A great coincidence or God at work??

[Granny_Weatherwax]

DD totaled her car last fall and we have not replaced it. She really wants a Mustang and has been trying to convince DH and me to get her one. Most of her friends drive Mustangs and she has Mustang envy. I am not kidding about the friend thing, either. She was with her best buds the other day and there was a red hard top, a blue convertible, a red convertible and a silver hardtop. They are all newer models and totally outrageous. (We've got to find some different friends for DD.;)) There is no way we can afford a newer model Mustang so we have told DD no.

 

We went for a drive through the countryside yesterday and DD was talking about getting a car. She was working the Mustang angle again and I jokingly told her if we could find one from the 80's we would get it for her. Well, yesterday evening we went to visit a friend from church and, lo and behold, they have a 1987 Mustang convertible sitting in their garage. They are hoping to sell it in the near future and would be willing to part with it for a reasonable price.

 

The car looks very much like this: :auto:

 

Um, now what do I do? I honestly thought I had found a way out of the Mustang dilemma. Is God trying to keep me honest? Does He want her to have another car?

 

DH is going to go look at it and have it checked out. It's been sitting for a few years and he is concerned about dry rot and such.

[OnTheBrink]

I don't believe in coincidences. :)

 

However, things aren't always that cut and dry. If the 'stang is in good condition and reasonable, I'd cheer and thank God for providing. If it's in rotten shape and not worth buying, it could be a good lesson for dd in prioritizing her needs vs her wants, and that could still be a God thing.

 

And, I totally relate to the Mustang envy. Totally. ;)

[dirty ethel rackham]

I'll be a stick in the mud and say that there is no way I would buy a muscle car for a teen driver. Speed, power and inexperience combine to make a recipe for disaster. Plus, you said she already totaled a car. Then again, I would not get a car FOR my kid, but I might get another car for the family - a safe, dependable, not fancy car. Yep, I'm a stick in the mud.

[hornblower]

I'm with Ellen.

No WAY would I buy a mustang for my kid.

 

A bike, yes. If they're studying hard, I won't require my kids to work which means I'll provide financial help with transpo - a bike, a bus pass, occasional use of my car or just rides from me. But there's no way I'll be buying cars for them & definitely not a sport muscle car.

 

I can just barely imagine helping them buy a small, used, safe econo box type car if the circumstances really required it.

 

And it has nothing to do with being an atheist. :lol:

[Granny_Weatherwax]

 

And it has nothing to do with being an atheist. :lol:

;)

 

I don't consider an '87 Mustang to be a muscle car. It has a smaller engine than my 2001 Ford Focus. Are all Mustangs considered to be muscle cars? Mmmm...I really don't know.

 

So...since two of you say you wouldn't buy your teen a car...may I ask why? I am curious because in our small town it's just about expected from the parents. There is little to no public transportation and parents just don't drive their teens places. I am the only mom who drives her high school junior to practices, meetings, etc. DD wants to take a dual credit class next year at the cc where I teach and will need transportation to and from the high school; having transportation is a condition of the dual credit enrollment.

 

How do you handle having one car for two people when each person needs to be somewhere and the locations are 25 miles apart?:confused:

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Plus, you said she already totaled a car. Then again, I would not get a car FOR my kid, but I might get another car for the family - a safe, dependable, not fancy car. Yep, I'm a stick in the mud.

 

I am considered a stick in the mud, too.

 

And, yes, she did total her car. She swerved to avoid a deer in the road, went into a farmer's drainage culvert and busted the axles on her car. The damage was more than the car was worth.

[Perry]

I'll be a stick in the mud and say that there is no way I would buy a muscle car for a teen driver. Speed, power and inexperience combine to make a recipe for disaster. Plus, you said she already totaled a car. Then again, I would not get a car FOR my kid, but I might get another car for the family - a safe, dependable, not fancy car. Yep, I'm a stick in the mud.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I would never let my kid drive a convertible without a rollbar. And ESPECIALLY not if she's already totaled a car.

[Tree House Academy]

Well, all I can say is that if my ds (I don't have a dd) had totaled a car last year and wanted a red sports car, the "h#ll no" couldn't come out of my mouth fast enough. NO.

[susie in tx]

What engine does this Mustang have? I would also check the insurance rates. If many teens have these cars, then the rates might be higher than for another type of car.

 

Mustangs have unibody construction. The places to look for rust are at the rear quarters, in the trunk and where you put your feet. My first Mustang was rusted completely out in all of these places.

 

In addition, Mustangs are rear wheel drive. And, they don't weigh a lot in comparison to other cars with rear wheel drive. So, it's important to know how to drive them in snow. My brother was messing around with my 86 Mustang on a wet road that was covered with wet leaves and managed to run it into a tree. I'm not saying that your dd will do this, but it's not always easy to control a rear wheel vehicle.

 

I don't recall if there were any issues with the convertible Mustangs wrt the top. I'd want to make sure that it worked very well before purchasing. It will probably get a lot of use and it would be expensive to fix it if were broken.

 

If I think of anything else, I'll post. My first and third cars were Mustangs. I adore them.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Well, all I can say is that if my ds (I don't have a dd) had totaled a car last year and wanted a red sports car, the "h#ll no" couldn't come out of my mouth fast enough. NO.

:D

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Okay, ya'll are putting lots of doubts in my head. Maybe that's why I posted.

 

BTW - DD was just dropped off by her best friend who drives a 2009 red Mustang (hard top).

[hornblower]

Adjust expectations - some things you just cannot do

 

Live in a sensible area - we were very careful about where we chose to live because we have one car & no plans to get more

 

Walk - 1-2 km one way is easily walked.

 

Bike - cyclists consider 15 km (about 10 miles) one way to be a reasonable commute

 

Carpool - get a ride from someone going the same way & pay them for part of the gas. That may mean you get places earlier than you planned. You arrange your life accordingly. For instance, maybe your course starts at 7 but the only ride avail is at 5. Well, you go early, study, bring a book, maybe there's a gym nearby where you can go swim etc etc etc.

 

Bus - buses here now have hooks for your bike. So you ride to the bus, hook on your bike, ride the bus, hop off with your bike & carry on to the areas which are not serviced by bus routes

 

Taxi. Yes, really.

 

It is cheaper to walk, ride, carpool, take the bus AND occasionally use a taxi than to own a car which involves insurance, maintenance, gasoline, and the costs of depreciation. If there's a loan involved, then there are those costs to consider too.

 

But it's depreciation that I find people usually don't count monthly. If I buy a car now for 10k & expect to get 5k for it in 5 years, the value depreciates 1k/year which is $83/month. Add to that the insurance, fuel and maintenance & you can see how a couple taxi rides per month can still have you breaking even.

 

 

And may I just say that places that have little to no public transpo & that are spread out & built on the assumption that everyone's butt will be driving in a/c'd comfort just boggle my mind.

 

With crude at over 85/barrell, with peak oil on the horizon - I just cannot fathom how any of that is sustainable.

 

The Master Wish around the country, including among people who ought to know better, is that we can "solve" our economic problem by finding some other way to run all the cars. Even hardcore environmentalists yammer incessantly about hybrid and "plug-in" cars as the "solution" to our blues. One of Barack Obama's first acts as president was to "save" the giant car companies. This is exactly the kind of signature behavior of a Futility Economy. It's based on the idea that we have to continue driving cars all the time and for everything, at all costs.

 

 

James Howard Kunstler

[Joanne]

I don't believe in coincidences. :)

 

;)

 

In AA, we call them "Godincidences". :D

[HRAAB]

There is NO WAY IN H*LL I would buy a Mustang for a teenager - let alone a convertible. I spent too many years adjusting auto accidents. We have never bought a car for any of our children for that matter. There was a family car available for them to drive, but it was our car. Our older two both purchased a car from us when they were working and we allowed them to make payments. They were also responsible for their own insurance, gas and upkeep.

 

Whether it's coincidence or God, well, I personally don't think God gets involved in helping the teenager get the car they want, but that's just my opinion.

 

eta: A teen rated on a Mustang, even an '87', ouch!

Edited April 5, 2010 by Ishki

[Michelle O. in MO]

;)

 

I don't consider an '87 Mustang to be a muscle car. It has a smaller engine than my 2001 Ford Focus.

 

Well, I agree with this. Not all Mustangs are created equal. :) Just because it's a Mustang, doesn't make it a muscle car.

 

In my humble opinion, I would probably focus more on the fact she wants a Mustang because "everyone else drives one". I would pause with that one because the question is this - is it in the best interests of our children to have what the Jones' have? Or should I say, to want to have what the Jones' have? The issue here really is providing a safe, reliable car for a teenager. She didn't total her previous car due to reckless driving, so that's a plus. And I believe that whatever car you end up choosing (front or rear wheel drive), you and your dh can teach her to drive safely and responsibly in any one of them. If she has a lead foot when she drives, than obviously you don't want to get her a v8.

 

Just my two cents.

[6packofun]

I agree in the mud.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

DH just told me this particular 'stang is a 4 cylinder and has a smaller engine than the '73 Scout he is considering and a much smaller engine then the V8 in the '99 Pontiac Grand Prix that is available.

 

DH does not consider it a muscle car.

[susie in tx]

DH just told me this particular 'stang is a 4 cylinder and has a smaller engine than the '73 Scout he is considering and a much smaller engine then the V8 in the '99 Pontiac Grand Prix that is available.

 

DH does not consider it a muscle car.

 

I don't think it is a muscle car, either, but it may still be rated as a sports car by insurance. The 4 cylinder will help.

 

Ya know, I don't have a problem with the car, as long as she can drive it in all conditions, it's in good condition, the price is where you want it, and insurance isn't outrageous.

 

It sounds like I'm in the minority, though. What's new?

[Carrie12345]

;)

 

I don't consider an '87 Mustang to be a muscle car. It has a smaller engine than my 2001 Ford Focus. Are all Mustangs considered to be muscle cars? Mmmm...I really don't know.

 

So...since two of you say you wouldn't buy your teen a car...may I ask why? I am curious because in our small town it's just about expected from the parents. There is little to no public transportation and parents just don't drive their teens places. I am the only mom who drives her high school junior to practices, meetings, etc. DD wants to take a dual credit class next year at the cc where I teach and will need transportation to and from the high school; having transportation is a condition of the dual credit enrollment.

 

How do you handle having one car for two people when each person needs to be somewhere and the locations are 25 miles apart?:confused:

 

I assume I'd handle it with my future teenager the same way I handled it with my husband when we had one car. The person who needs it the most uses it, and the other person stays home or figures out alternate transportation.

 

My agreement with my own mother was that she would get me a (cheap) car if I chose to go to community college. No car if I went away. Interestingly enough (:tongue_smilie:) she really pushed for me to go away!

 

Dual enrollment wasn't an option at the time, but I'm sure I might consider transportation for ds in that situation. Not as a Junior though, since he'll only be 16 and I have no real plans to let him get his license at that age.

[HRAAB]

I don't think it is a muscle car, either, but it may still be rated as a sports car by insurance. The 4 cylinder will help.

 

Ya know, I don't have a problem with the car, as long as she can drive it in all conditions, it's in good condition, the price is where you want it, and insurance isn't outrageous.

 

It sounds like I'm in the minority, though. What's new?

 

Certain cars, irregardless of engine size, are flagged. In both insurance companies I worked for, Mustangs were flagged - especially with a teen driver. I would check with my agent first.

[smrtmama]

Cop's wife here weighing in to say that I don't care if I received a notarized letter from Moses saying that car was totally bad*ass, sports and muscle cars in the hands of teen drivers are a recipe for disaster. My kids are getting VW Beetles that don't go faster than 55mph. ;)

[Haiku]

I would never buy a 23-year-old car unless I were some sort of specialized car hobbyist. Even if it's been well-maintained, to me it's just waiting to fall apart, and most likely the parts to repair it would be expensive.

 

If my child came to me and said, "I want a Mustang because all my friends have one," I would probably whip out the old "If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you want to also?"

 

Unless the high school is too far from your home to bike to and/or you aren't wiling to drive her, she probably doesn't need a car. She's managed for the past year without one. In that case, I would not buy my kid a car.

 

If circumstances were such that having a car for a teen would benefit the entire family, I would choose the car and expect my dd to be grateful for it.

 

My first car was a hand-me-down Cutlass Supreme. Talk about unstylish and uncool! I like to say that it got 11 miles to the gallon on the highway, going downhill, with a stiff breeze propelling it forward. My sister gave it to me for nuthin' and boy was I grateful!!!

 

My own dd15 and dh and I have already had the car discussion. She can drive when she's 18. If she demonstrates maturity, she can borrow our car when it's convenient for us to lend it. If she doesn't demonstrate maturity, she's on her own.

 

Tara

[swellmomma]

Well since you told her you would buy one, and one is coming available. I would do 2 things, 1) is tell dd she needs to findout houw much the insurance for 1 year is and come up with that amount up front to pay for a full year at once rather than breaking it down into monthly payments(I say this because seeing the large amount in one lump sum may be enough for her to chose a more practical car.). Her insurance will already be higher due to the previous accident, and then add in teh rates for this type of car. She may realize that the insurance alone makes this kind of car not an option for her.

 

2nd you told her you would help her get it which means you do not need to pay the full thing out. Because she has already totalled a car, and based on the fact she is wanting a mustang to be like everyone else I would tell her she needs to come up with the $$ to pay for it herself. You did your part in "getting" her the car by finding one that is coming available.

 

If she earns enough to pay for the car and the insurance, than she gets it. Then it is her car, her responsibilty and having jsut forked out all that cash may be enough to ensure she actually takes care of it and drives safer than if it was jsut handed to her kwim.

 

My kids know already that if they want a car as a teen they need to buy it for themselves. I am not handing vehicles out to teenagers in this family. But if they buy it themselves, I say more power to them.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Certain cars, irregardless of engine size, are flagged. In both insurance companies I worked for, Mustangs were flagged - especially with a teen driver. I would check with my agent first.

 

Okay, I called the insurance agent and...

as soon as I mentioned Mustang he whistled.

as soon as I mentioned 1987 he laughed

as soon as I mentioned convertible he whistled again

as soon as I mentioned 4 cylinder he laughed again

 

With liability only, the insurance for the 87 Mustang is less than that for the 01 Focus and way less than that for the 99 Pontiac.

[Tree House Academy]

Okay, I called the insurance agent and...

as soon as I mentioned Mustang he whistled.

as soon as I mentioned 1987 he laughed

as soon as I mentioned convertible he whistled again

as soon as I mentioned 4 cylinder he laughed again

 

With liability only, the insurance for the 87 Mustang is less than that for the 01 Focus and way less than that for the 99 Pontiac.

 

Mention the color red and the cops will whistle. I don't know why, but red sports cars get scrutinized. The only times I have been pulled over, I was driving a red sports car.

[Perry]

I would never buy a 23-year-old car unless I were some sort of specialized car hobbyist. Even if it's been well-maintained, to me it's just waiting to fall apart, and most likely the parts to repair it would be expensive.

Also, older cars aren't going to have the safety features you'd find on new cars.

[Guest janainaz]

My sister bought her daughter a car when she was 18 and she crashed it. She bought her another car and she crashed that one. My sister did not replace the second car and my niece sat for a year and a half and did nothing to fix the situation and felt entitled to be given another car. I couldn't believe it.

 

I really believe that judgement is circumstantial. I don't think I'd ever outright buy my kid a car. I would help, but only if they were very responsible. Many kids do have auto accidents, it happens and I would not necessarily punish my kid for having one, but I also would not run out and just buy them another one, and certainly not a sports-car. Again though, it's your child and you have to use your own judgement. Only you know what is really in her best interest. :)

[susie in tx]

Mention the color red and the cops will whistle. I don't know why, but red sports cars get scrutinized. The only times I have been pulled over, I was driving a red sports car.

 

I had a red Mustang. I was never pulled over.

 

I also had a black 1987 Dodge Shelby GLHS, which was numbered. I called it the cop magnet. I drove it on country roads in Iowa and got stopped. I drove it on city roads and managed to get stopped. The only thing I can figure is that the guy who had it before me must have raced it.

 

I can't remember selling it, or even what we replaced it with. Go figure.

[aggieamy]

I'm also a stick in the mud but here's what I'm hearing:

 

The reason you are looking at this particular kind of car her because she wants the same kind of car all of her friends have.

 

It's 23 years old.

 

It's a convertible with no roll bar.

 

It might not have anti-lock brakes.

 

It won't have an airbag.

 

The seatbelt in the back are probably lap only belts.

 

It sounds like an impractical, unreliable, dangerous car for a teenager to be driving.

 

I'd be looking at a late 90's or early 2000's Toyota Carolla or Camry or a similar year Honda Accord or Volvo. Safe, practical, and they probably won't cost much.

[Starr]

I would consider the missing safety features. The "Car Guys" are always telling parents to have their young drivers drive the newer, safer car in the family and not to buy them old cars.

[Rosie_0801]

;)

So...since two of you say you wouldn't buy your teen a car...may I ask why? I am curious because in our small town it's just about expected from the parents. There is little to no public transportation and parents just don't drive their teens places.

 

My parents wouldn't drive me anywhere either. I walked, caught public transport or didn't go. When I got a job, I earned the money to buy a car, then I was able to get to uni. The same happened with my siblings, and my grandfather had bought my mum her first car! As far as I know, my parents didn't believe in buying expensive things for kids because they won't appreciate it as much as they would if they had bought it themselves. I think the loser down the road who was 30 years old and crashed his fourth, parent bought car into us helped them with that decision... Heck. My mother wouldn't even pay the extra insurance on her car so I could have driving lessons in her car. I do think that was stingy. When she did drive me anywhere, she charged me petrol money! I don't think she did that to either of my siblings...

 

My opinion is that if the OP's daughter wants the car that much, she'll buy it herself. Her parents have already bought her a car. It may or may not have been her fault that she totalled that one, but it's certainly not her parents fault, and I don't see it as their responsibility to replace it.

 

Rosie (who thought coincidence and God's intervention were the same things to Christians!)

Edited April 5, 2010 by Rosie_0801

[HRAAB]

Okay, I called the insurance agent and...

as soon as I mentioned Mustang he whistled.

as soon as I mentioned 1987 he laughed

as soon as I mentioned convertible he whistled again

as soon as I mentioned 4 cylinder he laughed again

 

With liability only, the insurance for the 87 Mustang is less than that for the 01 Focus and way less than that for the 99 Pontiac.

 

That's good news. I am surprised that it being a convertible didn't result in a point, but different companies have different underwriting practices. Insurance on young drivers is so expensive!!! I'm not anxious for my next one to start driving, at all!

[kalanamak]

 

William Herbert Carruth (1859-1924)

 

Each in his own Tongue

 

 

 

 

 

 

1A fire-mist and a planet,

2 A crystal and a cell,

3A jelly-fish and a saurian,

4 And caves where the cave-men dwell;

5Then a sense of law and beauty

6 And a face turned from the clod, --

7Some call it Evolution,

8 And others call it God.

 

 

9A haze on the far horizon,

10 The infinite, tender sky,

11The ripe, rich tint of the cornfields,

12 And the wild geese sailing high;

13And all over upland and lowland

14 The charm of the golden-rod, --

15Some of us call it Autumn,

16 And others call it God.

 

 

17Like tides on a crescent sea-beach,

18 When the moon is new and thin,

19Into our hearts high yearnings

20 Come welling and surging in:

21Come from the mystic ocean,

22 Whose rim no foot has trod, --

23Some of us call it Longing,

24 And others call it God.

 

 

25A picket frozen on duty,

26 A mother starved for her brood,

27Socrates drinking the hemlock,

28 And Jesus on the rood;

29And millions who, humble and nameless,

30 The straight, hard pathway plod, --

31Some call it Consecration,

32 And others call it God.

[chiguirre]

 

I think I'd sit her down, tell her how much I love her, and tell her I don't want the next deer to jump through the roof of a convertible and kill her.

 

That's harsh, I know, but if she's driving in such dangerous conditions, she really needs a sturdy, safe ride. An '87 Mustang convertible just doesn't qualify.

[Ibbygirl]

I don't believe in coincidences. :)

 

However, things aren't always that cut and dry. If the 'stang is in good condition and reasonable, I'd cheer and thank God for providing. If it's in rotten shape and not worth buying, it could be a good lesson for dd in prioritizing her needs vs her wants, and that could still be a God thing.

:iagree::iagree:

And, I totally relate to the Mustang envy. Totally. ;)

 

Me too. I LOVE old muscle cars. :drool:

 

My opinion is that if the OP's daughter wants the car that much, she'll buy it herself. Her parents have already bought her a car. It may or may not have been her fault that she totalled that one, but it's certainly not her parents fault, and I don't see it as their responsibility to replace it.

 

 

I also agree with what Rosie said. I think it's always a good thing for kids to work for what they have, but I also understand that you told your dd that if you found one from the 80's that you would buy it for her. At the end of the day, if the car is in good shape, I think it's most important to keep your word to your dd. JMHO for what it's worth.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Ibbygirl

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Well, it's a moot point now. She did an internet search on 1987 Mustangs and decided the car is ugly and not worth the hassle.

 

Whew, I guess my lesson is to watch what I say because you never know what will turn up in someone's garage.

[RoughCollie]

I'll be a stick in the mud and say that there is no way I would buy a muscle car for a teen driver. Speed, power and inexperience combine to make a recipe for disaster. Plus, you said she already totaled a car. Then again, I would not get a car FOR my kid, but I might get another car for the family - a safe, dependable, not fancy car. Yep, I'm a stick in the mud.

 

:iagree:

[DarlaS]

Well, it's a moot point now. She did an internet search on 1987 Mustangs and decided the car is ugly and not worth the hassle.

 

A teenager has convinced herself a red convertible is a bad idea. If ever there was divine intervention, that was it. :D

 

I had an '89 red Mustang LX. My insurance was reasonable, and I never got pulled over--but that was still not a car I'd want one of my kids driving. It was a 4 cylinder/5 speed and squirrely as could be. It was the only car I have ever put it in the ditch (the damage was minor). It sure was pretty though....

 

I came really close to buying a black Mustang GT. My parents would not cosign and it turned out to have been in an accident.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

A teenager has convinced herself a red convertible is a bad idea. If ever there was divine intervention, that was it. :D.

 

Tell me about it. I will be saying a prayer of thanks tonight.

 

I had an '89 red Mustang LX. My insurance was reasonable, and I never got pulled over-- It was the only car I have ever put it in the ditch (the damage was minor). It sure was pretty though....

 

I hope you weren't hurt.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

William Herbert Carruth (1859-1924)

 

 

 

Each in his own Tongue

.

 

Thank you for this. I enjoyed it and have copied and saved it.

[DarlaS]

I hope you weren't hurt.

 

Not at all. We were, thankfully, not moving fast. We'd just turned the corner, shifted gears and spun sideways around into a stop ahead sign on the other side of the road. ETA: It was the first snow of the season--lest anyone think I was hot-rodding with my mom on purpose. :D

 

The worst thing was my mom was with me, and all she could say was "Oh, my! Your NEW car!" and "Are you ok?". I was worried about her! The car had a little dent in the door and it pretty much popped right out.

 

I had owned it exactly 3 days and it was my first decent vehicle. I bought it right after I got married (so I was 22 and had full coverage). It was three years old with 30k miles and I knew the former owner only sold it because she had had twins.

 

Incidentally, I just now remembered what eventually became of that car. We sold it after our first child was born--to a man who gave it to his teenaged daughter. Guess what she did to it within the first week of owning it? ;)

Edited April 6, 2010 by darlasowders

[StaceyinLA]

It's a 2001. We bought her a Toyota Corolla, but she begged and pleaded for that Mustang - told us she would work 2 jobs and do whatever she had to do to pay for it.

 

Well, we are 8 months in and she has paid every single payment. The car was $5000 and she has 24 payments to pay. She has never not had the money to pay her note.

 

I think she is a little burnt out on it (the newness has worn off for sure), and would like something different (better gas mileage, etc.), but she is learning a valuable lesson!

 

And honestly, she has a V-6 and it has been a pretty good vehicle. My dh loves a Ford though!