You buy this so you can create a "teen" tune in case you feel it needed for your son, then also create a "Dad borrowed the car again" tune with a bit more fun in it for you.

All and all its a great car, it does require some maintenance, but driving an amg you're probably accustomed to it.

What other car for that price do you get navigation, blindspot monitoring, and bose stereo? Plus the potential to take the car to 400hp pretty easily.
I would also consider a civic si for sporty fun but anything else, gti, focus st, etc the ms3 wins out imo.

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A back up camera... and a... cough cough... temperature gauge would be nice.

actually you can install an backup camera to the stock MS3 Radio if you have the tech package and also only available in 2013 version.

So much this, lol. I just turned 29 and am just entering a quasi-mature state. At a minimum I think 25 is realm of becoming more responsible, look at the insurance industry, your premiums start to drop at that age. Coincidence? I think not.

You can monitor Coolant temps via an Accessport, Versatune, or there are a few other options to monitor via a tablet or phone. Oil temp you would need to install a sensor and gauge.

I started off in a 1994 Acura legend GS sedan, and yes I tested to see if it was electronically limited to 155 mph, and indeed it is.


YMMV

I would get a Mazda 2 for the first car. You can drive it full throttle everywhere, get good mileage and never go fast enough to hurt anyone. Just ask Matt

Good advice. I'd be dead if I was given a "fast" car as a teen. Let him gradually build up to something. I started with a Protege5, which like a Mazda2, you could flog and barely break the speed limit all while staying alive.

Mmmm...
No. Underpowered cars can get you in plenty of trouble.

IMO the best predictor of responsible teen driving is maturity and experience.

There are individual differences in the starting levels of maturity and experience for new drivers, but thankfully both those things can be learned.

Not even the safest, most underpowered car can guarantee an immature driver won't have problems.

More guidance and oversight will be needed for a higher performance vehicle, but there isn't a vehicle you can buy that negates the need for supervision.

I agree with underpowered cars being dangerous. My girlfriend has a 2001 Focus that's abysmally slow and it scares me because you can't get out of trouble if you need to.

Thanks all for the feedback.

My rational mind final kicked in.

Closing on a 2011 s model today with leather, Bose etc... 55k miles and very clean.

^ :popcorn:

Read the post above you. Then read the rules.

Good call OP.

It should also be noted with these vehicles....they're pretty robust, but there are several maneuvers that like to send the rods through the block with relative ease. So a N/A option for a first car is definitely the best choice IMO. Plus he will actually get some decent fuel economy!

I thought I could add my take to my experience at least:

I got my license at the age of 17 because I took basic test late and you have to wait 6 months to take the full test. I started driving alone at almost the age of 18 because my mom was paranoid.

She bought a automatic 2011 Ford Fiesta(even when she agreed to get a manual) for me and my sister, but I would drive it 99% of the time. I would "hyper mile" (55mph) with the cruise control button on in city traffic (50mph limit) and cut off everyone in my way. The car was thin and the front bumper was flat so I would almost ram the front of my car to the one if front of me and cut off the guy in the side lanes all the time so I could maintain 55mph all the time.

I would regularly do 70 in all the 50 zones and do 90mph in 65 zone highways) but would never floor the car because I thought WOT = bad, so I would feather foot the car when taking off a light and not really merge properly at all.

It wasn't untill my step-dad totaled his car and I decided I would trade him if he got me a manual car(like I always wanted). He agreed to the deal except the car had to be a Mazda. I got the Mazdaspeed 6 at age 19 and learned to drive stick in it. It was this car that taught me that WOT = good, lol. I would shit myself everytime till I got used to it, but I found myself driving 50mph at the speed limit all the time and not cutting anyone off because the front was long and the car was wide.



I did get into an accident at age 21 when overtaking on a narrow 2 lane backr-road but It was just side mirror damage because the car was too wide and I didn't measure. The accident has made me more cautious and responsible driving and the turbo has motivated me to maintain, mod and learn about cars both mechanically and how to drive properly.

*TL:DR*: I do regularly go on "top speed runs" when the road is empty (130mph+) but I do it responsible and never cut-off nor pass cars and "unreasonable speeds". I drive more safe/responsibly in the Mazdaspeed 6 that I even did with the 2011 Ford Fiesta.