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Letters announcing the changes, which will be effective January 1, 2011, were recently mailed to U.S. owners whose ownership information is in the MBUSA database. The major improvement to the program is that any car that is eligible for Roadside Assistance Service will be towed, at no cost in most circumstances, to the nearest Mercedes-Benz dealer if necessary. Previously, towing was complimentary only for repairs covered under warranty. This service is in addition to the basic assistance services of jump-starting the car, replacing a flat tire with a spare, or providing enough gasoline to get the car started and to the nearest service station.
The changes are being made to reward loyal Mercedes-Benz service customers, add to the value of dealership service, and encourage Mercedes-Benz owners to consult with their local dealer, where you can always be sure of finding a knowledgeable, highly-trained technician with access to approved Mercedes-Benz parts.
MBUSA Roadside Assistance will be available to any Mercedes-Benz car that is currently under new vehicle, extended, or Certified Pre-owned (CPO) warranty; was purchased from a full-service Mercedes-Benz dealership prior to January 4, 2011 and is still owned by the same owner; or is serviced regularly by a full-service Mercedes dealership (having made a single transaction of at least $100 in the 18-month period prior to the Roadside call).
I think it is great. We need more young people in the corvette ranks. My first car was a 75 Stingray. 28 years later never had a wreck or caused one. You know your son.
I think it is great. We need more young people in the corvette ranks. My first car was a 75 Stingray. 28 years later never had a wreck or caused one. You know your son.
Thanks - I am going to use your story as a good example.
Dad, you sound like you raised a good kid and your judgment is sound. Go with your instincts.
He has good grades and seems like a good kid. Do what you feel is best and don't worry about the naysayers. If he knows he has your trust, he will be more inclined to do what's right as he won't want to let his old man down.
And I know I may ruffle some feathers but lets be realistic here. A 2015 Impala has 305hp and I'm pretty sure no one would think twice about him driving that. While the Vette is a sports car that we all love dearly, let's not put it on too high a pedestal.
I sat in my first Vette when I was 11 years old (34 now) and I have been a lifelong fan since. We should all be happy that the C4's are still being admired by the younger generation. They are the future of Vette ownership.
And I know I may ruffle some feathers but lets be realistic here. A 2015 Impala has 305hp and I'm pretty sure no one would think twice about him driving that. While the Vette is a sports car that we all love dearly, let's not put it on too high a pedestal.
I sat in my first Vette when I was 11 years old (34 now) and I have been a lifelong fan since. We should all be happy that the C4's are still being admired by the younger generation. They are the future of Vette ownership.
Yes but a C4 looks fast and sounds loud. An Impala, as everyone knows it, is now a family car. Therefore, the C4 must be faster. As I have said about C4s and their attention. It is irritating to be stopped by a bunch of wannabees who have no knowledge about what they are looking at.
I agree with the people saying that you know your son and he's a sensible young guy, but I can't help but notice the difference in our countries.
Here in Victoria Australia, to get a drivers licence you must be 18 years of age and have 120 hours of documented tuition. Once you've passed the test, you have a probationary licence for 3 years with restrictions on the cars you can drive....no V8's or turbos, and you're only allowed one passenger between the ages of 16 and 22 for the first 12 months, no towing trailers and zero alcohol.
One good thing about him driving a Corvette is that he can only take one passenger, as inexperience and a car full of mates can be a bad combination IMO. Go with your instincts as he seems like he's very mature for his age.
He has money from an inheritance, so that's not a real problem. He has turned wrenches with me for seven years on our dirt bikes, and doesn't mind working on it. We had to do some work on it to get it street ready, we pulled the display out and had batee.com repair it, and cleaned up a lot of minor stuff already. he loves cars and car shows and will work on it - I already got him the shop manual for it.
your son is 14 now and you say he has been turning wrenches for 7 years? Sorry, I just cant see a 7 year old working on a motorcycle.
Generally speaking I would think this is a bad idea. However, he does not sound like the typical teenager and your relationship with him doesn't sound like the typical relationship between a father and teen son. You have good communication with him and he sounds respectful and motivated. The fact that he has some mechanical interest is a plus. The other upside is you have a while before he can drive it which gives you more time to observe how he is in general around and about the car. I say go with what you and your wife think as you know your son better than any of us ever will.
I didn't read through all the threads, but any teenage boy once out of the sights of mom/dad is going to punch this thing no matter how well they were raised...testosterone/girls win every time !
One thing I remember from High School is a number of friends who bought muscle cars when they turned 16+ and at least 60% were in accidents (minor/major) within a year that one could argue was due to not respecting the horse power under the foot. Outside of that the "speeding ticket of the week" club was very active!
If it was me, I'd probably get him a beater for the first year just to gain some understanding of driving with others on the road and respecting what a vehicle can do.
your son is 14 now and you say he has been turning wrenches for 7 years? Sorry, I just cant see a 7 year old working on a motorcycle.
My son has been helping me since he was old enough walk. I was a park's department mechanic at my local town for twenty years, so I've tunred a lot of wrenches over the years, and my son helps me fix everything. I have also taught him how to repair plumbing and electrical problems in our home to save him some money in the future.
Below is a shot I found that my wife took with him helping me at an early age - he really likes working on things too.
I didn't read through all the threads, but any teenage boy once out of the sights of mom/dad is going to punch this thing no matter how well they were raised...testosterone/girls win every time !
One thing I remember from High School is a number of friends who bought muscle cars when they turned 16+ and at least 60% were in accidents (minor/major) within a year that one could argue was due to not respecting the horse power under the foot. Outside of that the "speeding ticket of the week" club was very active!
If it was me, I'd probably get him a beater for the first year just to gain some understanding of driving with others on the road and respecting what a vehicle can do.
I was wondering what car he should start off in until my buddy wanted to give him his LT1 - how can you turn that down? I don't think my son will blow it with this car because he knows any reckless type ticket will put his car on blocks for a long time.
My son has been helping me since he was old enough walk. I was a park's department mechanic at my local town for twenty years, so I've tunred a lot of wrenches over the years, and my son helps me fix everything. I have also taught him how to repair plumbing and electrical problems in our home to save him some money in the future.
Below is a shot I found that my wife took with him helping me at an early age - he really likes working on things too.
From my experience in high school, the trouble kids will cause trouble in any vehicle. I remember kids with older Buicks, civics, corollas, sedans, etc causing more trouble than the powerful cars. Had a kid who owned a 2 year old 911 and would drive like a granny. Grant, this doesn't mean it's always the case (had a guy in Camaro drive reckless) but if kid is going to cause mayhem they will do it regardless of vehicle. I agree with the fact that a 2 seater also means less friends in the car, so less distractions.
To the OP: In answer to you question I bought my 88' when I was 16. I am 29 now never crashed it or got a speeding ticket etc... I think if your son respects you and understands what a privilege getting the car is he will be careful and take care of it.
My first car was and is a 1989 corvette. Although I have put a lot of time and money into keeping it running the way it does, it has been completely worth it. Not only have I learned valuable skills working on cars, but it has given me something to do with my free time. So for what it's worth as long as he takes pride in the car and maybe has some time invested in its upkeep, then he will not do anything risk being able to drive the car or lose it in an accident.
My first car was an '82 Mustang GT with a 347 stroker and 150 shot of nitrous. But, I grew up around cars. Truthfully, some of the fastest cars I owned were were when I was under 23 (before kids). The Mustang wasn't wrecked being an idiot, I hit a deer at night coming back from a car show. 12 pt buck plus Mustang at highway speeds, dead Mustang.
Now, I will admit I paid for the cars myself, so I may have a different view. But, if we lived in an area where snow wasn't a concern, I probably wouldn't worry about my kid in a stock C4.
It's all in the kid. Truthfully, an LT1 C4 is no more powerful than a lot of newer passenger cars. My GTP with a few minor tweaks used to give my '94 auto coupe fits.
I'm in a strange boat with my kids. My son has literally 0 interest in cars. None at all. He's a tech kid (nothing wrong with that, so was I, but cars and bikes were there, too).
My middle kid, the older of my 2 girls, LOVES cars! She's always out wrenching with me. We'll actually be building her first car as a father daughter project. Im sure she will get into shenanigans. I'm hoping by teaching her, and taking her to events like Autocross, she'l keep it at least mostly on track. But, lets be honest, lots of us had fast cars, and we all survived. If you're really worried, enroll him in a racing school for a weekend, and let him get some proper instruction.
Also, also FWIW, but I've made it a profession on telling my mother in law to stuff it up her rear. My wife and I have great kids, and are in a far better position than she was at our age. Our marriage is also longer than her was. So her opinion is invalid. I'll raise my kids MY WAY, and the only person who has any right to say otherwise is my WIFE.
Same goes for my mother.
My father in law kicks *** though, so I do value his views. He also gives them in a way that makes it sound like friendly help, and not a "mandate". To be honest though, he would be right there building cool stuff with the kids (big time car guy), and he would smile the whole time. He loves getting my daughter in the garage with him to work on some of his old muscle trucks.
08-25-2016, 09:41 PM
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