Son's first car

**Tom51** · 02-03-2013

Hello - We just got my son's 1st car last weekend, 2001 Grand Prix GT sedan, silver, 3.8L, auto. He turned 16 in September and has been saving up for a long time to cover his portion. We got it for $2,300 from a private owner in pretty good shape, It had a leaky CV boot, I replaced the boots, a seal, and axle shaft for about $100 yesterday. Today is the new stereo install.
I've already gotten a lot of great info from the forum, and look forward to using it regularly. Thanks in advance for all of your sharing of information.
Tom in Lakewood, CO

**TEK310** · 02-03-2013

welcome! will be a good starting car for a 16 year old. i had to start with a 99 chevy metro hatchback lol.

post up pics when you can

**txslow6** · 02-03-2013

Love to hear when new drivers have to pay for all or a portion of their car. Props to you Tom for making him do that. I'm a firm believer when that happens the new driver has a little more respect for their new(to them) car. Post any questions you come across and we will do our best to help him along with his new endeavour.

Do you know if he has any plans for it?

**BlackGT97** · 02-03-2013

^^^This....

**spazzz** · 02-03-2013

Welcome.... have your son set up an account, we don't bite.
I'll bet he is a very happy 16 year old.

**coolone** · 02-03-2013

Welcome to the forums and good luck with new wheels!

Pics please or we will hound you forever! Lolz

**REDCRAPGP** · 02-03-2013

Welcome Tom. I wouldn't mention this site to your son just yet the mod bug may hit him and before you know it he may want to upgrade everything.

**HVACgtp** · 02-03-2013

congrats to him! what he has bough it exactly what i started with as my first car and i loved it to death. he will be very pleased with it!

**TexasTanker19kilo20** · 02-03-2013

Welcome to GPF, lucky son. We will help as much as we can.

**JessicaRebel** · 02-03-2013

Welcome to GPF, this really is a great place for all sorts of information.

**buck531** · 02-03-2013

Not to be an ass or anything, but coming from a father and having a 19 year old, I would not want my son to mod his car in any way to make it faster. He's 16 and just learning how to drive. Last thing I would want is for him to start making it faster. Congrats on the buy on the GP. It'll be a great car if you keep up the little maintenance that it might have in the future.

**Tom51** · 02-03-2013

Originally Posted by buck531

Not to be an ass or anything, but coming from a father and having a 19 year old, I would not want my son to mod his car in any way to make it faster. He's 16 and just learning how to drive. Last thing I would want is for him to start making it faster. Congrats on the buy on the GP. It'll be a great car if you keep up the little maintenance that it might have in the future.

I hear you, and that is the plan! Luckily, all his money is spent, so he's got some time to get some experience. The sound system and needed seat covers are much more important than any performance mods at this point. The stereo install went well today, by the way. The rear deck speakers turned out to be a little more challenging than I thought they'd be, but all done. Sub and amp next weekend.

Thanks for all the well wishes. This is a great community.

Tom O==#

**buck531** · 02-04-2013

To each their own. I would have left the sound system as is and let him learn how to drive better rather than what's pumping in the trunk.

**DirtDog** · 02-04-2013

Originally Posted by buck531

To each their own. I would have left the sound system as is and let him learn how to drive better rather than what's pumping in the trunk.

Haha even better...my first truck didn't even have a radio or anything. I mean it was in it buy when turned on nothing but static came thru so driving was where most concentration went

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

**Travisgt2** · 02-04-2013

Welcome tom there fun cars. its my secound car and if not carfull looking around on here can get you bit by the mod bug lmao ive been bit a few times orginally had no ententions of ever moding the car i think ive got 500 already in it lmao and more to come

**BillBoost37** · 02-04-2013

Welcome Tom..

For what it's worth..Spazzzz has been known to bite. We'd watch out for your son though, and I'd be the first to talk him out of modding.

**EJOUIE** · 02-04-2013

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Welcome Tom..

For what it's worth..Spazzzz has been known to bite. We'd watch out for your son though, and I'd be the first to talk him out of modding.

..and the first to talk him into trading it for a Bonneville or a Regal.

**TLSheff** · 02-04-2013

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Welcome Tom..

For what it's worth..Spazzzz has been known to bite. We'd watch out for your son though, and I'd be the first to talk him out of modding.

Welcome to the club. Grats on a good buy and making him do the work to respect the car. Spoiled children that get everything, break most of everything, doing it right +10 points.

Now... onto modding, our excessive Safely modding, really applies to hardcore stuff with the Superchargers, ignore that. Safety first for 16 and starting. but that doesn't mean there aren't things that can be done.
My favorite because who doesn't like cheap things to do.
http://www.grandprixforums.net/ultim...0-a-49055.html
Give it a look over, if your comfortable with it then pass it on, could make for some fun weekend bonding with the car.

A good read for getting to know the platform.
http://www.grandprixforums.net/97-03...ems-60802.html
Might want to bookmark this one for him, could be handy in the future.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/raise...ix-4-3044.html
Consider doing this, the spoilers hug the rear decklid and stuff gets stuck and damage occurs, paint cracking leads to chipping, to rust and nastiness. Scroll down about halfway to Post #78 by Blue and it will show what you need to get and how to do it.

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