[s-cars] Kid's cars

[DB]

I definitely enjoyed my MKII Jetta GTX for a
very long time until I just needed something
faster...but I think any iteration of the GTI
(except the A3 2.0 abomination) would be perfect
for a 16 yr old - quick cars, but not too fast
so they get to learn the limits of the car and
how to drive...

Even better/cooler would be an Audi 4000.

Cheers,

Dan



-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Tom Mullane
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 6:15 PM
To: t44tqtro at gmail.com
Cc: S-CAR-List at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Kid's cars

Folks,
 When I worked for VW in the mid to late 80's, we would get "restored"
Beetles in for service from time to time. About 90% of the time they were
cars that someone had just bought for their teenage son/daughter because
they remembered how great their hippy youth had been and what great car the
Beetle was. Of course, the Beetle *was* a great car, but like their hippy
days, its time had passed. Generally, these cars were, for the most part,
junk. Most looked as if they had been pulled out of a swamp somewhere,
loaded up with Bondo, and shipped to Earl Schibe. Candy coated turds for
lack of a better term. I, the tech, was supposed to restore working heat,
exorcise the shimmy, and make these car run like new for a new hundred bucks
(they're *so* cheap to maintain!). Bad, bad memories.
 But the New Beetle is worse. At least the old Beetle actually had a "time";
the New Beetle never had a time. In the old Beetle, form followed function.
The New Beetle is far less functional than the car from which is based - the
Golf. Yes, the New Beetle is cute. But the Golf/Jetta is far more
functional, easier to maintain, has better visibility, and is better car
overall. It's funny how things come full circle: My friends still at VW
detest working on the New Beetle almost as much I hated working on the old
Beetles. Don't buy your kid a Beetle.
 That said (I feel much better now, thanks), both of my 70+ parents are
driving Golf/Jettas. Their needs are roughly the same as a seventeen year
old, I figure. They make mostly short trips around town punctuated by an
occasional long trip, they are on a fixed income and need cars that are
cheap to maintain and operate, and their driving skill are "off peak" so
they need every advantage the car can provide. Most importantly, the cars
are safe enough to protect them without being some unnecessarily over sized
behemoth that might save their lives at the expensive of someone else's.
  Tom

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