My theory was get them something big and old so that when they hit something, they weren't the losers. My daughter had a rear drive Cougar in high school and the first year at South Bend(snow capital of the Midwest). When I got her the 93 Bonneville, she thanked me which was most unlike her because she could actually go somewhere even when there was snow on the ground.
Not that I would have ever let him have it to drive by himself but when I tried to teach my son how to drive my SHO, 10 minutes of trying to master the clutch was enough for him so he was stuck with his old Impala.