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M1009 as daughters first car?

Recovry4x4

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What does your daughter think of this idea? I would have no issues with my kids driving one but I would do a few little mods. 12V receptacle and a platinum AAA membership. It's a 30 year old (or close) vehicle so you can expect a few little issues. Will she be travelling far from home. Some kids are getting their first vehicle when they depart for college. I doubt it would be a good college commuter if the kids attend college away from home.
 

4x4 Forever

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As long as they will be staying by the house it will be OK. AAA Platinum is a good idea as well...

I taught my daughter how to drive in the deuce and she WANTED to drive IT to school and town. That was NOT going to happen, she then turned her eyes on my M-1008 and fell in LOVE! I loved it as well, can't speed, can't peel out, etc., though the M1009 can go faster...
 

GPrez

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I told my 13-year old that the M1009 will be hers to drive when she gets her license. No point in adding to the stable when there is something in the driveway that can be driven. I figure it's big, safe, reliable and easy to drive. When she heads off to college we will have to figure something else out.
 

Recovry4x4

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One more thing, sternly caution her to not offer or accept jump starts without your guidance.
 

Warthog

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Lookup Barrman's thread about his sons M1009 project RED. It has gone from a derilect VFD pos to a truely mean green machine.

Give us some background on your daughter. Does she have any mechanical ability? Can she change a tire. Does she want to change a tire ;-).

A couple of years ago my daughters car broke down and I let her drive a M1009 I was working on. It worked out okay but she wasn't too keen on having her college "friends" see her in it. It was better than walking.
 

doghead

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I would choose a modern unibody car with FI, air bags and anti lock brakes. Rust free

Statistically they are much much safer.
 

dependable

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My daughter is 14 and she has claimed one of my 1008s as 'hers' since she was 11. On the plus side, she could not have a lot of passengers, it weighs almost 3 tons and can't go fast.

On the minus side, it weighs 3 tons and she might be tempted/encouraged to take it on the beach or otherwise off road. She is already using the skid steer to get wood, and is quite responsible for her age. She will probably start out in the old, slow Mercedes 240 diesel like here sister. Definatly would want her in a modern car if she was going off island.
 

Matt Kahle

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My m1009 is my first truck I have had it sense I was 14-15ish I really can't remember how long I have had it for. As for a starter truck if you are good at fixing a truck and want something to learn off of then the m1009 is the right truck. Once I let my friend drive the truck 200 yards and when he was done he gave me this look and I said "it's a lot of truck!". So I would recommend this truck only if you can handle it and have some extra cash sitting around just encase it brakes down.
 

kabar1

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She is 15 , not very mechanically inclined, I have a extra m1009 and she needs a vehicle. I figured we could fix it up togother. I like that it's slow, and big. She would be driving it locally only.
 

Al Harvey

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If you already have it and she would be driving locally, then I think it could be a good idea. Have you talked to her about it? What does she think of it?
 

HoosierDaddy

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I would choose a modern unibody car with FI, air bags and anti lock brakes. Rust free

Statistically they are much much safer.


Exactly ^^^ well stated. Big and heavy does NOT equal safer. In fact, it means the vehicle will not absorb or redirect the forces generated in a collision;IE the vehicle will decelerate violently but the human behind the wheel will not = injurys.

There is a video out there ,iirc, made by one of the crash test agencies on their 40th (30th i can't recall exactly) anniversary. They used found a solid 40 year old Chevy Implala and a new Imapla and frontal offset crashed them into each other. The older Impala was HUUUGGE , an absolute land-yacht , but the driver would have died where as the driver of the impala would most likely have walked away.

Then you also have to add in the reliability factor and if that has a safety issue since we are dealing with a teen girl. I'd worry far less about a teen boy.


Here it is : '59 Bel air vs. 2009 Impala
http://www.videobash.com/video_show/old-vs-new-chevrolet-crash-test-32297

another longer version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ5PcWziXT0
 
Last edited:

lindsaym

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My two cents, if she's the kind of girl that won't mind getting her hands dirty, it's a great truck in which to learn how to maintain and service a vehicle. Plus, it won't go very fast. In the case of mid-speed accidents or fender-benders, it is good because it's pretty much a steel box.

On the down-side, they can be unreliable, no air-bags etc, not good on fuel, no a/c, radio etc.
 

Corvette1974

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If she has an interest in learning about the mechanics and working on a vehicle, you cant beat a CUCV. Plus she says she wants it so that is good. My first car at 15 was my 1974 Corvette which I've been restoring since. I have also daily driven my M1028 for weeks at a time when my DD was down. I am however very mechanically inclined. When I have children, I'd rather have them drive a CUCV then a civic or something like that any day...

An M1009 could only get better MPG than my M1028 which gets 17. It is easy to drive, reliable if taken care of, and has much more character than some lame econobox. It does have a low top speed, is loud, and there is no A/C. If that isn't an issue, a CUCV is a good choice.


Will
 
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