traded it in on the '06 model and it wasn't two months later it was gone because of the same problems that the first one had...

[hep1966]

Get the best vehicle that you can afford.

If he has an accident, you will be glad you bought a safe car instead of a beater.

[COPO427]

If I was shopping for a 1st car for a son, I'd look for a 64-69 Chevelle with a SB in it.

[P.J.]

My dad bought me nothing.He made me earn the money and then buy my own first car.A 1965 New Barracuda 6 banger automagick . I wanted a V8 they made me buy 6.He did cosign for the balance of the loan.
I worked my a-- off paying for the car. I looked after it
like a a show car always. I never abused it because it took a long time to earn the money at $ 1.15 cents an hour.
The only problem I had with the car was I could not keep up
with the others when we went drag racing every night. So I
Traded it in for a 1966 SS 4 speed.
Let them work for it, it will serve you and him well in the long run.
PJ

[Keith Tedford]

P.J. has the right idea. Let him earn it. Our kids did. Since when does a sixteen year old need a vehicle. Perhaps if he has a job to go to. You want to see school marks go into the toilet, give a kid a car. Buy an SSR and you had better be prepared to buy a coffin. Talk to some insurance people and see what they have to say on the subject. They have all the horror stories.

[x Baldwin Motion]

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I tend to agree, too!

My first car was a Nova with a 250 inline six...after awhile, that came out...and in went the 402










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Bruce that is sitting nice, did you leave the 6cyl springs in it?


as for the first cars for kids, I provided my daughters with a couple of different "beaters" that they didn't like. when they graduated from college I sold the beaters, let them split the cash for down payments on thier own choices.

yes, THEY got the payment booklets on them, NOT me.

[olredalert]

-----I have (sort of) been looking for a car for my brothers kid (my Godson) for awhile now and one of my wifes girlfriends gave me a good idea: A small S-10 style pick-up only allows them to bring one or two friends with them. Studies have been done about groups of kids riding around together and how much trouble and mayhem they can get into. The driver is paying way too much attention to what is going on in the backseat than the road. If it helps your decision any, you can use the little pickemup for all kinds of other stuff when you need to and when you take it away from him..........Bill S

[Born30YrsLate]

Here is 'sconsin having a pick-up truck means you can toke around a bunch of kids in the truck bed...more than you could fit into a car...just speaking from experience...

[mhassett]

When I was about 13 my dad told me I could buy any car I wanted as long as I could pay the car and insurance . Iworked after school and every summer and when I was 16 I had a little over 6k so I go to the chevy dealer and get a price on a left over 69 427 vette. Next my dad sent me to check on insurance They told me to come back when I was 21 and that is what I did. Mark

[SS427]

Charlie,
You came here for advice asking what people would think of you buying your son an SSR for him to tool around in and you may not like what you have heard so far. I have one question that might help your decision............how did you act behind the wheel of a car when you were 16? I know based on my answer my daughter drove something very mild for her first car. A 1999 Neon 4 door. She wasn't the most favorite teen around but she is still alive. I myself am not sure how I ever made it to 17 as I had a lot of high performance cars at my disposal and drove like I had no fear. When it is your own money, you seem to have a lot more responsibilty and take care of your own possesions better then when it is given to you but not unlike you, I wanted to give my daughter a reliable car for her to drive but something mild enough that she would likely not kill herself in.

One huge difference and also compared to other 16 year olds I grew up with, my dad gave me my first car but it was a 1967 SS 327 Impala with 120,000 miles and many rust holes. I spent the better part of a year fixing this car up to make it presentable and unlike my friends, I took very good care of my car and drove much more carefully as it was my money not someone elses and if it broke or got damaged I could not afford to fix it.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do, just don't give someone with no experience more car then they can handle.
Rick