I assure you that in this case the answer will not be "Miata"

the cheapest disposable honda/toyota/nissan $500 car you can find. it's gonna get wrecked anyhow... why spend a bunch just to mess up something good? +1 for some sort of drivers ed.

Chevy Corsica. My buddy had one; we called "The Tank". His brother hit a 4"x4" Stop sign post, snapped it in half, the sign bounced off the hood, and didnt leave a mark.

Morbid wrote:

parker wrote: Moped

I have presented this option to her, but she seems to think that below zero temps are inhospitable to moped riding

CANDY ASS

Appleseed wrote: Tempo. Your friend is an automotive assassin, and no one sheds tears for a Tempo.

brilliant i agree

or maybe a Chevy Citation or Aveo

If she is really that dangerous, I'd avoid anything that she could hurt someone - like a tallish SUV type vehicle.

RossD wrote: Chevy Corsica. My buddy had one; we called "The Tank". His brother hit a 4"x4" Stop sign post, snapped it in half, the sign bounced off the hood, and didnt leave a mark.

I agree with this one. My friend has one (if it hasn't been in the Demo derby yet) and it should not still be running, and yet it shows no signs of stopping. Actually, he's just north of the Peoria area, it might be for sale.

Gearheadotaku wrote: the cheapest disposable honda/toyota/nissan $500 car you can find. it's gonna get wrecked anyhow... why spend a bunch just to mess up something good? +1 for some sort of drivers ed.

I agree....

how much does this person pay in insurance? 5 wrecked cars? buy a bus ticket, or call a cab, don't let someone that irresponsible behind a wheel on a road I have to drive on...

I wonder if this thread can be used in the upcoming lawsuit when this person buys a P71 and kills someone...

They need to get into an empty parking lot and throw a car around a little bit...ok...make that a lot. I usually find with people who wreck lots of cars running into things is because they see the vehicle as a appliance, and are more of less scared of it. She needs to get a feel for how a car will handle in bad situations, and more or less become more in tune with the vehicle.

Isn't this just a bit like debating the gun caliber for someone that likes to play russian roulette?

A Dodge Rampage.
Tempo
Yugo
2nd gen Escort LX
Cavalier
1g Taurus
Crappiest Civic you can possibly find
SOHC Saturn

Anything that she'll hate to drive to the point that she just doesn't. OR, just let her buy whatever, since she's obviously not responsible enough to really care about her car or anyone around her, as is evident by the fact that she won't go to a driving school.

So let her do her own research, and buy whatever.

Rolling dumpster?

Whatever Beaterworld drives?

I would look at a small pickup, like a Ford Ranger or S-10 or Dakota. She will sit a little higher, maybe she can see better. Get the 4WD version. Put big wheels on it so she can drive onto the curb rather than into it. (Granted, you will be saving the car but killing pedestrians) Add kill switches to the bumpers and fenders. If she bumps into something, the engine is immediately killed.

Thanks for the input all. I agree with all that has been said about getting her to a driving school, letting her get a feel for the car, etc, and am going to work on getting her to the one in April. My husband and I have both taken her out to 'play' in her cars and tried to improve her driving, but she views cars as disposable, so it hasn't made a difference.

And yes, her insurance is pricey, and not all 5 vehicles have been wrecked. A lot of them have just been neglected to the point that she doesn't want to pay to fix them, like the Century she just had hauled to the junkyard. It needed a wheelbearing and it's CEL was on, but, rather than get the code checked, she just had it hauled off. It really makes no sense to me.

Sounds like your friend is pretty clueless and being stubborn doesn't help with correcting some of that. Basically, I'd wash my hands of the thing, otherwise you have to find a way to get across to her what her ignorance is costing her. Try discussing what the costs of a driving school is in relation to the cost of her raised insurance premiums and how lowering her costs could help her afford something she's been dreaming of, trips, house, clothes, etc. Obviously she doesn't care about other people around her or she'd try to improve her driving.

Sometimes people like this take a little extra effort to get through to them, sort of like a puzzle box. Just like a puzzle box, you can keep trying different combination's or you can set it down (before you seriously start looking for a hammer or a gun to open it) and go have some pizza/beer. Unfortunately there isn't a universal key to unlock the puzzle box and sometimes the pizza/beer is a better use of your time.

I would not take any responsibility what so ever for her decision. Let her choose all by herself. When the inevitable happens, you won't shed a tear.

Yeah...from the sounds of it, helping this person with a choice like this will be of no benefit to you and questionable benefit to the friend.

Clem