Car advice

[John Larson]

Missed the original message., but the quote and the reply triggered a
memory. Years ago there was an editorial in Autoweek regarding the same
problem. Something like "Dear Mr. Editor. I can't decide whether to buy
my 16 year old son a new Mustang GT or a Camaro Z28." In a stupendous
outpouring of enlightenment and common sense, the editor told him to buy
the kid a beater and spend the difference on one or more high quality
performance driving schools. I couldn't afford to send my boys to the
schools, but I bought 'em beaters and made them do the maintenance
themselves. We did engine replacements, stereo installations, installed
anti roll bars and chassis stiffening, did clutches and brakes, repaired
all the little irritants, whatever. They turned out to be responsible
drivers of some skill. On the other hand, one of my older son's high
school classmates wadded her new Z28 into a little ball (DUI) and was
punished by having to settle for a 2 year old BMW 325 as a replacement.
Poor baby! John