18 year old needs help buying first car

[MARS]

Tell Dad to give you $40000, then buy you a $2000 car and keep the change. He owes you that after 18 years!! Why spend it all on one thing? Just my opinion!

[edonis]

I would suggest you'd buy a Saab 9-3 Aero, either a Sport Sedan or the Convertible. A suberb chassis, excellent passenger safety (5 stars in Euro Ncap) and the seats are among the best in the world, just to mention it. And what's more, you get to drive a car that your neighbour doesn't have!

[mason_RsX]

The saab 9-3 is definately a good idea for a great all around car in your specific price range. I was also going to suggest a 9-2x/Imprezza for a really good first car that has good performance, comfortable, safe, and a reasonable price. I would also sort of suggest the Scion Tc because its not to fast stock, but once you get comfortable you can do alot of things to it.

[edonis]

Originally Posted by mason_RsX

The saab 9-3 is definately a good idea for a great all around car in your specific price range. I was also going to suggest a 9-2x/Imprezza for a really good first car that has good performance, comfortable, safe, and a reasonable price. I would also sort of suggest the Scion Tc because its not to fast stock, but once you get comfortable you can do alot of things to it.

The performance and chassis is great on the 9-2X and the Impreza, but it is not a very safe car. The interior is also very dated, but this isn't only on the Impreza/9-2X, but on very many Japanese cars compared to e.g. the European Premium cars. But it is very well priced and I think the 9-2X looks far better than the ugly Impreza.

[klohiq]

Originally Posted by MexSiR

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

Dont get a civic, sentra, prelude bla bla bla...

Get a:

Bmw M3 used.
BMW 3 series.
Honda S2000.
Acura NSX used (95)
Mitsubishi Evolution.
Nissan 350Z.
Mercedes C class.
Audi A4.
Porsche Boxter Used.

A modified econocar will never match up.

This is coming from a guy that owns a Civic SI EBP 99, very popular car for modifing, who has a Porsche RS and BMW 3 series on his driveway.

A Honda Civic, with a bodykit, lowered, hood, rims, dropped, suspension, turbo/supercharger...yada yada...will never give you the satisfaction or respect as if you were driving a BMW 2002 M3.

Period.

Something doesn't add up...you own a bmw 3 series but your av and sig are like dedicated to a low 15 second civic? What bullshit is that??? Your parents probably own those cars. And a 3 series...unless it's an m3...is nothing special...I killed a 5 series (525i; and yes...5 speed) with my sentra...supposedly an econocar if people listened to you...

Any car can be enjoyable to drive...and even a civic can do the 1/4 mile faster than needed on the street. Your civic definitely isn't a good example of a quick civic as you can make them keep up with any car if you invest and research enough.

Anyhow my personal opinion is to get a slower car. Something with a little torque and a little quickness, but nothing fast or hard to control. A decent car could be an integra (all but the type R), 240sx (just make sure to remember it's rwd), prelude (not sh), and many other cars can be very good handling and are fun to drive, but they aren't that quick stock.

The torque-steer and wheel-spin on even a car like the sentra spec-v can be surprising or even lethal in a bad situation. I've taught more than a few people to drive stick and you never want anyone learning to drive on a car with too much balls for the driver. It's not safe for anyone on the road. My personal idea of a good car for a new driver...esp if they are also learning to drive manual at the same time is a car with under 150hp...a little more is alright, but when you get near 200 a new driver has their hands full already...they don't need the added stress of worrying about too much power getting to the ground.

[kman10587]

The performance and chassis is great on the 9-2X and the Impreza, but it is not a very safe car.

Bullshit. The safety ratings are excellent on the Impreza. All-wheel-drive helps as well. Also, just because an interior isn't upscale doesn't mean it's dated. I like the simple, ergonomic design of Impreza.

[engineer]

listen 2 urselves... safety ratings are marketing for stupid people who know nothing about cars...

[engineer]

szczecinek was onto a good thing if u ask me

[G60 Corrado]

How about a VR6 Corrado? If you get a low mileage one with all records and that wasn't abused, you won't have too many maintence issues. The VR6 GTI or 1.8T would probably be better for today though. Or better yet, a top of the line VW R32. Good luck.

[WS6er_02]

hell, forget all that complicated stuff. Just buy a nice used 2002 convertable Corvette (red perferably) and you will have a great looking car with no mods and all the power you will ever need, not to mention there is nothing as sexy as a girl in a vett. problem solved.

[01rollaS&accordv6]

look into the acura TL any years preferably the new 04 TL A-Spec about 35 large and does low 14's with minor mods can go even faster even just by reseting the V-tec does a very big diffrence. The M3 I highly reccomend due to my neighbor has one and runs a 13.0 in a 1/4 mile its a 95 with 68,000 miles all it has is s spoiler and dual exhaust by borla, plus the maintence is not as high as people think.

[DinanM3_S2]

I've drivin both the TL and the TSX and I found the TSX to be much more fun, even with less power. The TL drove just like an Accord, while the TSX was closer to the sportier RSX-S. Like I said before, the M3 is awesome, greatest car I've ever driven, but its alot for a 18 yr old to handle. A Corvette, while cool as hell, is even more powerful the an M, and therefore even more dangerous. My conclusion remains the same, get a new or recently used 3.0L or a 2.5L BMW.