Would you buy a Crew Cab/Extended Cab truck for your son?

Question

We all know gas is bad, but is the cab of the truck good enough. Does a truck fit a teenager? Which truck is good?

Explain your answer please

Answer 1

Yes, I bought one for my son and i'm glad I did. He can help out with it and it is good transportation.

Answer 2

of course, they are safe, comfortable, not very fast, and they require them to hone their driving skills-good idea

Answer 3

Don't  let gas prices slow you down from buying a pick-up. They are all around great vehicles. You just need to find the perfect one. I would suggest a mid-sized like a Chevy S-10, Dodge Dakota, or Ford Ranger. All fuel efficient and good running trucks. Extended cab will most likely be cheaper and since it's a teenager they probably don't have a family they have to haul around so you don't need the extra space.

Answer 4

I would buy a teenager a small truck like a F150 from the early 90 or a Ranger or Chevy S10 but let him/her pay for all the matinance too.  If you  able to pay for the insurance for the first 6 month to allow him/her to aquire a part time job and build up some cash but require them to set aside money weekly for repairs and maintance.  I started with an S10 and built it up then sold it for 500 more than I bought it for and then with a steady job I bought a brand new Dodge Ram.  This will teach them responsibility and pride of owning something.  If you buy him/her a mid nintys model S10 or Ranger they are pretty dependable.  The Silverados from the mid nintys have 350 tansmissions in them and are horrible they need replacing about every 3 years.  I will never own one of the silverados.  I would not suggest a brand new vehicle for any teenager because they are not experienced drivers and are more likely to be in an accident and why have a brand new car when you can almost expect a fender bender in the first 6 months.  Hope this has been helpful.

Answer 5

H E double hockey sticks NO!

You want to start your son with a gas guzzling machine?  What are you thinking?  

I suspect you are one of many that believe there is no finer machine on the road than a pick-up truck.

Let me tell you, they are about the second WORSE vehicle on the road today and ever.  

Now I will grant you that due to the short sighted greed of the auto makers, there are very few choices of vehicles for tall drivers.  I am 6'1" and do not fit about 90% of the cars made today.  But I most certainly fit a pick-up truck, SUV or van.  Which dealers can't give away with the price of gas so high.  Again, this is partly to blame on the auto companies.  Forcing tall drivers into the profitable low gas mileage vehicles.

Trucks do not handle well.  While a truck rides OK, they have long braking distances and slow emergency lane changing performance.  A car will give your son the ability to steer out of a bad situation, which is much harder with a long wheel base truck.  Trucks are poor in snowy conditions.  Rear wheel drive, light back end, majority of the weight on the front wheels.  Trucks are easy to loose traction in the snow and will swapping ends easily.  Remember, your son has only a small amount of driving skills and experience.    

Trucks fill a great purpose when it comes to hauling things.  But if the NEED is not there, buy a car.

PS

I want to respond to a comment made by William B regarding the Dodge Dakota getting good gas mileage.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  A used 2000 Dakota with a 4 cylinder and manual trans is rated at 18/23 mpg.  Step up to a 6 cylinder with an automatic and ratings are 15/20 mpg.  Then go whole hog with the 5.9 V-8 with an automatic trans and gas mile sinks to 11 city/16 highway.

Gas mileage ratings for a 2008 Dakota are not much better.  None of the engine/transmissions options are rated any better than 20 mpg on the highway.  

I will give you a little reality check.  These mpg ratings suck.  Dealers can't give these vehicles away.  BTW, the Dakota has gas mileage rating comparable to a Hummer H2 the poster child of gas guzzlers.

Do yourself a favor.  Buy your son a car that gets at least mid 30 mpg on the highway.

Answer 6

I agree with some of the people here. If you're going to buy him a pickup, buy a mid-sized one.  Heavy duty pickups are not for inexperienced drivers like teenagers.  They make for arrogant drivers and give people a false sense of security when they get behind the wheel.  Trust me...I'm a teenager, and I drive a semi truck...

Answer 7

No my son could buy his own truck. Any kind he likes..........UJN

Answer 8

No, kids tend to drive more aggressively in big trucks. When i was younger kids who had a pick up truck used to drive it really hard, and drove it like everyone should move out of their way cause they have a big truck. I think a truck gives the sense of power to a kid, not the kinda power that makes you go fast, but the kinda feeling of power that makes you feel like you should own the road with it. Maybe a smaller pick up truck, like a Ford Ranger or a Toyota Tacoma, but nothing big. Big trucks are harder to slow down, they just don't handle that well either, you should start him off in a small truck at the most. A sedan would be best if you ask me.

Answer 9

i would buy one for my son, but not my daughter!