Having been through this already with a son, buy something modest $2000. Pay cash. Then only keep liability on it. Liability will still be about $1000 a year, but if you buy something new, then you will need/want full coverage...$2500 a year. It's not the car that gets you, it's the insurance. I think the best vehicle is a 4 cyl 2 door truck. That way he can still have a date but never fills up the truck with passengers that will distract him from the road.