Is this a good deal, 39,000 miles White Auto Very Clean! $11,250.00, This is for my son who is 17. Deal or No deal...

 

Its a good deal on the car. but not a good idiea for your 17 year old son. i am not trying to tell you how to raise your kids but step back and think what he can and would do with it.

 

I agree, unless the kid is a heckuva lot more mature than I was at 16.

 

I agree that buying a Corvette or any high-powered sports car for a teen driver is risky. My son is a level-headed, straight-A student. He helps me work in our family business. He's very mature for 17. About a month ago he gets a ticket going 75 in a 55. I made him go before the DA by himself. He took the safe driving course, and got the ticket reduced. If he hadn't, he would have had to park the car because he has to pay his own insurance - here in NC that's about $3000 per year plus a separate GL policy I got in case he hurts or kills someone. In a way, I'm glad he got the ticket. No matter how mature we think our kids are, they are still kids with undeveloped minds. They make mistakes, they show off. If you can't find a tank for him to drive, buy the heaviest vehicle you can afford to put gas in. It's better to have an uncool live kid than a cool corpse. I know I'm preaching, but it's better said. Here's a link to a deadly wreck not far from me last night. Good kids going to a church event, just driving too fast like kids are apt to do. http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3870407/

 

The price is good if it is clean, but only for storing it until he's in his midlife crisis!
(it gives him something to shoot for!)

Talk them down a grand, and put that $1K towards the rustiest, and most dependable Impala you can find for a grand.

Kids can be perfect around us. But they have a way of losing that "Fear of us" when we are not around.

You giving a 17 year old a Vette is like letting a 5 year old handle an uzi!
(Someones going to get killed "....on accident" of course!)


Hell, I'd wait until he's at least 25 for the vette-
For now, I vote an old Impala for the youngsters!

 

I think it's great that you want to give you boy such a cool gift. I'm sure it would feel great to give it to him. But, I agree with those saying it might not be wise.

I was a very responsible teenager. Well, everywhere but in the car. I knew what the top speed of my Toyota Corola was. If I had had a Corvette, look out roadways. It's very difficult for me to believe any other red blooded teenager wouldn't do the same.

 

Offer 9,500 if the guy says no take it as a sign.

If he takes 9,500 then buy the vette.

 

Here's something to compare it with:

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/899151293.html

This one has 70K miles, and the interior is a little rough, but red is probably the most desirable interior color, and the 6 speeds bring more than autos. Unless the one you are looking at is REALLY clean, I would say it is over priced by about $2- 3K. I think White is a difficult color to sell, too plain for most folks (not bashing it, just stating my opinion). So it will bring down the value of the car.

Good Luck.

P.S. I wish my Dad had been like you!!

 

Not all children are immature. I am 17 years old myself, and I drive my fathers 96 vette daily.

 

I would say 11K for a low mile 94 is a pretty fair price assuming it was well cared for. Also assuming it needs no major mechanicals, opti, head gaskets, water pump, brakes etc.

I will make no judgement about the age of the prospective driver, I do not know your son so it would be unfair for me to say anything. Besides, I might be know to be a little "immature" when I drive mine

The issue is really about experience, as long as he understands what the car can do and what his limitations are in terms of ability. And of course the possibilty of the consequences of blurring that line.
And seeing that you are the owner of an '08, and assuming that he's driven that, the '94 shouldn't be too much.

 

This doesn't jive...

You say it wouldn't be fair to make a judgment about his age. Then say it depends on experience!
Are you Experienced? If so, why do you get "immature" when you drive yours?

This issue of "giving a 17yr old a vette" received responses of "Don't Do It!" because of our own experiences! and the experience of other young people that have died around us.

I don't know the statistics of the average lifespan of a 17yr old with a vette, but My '92 GSXR and old Ninja had about a 3-6 month LIFESPAN on ANY Driver when they came out! They say "SPEED KILLS!" for a reason. Most You Tube Corvette crashes are 30 yr olds and younger by the looks of it. Go watch some, then say he should still get it.

IF he wants to impress his girl for prom, let him take your '08 if you trust him that much!





And when he wrecks it, don't come crying back here!

Dark Green IMPALA 4 DR All the way! -that's what my 14 yr old is getting when she starts driving!-

 

I'll just answer the actual questions asked an not put my 2 cents in a 17 year old with a vette.

I think it's a decent deal, but in this market 9 grand would be better. As always make sure to check it out good. Here is a guide of things to check for. It may have low miles, but that can be just as bad as high miles.

http://corvettebuyers.com/c4vettes/prepurchase.htm

 

I wouldn't buy my son a corvette. I had to wait until I was 32 years old to be able to afford one. But when he turns 18 if he has the means to buy one that's just fine with me and I would support his decision. He would appreciate it more and be less apt to wreck or abuse it if he were making the payments on it.

 

If i had a Corvette when I was 17, I wouldn't be 41 now...

 

...Nor I 53. Too much car for a teenager. Yes I know there are some here on the forum, even some sane ones ,but imagine how you would feel if he got in a wreck with it or killed someone. My responsible son has an '04 Sunfire and he totaled a 97 Cavalier because he did not know enough to park it while I was out of town. The brakes locked up and he hit a car coming the other way. I have been told by reliable sources he has had the car near triple digits even being as responsible as he is. Food for thought....

 

Do you let your son drive your vette without you in it? Any time of the day or night? If the answer is "no", then why not??? Even if the car in question is a great deal, tempations are too great for a teenager. And if not him, then his friends who might egg him on. IMHO...

 

Driver aside.... 11K for a 94 w/ 39K on it....... Awesome....
Who said 9K

God, just give the car away..... This is why the C4 market is going to crap
Good luck in your decision....

 

My dad still sucks when it comes to cars. Glad I am grown up and don't have him controlling what I can and can't drive. But I agree with most posters. My parents had a good reason in not letting my have a fast car when I was a teenager.

I am only 25 and just bought my first vette. It is also a 1994. Even at 25, I step on the gas a little in mine. But I gotta say, when I have a kid, there isn't a cold chance in hell he will drive a vette until he can afford it himself.

I have been driving for almost a decade now, and just recently got my first speeding ticket (a minor one). I have to say, I am MUCH more cautious when driving now than I was when I was a teenager. Your driving instincts only improve with experience...something that would be impossible for a 17 year old to have. 1 year experience isn't very much.

Structurally, the Corvette isn't a safe car compared to a truck. I would get him a fullsized 4x2 pickup with a big V8. By getting him at truck with a big V8, he'll still have some pride in it. Also, being 2 wheel drive, it will keep him ON the road. Also, a fullsized truck is a much more structurally sound vehicle. If he does hit someone, at least he'll have a chance. I agree with the previous poster that said put him in the biggest car you can afford to put gas in.

Heck, I don't even feel comfortable driving my 1994 at night on the weekends. That is probably the most likely time you'd get in a serious accident since there are more drunks on the road during those times. You wouldn't have a prayer if you got in a serious wreck in a C4 corvette. That would be almost worse...him getting hurt not doing anything wrong.

Keep in mind, a straight A student that is always polite, acts like a parent's dream may act different when the parent is not around. Heck, I am 25 and have tried looking for open roads to top my car out. But I always chicken out at 120mph or something. At 17, my judgement would have been worse. I wasn't as aware now of the impact my decisions had on others as much as now. And I was what you'd call a "good kid"...made good grades, hung out with nerds, did UIL academic competitions, never got in trouble, etc.

But yeah, that is a good price.

 

1st of all this is my son's $$$, 2nd he's a great kid, not the #1 who would race it! He know's SPEED KILLS-Period...

 

It sounds like a good price to me. I paid 17k for my 95 vert in 2004 with 40k miles and in excellent condition.

As a parent the first thing I would do is go into the pcm and limit the top speed. Then I would take him to the track a few times to learn how to drive it. Any inexperienced driver is more likely to have a few accidents before long. Personally I'd rather it not be in a 94 Vette but it's his money.

I was "responsible" at 17 also or at least thats what everyone would say about me. Hell, my dad even let me take his showroom condition 1960 Corvette convertible to a high school dance at 16 years old. Since that was his car I'd feel horrible if anything happened and I treated that thing better than my own. Now if I had my own Vette back then.. Day one I'd probably test it out on a WOT 0-80 run. Within the first week I'd probably look for an empty road to top it out or at least to 150 or so. Back down at a light next to some Mustang?? Forget about it. Yeah, I was responsible too.

Hope I'm wrong. Everyone's just trying to give a friendly warning. Limiting the top speed except for track days would be a good idea though. IMO