In my opinion whether your son is new to driving or has learnt in, and drives, a modern car a 1998 car is fine for him and will teach him more about driving and road sense than (almost) all more modern cars. In many ways the older car will be safer as the driver knows about the lack of modern safety and also doesn't have to worry about or (over) rely on all the over-interfering modern car features, "assists" and "aids" which make the driver more of a passenger so less safe to be in charge of the car, and possibly distracted playing around with its toys instead. Also with an older car, particularly one that needs repairs, the driver learns proper driver maintenance and servicing which modern cars still need despite many modern drivers thinking it's not the driver's responsibility. Personally I think it would be good if all youngsters initially learnt to drive and maintain old cars before moving on to a modern car so that they have better basic knowledge and understanding and experience of driving a car and being a driver. Won't be long before, like most Americans, drivers can't use a manual gearbox (not a good thing given the issues with modern automatic type box and their electronic masters. And the joy of mechanical handbrake control (and not for doughnuttin' or J-turns!). Too much safety can make some driver's too complacent and reckless and that's when accidents happen and it's not always them that suffer the most, or at all. He'll learn about braking distances, difference road and weather conditions make - and to look out for idiot drivers and to avoid them. IF in the Czech Republic is like the UK with old cars then an old VWŠkoda would be greeted well on the road, at least by older drivers and pedestrians, waves and greetings being let out of side streets, conversations at petrol stations and garages, every one with a story about when they or someone they know/knew had one. Very different to being in a more modern car.