renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
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Things are different in the USA !!
- Thread starter renault12ts
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- C270CDi Estate (late 2004 facelift model) - Bought 2005, Sold 2022.
There was thread on another forum from a guy in California asking advice about Jag X-Type 3.0 - for his 16year old daughter! She didn't want a BMW328 Convertible as all her friends had those!!
Things are probably changing now with exchange and interest rates, plus declining residual values, but colleagues in the US tell me the standard college grads car is BMW328i or Mercedes C300 (they're the *entry* level models in the US) on a personal lease for around $400/mth.
Things are probably changing now with exchange and interest rates, plus declining residual values, but colleagues in the US tell me the standard college grads car is BMW328i or Mercedes C300 (they're the *entry* level models in the US) on a personal lease for around $400/mth.
I read something like this on M5Board where a really young kid killed himself and 5 of his friends in an E60 M5 doing 170+ mph into a tree.
But then again, its their parents fault for putting them in such cars.
I thought my 230k was a handful when i was 20 :O
But then again, its their parents fault for putting them in such cars.
I thought my 230k was a handful when i was 20 :O
Mudster
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I thought residual values of cars in the USA were always a lot stronger than here.
The upside of this is lease deals are incredibly appealing on what we would consider expensive vehicles.
The upside of this is lease deals are incredibly appealing on what we would consider expensive vehicles.
GazCaff
MB Enthusiast
It's crazy isn't it? I'm 33 and only just bought the most powerful car I've ever owned and its still nothing compared to what these yank kids are running around in!
Not only am I in the wrong job, I'm in the wrong country!!
Not only am I in the wrong job, I'm in the wrong country!!
I inherited my dad's 220/8 when I passed my test a few weeks after my 17th birthday and used to take that car to school 
My school friends were more impressed , though , when I used to borrow my mum's Mk I 3 litre Granada , which was the same rusty brown colour as the one used in 'The Sweeney' at the time
Only a couple of years later , the 220 was written off ( not my fault : I was hit by a drunk , uninsured driver with no licence who came around a blind bend on the wrong side of the road whilst overtaking a lorry and hit me head on - there was nowhere for me to go ) and I replaced it with a W114 280E with the rare 5 speed manual close ratio box , I used that car to go through college and Uni , ended up keeping it for about 10 years by which time it had done 272 K - got through 2 clutches , countless sets of tyres , a few exhausts but all major components still original when I sold car for spares due to terminal rust underneath .
My school friends were more impressed , though , when I used to borrow my mum's Mk I 3 litre Granada , which was the same rusty brown colour as the one used in 'The Sweeney' at the time
Only a couple of years later , the 220 was written off ( not my fault : I was hit by a drunk , uninsured driver with no licence who came around a blind bend on the wrong side of the road whilst overtaking a lorry and hit me head on - there was nowhere for me to go ) and I replaced it with a W114 280E with the rare 5 speed manual close ratio box , I used that car to go through college and Uni , ended up keeping it for about 10 years by which time it had done 272 K - got through 2 clutches , countless sets of tyres , a few exhausts but all major components still original when I sold car for spares due to terminal rust underneath .
Diesel Benz
MB Enthusiast
Perhaps you are not following the W221 sections, you can frequently see posts about kids getting an S550 as their first car. This one is already 19.
http://www.mbworld.org/forums/new-s-class-w221/289553-im-19-getting-s550-feedback-please.html
Yup, was discussed here too - he was 18 years old:
http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=46755
nick mercedes
MB Enthusiast
Americans work on the assumpton that it's best to put their 15 yr old new drivers in something big as they are bound to crash.
What they don't seem to realise that putting them is some massive car with a big engine is the reason they crash.
On the Ritter MB list thing, people often ask what's the best first car for their daughter and the answer always is a 560SEL or a 123 300D.
Yup there are some classic quotes in that thread on the M5 board before the crash happened e.g.
The lad in question posted this on his first day on the forum
The following day he and his mates were dead.
- Joined
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- C270CDi Estate (late 2004 facelift model) - Bought 2005, Sold 2022.
Let's face it, kids being killed by the carfull is not exactly unusual in the UK. Although I'm certain that if every 18yr old drove an M5 it would be considerably worse.
Cars for kids in the states is a different ball game.
When buying a car for young people here, we consider factors such as insurance, tax, petrol, running costs etc.
Having a lot of family in the states, their priority when buying their kids first car is SAFETY, this means big car. Additionally, most yanks have to do a highway drive to school/college, which means a bigger engine is preferable.
4 Years ago, my cousin from Miami (same age as me) got a CLK430 as his first car. I saved up loads, waited til i was 19 and bought mine. Still only a 230k!!!!
When buying a car for young people here, we consider factors such as insurance, tax, petrol, running costs etc.
Having a lot of family in the states, their priority when buying their kids first car is SAFETY, this means big car. Additionally, most yanks have to do a highway drive to school/college, which means a bigger engine is preferable.
4 Years ago, my cousin from Miami (same age as me) got a CLK430 as his first car. I saved up loads, waited til i was 19 and bought mine. Still only a 230k!!!!
Thmsshaun
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Hmm no thanks. I would stick with the UK any day over being there. Thats a crazy system though imagine a 17yr old here being able to jump into an E55.
I think the Australians have a great system for new drivers.
lil.smartie
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The US seem to have a major problem with underage drink driving. This could be due to the fact they can drive so young but not drink till 21!
We wanted the kids to drive safe cars, Jamie has a Smart fortwo (no room for friends!) and Katie has a Smart Forfour (room for her BF & baby once he arrives) both safe, reliable & looked after by us so we know they stay that way!
Either of them in a 'big' car would be IMHO LESS safe as they will try & drive faster without having the skills to cope with any incidents that occur at the higher speeds these cars would be capable of. Their cars are 700cc and 1.1 and are both fast enough to enable them to get out of trouble if needed but not too much that they can get in trouble!
Lots of people in the US think Smarts are a good idea for their kids...
Kate
We wanted the kids to drive safe cars, Jamie has a Smart fortwo (no room for friends!) and Katie has a Smart Forfour (room for her BF & baby once he arrives) both safe, reliable & looked after by us so we know they stay that way!
Either of them in a 'big' car would be IMHO LESS safe as they will try & drive faster without having the skills to cope with any incidents that occur at the higher speeds these cars would be capable of. Their cars are 700cc and 1.1 and are both fast enough to enable them to get out of trouble if needed but not too much that they can get in trouble!
Lots of people in the US think Smarts are a good idea for their kids...
Kate
