smooth1 Posted February 12, 2008 Posted February 12, 2008 It's funny that we are talking about this. I have a cousin who has a kid that is 15 1/2 and just got his learners permit. So, my cousin, knowing that I know cars as well as I do was asking me what kind of car he should get his son. So I started suggesting a 95-98 Corolla, or same years Ford Escort, ( say what you want, those cars run forever!), Nissan Sentra, like the one I use as the road warrior. These year cars, it would take over $10K to make them even remotely quick, but all are relatively safe and good on gas and aren't stupid looking or embarrasing to drive. I said even the late 90's Altima's were a good car, and so were the Honda Civic's. I even recommended some of the Hyundia line up. But of course the kid shot those down right away. He said he didn't want to be embarrased to drive it. Why does it have to be a used piece of crap? He wanted a new one because it has a warrentee, He liked the new Mustang, or he wanted a Dodge SRT. Which he almost had his dad agree to because he thought it was a Neon!! Then he would go on about the WRX, or an EVO 8. He says to his dad right in front of me( Those are only 4 cylinder cars!) Then I piped up, yeah, with a turbo charger and making 300 hp! So, I told him walking when he's 17 would be embarrasing!! Then the conversation turned to classic muscle cars. He started listing Camaro's, and Mustangs and so on. So, I took my cousin aside and said he needs to come up with a monetary figure to stay under. I think $3,500-$5,000 is plenty to spend. He agreed. So I took him to a friends car lot and let him look for himself. He wasn't thrilled at first. Nothing would do. Everything was stupid. Ok. So let's drive this 96 Acura Legend. He loved it. Wanted it. MAn that car was nice! Then I said let's drive this 96 Mitsubishi Galant. Oh, man this car is it! Even better than the Legend!!! So I said let's drive this VW Jetta. Wow, the nicest by far!!! His dad was amazed. I learned something as well. KIDS DON"T KNOW WHAT THE HECK THEY WANT!!!! I mean, how can they? His grades have suffered a bit, so his dad is holding off getting him a car right now, But I have a line on a 98 Saturn that I think will work just fine for him. Blows cold A/C, power everything, and good on gas. It's dark blue, and looks nice. It's a great car to learn how to drive with and gain driving hours and experience. I think most parents and kids also think that once they have a liscence, they know how to drive. I think it really takes about 2 years of driving to learn how to drive. ANd most parents need to look at it like that. Why would you buy a $25K car to learn how to drive with? Learning how to judge distance is a practiced skill. Not inherent. Learning the limits of a car is very important, and even more so, learning the limits of themselves. And besides that, I know I always had alot more respect and appreciated much more, the things I bought for myself, not what someone else bought me.
jcrome04 Posted February 12, 2008 Posted February 12, 2008 I'm only 22 and have no kids...but if I were to give my child an 08 BMW M5, I'd have a big talk with him, and take him to a "professional" driving school where they would teach him how to control that much of a car. Who knows maybe they did have a huge sit down talk with him, plus you can never rule out peer pressure. I mean having a car like that so young...your friends are definately going to want you to show it off too. What really makes me upset for the family and friends is all the comments on the youtube video of how much an "idiot" and "deuche" this kid is.. Yeah it wasn't the best decision, but come on...He was just a kid! Give him and his family a break for God's sake!
JIBBBY Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Man, these kids now a days have more skills then we do as adults.. Have you folks seen the games these kids play now on XBox360 and Playstation 3? If that doesn't hone your hand eye coordination for driving nothing will
nc211 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Yeah, toys sure have come a long way since my days of running my Matchbox cars in the dirt around the oak tree out back. Fooseball and that go-cart taught me my hand-eye cordination skills. Having a pesky older brother whipping my butt every day at Fooseball, made me mad enough to spend years practicing. But I do think some of those games gives a false sense of consequence to some kids. I know personally that after playing grand tarismo for several hours back in college, then driving home, I had a led foot and hit the corners a little hard. I read the threads on the M5 board cited in the articles. Sounds like those guys over there are pretty good dudes. I agree jcrome, some people just aren't wired right. But, no worries man, Karma is a SOB, and she loves to even the playing field. I clearly remember my dad telling me to look around at my class mates, when I turned 16. He bet me $20 that at least two of them wouldn't make it out of high school. He was right. Said there is always one in every class that sets the unfortunate example. Just hope we all have the right approach to teach our kids to think, acknowledge and have the strength to resist the peer pressure to avoid such tragic events as this. It ain't your enemies that'll get you in trouble, it's your friends. You don't hang out with your enemies. Sadly, 4 teenage boys learned this lesson the wrong way. I'm curious if Mr. Scientology John Travolta will, or has, responded to this, since I believe that was his runway?
SW03ES Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 I think it really takes about 2 years of driving to learn how to drive. Oh..its much longer than that. I think I read somewhere that it takes 5 years of regular everyday driving experience for new drivers to even become as skilled as the AVERAGE American driver...which ain't that skilled.
JIBBBY Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Not if you've mastered grand theft auto 9 or 10 on Xbox 360 and Play station 3... :P You don't even need a drivers test, learning permit, or driving school....Just jump in and go... Trying to make a little light of the situation ;) I know I grew up on games like Pong, Atari, and some Nintendo I think....Ms. Packman, Asteroids, and Cennipeed were games I remember playing....Those old games probably hampered my hand and eye coordination... It's hard to remember that far back... I do think today's games are a waste of time for kids, but I am sure they do help some with hand and eye coordination... Teens in school have been known to stay up playing games like Halo and others all night long... They call it the Halo hangover when trying to stay awake in class the next day... I think parents need to monitor their teens playing time...It gets carried away for alot of kids...... Atleast that is what they tell me...
Lexusfreak Posted February 13, 2008 Author Posted February 13, 2008 I know I always had alot more respect and appreciated much more, the things I bought for myself, not what someone else bought me. Exactly smooth1. B) nc211....I read some of the threads on the BMW site as well & I too think they are good folks over there (the ones here aren't half bad either) ;) Jibby, remember the Atari 2600 game console? That was seriously high tech stuff back in the day!
smooth1 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 The Atari 2600 is a major collector item now!!! I remember having mine. Remember Castles? you were this arrow you went into a room, got the key, went to another room, unlocked the door, stabbed a dragon, and rescued the princess? And Zaxxon was the king of awsome graphics!!! my 2 all time favorites were galaga, and defender, but I also really liked centipede, and Mario bros. too.
Lexusfreak Posted February 13, 2008 Author Posted February 13, 2008 atari!? yall are old!!! lol Oh boy lol Not old, Just better flop :P :whistles: ;)
dcfish Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 atari!? yall are old!!! lol Oh boy lol Not old, Just better flop :P :whistles: ;) Lexusfreak, I'll second that ;)
JIBBBY Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Ha HA HA.... Smoothe and Lexusfreak I do remember Atari 2600... I also do remember the game castle with the arrow, oh man that is some ancient stuff... I think I remember the consol having two round knobs or something on each side, and it was dark brown with some metal stuff on it.....Not sure if mine was the 2600 model, maybe a different Atari, I just can't remember that clearly..... That was probably 25 years ago.. I think that Atari was the first gaming board ever made... I don't remember any before that... I remember a game on atari, where you have a paddel and you hit a ball to break down layers of a wall at the top of the screen, the more break down the faster the ball travels... That was my favorite game on Atari (I think that was Atari) and I may just play it today if I had the chance... ;) Pong was also a favorite of mine as it was displayed in black and white and was a type of tennis game... Too funny that you guys remember that Atari system too...
jcrome04 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 I remember me and my older sister getting a Nintendo 64 for Christmas the year they came out. We were screaming and yelling and freaking out we were so excited. However we never would play for hours upon hours upon hours. I've never gotten into video games like that... and even now I could rarely sit down ALONE by myself and play video games. I find them more of an "entertaining thing". Like me and some buddies are bored let's play some Forza2!! Speaking of Forza2...after a while of playing that then driving somewhere, I've found myself pretending there is a green line on the highway and backroads! :D
JIBBBY Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 I hear the game "Wii" is pretty fun and a work out too...I've never seen it or played it... I don't really enjoy playing these games today either, I get bored very fast... B)
jcrome04 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 The Wii is VERY fun!! And VERY tiring! My arm was sore after my first time of tennis with my 10 year old sister... and I rarely beat her she's so good! :( lol
raymsixsix Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Whoa Atari! I remember that console, I think it had a black trimmed with faux wood/metal finish? I remember playing centipede and the controllers that consisted of a joystick and a single orange button. It was actually my dad's system which I remember him playing quite a bit. Then we went away on vacation for about a month and when we came back home, a colony of ants had made their home out of the system and it never worked after that. The next system we got after that was the Nintendo system complete with the robot that helped one play Gyromite LOL
Leadfoot Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Wow, did this thread get Hijacked!!! Yup, this thread was pretty heavy going at first so I guess we all had to lighten it up a bit. I suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome thanks to 26 years of gaming!
flop170 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 i am the guitar hero master... bow to me!!! ..just thought you should know!! :P
smooth1 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Wow, did this thread get Hijacked!!! Yup, this thread was pretty heavy going at first so I guess we all had to lighten it up a bit. I suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome thanks to 26 years of gaming! Yeah, My back starts to hurt from leaning into the game way before my fingers start to hurt, and even then, it's my thumb!! I get that blistered raw spot on the corner of my thumb!! <_<
nc211 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 The next generation of Wii players.... babe.wmv
smooth1 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 The next generation of Wii players.... This is the next generation of game players!! http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoid=27486877 I love that commercial!!
flop170 Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 ok ok i was mistaken.... smooth is NOT old... he's really a 21 year old... he's just trapped in a 38 year old's body.... ROFL
JIBBBY Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Yeah, the talking baby commercial is funny... Then the squirt barfs..... :P Yep, this thread definetely got jacked for sure...It happens some times what can you do? Well, we can either talk about teens dying in tragic accidents or about old school gaming... I think old school gaming is the better of the two, I am actually laughing over this crap as I remember that orange button on the Atari game...... I think I remember the first arcade games? I think Asteriods, maybe Pac Man were the first...Maybe Donky Kong, or Galaga, Anyone? I remember when playing arcade games only cost a quarter, now it's like a buck fifty a pop or something. Atleast some of the gaming machines move now while you sit and play........ That's something we didn't have..
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