how do young drivers safely have fun driving?
Posted by normaleyes@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 375 comments
My kid, who's a budding car guy, is still young enough to live at home - just to level set. He loves driving and has all the signs of wanting to drive fast and enjoy the whole driving experience. I urge him to drive safely and slowly, but it's a source of contention. I've directed him to autocross to have a outlet for this, but the structure of the organizations and events seem to be a turn off.
So I'm wondering, how do people who people who love spirited driving, and those who enjoy pushing their cars get to exercise this in a safe a (mostly) law abiding way?
Acrobatic-Salad-7762@reddit
honestly autocross is probably one of the safer ways even if the vibe can feel awkward at first. a lot of young drivers also learn on empty back roads late at night, not ideal but thats reality. what helped me was understanding car control, braking, weight transfer stuff. once you scare yourself one time, you usually calm down a bit.
flamingokandy@reddit
Teen driving is an exciting and scary thing! Having been in a messy situation myself soon after I got my license, I'm on a mission to increase driving safety and driver awareness. I'm building CruiseAI, an extra set of eyes that looks out for potential hazards new drivers might miss. Lmk if you're interested and I'd be happy to send you free early access!
markymarc999@reddit
On a track or with a video game. The roads are not playground.
PK808370@reddit
Kart racing or dirt bikes. Deemphasize the car part of it. They are expensive and in many states (in the U.S.), you can’t mod it in fun ways on your own, so not as much learning there.
Performance cars are an arms race, and better off left alone for a long time.
To be clear, cars are fun and a cool thing to spend time/brainpower on, but also ridiculously expensive to play with compared to what you get.
Karts and dirt bikes are alway safer, way cheaper, and you don’t do as much dumb shit with your buddies. They’re also way more involved and accessible than car racing.
Offcoloring@reddit
I went the E-Bike route for "budget fun"
Going ~35mph on a chassis that's lighter than you are feels crazy , and some people have e-bikes that go 70mph+ (I don't suggest going this route, 35-40mph is more than enough to feel the fun and adrenaline)
Imtherealwaffle@reddit
On top of that I find that when i get back in my car after karting, it feels slow, heavy and boring compared to the kart and it completely kills any urge to drive even a little fast.
PK808370@reddit
Yeah. Drive a pickup or a tow car and small trailer…
I will admit that the whole kart/bike thing is also unattainable for many many folks and I wasn’t meaning to make it sound like everyone had kart/bike money. On the other hand, you can get into either for the cost of relatively minor mods on a car.
Imtherealwaffle@reddit
Yea i meant like its a positive thing that karting makes cars feel boring. Definitely not cheap especially for faster karts but if you have sports car or "fun" car money then you can probably afford to do some karting.
PK808370@reddit
No, I think I understood ;) I was making a caveat that we weren’t pretending like most people had the money to play like this anymore. But your point lined up with mine - if someone’s already planning to play with cars, the alternatives are cheaper and way lower risk!
FailFastandDieYoung@reddit
u/normaleyes I'd expand on this and say every non-car vehicle is hilariously fun (and scary!) even at low speeds.
A skateboard at 25mph or a bicycle at 40mph feels like warp speed.
There's all sorts of high powered scooters and similar gadgets on the market for around $1k-$2k that will provide more fun relative to the risk of driving a car dangerously.
PK808370@reddit
Yes - overall. But I think there’s a significant difference in safety and learning when you’re racing in a class like Kart, enduro, or MX. I see kids in my neighborhood (super busy small city), riding electric bikes with no helmets through traffic lights, etc. thrilling, yes, but asinine.
To your point, going 40 on a road-race bicycle, next to cars, on a sketchy road is nothing if not thrilling :)
doublegg83@reddit
Driving is fun when you follow the rules of driving. Things like changing lanes, driving down hills, driving up hills shifting gears, signaling, using cruise control,watching your speed, watching your gas consumption and a good stereo system is all fun.
This all starts with being in a car that's ergonomically suited for all of this
Offcoloring@reddit
The fuel economy game is more fun than I thought at first lol and I basically get a free lunch or two if I stick to it the entire tank
Anything_4_LRoy@reddit
if hes gonna go to the races and from the cops in big groups... hes gonna do it.
just hope he can drive and doesnt cause "the big one"? lol i dont know.
Worried_Amphibian_54@reddit
autocross... autocross... autocross...
If the turnoffs are the rules and regulations for safety, well that's a good thing to get him introduced to.
tehbabuzka@reddit
get them a car that’s fun / satisfying to drive slow
Hakka_-@reddit
Mazda 3 all the way.
The most fun economy car out there imo.
fingerbanglover@reddit
Loved my Mazdaspeed 3
Worried_Amphibian_54@reddit
same... I ended up selling mine for a Camaro 2SS 1LE and that was a bad choice.
Mysterious_Sky3117@reddit
I agree! My daughter has an ‘07 and I loved it so much I got a 2020. However, hers is actually more fun to drive and only a 2.0 liter lol. It’s just so peppy and easy to drive.
Total-Composer2261@reddit
I was looking for this. My Mazda 3 with six speed manual trans is more rewarding to daily than my 370Z.
mtbcouple@reddit
This. Miata, 86 twins, etc. and bring them to HPDE days. Autocross is super boring.
boyworldwide@reddit
Came here to comment the same thing. The 86/BRZ is exactly what OP’s son needs. Miata is a good choice too, but for a young male, I think the 86 is “cooler.”
LackinOriginalitySVN@reddit
Idk...you could get a miata with pop up headlights. My 86 doesn't have those :(
guitarb26@reddit
POP-UP UP AND DOWN HEADLIGHTS
lewie_820@reddit
Haha, love that video! Have that clip saved, play it in my Fiero everytime someone who’s never been in one sees the lights go up
LackinOriginalitySVN@reddit
I've only recently discovered Donut media , haha
This is great. Hadn't seen it
boyworldwide@reddit
I feel like I’m at the age where I’m out of touch with “kids” nowadays, so I could be totally wrong. I’m guessing OP’s son is somewhere between 18-23… there could totally be an element of vintage cool retro nostalgia with pop up headlights. When I was that age, the FRS was a “cooler” choice than the Miata. Personally I don’t care either way, but I understand how “coolness” factor matters to younger people. You could be totally right - the popup headlights could be that cool factor (and an awesome car the Miata is)
shawner136@reddit
You wink at or get winked at once… life changing stuff
BaselessEarth12@reddit
For me at that age (roughly a decade ago), Miatas were impossible to find locally, and the BRZ/FRS/86 were cost-prohibitive at the time... So I ended up with a Jeep Cherokee. With just a tiny bit of work (new springs and shocks, bushings, and a couple swaybars; not upgrades, just straight replacements), it was a hoot! It had just enough power to be fun, but not enough to get into trouble. Because of the wheels I had on it were both wider than stock and had slightly less backspacing (15x8-5:3, vs the OEM 15x6.5-4:2.5) it was pretty stable, too. They gave it a killer stance, and only rubbed in the back at full compression because of the at the time 16yo leaf springs being tired and mostly worn out. I'd even still have it if I hadn't been t-boned in it...
AtalyxianBoi@reddit
I can respect a good Miata build but I often don't like the people who drive them and the type of people they attract. I'm 27 this year so maybe im just old but I've never met a more childlike community, with both actual age demographics and their attitudes. Not everyone, but majority. They're also not as cheap as they were so I agree an 86 would be more suiting now. I'd rather get anything else than pay $10k for a Miata someone else has bashed by now, and I wouldn't pay less for something that is stock and on the cusp of needing a rebuild to properly enjoy. You could get a clean Trueno for that money but I am speaking for New Zealand so overseas may differ
boyworldwide@reddit
That’s interesting. I’ve always associated Miata’s with old men and lesbians.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a person below the age of 45 driving a Miata.
LackinOriginalitySVN@reddit
I almost exclusively see "kids" driving them.
hitdrumhard@reddit
They can be modded in unspeakable ways.
LackinOriginalitySVN@reddit
86s in decent shape in MT but with 100k ish miles are still going for 15k around me, lol
soapy_goatherd@reddit
My first car was an 87 prelude that was pretty busted, but holy shit I loved the pop up headlights (and sunroof!)
1baby2cats@reddit
Yep, I had a 2013 BRZ in manual and it's the most fun car I've owned despite being the slowest. My previous car was mk7 golf r, and my current cars are a 2019 rs3 and a 2022 911s in manual
boyworldwide@reddit
Same here. My FRS was probably the slowest car on the road at any given time but was so much fun. My next door neighbor’s son has an 86 and I can’t help but slow down every time I pass by.
You’ve certainly upgraded your vehicles! My mom’s current car is a mk7.5 Golf R, which I convinced her to buy lol
Jugadenaranja@reddit
God not the 86 twins insurance on them is insane now because people keep giving them to kids who send them into shit all the time.
GArockcrawler@reddit
To your point, I highly recommend a Bugeye sprite or similar LBC (see article link). My 1960 is the epitome of a slow car that is a blast to drive "fast".
https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/5-fantastic-first-project-cars/
mtbcouple@reddit
That looks like fun!
GArockcrawler@reddit
It is wonderful.
SoneiOTree@reddit
C4 Corvette is also great. It's like a V8 Miata with barely more grunt to give.
Domingo2222@reddit
It might be safer speed wise but no parent wants to see their kid drive off in a tiny ass Miata
mtbcouple@reddit
Eh if you buy a modern one I wouldn’t be worried
Domingo2222@reddit
Fair enough. To each their own. But there’s just the common sense factor of tiny car get crushed.
mtbcouple@reddit
Alternatively, it’s easy to zip around and get out of the way when needed
MexiFinn@reddit
Miata Is Always The Answer
roger_ramjett@reddit
This is the answer
dapperfop@reddit
Fiat 500 Abarth! It feels fast and fun but it’s slow.
KingTy99@reddit
The issue there is they're rediculously unreliable.
Wonderful_Device312@reddit
The best time of your life to own an unreliable car is when you have dad around to bail you out any time it breaks down, and when you don't have other bills to pay. So much learning happens when you're trying to keep your shitty car going.
person749@reddit
The problem with the Abarth is that you can't just pop on down to the local Autozone for a cheap part. Heck, even the Fiat dealer isn't a guarantee.
The kid's gonna learn how source internationally!
bopperbum@reddit
What are you basing that statement on? Abarth 500s and 124s are pretty reliable
Overall-Tailor8949@reddit
The brand always has been. Fix It Again Tony!
dapperfop@reddit
That’s true. An alternative is a Miata
Leo_br00ks@reddit
I bought one for myself just after I turned 16 in 2016.
A 2014, which was one of the best years (had worked out the kinks from 2012 and 2013, but didn't have the 2015 refresh issues. Got it for $11k with 30k miles and paid $2k for a warranty. At 69k miles, the engine blew up and the warranty paid out 11k for a new engine. So they aren't reliable IMO... but man are they fun. And too slow to really get into trouble with.
As for how to enjoy spirited driving legally? I would drive backroads with some older car friends I found. That was always fun. Autocross was cool too, but I only did it occasionally and was worried about the wear on my car. I remember one day in high school during lunch I hit 130mph on the highway with 4 people in the car. Can't believe how dumb we were back then lol. Then I got a pretty serious speeding ticket (70 in a 35) and almost lost my license. Honestly, that's what really calmed me down. After that, I would occasionally go out and drive back roads, but it was never worth losing my license over. Learned how to do basic maintenance, and probably contributed to blowing up the engine.
Traded it in when COVID hit for $7k and bought a GTI. Traded that for a Model Y last year.
All that to say, Fiat 500 Abarth is a great first car. Grinning every time you drive is worth every penny
Yuu_Got_Job@reddit
I have a 2012 and it’s great
Digital_Ark@reddit
This! Slow car fast > fast car slow.
GArockcrawler@reddit
To your point: I've got a 1960 Bugeye sprite that is just an insanely fun drive. At \~45 hp at the moment it's the poster child for slow car. Parts are cheap and readily available.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/5-fantastic-first-project-cars/
SirCarboy@reddit
I used to hoon up bush roads in my VW Beetle. I had heaps of fun but I'm sure I wasn't moving very fast.
speeding2nowhere@reddit
Problem is, those are the most fun cars to drive fast 🤣
tehbabuzka@reddit
i’d argue a fast car is run to drive slow, you can get excitement off the acceleration
an econobox is only fun when you’re pushing it to the limits
speeding2nowhere@reddit
I find having to constantly hold back frustrating, personally.
It’s more fun to actually be able to push harder more often, regardless of what you’re in. The sense of pushing the limits is what is most exciting… whether you’re doing 100 or 150 is totally irrelevant if you’re just driving for fun. Speed only maters if you’re actually racing.
Also… the sense of out-running a much faster car in a slow car like a Miata is immensely satisfying. You literally are a superior human when the ape in the AMG or the Mustang can’t stay with you in a car that has 1/4 the HP 😂💯
mrkillfreak999@reddit
I absolutely agree with this. Drove my friends 100hp Yaris. Absolute blast to drive even on a auto tranny compared to my shitbox Acura
HalfFrozenSpeedos@reddit
59hp manual MK1 Yaris and I had the speedometer hitting the claimed top speed of 96mph (and it still was picking up speed, I just backed off due to cops and speed cameras) Fun little thing to chuck around
_Random_Dude_@reddit
Yes, I have an 85hp Corolla E90 hatchback from 1991 that I love to drive around, still do even after getting an SW20.
It's flimsy and sways a lot because of the soft suspension and I just have a blast when I push it a little. All of that under the speed limit.
HalfFrozenSpeedos@reddit
I had an E100 1996 corolla with the 1.3 non turbo, new set of MacPherson struts all round (only car I've ever own with struts on all 4 corners) and it was a hoot to drive, reliable, as long as you don't live in a heavily salted area (mine had rust issues due to it's age by the time I had it due to the tonnes of salt they use here) Parts are cheap and if you ever want a bit more speed....there was a turbo version of that motor also....
Both_Wasabi_3606@reddit
This. I like to drive my manual transmission Scion around curvy roads. I push the car on the turns and have fun with it, all while at or slightly above speed limit. It's not about how fast I can drive, but how much I can get out of a plain jane car.
Wigberht_Eadweard@reddit
1.8L preferred. I have a 2006 Sentra that couldn’t get out of its own way but sounds good when flooring it for off ramps and stuff, has aux, esp, and by 2006 I think cars were fairly safe
buckforest@reddit
Agreed. I’ve had more fun in a MINI than any super-powerful BMW or Porsche. Also make sure their car has stability control and tell them not to turn it off when they’re on public roads because it genuinely saves lives.
ArtisticDegree3915@reddit
Lowrider, baby.
beaushaw@reddit
Miata is always the answer.
science-stuff@reddit
So it isn’t exactly law abiding but it isn’t the end of the world either.. we used to put plastic trays under our rear wheels, parking brake on, of our front wheel drive cars and “drift” around in a parking lot.
Obviously you can crash there too, but it sure is fun and lower risk.
oldestengineer@reddit
Snow is the best driver training. Big, empty parking lot or field, a proper rear wheel drive car, and you, too can have a happy childhood.
-XThe_KingX-@reddit
Find a dirt road in a deserted part of town and just send it. Buy them a 500$ beater and let em destroy it. Will teach them valuable driving skills and appreciation for things thy have. When it breaks they will try to fix it because it's fun.
LBS4@reddit
My brother and a couple buddies started racing in Spec Miata series in graduate school, low cost to enter, lots of events and great times. 20+ years later most of them are still doing it (and they gave the ability to spend a lot more on racing but choose not to)
Bradidea@reddit
Any racetracks near by?
External_Solution577@reddit
If the structure of an SCCA autocross is a turn-off, what is the structure of biking to his part time job to pay off his tickets after he loses his license for speeding going to be like for him?
The thing to make him understand is that while spirited driving is great fun, the reason that racetracks are encouraged is that thousands of lives have been lost in the process of making spirited driving safe, and often the death toll extends beyond the participants.
The problem with street racing isn't that the racers sometimes get hurt, it's that if you hit a freeway divider at speed, you can go airborne into oncoming traffic, and you're basically an unguided cruise missile heading at other drivers at triple digit speeds, and killing a family by accident, because you thought it was cool to go fast, or watching a friend do so because he wanted to race you and his car and his skills weren't up to it, is the sort of thing that will scar the rest of your life.
Literally every street racer involved in a fatal collision thought it wouldn't happen to them. Until it did.
I mean, if you can afford to send him to high performance driving school, by all means do so, as driving can be enormous fun. But make him realize that he doesn't want to be, or cause, any of the 42,000+ traffic accident deaths that happen in America each year.
beaushaw@reddit
There is structure to autocross for a reason.
There is a time, place and method to having fun in a car SAFELY. If your son is not willing to adhere to this then they do not deserve to be driving.
They better understand this before something or someone gets hurt or killed.
As a parent of a new driver your number one job is getting them to understand this. I made the point several times with my daughter that she can easily kill herself, a stranger or her best friend. Cars are not toys.
In addition to autocross I highly recommend a teen driver's training course at a race track if you have one locally.
Charbus@reddit
7 hours and 45 minutes of shagging cones for 15 minutes of driving
I’d rather go to a HPDE any day and pay for the right to do so
kendogg@reddit
It teaches the basics that you don't learn in hpde. The skills that when your car steps out at T5 at road Atlanta, or T12, you just drive it, control it, and don't crash like people who've never autocrosses before. It shocks me how many hpde people are scared of car control - especially of a car that may be a bit loose. Learn how to drive first.
Charbus@reddit
I podium at autocross, I get it. The format is just so bad at so many clubs.
The club closest to me only runs during Texas summer and allows like 200 cars per event. They also require EVERYONE to do some job, so there will be a group of 7 people at a corner responsible for one cone, just standing around. This also means run groups of 50+ cars during 100 degree days.
kendogg@reddit
That does sound miserable. What club is this? What part of TX are you in?
Charbus@reddit
SPOKES, Central Texas
SolidOutcome@reddit
Is autocross the 5 min of driving and 8 hrs of cones....and what is HPDE?
Charbus@reddit
Yes sir it’s pretty aggravating
Then at the end they’ll order little Caesar’s that you can eat outside during a 90 degree day and circlejerk about driving technique and safety protocols
__slamallama__@reddit
HPDE is incredibly worth it for kids like this.
The issue with many younger people who live driving fast is they don't realize how quickly shit can go sideways. They need to get on a track so they can push a car until it goes totally wrong. Once you learn how fast driving can go from fun to scary you'll respect the limit a lot more.
kendogg@reddit
That's the absolute worst advice possible. That could lead to a totalled car and potentially a fatality. Racetracks are inherently dangerous.
__slamallama__@reddit
So are roads?
mechanixrboring@reddit
And also be there to see the occasional car come off the track on a rollback. I think it's a good lesson to see that even great and very experienced drivers run out of talent sometimes, and it's better to do it where everyone signed up for the same type of driving.
league_starter@reddit
Still can't believe people recommending "slow" cars instead. Doesn't matter how slow it is in the hands of a teenager, they're going to kill someone.
If you're not going to do the work as a father and instill responsibility, give him a motorcycle. At least when he crashes, there won't be a next time.
HalfFrozenSpeedos@reddit
Actually motorcyclists tend to make better drivers (well the non squids) due to needing to have better situational awareness
DooB_02@reddit
Yeah, something tells me this kid wouldn't be one of those.
ruturaj001@reddit
Agree, slow cars in slow in acceleration, they eventually get to high enough speed to kill. Plus most slow cars are old with less safety protection.
John_B_Clarke@reddit
It would be news to Mazda that the 2024 Miata is "old with less safety protection". However whether it is "slow" is a matter of perspective.
ruturaj001@reddit
I don't think Miata is slow, may be one with 1.5l that US doesn't get is. I was talking about cars with more weight and even less HP.
NecessaryZucchini69@reddit
https://oregonrally.com/ might be a place to go to work out spirited driving kinks
ruturaj001@reddit
X100 this.
Only downside I see in autocross, if one is only going their to learn and have fun, car control clinics are better at that with more seat time.
the_almighty_walrus@reddit
I've been wanting to do something like a gambler 500 or 24 hours of lemons.
Basically just get a POS car and rally it through the woods on someone's property.
My buddy has a '91 ford Tempo in his backyard that is just begging to have the fenders chopped off.
modulev@reddit
I know it's an unpopular opinion, but speed limits are way too restrictive for anyone with halfway decent reaction speed + well maintained vehicle. 55mph PSL for a 3 lane highway on a beautiful sunny day? Ughh.. We aren't driving horse and buggy anymore! I'll be doing 85mph+ easy in my BMW.
Best thing you can do is get him a solid radar detector. I've been driving with a Valentine1 for about 15 years now and speed most places safely, with only 1 ticket in the last decade. Not much point driving slow, if you can detect police from a mile+ away, IMO.
ArmouredPotato@reddit
On the track
2fast2nick@reddit
AutoCross, Track Days
btboss123@reddit
ford fiesta st is your answer
exl43@reddit
Driving on the public road should only be to get from one place to another. Driving fast with other people who are very timid to drive along with others who are ignorant is a bad recipe for a totaled car a big hospital bill or maybe even a funeral bill. The best would be in a controlled environment(racetrack) where there is also the joy of hunting lap time. Others have talked about autocross but there’s also time attack and just track days where you can go out and drive fast to have fun. I myself love to be on a racetrack but as soon as I hit the public road it’s best to be safe. It’s a risk versus reward thing and public road speeding is definitely high risk low reward.
biggirlsause@reddit
Driving backroads is honestly the best way to do it, a lot of times the technical nature of the roads naturally limits your speed, and it often ends up being around where the speed limit is, sometimes a little over. Also too id recommend a manual car, with a lot of auto cars with power, the only way to really get any fun out of it is to drive straight line fast. My first car was a rsx type s, only like 200hp, but it was a 6 speed, and hands down way more fun to drive than my modded Audi s4 which I have currently.
Secret-Set7525@reddit
Get him a MGB or TR7. He will have lots of fun while going slow, when it is running
GArockcrawler@reddit
I also highly recommend a Bugeye sprite or similar LBC (see article link). Parts are readily available and generally inexpensive. My 1960 sprite is the epitome of a slow car and it's a riot to drive - more fun even than my Miata. It gets a lot of attention at events because it's literally the happiest car at the track; happier even than the Miatas.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/5-fantastic-first-project-cars/
Secret-Set7525@reddit
Never thought of a Sprite. I thought they would be too pricey. I do love how happy they are.
GArockcrawler@reddit
You can certainly find them for $20+k. Mine was $10k, converted to racing in the 70’s. No rust and mechanically sound. Some upgrades such as front disc brakes and upgraded carbs done over the years but still running the OEM 948cc motor. We aren’t fast but we have fun, lol.
OffRoadAdventures88@reddit
It’ll never be running though lol. Grab a shit box Miata it’ll at least run and have available cheap parts
Secret-Set7525@reddit
Part of the reason I said those cars LOL. He will have to WORK for his fun :)
JackAndy@reddit
SCCA etc.
kendogg@reddit
Start with autocross. It's cheap, it's fun, and the only thing to hit is a cone in a parking lot. There, he will learn vehicle dynamics and car control skills, that will not only make him a better and safer driver on the street, but if he wants to advance to track driving or other forms of motorsport, he'll have the foundational skill set to advance quickly.
kendogg@reddit
I didn't read the last part. Find another club. There are typically multiple clubs running autocross events.
AsiagoBagelEater@reddit
People are gonna be all like "slow car fast" yadda yadda, but I disagree. That's how you have people hurtling down the road 60 in a 35 chasing a BMW in their Versa because reddit told them it was fun.
A "peppy" car that is controllable with a 5-7 second 0-60 is probably the "safest" to drive fast. Won't scare you, but will still be fun without tempting triple digits. You can have little bursts of acceleration where it's safe like say... little 40-65mph blips on a 45mph country road.
Some tips I can think of as someone that rides motorcycles too (where this stuff is life and death):
ONLY accelerate when you can see fully around a blind corner. This includes crests of hills!! Hills are just vertical corners.
NEVER FUCKING CROSS the double yellow lines in the twisties around blind corners
People CANNOT judge distance when you are speeding and they WILL pull out at stupid times accidentally, but it is your fault when this happens because Granny on her way to the store is expecting you to be going the speed limit and her brain can't compute shit in time. Always expect this.
Mostly, driving a fast (or medium) car fast is choosing where it's safe to open it up, and where it's not. The problem is most of the times it's somewhere in between, and imo it takes years of experience driving to get good at making those judgements.
Which brings up the last point of only driving hard where you know the roads and all the intersections, potholes, and blind corners etc. And even then, you never know when a tree could be in the road or literally anything so once again, only accelerate towards where you know is clear and can see everything.
Select-Sample483@reddit
In rural Iowa everyone is a car guy. In high school, the after school/practice activity to do was basically just cruise around town all night
ItsTheCougs@reddit
Just gotta be good at driving I guess. I had my license the day I turned 16(2014), and had already bought myself a car. Got my license Monday, I broke 100 for the first time Friday. But, I’ve been driving/riding things with an engine since I was 4. And I grew up out in the country, so it’s not like I was endangering other people. I also don’t do shit like that in populated areas, unlike some people… really just gotta teach him to be safe and responsible, and if he gets busted for racing or just driving fast, it’s his own fault and he’ll have to learn the lesson the hard way. A couple months before I turned 18 I bought myself a 1973 Camaro and I did SO much street racing on Friday and Saturday nights in that thing. But again, ONLY when there weren’t non participating cars on the road with us. If there were, we’d take it out of town.
There’s really not much you can do to truly keep him from driving fast and still letting him drive himself around. Just urge him to be smart about it.
Natural_Lettuce6979@reddit
Buy him a ranch! Flat land maybe
chucklehead993@reddit
If you're driving dangerously you're doing it wrong. All the fun happens between 0-80mph. Acceleration is fun, cornering is fun, going 120mph for no reason isn't fun and puts everyone's lives at risk. The vast majority of drivers understand this and they enjoy some spirited driving now and again safely. Besides keeping it under 80mph the only other thing you can do is know the roads you're driving on. You should be somewhere with no pedestrians, no intersections, no blind driveways, low traffic, etc. A smooth country road is basically the only place I really get on my car.
Dragobrath@reddit
This. I think part of the reason why people try to reach high speeds is that the most of the cars suck at cornering, and the only thrill you get out of driving is pushing a car to the limit in a straight line.
chucklehead993@reddit
I agree 100% The best times I ever had with a vehicle was throwing my friends across the back seat of my Legacy 3.0R with full bilstein suspension. It might have only been about 275hp but I never had to go over about 50-60mph to make them feel more G forces than they've ever felt in their life. I'll take that car over a hellcat any day of the week.
SuperSilver5_3@reddit
My brothers old 98 mitsubishi mirage with 98hp was the most fun slow piece of shit to throw around corners
thebigaaron@reddit
Mate I have so much fun in my 100hp 5 speed corolla, going to get coilovers soon!
fukreddit73265@reddit
"going 120mph for no reason isn't fun and puts everyone's lives at risk."
The autobahn disagrees.
WintersDoomsday@reddit
Those drivers are vastly superior to American drovers
Key-Ad-1873@reddit
You haven't been to Alabama. I drove through there. Was going 90 in the slow lane (20-30 over) and I was one of the slowest people there. What topped it off was a janky car about to fall apart and no shocks at all just blows past me going mach weeee. Thing was bouncing and shifting all over the place and the guy literally looked like he was just cruising inside. Don't know how he was managing to keep it so centered in the lane lol
NeverSeenBetter@reddit
Confirmed lmao truckers call Alabama "the hammer state"
Beansmoothy@reddit
I wish I could drive on the autobahn. I seriously crave to drive 120+ for longer than a few seconds and not have to paranoid about cops and possible jail time if caught. I'd be on there almost every weekend.
GArockcrawler@reddit
You might look to see if you can get into an SCCA Track Night in America. I had my NC Miata up over 100 mph at Road Atlanta last year and it was a blast.
BurtMacklin__FBI@reddit
This is the exact answer. You don't want to sign up for a track and do autocross? Take your shit out to a parking lot at night where you can't hurt anyone and then at least if you end up wrapped around a pole it's nowhere near as much a gamble if you take someone else with you. (or if you can find an abandoned airstrip, even better. That's what we use out here since there's no mountain roads or the like.)
GCSS-MC@reddit
Straight lines are for fast cars. Turns are for fast drivers. Fast driver is way more fun than a fast car.
DargeBaVarder@reddit
A local track of mine has a 120 mph+ turn (Big Willow - Willow Springs) and it’s fucking terrifying.
thebigaaron@reddit
When I just got my license, me and 2 mates in our cars all hit 120mph, never did it ever again. I realise now that it was incredibly stupid. We made sure there were no other cars within sight, so we wouldn’t crash into anyone else but ourselves, but it was still incredibly stupid. Haven’t done anything like it since.
YouDirtyClownShoe@reddit
I swear the most fun in my S4 is stopping. That car stops on a dime and wants change back.
D1sp4tcht@reddit
100% agree. 0-60 really fast is way more fun than 130mph.
FrickinLazerBeams@reddit
Autocross, or kart racing, or a bus pass.
SwissMargiela@reddit
Get him an NA Miata, a harness, HANS, and a six pack and tell him to rip the mountain roads
EnlargedChonk@reddit
Freeway on ramps during off peak hours tends to satisfy my "need for speed". Helps that my vehicles top out around 90 so i'm not gonna be getting myself in trouble laying on the accelerator and accidentally speeding.
___ez_e___@reddit
Instead of autocross, what about karting?
Get him into 125cc shifter kart and he’ll never look back.
Otherwise, if you can swing it do a skip barber driving class together.
safety-squirrel@reddit
1 Autocross sucks #2 Get them a car that is fun to drive #3 Get them into beater racing or drifting. High Performance Drivers Education is also great.
frankaiden02@reddit
Driving (well rested) late at night, in areas you’re VERY familiar with, has always been my way. I won’t if there’s literally anyone else on the road, but going 100 down an empty highway where i know day in and day out NEVER is being monitored by anyone that can do anything to me about it is magical. Also, county roads will make 55 feel like 80, at least around where i live.
NeverSeenBetter@reddit
Well back when I had more friends and free time, I would find a two-lane road without any driveways or intersections and get a buddy to sit at one end and call me on speakerphone. I'd have my phone in a windshield mount and start from the other end of the road and sprint as fast as I wanted toward him. If he said "car" the brake would go in hard and I was back below the speed limit in less than 2 seconds.
It's not completely harmless, if you have a wreck public services are still coming to clean it up...but it's as safe as teenage me could possibly make it, and I don't feel too guilty about it now some 15-20 years later.
The_Cat_Of_Ages@reddit
i wish they had tracks with very few rules, most tracks price out a majority of the kids who want an outlet for their itch due to mandatory safety components, which is why street racing is so common.
same thing happened in the 50s, but tracks back then were nearly deregulated and allowed pretty much anyone to run. by the time the 70s came along there were regulations beyond what most can afford to do.
in the 50s, you had no helmets, roll cage, etc. you just had to have a car that didnt leak excessively, had decently new tires, and was "safe enough" (structural integrity wise)
autocross is majority safety talk very little driving.
track days are very expensive. drag strips are also expensive.
the required safety equipment can be as much as 1k.
until the regulations let up i dont see a decrease in street racing/speeding.
Texasscot56@reddit
It’s a significant problem that young drivers equate good driving with their own car control skills. This is why they have horrendous accident rates; they haven’t worked out that coping with external factors is more important and much harder to learn.
DooB_02@reddit
Tell him to pull his head in, stop being a dumb cunt and go to autocross. And if you ever find him pulling some bullshit on the streets, destroy him for it.
BiggyRection69@reddit
There are ways to safely drive fast if you ask me. There are places it’s not safe and places it is, knowing how to differentiate between the 2 is a very important thing when driving fast. That part takes a little luck and a lot of experience.
op3l@reddit
Track days. And tell them any wreckless behavior during normal driving and you'll revoke their track day privilages.
Justavladjaycemain@reddit
As a young car guy myself what I did was invested into a simple race sim setup where I can safely practice drifting and such just to get the basics down. From there if he wants real life application, contact local warehouse managers/owners and see if he can screw around in their lots after business hours. They are generally pretty large with plenty of space for whatever he wants to do. Police can’t do anything since it’s private property (unless owners asked him to stop or leave) and he’s not risking anyone else’s safety. If he really wants a racing type spirited experience track days can be cheap (depending on the track and location), but I will recommend track insurance for the vehicle if it’s new or expensive.
SunshineInDetroit@reddit
Go karts
govoval@reddit
GoKarting is an excellent way to get a thrill without ruining yourself.
Next best thing is an empty parking lot, after snowfall, with (slightly) over-aired tires.
Practice drills using tennis balls(chopped in 1/2) as markers for:
He's trying to get a feel for the limits of traction, and these will give him the opportunity to become accustomed to managing suspension pre-load, and rolling on the throttle after hitting the apex.
aamberlamps@reddit
Slow 4 cylinder with a 5 speed
govoval@reddit
Technology has made it that even cheap cars with small engines have enough power to get you into trouble.
musicmakerman@reddit
2nd Gen Honda fit manual
The "fitata"
pannkaka-kottbolla@reddit
Me with my 22 year old 5 speed 105hp clapped out golf
Affectionate_Egg3318@reddit
If yohr car doesn't sound like someone straight piped a weed whacker, are you really doing it right?
pannkaka-kottbolla@reddit
Used to sound like something like that when a mechanic put a hole in my exhaust lol
viole_8@reddit
toyota celica :3
GArockcrawler@reddit
1960 Bugeye Sprite - 4 cylinder, 4speed. \~45 hp in current configuration and an absolute blast to drive.
ribrien@reddit
2010 Mazda 3i sport, with ~Bluetooth~
ZdzisiuFryta@reddit
5 speed is a no no if highway trips are not out of the question
Stinkynutz420@reddit
I’d always take a cooler of natty lite on some back roads baby I’d always wake up 50 some yards from an auntie annes and get me a pretzel and do er again
DrippyBlock@reddit
I’d try getting him into a safer car guy niche. Maybe get him a slow old diesel truck he can spin his tires on, go off-roading, help a friend, but not get up to any significant speed. Maybe even a manual if he’s up to learning. Make sure he pays for the gas so he’s more aware of the costs of speed. Could also get him a dirt bike or a 4 wheeler for cheap thrills, ideally one that fits in the truck’s bed and he can load easily.
Enok32@reddit
Two possible ways:
Either way you choose, you’ll end up with a Miata. Miata is the answer. Get a Miata.
BigDerper@reddit
4 cyl 5 speed short gearing. First thing that comes to my mind is an na or nb miata
BoneZone05@reddit
Kart racing?
riley212@reddit
This for sure, you should be able to pick up a used 4stroke/tag kart for under 3k, then a small utility trailer that anything can tow. Nothing you can drive on the street feels like a proper race kart.
autovelo@reddit
Autocross
FANTOMphoenix@reddit
Slow fun car. I can floor my car for 10 seconds, hear the exhaust and do so without even speeding, definitely still fun if I wanted to.
Carting tracks.
Actual track days.
GArockcrawler@reddit
Here's a great track experience with reasonable price point, if there's one nearby. https://www.tracknightinamerica.com
CaptainJay313@reddit
short answer: take the top and doors off a wrangler and find a muddy trail in the mountains on a sunny 75° day.
what does he want to do? track days and auto cross are about driving dynamics, not smokey burnouts and drifting.
smokey burnouts and drifting aren't cruising with top down.
first - go carts. find some high speed go carts.
second- it's all about the car. miata, mustang, sti, wrx... they're all going to be fun in different ways and honestly, it's not all about go fast cars, trucks and wranglers can be a blast too. find an off road park.
third- does he want stock or does he want to tinker? does he like new or something old he can wrench on?
there is so much independent expression in the car world. once he figures what he enjoys, then find a club.
it's not all about racing. sometimes a little zoom zoom on the on ramp is enough to scratch the itch. or the windows down and the radio up on a winding country road.
explaining the importance of 1. DO NOT over drive the road. that's a lesson James Dean learned the hard way. DO NOT over drive the conditions or traffic, that's a lesson Paul Walker learned the hard way.
find the limits of the car on the track. that's racing. spirited is different, spirited and safe-ish can be done on public roads- at the right time, in the right place.
GArockcrawler@reddit
As a long-time offroader, I love the Jeep idea but would add that there's so much stuff happening right now on both coasts because so many newbies have no idea around proper land use. New off-roaders, many enabled by the post-TJ Wranglers and even more, the SXS scene, are tearing stuff up and ruining it for the folks who are doing the right thing. It's totally preventable with some intelligence and education, though. I'd recommend anyone get involved with a local club with a good reputation for respectful land use and/or take the free training available on Treadlightly.org at a bare minimum.
If OP's son is already pushing boundaries, I wouldn't drop him in an off road vehicle without some strict guidance/oversight.
Capital_Dream_6850@reddit
Paul Walker wasn't even driving the the car he died in!
Capital_Dream_6850@reddit
James Dean was hit by a clown in a station wagon as he pulled out. What overdriving!
rudbri93@reddit
get to a track. yea it seems like theres lots of rules, but once you know and understand them theyre pretty easy to follow and keep yourself and other drivers safe. its not hard to keep to them and its worth it for the experience of really learning how to drive the car and being able to push them in a safe environment.
GArockcrawler@reddit
Adding on: this is a great program, if there's one nearby. https://www.tracknightinamerica.com
poweredbym2@reddit
Slow fun to drive car is the answer. Something not new and max around 200hp.
Also teach em young about understanding their ability and making actions that reflect their inexperience.
GArockcrawler@reddit
100% agree.
This article provides some great options. I am a bit biased myself as this is my first season in my 1960 Bugeye Sprite (\~45 hp but a riot to drive). I've got an '08 Miata that also meets your description.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/5-fantastic-first-project-cars/
Pimp_Daddy_Patty@reddit
Local hot lapping day or drag racing. Hopefully, you guys love near one of those.
GArockcrawler@reddit
Adding on: SCCA's Track Night in America is a great structured program that gets you on track with instruction in between runs. We're fortunate to have 2 venues near me here in GA; I recognize not everyone is so fortunate, but if you're near one it's definitely worth trying out.
psychocabbage@reddit
My daughter was taught to drive in my 2002 Z28 6speed. When she was 16 we found a GTi 1.8t for her.we would take both cars to SCCA SoloII and NHRA tracks for fun. I taught her racing should only happen on tracks. That way you have tons of witnesses to your wins. She would call out guys at school and have them meet her at the tracks. I told her if should couldn't beat them in her car, she could drive mine.
Fuel the love safely. Enjoy it all together!
GArockcrawler@reddit
as a woman in motorsports I just love this so much. :)
LostLink7400@reddit
Sucks that he isn’t into autocross, but it’s actually understandable. I autocrossed for 10 years and after awhile I got tired of 6+ hours of work for maybe 10 minutes of seat time. I moved onto open lapping days and HPDE at local race tracks as the competitiveness of some people really made autocross a difficult thing to bear at times. There were a lot of fantastic people there, but at the end of the day there were people and it was exhausting dealing with some of them.
When I lived in Colorado, Pueblo Motorsports Park had open lapping days for $50 all day. I’d take an extra set of tires and beat the crap out of my turbo Miata all day long. Another local track to me had driver events (HPDE= High Performance Driving Events), that would pair you up with an Instructor and maximize seat time when I lived in Texas. I found this format to be the most enjoyable, especially combined with seat time in open looking days as it focused on what I loved to do: drive. It was laid back and provided an environment I needed to safely drive at the limits.
For the competitive side, if you’re son is into that, I bought racing kart and had a blast getting wheel to wheel action all of the country- at a fraction of the cost of racing and maintaining a race car. There are also NASA events he can look into (https://drivenasa.com) that can set him up with HPDEs or other wheel to wheel options.
Lastly, as a fellow Dad, my advice would be to plan a trip with him to Tail of the Dragon or any other awesome roads that are fun to drive. Nothing better than a trip with dad where you get to have a blast and spend quality time together. Good luck!
GArockcrawler@reddit
I added up above that we've found a local series run by 2 local parks. They have employees handling cone shagging so it moves quickly; at the first event we had the drivers' meeting at 9:30 and were done by 1pm. The course was actually on the track so fairly long. Not sure how common this is, but I appreciated the difference between this experience and SCCA (the spend all day working for 10 mins in the car rings very true).
https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/axs-autocross-series-time-attack-round-1-atlanta-motorsports-park-017009
CaptainJay313@reddit
+1 for a trip to the dragon. it's so touristy, but it's a blast. you don't even have to drive it crazy, but go spend a day, drive it back and forth a couple/few times. get a t-shirt and some stickers and then head out. depending on which direction you're going, you could Nashville, Ashville or the Smokies on the way home.
Equana@reddit
Sign the kid up for track days. The SCCA runs "track nights" around the country. NASA runs track days with instruction, BMW clubs, Porsche clubs, Audi clubs, Hooked on Driving, Chin and TON of other private track days groups run events at virtually every track around the country. If the kid gets his jollies at the track, it may suppress the desire do do that on the streets. They typically run $350 for a single day with 4-5 half-hour sessions and require a very well maintained car.
cuepinto@reddit
Get them into semiprofessional gokarts. Seriously the faster gokarts and rental gokart leagues where you don’t have to own the gokarts, they are part of the series you enroll into.
You will need glove + helmet + race suit + boots.
A lot cheaper than speeding tickets + and they will learn how to drive the gokart fast and at speed, thus converting to real world driving skill improvements.
jfklingon@reddit
Get him a car that needs work and make him pay for that work. My shitbox that never dies will let me put on cruise control at 130mph, but my Pontiac that's I've put blood, sweat, and tears into(not to mention money and a lot of time) let's me put on cruise at 140mph, but I don't. I don't want that car to have any more issues, so it takes corners and gets readlined at dead intersections, but I'm not stupid with that car.
ApolloGryph@reddit
Bro what??? This is some wild conjecture but 1. Take him off your insurance 2. get him a car that goes slow because I wouldn’t trust him to have fun responsibly
Domingo2222@reddit
He wants to fuck bitches and go fast. He’s not looking for an outlet at the auto track haha. Talk to him about speeding ticket costs and if he gets one make sure he’s the one paying for it. Show him pictures of cars in bad wrecks. Let him know that’s going to be him if he makes bad decisions on the road. Car guy or not, kids want to drive fast.
I_Sniff_Hot_Dudes@reddit
Track driving in the summer, a fun slow car. I unfortunately learned this after several tickets and a totaled car
Key-Ad-1873@reddit
kick6@reddit
Trackdays are a thing, and they’re no longer limited to the ultra-wealthy that can afford race track membership.
unused_ad997@reddit
I kinda have the opposite unpopular opinion, my first car was slow Veloster turbo 1.6L but my neighbor a mechanic who built cars who my dad trusted taught me if I were to have some serious fun how to do it and how to control the car through teaching me fundamental concepts (going through corners, distance needed to brake given your speed, etc etc) my dad just assumed a slow car would be enough but the neighbor knowing car guys usually drink the koolaid 9 times out of 10 just taught me how to be stupid in the smartest way.
I have several friends who were novice budding car guys who learned very quickly and met talented people in the car scene early on. Who then went on to shove big turbos, superchargers, in there “slow Miata’s” and the parents were none the wiser. Which btw big turbo miata is nuts, I’ve never been nervous in a car and have had the pleasure I’ve riding in some seriously fast rides… turbo miata had me praying to a higher power 😂😭
cmbtmstr@reddit
Buy him a manual Scion tC. It has a Toyota Camry motor so dead reliable, not too crazy fast, and looks sporty
Chicken_shish@reddit
Teach him how to drive safely. I‘m beating into my kids that they need to leave a big gap to the car in front, and that they need to understand about stopping distances and how far they can see. Go as fast as you like, but obey those rules.
What you will find is that on most roads where speed limits are sensible, you will often drive below the limit. You may well get into legal trouble on roads where daft limits have been set, but you won’t stuff the car.
So many people stuff their cars and say “but I wasn’t speeding” - yeah, but you weren’t driving to the conditions.
PK808370@reddit
Driving slower than prevailing traffic also causes accidents.
Leaving giant gaps is absurd and rude in heavy traffic.
Defensive driving is where it’s at. Be aware, learn to control the vehicle and be aware of what’s in front and behind you. Learn how to use the throttle to get out of trouble, etc.
The answer isn’t to be the roadblock in traffic.
bopperbum@reddit
Leaving a sizable gap in traffic is defensive driving genius. When some moron brakes abruptly you need adequate space to react
PK808370@reddit
Until your gap is large enough that everyone jumps in on you, then, the risk is even bigger since you are not controlling the situation anymore. Others are changing your risk profile significantly and without as much warning.
Chicken_shish@reddit
Did I say “giant” gaps? Or driving slower than the prevailing traffic?
PK808370@reddit
Well. Maybe I misinterpreted:
“Big gaps” and “slower than the limit” - “may get into trouble”.
Witty-Injury2098@reddit
Probably unpopular opinion but I had a lot of fun in my 2016 TC with slap shifters. Bought it with an aftermarket exhaust. Sunroof. Decent sound system, and absolutely no horsepower but was fun to smack the shifters on the curvy roads while barely going over the speed limit.
I drive a GTi now and have a new edge in the garage.
gogozrx@reddit
find a local track. they probably have open track days. If you're in the mid-atlantic, you can go to Summit Point. They have FATT Fridays, which is "Friday At The Track Fridays," which is really awkward to say, but a lot of fun.
Alarmed_Bus_1729@reddit
Slow cars "fast" is way more fun then driving fast cars slow every day of the week
chillaxtion@reddit
A slow car with a manual is best.
merc123@reddit
As someone that was like your son - nothing you tell him will change it.
You can explain the consequences. I know when they made street racing a serious offense here, I stopped. I was pulled over probably about 10-15 times for speeding and only had one ticket. I didn’t care about paying for the ticket.
Today I’m older and look back and realize a lot of things I did was dumb. I’m lucky. My parents never took my driving privileges and I don’t think it would have made me consider consequences I would just be mad at them.
Not helpful I know, but today I’ve been pulled over and ticketed one time in the last 15 years (maybe more?) as an adult. I did a “pull” for the kids on the road and a cop created the hill. I made sure it was “safe” but waiting for all traffic to clear. Still busted. Got a lawyer, paid fine, no point on license and was done with it.
Badenguy@reddit
Take him off your insurance. Always hated my stepdad for doing that to me, but in retrospect, I would have financially ruined him. Also don’t put up one red cent for his car or its upkeep. He wants to drive, it’s a privilege. If he has to pay for it, he’ll respect it. Is kart racing an option where you live? That’s hella fun.
Roasted_Green_Chiles@reddit
This is really the only answer. Especially given the OP seems to pretty much know this is where it's heading. And if it's a minor that has to be on parent's insurance, but I'd absolutely do the insurance drive safe app.
No part of the goal here should be to have fun. Yes driving in inherently enjoyable (for some), but the only goal is to do it safely or not at all.
But kids are kids, and probably the only option is to not pay for their stupidity.
Sketch2029@reddit
After an accident and two speeding tickets in my first year of driving my parents' insurance gave them a choice between dropping their policy or excluding me from the policy. They chose the latter.
smokingcrater@reddit
That only makes a difference if he isn't a minor. Used to work in insurance, #1 recommendation is get non minor kids off your policy asap. A lawsuit will go after the parents.
UnlawfulTender@reddit
Exactly this. The cost of driving a certain way really brings things into a sharp perspective.
RandfordMarsh@reddit
I feel like everyone on this thread is delusional. Have any of you actually ever been a young car guy ? He's going to drive fast on the road regardless of what outlet you give him. And if anything, it's going to give him the confidence to push it further. The best option as I see it would be to make sure his road car is HORRIBLE to drive. An old station wagon, pt cruiser something like that. And make sure if you're going to give him that outlet his fun car isn't road legal and is very fun to drive. I feel like expecting a young car guy to not drive fast because he can let his passions out elsewhere is like expecting him not to bang his SO because he can jerk off at home.
MartinBroMotorsports@reddit
yeah. like a ‘95 single cab f150. it’s “cool” it’s a V8. but it won’t be quick or fast. and it won’t handle great, but it’ll be something that will get him from A to B while he’s having to buy parts for the race car.
and it’ll be able to tow his “race car” to the track.
RandfordMarsh@reddit
Fantastic idea
Slushman5000@reddit
The only way to do it safely is on a track. Book some track days. If he wants to go really fast for cheap then get a motorcycle and do track days
ThatSucc@reddit
What's your budget looking like? You could have him build a sim rig.
I built one a few years ago, I use it to get out all the reckless crap that would risk me totalling my car, with the added benefit of becoming a better driver from it; learning how each powertrain type reacts to your inputs and road conditions, how to correct slides of varying severity, and with the rewind features you can go back and see exactly what you did that resulted on you losing control. I recommend Assetto Corsa and BeamNG. It wouldn't even need to be a high end setup, a G29 and folding stand would be enough to scratch the itch. If he chooses to delve deeper then he can get some higher end hardware.
People like to knock simracing, but realistically I cannot afford to buy a Lotus Exige and take it to the Transfăgărășan, and I'm not going to risk sending a LaFerarri off the cliffs in the LA Canyons. It's a great way to expose yourself to new aspects of the driving world without the financial impact.
My rig including my computer and VR was about $3000, that's less than the maintenance cost of a year of track days.
TigerDude33@reddit
by being young, immortal, and stupid. Driving fast isn't safe, that's why young men pay so much more for car insurance.
Grand-Ad-9156@reddit
With a slow stick shift car, you can feel like you’re going fast without actually going fast
Berfs1@reddit
I go the speed limit and take bends/turns as fast as I can without skidding
Significant-Task-890@reddit
FED
Topazzapt@reddit
Check out drifting. .it's on a track and kids and adults have insane fun. You can check out what type of cars might be fun. Talk to drivers. They are usually the friendliest people and helpful
Topazzapt@reddit
Also, check out Evergreen Speedway Drift event videos.
ChefBruzz@reddit
There's a local club near me that does dirt races for kids in old bangers. Maybe something like that. Otherwise there's always go karts.
awakeaccreditation9@reddit
It's great to see your kid's passion for driving! One suggestion could be to look into track days or performance driving schools. They provide a supervised environment where he can safely push the limits of his car and improve his skills. It's a win-win for everyone - he gets to have fun while staying safe, and you can have peace of mind knowing he's in a controlled setting. Plus, it's a great way to bond over a shared love for cars!
Bubbly_Pianist_5394@reddit
Public road is not the place to have fun with a fast car. Gokarting. Running fast laps requires physical strength, and running top laps requires real driving skill to take the kart to it's limits around the track. Gokarting is real racing, while driving any car on public road to "have fun" is a joke and super dangerous.
SexiestPanda@reddit
Sounds like he shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car at all tbh
DarkLinkDs@reddit
I used to (and still do) just do some spirited driving on my curvy back roads and do a couple low speed pulls every once in a while.
Of course this is in a very rural area with pretty smooth roads and a very small population.
Other than autox or a local drag strip there isn't much I can confidently recommend for some kid I don't know to try without possibly making a mistake.
You're doing what you can by recommending safety and track time.
atlas_rl@reddit
Get him to the track! Try to help him find twisty roads and help him learn safe technique. Smooth driving is fast driving, and driving well will give him the fun he is seeking, since nothing is more fun than having skills. Also look into some Sim Racing with him, if he is also a gamer
speeding2nowhere@reddit
You can’t fight his nature, so focus on equipping him with the right tools so he doesn’t hurt history or anyone else.
Forget legality… nearly all car enthusiasts break traffic laws to an egregious extent… the difference is judgement and the where and when. If he likes cars, 99% he will do it. (Yes, the strict “Take it to the track” crowd is mostly boomers or older people, and their numbers have dwindled with the closing of racetracks all over)
All you can teach him is good judgement and car control… or have/make him take high performance driving lessons. Oh… and yea… if you’re buying him a car, buy him something capable handling… not necessarily fast, but something fun that he can be proud of and take care of that can dynamically handle the situations he will put the car in. He’s gonna do it in whatever he has, so he’s better off well-equipped.
If he loves speed, he’s going to do what he’s going to do. Your best action is to equip him with the skills and the judgment to do it well and do it at times when it is most safe to do so.
This is me speaking as someone who had a WRX STI as a first car at 16 in 2006. I did all the dumb and incredibly fun things with that car that a teenager would do, and I kept the car for 14 years. I am the example, and the main thing my dad understood about me was how seriously I took driving and my car obsession. He also knew that he had instilled a good sense of judgement in me. So he bought me a car many of his friends said he was insane for even considering. I thank him for that… especially because the capabilities of that car actually saved my ass a good number of times… Brembo brakes and all that.
AutoX and track time are great as able. But for me, nothing quite compares to a good adventure on some nice backroads… at a time of day when not many people are out.
King33Two@reddit
Old backroads with lots of turns offer an engaging drive without you having a lot of speed. If you have any country roads, see if he'd be interested in exploring and seeing where the road takes him. Country backroads usually don't have many other drivers, and I've never seen a cop on any of them, so it's a safe-ish area to dick around in cars. Just tell him to go slow for turns.
Not-a-babygoat@reddit
Beware of deer though because many people have totaled their car and their body on the country roads near where I live.
King33Two@reddit
Oh, I'm well aware of deer. Where I'm at, once you're in deer County, you're allowed to drive in the middle of the road as long as there aren't any oncoming vehicles to avoid swerving off the road if there are deer.
Tall-Measurement3795@reddit
Back roads tend to have steep ditches and barbed wire fence along them. Most around here, do. There was also a kid that went off on the back roads and rolled his car upside down. He was knocked out in a ditch with his head slightly under water from rain the previous day. Drowned because of the low traffic in the road lead to him not being found for hours.
I also can't tell you how many crosses we used to pass on the back road out to my grandparent's farm. Best to keep the spirited driving in a place where help is likely to be quick.
MartinBroMotorsports@reddit
yeah. “old back roads” means loose dogs, potholes, trees right against the pavement, some random gravel spots, and tight blind corners.
never a good idea for driving fast.
progamer_btw@reddit
This is how we do it in the UK lol. Tiny hatchbacks with 1L engines and a 5 speed manual doing motorway speeds on country lanes in the dead of night. Fun times
Capital_Dream_6850@reddit
Send this kid to a professional on track high speed driving school, or he's gonna kill himself and someone else!
Fair_Inspiration@reddit
cars are for getting places, not for amusement. In other countries you can live a fine life without a car because they know how to build cities and public transportation. In this country we decided to make life revolve around cars and burning petroleum fuel. Everyday people die in car accidents. Teach your children that cars are an unfortunate necessity because of stupid government in the past.
Concernedmicrowave@reddit
Off road. You can get away with some pretty aggressive driving on rural primitive roads on public land. Depends a lot on where you live, however.
redvariation@reddit
In my day, "fun" was learning and driving stick shift, not necessarily going fast.
PalletPirate@reddit
a slow car with a stick shift. Even a honda fit is fun when you’re rev match downshifting
Fun-Ad-6554@reddit
Drive between 2am-5am on the back roads in quiet areas far away from bars. Get yourself a good radar/lidar detector.
FatWreckords@reddit
Get him hooked on the first few Fast and the Furious movies, if he isn't already, then watch the breakdown of Paul Walker's death.
Paul died when his idiot friend, a semi/pro race car driver took him for a joy ride after a sponsored track event. The Carrera GT is famously scary to drive and the guy took him out a day after it rained, which brings oil and stuff up from the asphalt. He lost control, totalled the car and Paul died either instantly or in the ensuing fireball.
Professional driver in a near race car, dies being an idiot and takes his friend with him. At least no bystanders were killed.
I had a close call as a dumb kid thinking we were alone on some country roads. I was in the passenger seat and I'm glad we didn't get in an accident with a truck who came off a side road, no way we could have stopped. He did, and I'm glad for it.
CamaroMusicMan@reddit
I got a v8 Camaro when I was 17 and tried to keep it as nice as possible and beat myself up over every small issue I caused.
I didn’t do anything too stupid or dangerous cause I didn’t like damaging the car.
Though with your kid definitely start with something fwd cause with rwd you will fishtail if you mess around and when I fishtailed in my catfish the first time I almost hit a mailbox and car, scared me shitless. Was fun to mess around with on corners though to have the abs kick in to try to avoid it though.
Krispykremeeeee@reddit
get him something fast but not too fast and teach him… my parents made the mistake of giving me a suv with a v8 capable of just a little under 300HP. Boy was it fun to drive and it didn’t even feel like you were going fast when I was cruising 100mph+ on the crowded interstate. But the amount of close calls I had with it, because I had a heavy foot and was an unconcerned 17 year old stoner is proof in itself god exists. I can’t even describe the dumb shit I did while driving this beast while sometimes intoxicated. Cutting up in traffic, racing shitboxes, etc is really the basis. But It’s really all about how much you trust your son to drive respectfully and cautiously with whatever car you get him. So that kind of negates my point ab buying him a fast car since all cars are really heavy weapons. But buying him a slower car will definitely help prevent or deter him from driving crazy and wrapping him self around a tree.
PILOT9000@reddit
On the track is where the fun driving should be, even if it is autocross. A kid engaging in spirited driving on the road is how you get sued when it goes wrong.
SBCwarrior@reddit
Any young driver is going to want to push it. Especially if he's a "budding car guy". I would say get him an old car something you can buy for cheap that he can fix up. If it's a car he can personally wrench on, there's a higher chance he'll take care of it and not beat it up too much going fast. I could be wrong though everyone is different.
Plus if he has to wrench on it himself it will teach him more about maintaining the car himself doing things like brakes shocks oil changes things of that sort. It's a good lesson for young person.
Monkey4Stonks@reddit
Go karting
VergaDeVergas@reddit
He just needs to face the consequences of driving fast, I was rear ended after not being able to stop quick enough during an accident and since then I’ve been driving a lot more cautiously/conservatively. There’s a reason insurance is more for young men, most of us start out wanting to drive fast lol
HeyItsPanda69@reddit
Drive slow cars fast. I was rowing the gears in my tuned 74 Beetle. Sounded great, felt like I was going a million miles an hour and in reality I was just keeping up with traffic. Honestly fast cars to me are less fun. I still own them, but you can have fun in them a lot less often
gravely_serious@reddit
Track days.
JesusInASnuggie_@reddit
He needs a low powered sports car/sedan. Something that doesn't break traction easily or front heavy.
Miata is a legendary roadster for a reason. It is the biblical meaning of a True sports car. Easy to drive, fix, and live with. You can find one cheap. It's a great way to teach him car owners ship. How to detail, preventative maintenance, and most importantly- drive.
You can have all the money in the world, the most powerful car money can buy. But it doesn't mean you can drive it. It's better for him to start low so when he inevitably buys a powerful car, he'll respect the machine.
MartinBroMotorsports@reddit
depends on where you live.
there’s track days. on road courses. those aren’t a “one at a time, accelerate 35-40 brake hard and turn” like auto cross.
there’s still an etiquette to that, but it’s less about structure and rules, and more about just not being a dick to the other drivers.
supporting tracks like that help keep them open too.
with all the dash cam crash footage out there these days, it shouldn’t be hard to show him what it looks like when driving recklessly goes wrong.
Slight_Strategy_5769@reddit
a slow car but fast driver. But really emphasize that the guys who enjoy going fast/spirited driving, take it on the track. HPDE is a great start. Hell, even autoX. It isnt the same feeling but its still great.
Independent-Cow-4070@reddit
Cars are fun in the garage and on the track. Let your son decide the most fun way for general commuting. Him trying to have fun driving on his way to work or school (based on his desire to drive fast) is just a bad idea
So explicitly explain to him the differences of using a car for fun, and using a car for commuting/travelling. They are two completely different experiences
I love to fix up my car and race on the track. I have not commuted in a car in about 6 years
beansruns@reddit
Carefully with a semi-calculated amount of risk
HalfFrozenSpeedos@reddit
Mark 1 or 2 Ford Focus, they handle so damn nicely , plenty of cosmetic modding options and parts are dirt cheap
DargeBaVarder@reddit
Manual miata, then track days!
filthyloon@reddit
Take him to a track day or buy him a racing sim with force feedback.
ottrocity@reddit
Find the unoccupied roads and send it
thethrowaway19901999@reddit
Get him a manual car so it teaches him to control speed properly.
olediver2@reddit
Now days many boys don’t want to drive. I was the other way around I got my learners permit at 14 and could drive anything as long as there was a licensed drive in the front seat. My dad did many business trip all over Florida. At 14 and 4’0” tall I would drive the turnpike at about 80 MPH while my father slept. The evening of the day I got my full drivers license on my 16 birthday I drag raced an unmarked police car and beat him! The police laughed and said, you didn’t waste any time getting in trouble! He let me go with a warning. I raced and drove super fast everyday.I even practiced cornering as fast as I could I got pretty good and never wrecked a car many years.
saltysaturdays@reddit
He needs a manual, my car is slow but the 6-speed makes me feel fast
Docod58@reddit
My second car at 21 was a 1970 Chevelle. 250$ it had bad valve guide seals. 30,000 miles and garaged. I pulled out the 307 and built a 350hp/327 to put in it. THAT was a fun car for many years. Ran 14.4 in the quarter at Carlsbad raceway. Obviously I’m old.
_TheNecromancer13@reddit
Rally car racing perhaps? When you're on a dirt track sliding around hairpin turns, 25 mph can feel like 100 mph on a well maintained road.
edwardniekirk@reddit
Don’t know if your kid is disciplined enough for it, but you could get time on a local road race track. If your kid really likes it try something like a https://24hoursoflemons.com race.
Growing up our dad would get a old beater like a police crown vic or mustang that would survive going off the track, then let us try to push it on a road race track with some good training from a professional trainer/driver that would show us the lines, explain the basics, purposely get us to lose traction on a pad and teach us to recover, then let us drive the line as a passenger, then set us loose till we lost traction and spun off the road course at speed…
After we scared the crap out of ourselves spinning off the track in excess of 100mph or in my brothers case upside down across the finish line at 90mph a couple of times, he then put us in our personal cars on the track and said “go for it but all repair and body work is paid for by you and you don’t have anything to drive till its fixed.” Eventually if we didn’t screw up we’d actually get time in a SCCA track car like Formula ford or Sports 2000.
Funniest part is that several of the beaters were insured and because the track was doing educational training and not a race session when two of them were wrecked AAA insurance company got stuck with the repair bill. The 2nd time AAA tried to screw my brother with points reporting the accident to theDMV but he & dad went to a DMV administrative hearing and asked if they assigned points for accidents at the local racetrack and demolition derby & the points disappeared.
We still (are) aggressive drivers when alone, but we were very careful about choosing when we could safely do so as any track time was taken away if we got caught being reckless.
Junglefern@reddit
Go karting
EMCSW@reddit
Find an old MG Midget, Austin-Healy Sprite, or Triumph Spitfire. They aren’t exactly fast or even quick, but are a blast to drive and easy to work on.
nattyd@reddit
Manual transmission will keep their hands and mind engaged at reasonable speeds.
357Sp101@reddit
Driving “fast” is relative, it’s fun driving a Camaro at 140mph because the vehicles screaming and you’re feeling the g forces and all the engineering in place. It’s also fun to drive a go kart at 40mph because again it’s screaming loud and exhilarating for basically the same reason. It’s fun to drive a 1987 shit box nova at 80 because it’s also screaming and whining and the needles buried and it’s all just the love of the motor. My two cents
madcatzplayer5@reddit
Show them the local speeding laws in your area. Show what type of fine or repercussion they’ll get for 5 over, 10 over, 15 over, or 20 over. Pretty sure in my state 20 over loses you your license for 6 months in addition to a fine. Let them make their own decisions. As I’ve gotten older, I only go 9 mph over the speed limit usually because I know that I’d rather get a 5-9mph speeding ticket over a 10mph speeding ticket.
InsignificantRaven@reddit
Race the cops.
Plane_Geologist8073@reddit
HDPE and autocross are the correct answers. I get that autocross can be a little meh, especially some clubs… but it teaches you car control like nothing else. I suggest trying a few different events with a few different groups and see if you can find one that is bearable. I’m lucky, my local club is pretty laid back and we have a good time. I’ve been to other events, like some PCA chapters, that seem more like an HOA board meeting, f that. It was so bad one time, I just did my first run completely sideways and drove home right off the course 😂.
So from a fellow dad of teens and twenty somethings, that was young and reckless in a time where street racing was glorified, I will tell you without hesitation a public road is not where a young person needs to be finding the limits of his or her car. Even with all my experience, and cars that are set up to perform at their maximum, I keep my driving well within the envelope of control on the street. There are no run off areas, gravel traps, or safety barriers on these back roads, just trees and ditches.
Bahnrokt-AK@reddit
I was the same way when I was young. I got a VE GTI and rolled it over driving too fast at 17. I took the insurance payout and found a VW Corrado for sale. The guy selling it was older and a track instructor for the BMW CCA. He stipulated the sale that I have to join him on track and learn how to actually drive. I took him up on that and it was wildly eye opening for me as a kid. I highly suggest finding a performance driving school, autocross or some other proper venue to channel his interests toward. The community at these places is amazing and they will help set his mindset around driving properly.
One_Expression_9897@reddit
driving efficiently is like endurance racing , avoiding need for pitstops etc, needing to get places on time but doing so efficiently. . is speeding up especially on more downhill-ish roads at optimal fuel level and engine RPM(RotationPerSecond), steering and braking minimally but smoothly. optimal efficiency for toyota 2.4 inline 4 is 2/3 pedal down in 2k-3k rpm, cvt hybrid maintain constant rpm. not sure whats best to do this in: sport mode, fuel level is more, in eco mode its less. use EV mode if optimal combustion level would speed car too much (often, if car isnt letting you do that without the EV mode, it wont let you us EV mode.) use it a bit from a stop for smooth acceleration then when car is rolling use combustion then maybe use it a bit more.
car culture :
cars are not what what they should be, dont waste money on mediocre , make them stop fooling around if they are gonna get your money.
driving efficiently is speeding up especially on more downhill-ish roads at optimal fuel level and engine RPM(RotationPerSecond), steering and braking minimally but smoothly. optimal efficiency for toyota 2.4 inline 4 is 2/3 pedal down in 2k-3k rpm, cvt hybrid maintain constant rpm. not sure whats best to do this in: sport mode, fuel level is more, in eco mode its less. use EV mode if optimal combustion level would speed car too much (often, if car isnt letting you do that without the EV mode, it wont let you us EV mode.) use it a bit from a stop for smooth acceleration then when car is rolling use combustion then maybe use it a bit more. smooth acceleration is part of putting less weight on tires at a moment because:
consider tire wear dust emissions and how much it cost to replace tires (most people are becoming increasingly even poorer than they already are and you can invest money into bigger money)like those "xenoestrogen endocrine disputing forever chemicals micro plastics" etc. apply less weight on tires and you'll allow more of that weight handling ability to be used for having more grip for endurance-race-pitstop-avoiding momentum preservation driving fun in the name of efficiency. being able to feel how close car is to its grip limit is good for this goal, similar to the lotus-car-enjoyers ideal.
hybrid cars are arguably better than electric car because they lower use of combustion and battery mass and all materials overall without adding so much weight. weight worsens road wear damage (repairs cost emissions , money etc) , worsens crash safety for all (except few rich people who can afford super safe cars in the small chance that they are involved in crash and value their lives and have lives we can value). this is why aptera motors originally made diesel hybrid, but now sells electric cars to max profits and reputation as a "environmentally friendly brand."
because batteries are not fully recyclable and combustion fuel is based on anaerobic bacteria that regenerates , which is why oil rigs go back to getting oil after abandoning the almost empty oil well years later. this is why arguably only combustion is proper, in rear mid engine weight distribution , rear wheel drive , with limited slip differential for minimal tire wear even in normal driver driving , for preserving momentum around turns more without too much slowing down by lateral (left /rights) g forces tires.
2-3 trips in compact 4 seater for the once in a year taking a minivan full of kids to doctors , is better than minivan all the time just for that rare scenario. yearly family road trip the all those kids can be done with rented van. in fact for most us a 2 seater is enough because theyll be losers with no friends they trust or care about, no kids carefully selected for good genes, no purpose besides not dieng, and money to overpay for low quality social status and desensitizing overdosing on minor temporary novelty, while being a waste of resources and maybe making life worse overall for others.
can you prove human caused co2 causes climate change or that its not just the usual climate change malkovich cycles similar to that of known ice ages?
WE_THINK_IS_COOL@reddit
Here's what I would do:
One_Expression_9897@reddit
driving efficiently is like endurance racing , avoiding need for pitstops etc, needing to get places on time but doing so efficiently. . is speeding up especially on more downhill-ish roads at optimal fuel level and engine RPM(RotationPerSecond), steering and braking minimally but smoothly. optimal efficiency for toyota 2.4 inline 4 is 2/3 pedal down in 2k-3k rpm, cvt hybrid maintain constant rpm. not sure whats best to do this in: sport mode, fuel level is more, in eco mode its less. use EV mode if optimal combustion level would speed car too much (often, if car isnt letting you do that without the EV mode, it wont let you us EV mode.) use it a bit from a stop for smooth acceleration then when car is rolling use combustion then maybe use it a bit more.
car culture :
cars are not what what they should be, dont waste money on mediocre , make them stop fooling around if they are gonna get your money.
driving efficiently is speeding up especially on more downhill-ish roads at optimal fuel level and engine RPM(RotationPerSecond), steering and braking minimally but smoothly. optimal efficiency for toyota 2.4 inline 4 is 2/3 pedal down in 2k-3k rpm, cvt hybrid maintain constant rpm. not sure whats best to do this in: sport mode, fuel level is more, in eco mode its less. use EV mode if optimal combustion level would speed car too much (often, if car isnt letting you do that without the EV mode, it wont let you us EV mode.) use it a bit from a stop for smooth acceleration then when car is rolling use combustion then maybe use it a bit more. smooth acceleration is part of putting less weight on tires at a moment because:
consider tire wear dust emissions and how much it cost to replace tires (most people are becoming increasingly even poorer than they already are and you can invest money into bigger money)like those "xenoestrogen endocrine disputing forever chemicals micro plastics" etc. apply less weight on tires and you'll allow more of that weight handling ability to be used for having more grip for endurance-race-pitstop-avoiding momentum preservation driving fun in the name of efficiency. being able to feel how close car is to its grip limit is good for this goal, similar to the lotus-car-enjoyers ideal.
hybrid cars are arguably better than electric car because they lower use of combustion and battery mass and all materials overall without adding so much weight. weight worsens road wear damage (repairs cost emissions , money etc) , worsens crash safety for all (except few rich people who can afford super safe cars in the small chance that they are involved in crash and value their lives and have lives we can value). this is why aptera motors originally made diesel hybrid, but now sells electric cars to max profits and reputation as a "environmentally friendly brand."
because batteries are not fully recyclable and combustion fuel is based on anaerobic bacteria that regenerates , which is why oil rigs go back to getting oil after abandoning the almost empty oil well years later. this is why arguably only combustion is proper, in rear mid engine weight distribution , rear wheel drive , with limited slip differential for minimal tire wear even in normal driver driving , for preserving momentum around turns more without too much slowing down by lateral (left /rights) g forces tires.
2-3 trips in compact 4 seater for the once in a year taking a minivan full of kids to doctors , is better than minivan all the time just for that rare scenario. yearly family road trip the all those kids can be done with rented van. in fact for most us a 2 seater is enough because theyll be losers with no friends they trust or care about, no kids carefully selected for good genes, no purpose besides not dieng, and money to overpay for low quality social status and desensitizing overdosing on minor temporary novelty, while being a waste of resources and maybe making life worse overall for others.
can you prove human caused co2 causes climate change or that its not just the usual climate change malkovich cycles similar to that of known ice ages?
JAP42@reddit
First off, knowing that slow and safe are not the same thing. Plenty of people can and do drive much higher than the speed limit much safer than many of the people that stay below it. We have laws in excess because we assume people wll speed, but then those with enforcement authority take the enforcement too far and we all slow down and "Feel" safe as a result. Its really a problem.
zedsdead79@reddit
No offense but I'm downvoting you for saying "level set". Like, I hear this at my job all the time and it's typical corporate speak bullshit.
The way you experience what you're asking if a race track isnt nearby is like we did in my childhood. 100% illegal out in the country on those roads. Have your insurance in order lol.
carguy82j@reddit
Track day if you have a track nearby. Drag strip if you have one of those. Even if you don't have a BMW, the BMW CCA car club autorcrosses are fun and easy going. I know the SCCA autcrosses can be intimidating. Other organizations have autcrosses that are easier too. For sure if you have any kind of track nearby, try that.
Ultrase7en@reddit
Get him into karting, it's about the most affordable form of racing there is
Flat-Mountain3462@reddit
Ever heard of driving at "night" with less people ?
YouDirtyClownShoe@reddit
Go to the autocross events and spectate. With or without him. So if there's a part you like, and think he might like also, youll have some specfics to talk about. The layouts, the smell, the food, the people, the prizes, the competition. There is so much to love about the culture that feeling comfortable to explore is important early on. If you organically show respect for racing, he can naturally mirror you at these events to feel comfortable, and you can lean on that to lead him to safer habits.
Race car drivers, builders, and enthusiasts experience a life long sensation of discovery. Learning, watching, and innovating all come in stages. Like lots of roads leading to the same destination there are sometimes shortcuts, and right and wrong ways, but being prepared and being safe is your foundation.
I grew up surrounded by racers and builders my entire life. Racing is my dimension. I have met some absolute ANIMALS behind the wheel. People who aren't just confident, people who aren't just reckless, people who have literal death wishes in the name of going faster. But they will still not be careless. Brave and careless do not mix. People who push themselves and their vehicles are only to do so because they trust those two things well enough to get there.
The restraint of following the rules is what gives the sport, sportsmanship. It's where learning and understanding what real competition is. Versus starting a new video game woth cheat codes enabled.
Jamison_Junkrat@reddit
A Manuel
mschiebold@reddit
Got any local Karting tracks?
Get him on the SCCA forums.
Do_The_Floof@reddit
Safely? LOL Safely? LOL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
pieindaface@reddit
As a former young person, I would have loved to get the opportunity to go to autocross.
If he just wants to cut up and go crazy, that’s pretty out of line. If he wants to go cruising on backroads, he needs skills. The skills to learn are best learned at low speeds to begin with.
As for the people recommending cars, I would not recommend a car that isn’t fwd or more than 120ftlbs of torque. Corollas, D series civics, etc. The 86/ BRZ while a good car, was double the hp of cars that I started with and would have been a total mistake to begin with. You can easily get into trouble with less than 100hp.
AtalyxianBoi@reddit
My first car was a slow as shit Auto '91 Levin with undercoat as the only coat. I drove up and down the country with it til it exploded.
Then I was comfortable enough to invest in something proper and now drive a V6 Aurion '10 and a B4 Twin Turbo '02. I don't like the car scene now, it's all skids and burn outs which are just lame. Car culture isn't dying but it is changing and if he is more an enthusiast like me, take him to proper racing and rally events, get involved in knowing how to repair his own car, do road trips etc. a car should be a form of self expression and freedom. Anything he does that isn't donuts is a win these days imo
Fujita21@reddit
What does he drive? I'll always recommend something sporty, manual, and reasonably powered in the entry level segment that he have a ton of fun with without going felonious speeds, like a miata, an 86 twin, or an Si. These generally encourage learning how to drive rather than just mashing a pedal to go faster.
I have a miata that sits at or around the speed limit 90% of the time, but it's always a blast to drive. I'm able to rev the shit out of it whenever I want, and the only time I really exceed limits is out on an onramp or a backroad, on both of which I still keep well within the car's limits of traction and control, with plenty of margin for error. When I really want to push the car, I can drop $60 for a day of autocross, or go further and take it to a full track day.
I think the biggest thing is who he hangs out with and what his inflences are. If he's watching tiktoks of wheres981 weaving through highways at 40 over the limit or other dumb shit like that, and has friends who encourage that, he's going to want to do the same. I'm lucky enough to have found a great community who'll call someone out if they're making a stupid decision while also encouraging responsible enjoyment whether it's track or street, and I believe you have the power to guide him in the right direction. Just keep at it, and make sure he's aware of the consequences.
D1sp4tcht@reddit
In my area there's a drag strip that's open to the public on weekends. A lot of people go there with their cars and have fun. Maybe check the tracks around you to see if they do anything similar.
ScaryfatkidGT@reddit
HPDE track days and maybe a young driver course
Pitiful_Analysis6179@reddit
HPDEs are good, assuming they’re old enough. I’m not old enough to personally, and the roads around me are all drawn with a t-square, so I do a lot of sim racing
Snazzypanted@reddit
Karting. The inexpensive way to feel the thrills and get the adrenaline pumping and typically pretty safe and not Uber expensive
Shrikecorp@reddit
First, know his limits and expand them slowly. As far as spirited driving...get well out of town/city to roads with little to no traffic. And again, emphasis on knowing limits.
Internal-Twist-5233@reddit
Karting. It’s dirt cheap for Motorsports and it’ll let them get their feet wet without compromising their regular car.
Frosty-Buyer298@reddit
Young drivers will always crash their first car. The more "spirited" they drive, the worse the crash will be.
As an adult it is your responsibility to teach your child that a car is not a toy.
Genoss01@reddit
Not always, I didn't crash my first car
Genoss01@reddit
He wants to drive fast on the highway, kinda concerning
I'd tell him he needs to drive safely on the road. It's a huge responsibility, by driving too fast he puts other people's lives at risk. He does not want deaths on his conscience, and of course he could be killed himself.
If he doesn't understand this, he doesn't belong behind the wheel. It's not a game.
RabidFisherman3411@reddit
Is stock car racing a thing where you live? That's what I took up when I was young and looking for motorized excitement.
Small local tracks usually have multiple classes of racing to accommodate thrill seekers on a budget where all you need to do is take out the glass and carpet of any car and go racing, up to full blown sponsored and proper race cars.
Warning: this is very addictive lol!
John_B_Clarke@reddit
If you take the glass out that's not going to be your daily driver. Now you need a truck and a trailer in order to get it to the track.
RabidFisherman3411@reddit
True dat.
Some track owners will let you leave it there. I don't know if they all, or most of them, will.
Motor_Metal957@reddit
Get him a civic, let him learn tuning, lightweight car with 100hp can still be fun, and engine work since these things are so easy to work on, eventually he will mature and realize going 100+ mph all the time isn’t as fun as doing the work.
Foreign-Ad-776@reddit
Old z cars, old sx cars, old celicas/supras, old civics. They're all slow, but handle well, and are inexpensive...relatively
Down side is those things are tin cans, so if you live in a major city where traffic is a real thing, might not be the thing to go f9r.
MOTRHEAD4LIFE@reddit
Stage rallying on local level and a cheap Volvo 240 or Amazon or 190 Mercedes and manual and a cage that is what I want to start doing when I get a job and some cash flowing I’m gonna try start stage rally driving. 20m
Embarrassed-Dealer76@reddit
Two words: Manual transmission. Unparalleled driver engagement and it is a difficult thing to master. He'll never be bored and will continuously improve for decades. Definitely fun to drive at all speeds. The most rewarding car to drive has a manual (not cheating with auto rev-matching). Why? Because you can screw up. You can clutch poorly. You need to know what gears you need and when. There are consequences to not driving properly. It requires planning and foresight to drive effectively. But when you do nail shifts smoothly, there is such a dopamine rush. You don't need to go too fast or push the car in corners too much to get that feeling. You are just driving.
Radiantnickleback@reddit
Get him to do Autocross. It’s the safest form of “racing”. It teaches valuable safety skills which translate to defensive driving on the street. It’s cheap. It “exorcises” the urge to drive dangerously. And it gives him a place to go get his jollies safely.
Speedybob69@reddit
He can have fun anywhere on the road. So long as he doesn't have a 400hp V8 and keeps eyes on the road everything should be fine. I have had about a dozen tickets about once every 20 months. Those will be a great lesson. You get full exposure to the court system and police. And you learn to hate it and do everything you can to never return to that hellhole.
If your child just wants to stomp on the gas with a phone in their hand then that's cause for alarm
PitifulSpecialist887@reddit
Help him build a bracket racer, or amateur stock class oval tracker.
Most speedways have spectator races with minimal requirements.
GriefPB@reddit
Sign him up for a defensive driving course so he can meet all the people that are there for license suspensions.
IEgoLift-_-@reddit
Have one or two drinks before taking the wheel
UnceDirtnap@reddit
I'm probably the odd one out here, but drawing a distinction between driving for fun and driving for utility isn't a bad thing. Being a good driver- predictive, observant, reactive, consistent- is a constant effort. You can make it comfortable, but making it fun just isn't something you should even shoot for. Driving in traffic is never going to fun. Dealing with brain dead idiots is never going to be fun- that those are the most dangerous and therfore important interactions and the ones you should plan for.
I sound like a party pooper, but I don't mean to not have fun- just don't shackle normal driving with that impossible goal or else they will trying to make things fun when they should be surviving. Have fun with your car some other way.
Treewithatea@reddit
Well Im from Germany, so if i want to experience high speeds, i go on an empty piece of the Autobahn. Other than that i have some country roads nearby that are also relatively empty. The better you know them, the more you can push the car, you pick and chose the corners where you dont end up crashing your car if you understeer/oversteer. When exploring new country roads, im obviously a bit more cautious but if the corners or straights are fairly predictable and easy to see, you can push a bit harder. Ofc i do have respect for blind corners that i dont know.
Thats at least how i do it, on normal roads or during traffic, i drive like everyone else. Theres no fun going fast in traffic anyway imo, you also drag other people in that dont want any part of your driving, so i keep my fun driving to myself when the road is more empty.
Turninwheels4x4@reddit
Get him an old hatchback. Like, 80s. It'll be a tin box with 80hp that'll be fun as hell to throw around. Just put some nice tires on it so that it'll still and turn well and call it good.
mushroom_dome@reddit
Low powered car that has nice handling.
bassali2e@reddit
Has he ever actually been to an autocross event? HPDE events you get more seat time but the cost is way higher and the competition not as intense. (Non competitive at all technically).
I'm not sure where you're from but I grew up in British Columbia. One bad ticket can be total cost more than a whole season of autocross if you don't cause an accident or lose your licence.
If he's not into organized events Forza is probably the way to go. Maybe iracing when he grows up.
SlimJesusKeepIt100@reddit
If you're not checking cars out at a meet fun and law abiding doesn't belong in the safe sentence. I keep it within the limit on the streets on highways if there ain't traffic...
PhoKingAwesome213@reddit
Don't get him an EV. I thought driving my old Mustang or MR2 Spyder was fun but when my wife wanted an EV I laughed until I got to enjoy the sport mode. It literally feels like I'm playing a race simulator how quickly to goes from stop and the smoothness of the turn.
justamemeguy@reddit
NASA events
fasta_guy88@reddit
Find him a 4-cyl manual and very windy/hilly roads.
ruturaj001@reddit
Car control clinic, I get much more seat time compared to autocross and has all the benefits of autocross. Get a small manual car with tiny engine, FWD or RWD.
Appropriate-Force180@reddit
Car choice is less of an issue.
Take the kid to an autocross. Enter in the stock class, drive his car with an instructor.
He will learn car control, car dynamics, and more importantly his limits and the car's limits.
Encourage him to ride with other, more experienced competitors.
Just Google autocross to find one. Don't worry about brand specific events, like miata club or BMW club or porsche club. All are welcome
Ok_Dependent2580@reddit
i drove Toyota MR2 ( i had 4 of them from old to 90's
Big-Consideration633@reddit
Fishtailing down dirt roads, drifting in muddy fields after rain.
Gouranga@reddit
The streets are not the place. Your "Kid" is old enough to drive they are old enough to understand the streets are not the place for this behaviour. It's your duty as a parent to ensure your child doesnt murder anyone with their actions. Responsible car guys dont do spirit driving on the streets. It's dangerous for everyone, especially elderly people with slow reactions who have the same right to the road. I drive a car with a mere 200hp and it is able to perform far above what is necessary for daily drives. If he doesnt like safety and structure to events then perhaps off roading is a better choice. I had way more excitement doing motocross and learned a ton about throttle, braking and vehicle control.
Korunam@reddit
If you have back country roads that are curvy 2 lanes that would be a great spot. Usually low traffic, the curves prevent super fast driving but still allow for a lot of fun and if your son is driving a fwd or AWD car then you shouldn't have to worry about them spinning out.
I have a 2.0 Veloster currently. It's slow but such a blast to drive especially on roads like I mentioned.
Which is my other point. Try to find a car that looks and sounds fast but isn't actually that fast. Miata, gr86, Veloster are a few. Look for light weight and low to medium HP cars for starters. Heck even a civic sport might be interesting
ProJoe@reddit
then he is never going to do any kind of performance driving legally.
the kid needs to get into the mindset that the track is where fast drivers and cars go. the street is not.
I HATE autocross too, look into HPDE, test and tune drag nights, and even local drift events.
Dr1ver11@reddit
where I live you can take an 11-minute highway ride into town or a 20 minute drive through the -asphalt gravel dirt mud then back to dirt and gravel-back road.
you don't try to top out on the straightaways in case someone else is out there. The fun part that most people don't learn while spirited driving is weight transfer and using it to your advantage. if more people learn to use weight transfer they won't be selling as many of these super slammed static suspension kits.
Top_Donkey_711@reddit
It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. It's more fun to shift than drive an automatic. I would take my NA Miata to redline in 1st, 2nd and maybe 3rd leaving tollbooths or entering a highway without breaking the speed limit. Driving curvy mountain roads felt like I was speeding but was actually just a few miles over. The key was to maintain the legal speed even though the yellow "caution" signs suggest a slower speed. Miata Is Always The Answer!
SufficientTill3399@reddit
A trip to rural Germany and some real-life courses on car control even if he’s played Gran Turismo (which btw actually teaches a lot of advanced car control techniques that make you understand driving faster better than 99% of people on the road, assuming you pass all of GT’s license tests). Anyone who wishes to drive fast and also understands braking distances will avoid doing anything seriously reckless (such as going 100+mph on a road with stoplights or failing to observe proper clearances when overtaking).
Also regardless of how much power he has make sure it’s a car that has side impact airbags with head protection, put the car’s safety equipment ahead of price and insurance costs as much as possible.
And regardless of anything else including academics let him have a separate source of income like a job or a business so that he can buy, maintain, insure his car as his fiscal strength grows so that he won’t have to get into constant arguments over money with you. And BTW unless you’re a New Yorker he absolutely needs a car to function in the US, so if you deny him a driving test or any way to get a car, even with his own money (if you even let him earn any sort of money on his own) you will damage his ability to be a functioning member of society.
boyworldwide@reddit
Get your son a Scion FRS/Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ. This is exactly what your son needs. And after you drive it, you will love it too.
HazardousHighStakes@reddit
Rip a bong hit and listen to music.
/s
xeno486@reddit
get a car that’s fun even within the speed limit (easy examples are the miata and the brz/86)
ch3ckm30uty0@reddit
Lots of fun looking cars show up doing a marketplace search "convertible". BMW Z3, Mazda MX-5, Saab 9-3, Audi TT. I filtered <$6000 , manual transmission.
Electronic_Elk2029@reddit
2001 Jetta.
Take him to some teen driving clinics. Audi club has some I know there are some more around the country. Let him rip at a track for a bit but with an instructor that will teach him how to drive safely
Trusteveryboody@reddit
Honestly it took me getting pulled over at 135mph, to be humbled on this topic.
Not that I believe me going 135mph on an empty highway straight (no entrances/exits) was that bad, but that it's just not worth going those speeds on the road. And I've been faster before, nearer 160mph.
I just don't want to deal with getting pulled over (personally).
CarGullible5691@reddit
Do a trackday at a race circuit. In the uk there are several track day companies where you can take your car out on a race circuit and drive fast under controlled conditions. I used to do them a lot when I had a 172 Clio
vanisleone@reddit
Fun?? It's transportation not a game.
espakor@reddit
a minivan. Takes forever to speed up
Individual_Trust_414@reddit
Take him to one of those racetrack courses that give a safety class and you get to drive a fast car on a race track.
BingBongBrit@reddit
Focusing on smoothness and driving line is fun. Rev matching, and clutch kicking on downshifts. Double clutching adds an element of chalanges too I guess.
Good music definitely. It's about mindset and the toad conditions.
Get him a cup of water and a dash mounted cupholder. And tell him to drive without spilling the water in the cup. Some Fujiwara techniques there.
asakmotsd@reddit
Subaru CrossTrek
RegaeRevaeb@reddit
If getting him into Karting is possible... motor racing skills and mindset, trained properly, can transfer over for safer road driving.
DoctorSquibb420@reddit
Any car is more fun than no car.
GeologistPositive@reddit
I dont even have a piece of shit, I have to envy yours
relevante@reddit
Karting. Like real outdoor competitive karting, not the amusement park/mall stuff.
You can push so much harder doing that (or on a track generally) that after awhile it sort of takes the excitement out of driving like an idiot on the road. Or at least it did for me. At this point it's kind of like, if I'm not pushing hard enough to be thinking about tire temperatures and slip angles, I don't feel like I'm even pushing anyway, so the thrill no longer outweighs the risk of trying to drive crazy fast on public roads where there might be an old lady on a bicycle around that next blind corner, and where even driving like a certified idiot would only be like maybe 7/10 on track. To be fair, getting older and more mature probably helped too, but getting on track is really what did it for me.
And to be honest, autocross never seemed appealing at all to me either. I'm sure it's fun, but the whole thing just never motivated me to try it. Real karting is amazing though. Such a thrill/challenge. And in terms of bang for the buck, you're not find anything better in motorsports, unless you count sim, which I love too, but is a whole different thing.
nueroticalyme@reddit
Rallycross!
Offcoloring@reddit
When a young driver has to pay monthly for car payment, insurance, or both they almost always drive safer than those who just have their parents pay everything
Both_Wasabi_3606@reddit
Take him to the track.
skinisblackmetallic@reddit
The state university I work for actually has a racing team and they fabricate entire cars from scratch.
numbersev@reddit
Plant seeds in his brain that the street is for society to traverse and get around, not driving dangerously. He doesn’t want to end up being responsible for killing a family.
If you want to race, take it to the track. It’s akin to a martial arts master telling their student not to get into fights and avoid them.
Also maybe he will like sim racing. I have a nice rig and it’s absolutely amazing for its realism. Iracing is amazing and he will always be able to find races.
Also “slow car fast” is a thing. I had a powerful V8 in the past and it was too much, I could never get on it without risking jail and a license suspension.
Now I have a slower car that is a smaller engine and loves to be revved out. I can have fun without going 20km/hr over the limit (likely won’t even be pulled over at that speed).
Most people agree with this too. A journalist took out the GT500 and a Miata and said he had more fun with the Miata bc he could use it all.
Sanjuko_Mamaujaluko@reddit
Tickets. Lots of speeding tickets.
foolproofphilosophy@reddit
Check out BMW Street Survival School. They’re for young drivers and teach car control in a controlled environment. They run classes all over the country through local BMW club chapters. BMW CCA (car club of America). The website Motorsports Reg might also have options posted.
kaptainklausenheimer@reddit
Driving a manual is always fun
teepring@reddit
Drive at 3am. No traffic and the cops are downtown hunting drunks
Contentpolicesuck@reddit
Test and tune night at the local drag strip was our outlet.
Joshs_Ski_Hacks@reddit
What is the issue with autocross?
I started autocrossing at 16 and its so much fun. TBH why not go with him?
AP2-Lost@reddit
Try go karting and step up to track days. Autocross is great but the day of work for 5 to 8 minutes of run time is awful. Start with a SCCA TNiA or look into your local NASA chapter.
TheBobInSonoma@reddit
I sent my kids through a defensive driving class at the local racetrack. They practiced emergency braking, quick lane changes for accident avoidance, skid control, etc and ended with an autocross. We had a Miata at the time that both enjoyed driving. Worrying about how an inexperienced driver can push the limits on public roads is asking for trouble. The various autocross, open track groups, or karting is definitely the way to learn.
theshagmister@reddit
I would have to say when I was a teen I had loads of fun in any stick shift car. Had early 90s cavalier a early 90s geo storm. Both slower than molasses in January but had lots of fun slamming through them gears
Still_Squirrel_1690@reddit
Look into indoor electric go kart tracks and become regulars, get the need to race out there.
frndlynbrhdghost666@reddit
Bring him to the track and get him some seat time. Look for local car groups (my community College's automotive program often did autocross events partnered with local dealerships) Get home some wrenching time, Have him make friends with other local car guys. Hell, see if there's any garages looking to hire a shop hand.
idkbro42069@reddit
we don’t - we cut up at 120 on the highway at night
Mostly-Useless_4007@reddit
Send him to a program like this one:
https://streetsurvival.org/
I love the suggestions below - slow car driven fairly fast is a more gratifying experience than driving a very fast car .. slowly. Besides, it's easy to find the limit in a Fiat (a bit harder in a Miata), and those limits are at speeds that may end up with a damaged car, but probably no more than a damaged ego, when he slides off into a tree.
If he does that in a Mustang or Camaro, he may not come home.
Mike__O@reddit
Carrot and stick.
Carrot-- you will support him if he wants to do autocross or HPDE
Stick-- He's on an financial island with that car. If he wrecks it he doesn't get another one, and he's covering the insurance, including the increased family premiums if he gets a ticket and causes the entire family's rates to go up
Other than that, you've just gotta cross your fingers and hope that the wreck doesn't hurt or kill him. Hopefully he will take your advice and go to a track as an outlet and not do dumb shit on the street.
Frird2008@reddit
Start off with a car that has a maximum ratio of 50 horsepower per 1,000 pounds of curb weight with a limited torque band. These types of engines require very high rpm to accelerate decently & it'll be very hard to get hefty tickets redlining the engine as it won't have the adequate acceleration required to reach the speeds in a reasonable time frame that would be conducive to getting the massive traffic tickets.
xX_Diabolical_Xx@reddit
Slow cars fast man, slow cars fast. Prior to my own car purchase, I was team crossover in the left lane doing 20+ the speed limit. Car could handle it, but it shouldn't have lol.
In all seriousness, have this conversation, set these boundaries:
Tractorguy69@reddit
Find a track where he can get lap time and possibly instruction, not necessarily actual racing. The cost of an accident anywhere but the track isn’t really worth the risk at his age, plus coached track driving will increase his experience and talent faster than just regular street driving
Objective-Fishing310@reddit
Who owns the car and pays for insurance?
Building_Everything@reddit
Do you have any kart tracks nearby? And I don’t mean tourist-y go-carts but legit 75mph racing karts.
stu54@reddit
Videogames.
Hear me out. Cars are cool and all, but getting a kid into racing these days is just setting him up for disappointment and financial strife.
Auto mechanics are a dime a dozen, so its not the gateway into an achievable aspirational career.
jacesonn@reddit
Slow cars are the most fun kind. I can drive my Miata around town the same way i drive in Spec. Of course it's fast enough to get me in trouble, but it's not fun to slam the gas pedal because it's still really slow. However, I can do 50 through a hairpin turn in the back roads. That's where it's fun.
Fickle_Assumption_80@reddit
The kart track.
FerdinandHemp@reddit
My dad got me a '88 Bronco for my first truck. Didn't have the option to be driven fast, so mom was happy, and it was a good-looking classic, so it kept my interest
bearspiderfish@reddit
If your kid likes watching YouTube videos, I highly recommend the channel “Mick Drives Cars.” He’s UK based but talks about spirited driving and how to do it in a safe as well as satisfying way. I’ve found it’s useful to see the POV footage, etc. in addition to having the concepts explained. That way he can see that following driving laws doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.
thatsgreatgdawg@reddit
direct your buddy in the direction of a 5 speed geo metro
luzer_kidd@reddit
Are there nearby car tracks he can get into legitimate racing? I've been friends with people in high-school who their friends that were in my grade but I wasn't friends with died from driving too fast and that didn't wake up the people who I was friends with. I'm not friends with them anymore.