Good cars to learn on?

[rusty ol ranger]

What would you guys reccommend as a good car for a 20 yr old who has zero experence wrenching to learn on?

Hes my sisters youngest...he wants to learn and wants to buy something he can play with but also drive.

He picks up stuff fast from what we've done togther.

He has a budget (to buy) of around 5-6k.

He seems to like big sedans....vics, caprices etc. We went and looked at a really solid 86 Vic yesterday, but it needed more then he wanted to do (i think it was a confidence thing, it was normal 40 year old car stuff, fuel gauge didnt work, had some vacuum issues in the HVAC, needed exhaust etc).

I thought it woulda been a good choice but i didnt want to push him.

Any input?

 

[19Walt93]

If he likes big sedans, Crown Vics were as durable as a hammer. A 96 or newer would be OBD II, older ones were EEC IV(OBD I) so he'd learn about obsolete tech and get experience with obsolte, hard to get parts or repro stuff with questionable quality. Crowns got rack and pinion steering in 2003 and handled a lot better. He might find something worth having at a state vehicle auction- some Crowns were used by supervisors and not beaten to death as cruisers. Crowns were easy to work on, too.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

If he likes big sedans, Crown Vics were as durable as a hammer. A 96 or newer would be OBD II, older ones were EEC IV(OBD I) so he'd learn about obsolete tech and get experience with obsolte, hard to get parts or repro stuff with questionable quality. Crowns got rack and pinion steering in 2003 and handled a lot better. He might find something worth having at a state vehicle auction- some Crowns were used by supervisors and not beaten to death as cruisers. Crowns were easy to work on, too.

Yeah thats kinda why ive been nudgeing him toward a newer one...but he likes the box bodies...which i do too...but i think as a DD for someone new to things a newer one would be a lil better

 

[James Morse]

around '80 Ford Fiesta, can learn standard shift plus it's like a tinkertoy.
ok stop laughing now

 

[Eddo Rogue]

The easiest cars I've ever worked on were Hondas.
Particularly their 4 cyl engine. Fords in general aren't bad either.

Pretty much just stay away from German cars and you will be fine.

 

[Blmpkn]

Obd2 era at least.. old crap is better suited for people who realize the scope of what they're getting into honestly.

Is this gonna be his only vehicle? Or the project car?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Is this gonna be his only vehicle? Or the project car?

not sure. I think a bit of both depending what he gets. currently hes driving a hand me down buick park ave that...is garbage

 

[RonD]

I would for sure go with 1996 or newer because of OBD2 and with an automatic transmission

That's what he will be working with the rest of his life, not the older stuff

If he wants to learn about how engines work, then work on lawn mowers or older motorcycles(4-stroke)

1996/7 Ranger would be a good choice

Manuals are for sure more reliable but they are a thing of the past in cars/trucks, motorcycles are good to learn about how clutches work

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I would for sure go with 1996 or newer because of OBD2 and with an automatic transmission

That's what he will be working with the rest of his life, not the older stuff

If he wants to learn about how engines work, then work on lawn mowers or older motorcycles
1996/7 Ranger would be a good choice

Manuals are for sure more reliable but they are a thing of the past in cars/trucks, motorcycles are good to learn about how clutches work

The reason i was thinking older was just for simplicity, but then kinda started thinking along the lines of you guys.

I tried talking him into a 92-96 F150...but he doesnt seem to hot on pickups...so rangers are kinda out

 

[RonD]

Well as far as engines go it doesn't get much simpler than no carb and no distributor, lol

RWD would be better, IMO, than FWD, but FWD has been the go to for 30+ years at least, for cars that is


The older guys, I am one, tend to"romanticize" the "good ol' days" of carbs, distributors and King Pins(yes I am that old, lol)
But the ONLY reason we knew how to work on the carbs and distributors was that WE HAD TO WORK on the carbs and distributor all the time

Newer engines with no carbs and no distributors require far less work so when there is a problem we are on a new learning curve

Your nephew needs to start with the new learning curve IMO

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well as far as engines go it doesn't get much simpler than no carb and no distributor, lol

RWD would be better, IMO, than FWD, but FWD has been the go to for 30+ years at least, for cars that is


The older guys, I am one, tend to"romanticize" the "good ol' days" of carbs, distributors and King Pins(yes I am that old, lol)
But the ONLY reason we knew how to work on the carbs and distributors was that WE HAD TO WORK on the carbs and distributor all the time

Newer engines with no carbs and no distributors require far less work so when there is a problem we are on a new learning curve

Your nephew needs to start with the new learning curve IMO

Thats the other issue though...ill be the primary teacher and i dont know about half that shit lol

 

[Blmpkn]

Thats the other issue though...ill be the primary teacher and i dont know about half that shit lol

Get good!

 

[scotts90ranger]

I'd go OBD II, just get him one of THESE, for the most part aside from transmission, ABS and body module codes these stupid blue things and an android phone is all I use (I don't have any of the other fancy stuff, pretty much only care about the engine...)

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Well, learn the day before...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I'd go OBD II, just get him one of THESE, for the most part aside from transmission, ABS and body module codes these stupid blue things and an android phone is all I use (I don't have any of the other fancy stuff, pretty much only care about the engine...)

Thats a good idea, i got a similar one to that it works good

Well, learn the day before...

Ill try lol