I'm already there.

My son has been driving on our closed/private SCCA track even before he had his permit. Ah...the benefits of having a key to a race track.

My son has had his license since May. He learned on an auto car first (my wife's IS 300). He learned at our SCCA track so no other cars were around. He learned to back-up, park, etc.

He then "graduated" to our manual shift Miata. He learned to drive round and round our SCCA track some more. I then had him compete in SCCA Solo once he got his license. He's been competing since then. We co-drive our Miata in STS. He has just learned to match rev the down shift and the kid is just a few seconds off my pace.

I let him drive my STi on occasion, but his daily driver is my wife's IS 300. He actually drove the STi to the track when Jarrad was here for the tune from our house. I followed him in our truck.

I have actually offered him the STi to take to school, but he's more comfortable using the Lexus. Yeah, my kid is spoiled.

In terms of working on cars. He does his own oil changes on the Lexus and he preps the Miata for race day. I just sit back and watch. Ah...the benefits of having a teenage son and air tools.

 

Whatever it is, it will be a beater, no new car. Most likely a Suby or a good Japanese car.
I've already been thinking about this lately because I have less than 4 years for this point in life. She already told me she wants a silver Miata but I told her it's not safe for a teenager.

 

i didn't get my license til i was 20. my dad (2.5 DOHC) taught me the most about driving with my grandma's 98 corolla. even though it was a bit inconvenient at times, i'm glad i held off of driving until later. teenage drivers scare me.. period.. everyone is different, but i don't think that 16 is the most ideal age to have that kind of responsibility. that's just my opinion imo..

 

I'm 18 and my first car was a POS Acura Integra.. I got it for 300 bucks and it had a bent frame broken axels bent crossmember but my dad and I got the parts and fixed everything and I really appreciated that car and the time spent with my dad working on it. I drove that car so much for a couple years and then it broke down on me one time on the freeway in a construction zone where there was no shoulder and I almost got rear-ended a few time before i could get off the freeway. That scared my mom so she bought me a 2010 2.5i premium for graduation. I couldn't have been happier. If i recall I even cried a little bit. hahaha. Working on your first car is great though.. It really builds that appreciation. (even if it is a POS)

 

your dad's driving is enough to scare anyone...i'm surprised you can even ride in a car.

 

Get the kids to the SCCA autocross very early in their driving "careers". My son has a lot of appreciation for what it takes to control a car at the limits. It improves him as a driver.

Case in point: On our way back from the last Solo, I was following him in our truck. I saw him swerve suddenly into the adjacent lane. I thought what the ****? He even had the presence of mind to signal the swerve at 55 mph. He did the maneuver to avoid a trash bag that fell of a car in front onto the road.

The skills learned at the limit during a controlled racing environment cannot be replaced under any other condition on the street. Autocross makes you a better driver. Period.

The added benefit is my son drives so mellow on the street because he gets all his aggression out at the track.

 

Those that know me know that I have no kids. But once they do come, i think i'm gonna let them decide what to drive. They will have learned hard-work and the value of a dollar (what ever it's worth then). Plus they will have hopefully shown an interest in racing, and hopefully attend events that I drive in, which, like risk stated, is huge to get their agression and "the need for speed" attitude on the track and off our roads.

 

He'll have already gone through a couple performance driving schools (both rally and track) and multiple amateur driving events before obtaining a license.

Then he'll get a 95L wagon or equivalent.

Then after a year or so I'll give him $5,000 cash to use for investments only. If he can turn the $5k into $10k, I'll buy him a new WRX. If he can't and legitimately tried, I'll buy him a used one anyway.

 

I did a lot of stupid stuff when I was a teenager. If my parents told me not to, I would have done it anyway (if not even more so). I wish they at least gave me the means to learn how to drive before I started driving so aggressively.

 

i'd get him/her an older suby. gotta be turbo. hopefully as stock as possible. my parents got me my first car with the intentions of a DD, but that didnt happen. l'd like them to work on it themselves with the parts that they bought. but i think id teach them to drive a slammed car to teach them more road awareness.

 

bump it up!

 

whatever car it may be, my kid will be driving up and down the mountain hills starting at the age of 12. delivering pizza across town with a cup of water to teach him how to control the car. most likely a FR but i havnt decided on what, maybe something from the 80's. one day i'll school him in my wrb gc, making him more motivated to drive the mountain roads much faster.