What have I started? Daughter wants Dodge Charger for her first car... Should...

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

What have I started? Daughter wants Dodge Charger for her first car... Should I entertain this, or buy her a nice Chevy Camaro? 

Maybe it has been all the episodes of the Dukes... Or maybe my love for the Charger??? Anyways, my daughter asked if I'd either give her one of my cars, or to buy her a Charger of her own... What's a Dad to do??? 

Anyone else in the same boat - or has been in the same boat? 

My other daughter has eyes for the VW Beetle convertible w/ flower holder on the dash... How cute... 

My gut reaction is to simply buy her the car she wants vs. driving something of mine - has worked well with my wife, keeping her out of my cars 

Thanks for your input 

[ITSA426]

My son drove one of my Chargers to high school occasionally.  I finally gave it to him after he finished college, got a job, got married, and bought a house.  It seemed like the right time.  Now he's got a garage.

[41husk]

I tried to get kids into mopars and nothing doing My daughter got a 2002 VW Beetle ( biggest piece of sh**) I am jelouse, I wish I could have spent some mopar time with my kids.

[bobs66440]

Does she want a NEW or OLD Charger?

I am a car guy through and through, but my son will be getting a safer, reliable, 4 cylinder newer car (most likely Japanese) for his first. Reasons being safety for an inexperienced driver and reliability so I won't have to fix it every other day. There is always time later on to get a Charger or whatever. It will most likely be a 2nd car project. Something he can learn on. He likes the Charger but he REALLY likes the 2nd gen Camaros, so who knows.   

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

She wants a 1969 Dodge Charger  I should have clarified 


I am probably the wrong person to consider cars - my first car was a Corvette. My second car, a year later, was a 1968 Dodge Charger  It was my HS shop "project" to keep me from having to fix cars brought to auto shop by the public 

[41husk]

I bought my daughter a 74 Dodge Dart straight 6 because I could work on it!!!  I am  not sure it is her thing but she blew the motor in the VW, has no money and needs to get back and fourth to work.  So I guess she is a Mopar girl by default

[grdprx]

Get her the Charger!  That'd be so cool!  I'm working on my 6 year old son now.. trying to talk him in to it, his response to me is that he wants one that "runs!"  Cuz I'm always fixing mine...   Kids...   

[terrible one]

I learned SO MUCH from having to buy a shell at 15 and build my own, both about working on the car itself and about sticking with something and reaching your goals. It's only now that it's on the road, but I can honestly say that I'm glad I wasn't handed one. I wouldn't have appreciated my Charger NEARLY as much as I do now. I've known only two other "kids" that were given classics and they couldnt care less.

[bobs66440]

I learned SO MUCH from having to buy a shell at 15 and build my own, both about working on the car itself and about sticking with something and reaching your goals. It's only now that it's on the road, but I can honestly say that I'm glad I wasn't handed one. I wouldn't have appreciated my Charger NEARLY as much as I do now. I've known only two other "kids" that were given classics and they couldnt care less.

My point exactly 

[bajaherbie]

get her a charger!

my son has been a motor head all of his life ....i think his first words were vrroom, vrroom! when he was younger his room was orange with a rebel flag in it.... he found the 73 on ebay and i bought it for him as a reward for his good grades and attitude. in a few weeks he takes his drivers test and then it will be time to roll to school in his charger.   he has already picked out a place to park the car out of harms way!

[HOTROD]

I have the same problum but with my other car ,I told her U help me work on the Charger and maby ,so far no help so no car !!

[HANDM]

My daughter (16) wants to drive my Challenger as her H.S. car and the Boy (11) wants the Cuda for his, I've been grooming them for this their whole lives  

[azfrench]

I had a very similar expirience except she wanted a 65 Mustang.  I don't know where the hell she got that from cause I grew up hating Fords.  But, nontheless she wanted the Mustang.  She got straight A's in school and made very wise decisions and did not bring touble to herself or our family.  I set up a plan for her to save up and buy a mustang of her own so she would appreciate the car.  Well, she was doing just that and I saw the determination in her.  She continued to do very well in school and in her social life.  My wife and I decided to surprise her on her 16th birthday with a car.  I found a very nice 65 mustang with absolutely no rust at all.  My brother and I spent the next 8 months restoring the car and keeping it hidden from her.  We took her out to dinner on her 16th birthday.  We parked the car near the front of the resturant with a big, "For Sale" sign in the window.  When we walked out she noticed the car and went over to see what the price was.  The description read, "This car is only for sale to a special girl who would take good care of it and treat it with the respect it deserves.  This car was built by family members who sacraficed many nights to see it completed.  The person who buys this car must give thanks to these family members, and this means YOU (Daughters Name)."   She had the best look of confusion on her face.  I actually had to tell her it was her car.  She did not believe me until I gave her the keys and started the car for her.  It was great.  That was last year and she still loves the car and takes very good care of it.  I think she appreciates the car even though she didn't give a penny for it. 

Rick

[bull]

That's a great story, Rick.

Does she want a NEW or OLD Charger?

They make a new one? I guess I must have missed that because I haven't seen a new Charger since 1974.

Anyway, both my girls want a 68 or 69 Charger or a new Challenger. I'm thinking a used Challenger SE would obviously be more attainable by the time the first one is 16 (she's 11 now), assuming she's still interested or is even serious. Finding a decent 68 or 69 Charger wouldn't be any easier in five years than it is now and being able to afford another one that wouldn't need a full restoration would be almost impossible. With a few safety upgrades (like disc brakes, shoulder belts, headrests) I wouldn't have any problem with my daughters driving one. And I do love the thought of being able to work on a car that has no emissions BS.

[RallyeMike]

First car? No.

Buy her something newer that steers and brakes and has air bags and 3-point belts. You can buy her a Charger once she has some driving experience and proves that she is a responsible driver.

[bull]

First car? No.

Buy her something newer that steers and brakes and has air bags and 3-point belts. You can buy her a Charger once she has some driving experience and proves that she is a responsible driver.

Why? Are people dumber or less coordinated now than they were when you were 16? Was DEVO right?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

First car? No.

Buy her something newer that steers and brakes and has air bags and 3-point belts. You can buy her a Charger once she has some driving experience and proves that she is a responsible driver.

Well said...

[tan top]

First car? No.

Buy her something newer that steers and brakes and has air bags and 3-point belts. You can buy her a Charger once she has some driving experience and proves that she is a responsible driver.

Well said...

[RallyeMike]

Why? Are people dumber or less coordinated now than they were when you were 16? Was DEVO right?

The world is actually evolving, Bull. Sometime for the better (sometimes!)

You used to be able to drive anywhere you wanted with whomever when you turned 16. Now a lot of States have laws that keep young folks from driving at night, no other teens allowed unless accompanied by and adult, etc. Why? Because teen drivers as a statistical group don't have the skills to drive safely, and they are trying to actually do something about it. If you want to approach teen driving safely for your kid, I'd say start them off in a car with modern safety features so that if they make mistakes, perhaps they don't pay for it for the rest of their lives.

I wouldn't say kids are dumber, but I would say that they are perhaps less prepared than kids from the past who didn't spend every hour of their day in electronica-land, not to mention the distractions of cell phones, texting, etc. that most of us old kids didn't have to deal with.

I'm not saying that a teen should not have a Charger, but there should be an opportunity to learn, gain skills and show responsibility in something safe first.

[71green go]

I would never buy my daughter an old car as her first car.......I could not imagine how I would worry about her driving around in a car that shouldnt be a daily driver....and the gas mileage....
Newer cars are far superior in everyway including safety....except the cool factor, the type of guys that would be hanging around her would also bother me if she was driving an old muscle car

My daughter is getting a honda or a Toyota....because I love her, not because I think it would be cool for her driving what I love

[bull]

Why? Are people dumber or less coordinated now than they were when you were 16? Was DEVO right?

The world is actually evolving, Bull. Sometime for the better (sometimes!)

You used to be able to drive anywhere you wanted with whomever when you turned 16. Now a lot of States have laws that keep young folks from driving at night, no other teens allowed unless accompanied by and adult, etc. Why? Because teen drivers as a statistical group don't have the skills to drive safely, and they are trying to actually do something about it. If you want to approach teen driving safely for your kid, I'd say start them off in a car with modern safety features so that if they make mistakes, perhaps they don't pay for it for the rest of their lives.

I wouldn't say kids are dumber, but I would say that they are perhaps less prepared than kids from the past who didn't spend every hour of their day in electronica-land, not to mention the distractions of cell phones, texting, etc. that most of us old kids didn't have to deal with.

I'm not saying that a teen should not have a Charger, but there should be an opportunity to learn, gain skills and show responsibility in something safe first.

On the other hand I don't really agree with the idea of getting someone used to a car that has excellent stopping distance, great steering, ABS, 4-wheel disc brakes, traction control, etc., and then turning them loose on a 400-horsepower car that drives like a farm truck.

[MoparMudMadness]

Ahh, good luck deciding.  My wife and I bicker about this topic often.  Always said my Charger is for my son (about to turn and my daugther (10) wants a mustang--like someone else said, don't know why always preach MOPAR.  I have a jacked up Ram that would probably be the girls' 1st ride but my wife doesn't like the ideas of her with that and him with the power...

[Musicman]

My daughter wants my 67 (when I'm dead)... or a 2nd gen Hemi - Panther Pink - White interior - White Vinyl Top... or one of those new Cameros painted with the Bubble Bee theme from the movie.

What's a father to do...

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

I would never buy my daughter an old car as her first car.......I could not imagine how I would worry about her driving around in a car that shouldnt be a daily driver....and the gas mileage....
Newer cars are far superior in everyway including safety....except the cool factor, the type of guys that would be hanging around her would also bother me if she was driving an old muscle car

My daughter is getting a honda or a Toyota....because I love her, not because I think it would be cool for her driving what I love

All out of Chevy, Ford, or Dodge in your town? Why buy foreign? 

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

I had a very similar expirience except she wanted a 65 Mustang.  I don't know where the hell she got that from cause I grew up hating Fords.  But, nontheless she wanted the Mustang.  She got straight A's in school and made very wise decisions and did not bring touble to herself or our family.  I set up a plan for her to save up and buy a mustang of her own so she would appreciate the car.  Well, she was doing just that and I saw the determination in her.  She continued to do very well in school and in her social life.  My wife and I decided to surprise her on her 16th birthday with a car.  I found a very nice 65 mustang with absolutely no rust at all.  My brother and I spent the next 8 months restoring the car and keeping it hidden from her.  We took her out to dinner on her 16th birthday.  We parked the car near the front of the resturant with a big, "For Sale" sign in the window.  When we walked out she noticed the car and went over to see what the price was.  The description read, "This car is only for sale to a special girl who would take good care of it and treat it with the respect it deserves.  This car was built by family members who sacraficed many nights to see it completed.  The person who buys this car must give thanks to these family members, and this means YOU (Daughters Name)."   She had the best look of confusion on her face.  I actually had to tell her it was her car.  She did not believe me until I gave her the keys and started the car for her.  It was great.  That was last year and she still loves the car and takes very good care of it.  I think she appreciates the car even though she didn't give a penny for it. 

Rick

Nice story!