looking for a first car

[p123]

I'm 18 never had a car just drive my parents car and I'm looking to buy a car. I was looking at the Subaru wrx but read that it was too powerful for a first car. So I would like to know what would be a good first car that's fun and isn't that slow. And I want to learn manual on that car. Looking to spend around 5k and I'm buying it off auction. It has to have 4 seats too. I was thinking about the Subaru impresa 2.5rs would that be a good first car?

[MikeCStig]

If you already have a fair amount of driving experience (at least a year) a WRX wouldn't be too bad. The basic one, not the STI version... that probably would be more than you could handle. The 1st generatIon WRX (1992-1999) had 237 hp, and all wheel drive. The second generation went up to somewhere around 250 hp.
If that seems like a little much, look into Volkswagen. Even the base models are fun. I have an '03 golf and I love it. If you can find a GTI, even better. Jettas are good too, especially a VR6.
Another great place to look is Japanese cars, especially Hondas. I've had 2 and they both lived long lives of hard driving.

[p123]

Originally Posted by MikeCStig

If you already have a fair amount of driving experience (at least a year) a WRX wouldn't be too bad. The basic one, not the STI version... that probably would be more than you could handle. The 1st generatIon WRX (1992-1999) had 237 hp, and all wheel drive. The second generation went up to somewhere around 250 hp.
If that seems like a little much, look into Volkswagen. Even the base models are fun. I have an '03 golf and I love it. If you can find a GTI, even better. Jettas are good too, especially a VR6.
Another great place to look is Japanese cars, especially Hondas. I've had 2 and they both lived long lives of hard driving.

Would it be hard to learn stick on a wrx and could I break something in the learning process?

[MikeCStig]

Originally Posted by p123

Would it be hard to learn stick on a wrx and could I break something in the learning process?

I doubt you'll break anything, you'll be surprised how quick you get the hang of it... I know I was. Plus Subarus are very strong cars
Get someone who knows how to drive a stick to teach you before you try it yourself. Practice shifting with the car parked and the engine not running so you can get a feel for the shifter.
Gear changes are actually the easy part. Just push the clutch, change gear, ease the clutch back out and get back on the throttle. ALWAYS USE THE CLUTCH WHEN CHANGING GEAR. If you don't, you'll grind the gears and that's really the only way to do any real damage. Downshifting is a bit trickier, make sure you're at a low RPM before you shift down. Also, don't skip gears.
Starting from a dead stop is the hard part (at least it was for me). The trick is to find what's called the "friction point" which is where the clutch starts to engage and you start moving. Rev the engine slightly (like 2000 rpm) and slowly let out the clutch. When you feel the clutch engaging and you start to move, give it just a touch more throttle and let the the clutch out the rest of the way. Then be ready to go to second gear (around 2800- 3000 rpm), you don't want to spend too much time in first.
Just be warned, there is a learning curve with manual transmissions. No matter what car you learn in, there will be jerky starts and gear change and you will stall a few times, but these little things won't kill the car.

[p123]

Originally Posted by MikeCStig

I doubt you'll break anything, you'll be surprised how quick you get the hang of it... I know I was. Plus Subarus are very strong cars
Get someone who knows how to drive a stick to teach you before you try it yourself. Practice shifting with the car parked and the engine not running so you can get a feel for the shifter.
Gear changes are actually the easy part. Just push the clutch, change gear, ease the clutch back out and get back on the throttle. ALWAYS USE THE CLUTCH WHEN CHANGING GEAR. If you don't, you'll grind the gears and that's really the only way to do any real damage. Downshifting is a bit trickier, make sure you're at a low RPM before you shift down. Also, don't skip gears.
Starting from a dead stop is the hard part (at least it was for me). The trick is to find what's called the "friction point" which is where the clutch starts to engage and you start moving. Rev the engine slightly (like 2000 rpm) and slowly let out the clutch. When you feel the clutch engaging and you start to move, give it just a touch more throttle and let the the clutch out the rest of the way. Then be ready to go to second gear (around 2800- 3000 rpm), you don't want to spend too much time in first.
Just be warned, there is a learning curve with manual transmissions. No matter what car you learn in, there will be jerky starts and gear change and you will stall a few times, but these little things won't kill the car.

What is Rev matching don't really get what that means?

[ThrillNYC]

Go for the WRX. You won't break anything and before the month is over you'll get used to it and want it to go faster.

Life a car enthusiast: Add a part to make it faster, a week later you'll get used to it and want to add more parts. Rinse and repeat.

Learning stick isn't a problem, I had to drive my first stick car back from the dealership. Janky at first but not hard to learn.

[Black Lotus]

Originally Posted by p123

What is Rev matching don't really get what that means?

As an example-- if you are slowing down in 4 th gear, and the engine is 3,000 RPM.
You just disengage the clutch without touching the gas pedal and change to 3rd gear, the engine RPMs will dropp to an idle. When you engage the clutch (let out the clutch pedal, the engine RPMs will try to zoom up to, say, 4,500 RPM to match what the the engine RPMs should be in the new gear at more or less the same road speed. But what will actually happen is that the engine's mechanical inertia will work to slow the whole car down very suddenly when you let the clutch out, and it will snap your head forward. If you have a large engine, heavy flywheel, skinny tires, etc., it may even chirp the driven tires. The front of the car may even dip down as if you are suddenly hitting the brakes hard. The engine will reach a new higher speed, but it won't be a smooth transition.
So what some people do is rev the engine to increase the RPMs to, say 4,500, just before they let the clutch out.
The end result will be that as the car is slowing down, and the driver is downshifting, the people will hear the engine note changing as the the driver is momentarily hitting the gas every time a new lower gear is selected. Inside the car there will be no sudden jerks of deceleration, no tire chirps, and it actually feels very smooth and seamless.
The only downside is that it takes practice, particularly if your left foot is operating the clutch, your right foot is on the brakes, and the throttle pedal just sits there waiting for you to operate it with your 3rd leg.
Since I don't have a 3rd leg, I have the left side of my right foot on the brakes, operate the throttle with the right side of my right foot by rolling my ankle over.
This is ONE method of the "heel-and-toe" technique.
The other method is to use your right foots toe on the brake and the heel on the gas.
Heel and Toe just matches the engine RPMs to the road speed. The transmission uses things called syncronizers inside to match the gearset speed to the shaft speed. When the syncros wear out, and you are not Heel and Toeing, the gearbox will grind.

[corvairbob]

driving a stico is not hard at all as mentioned already. and the gear match you will hear that also when you push the clutch in if you fail to take your foot off the gas it will rev and you will heat it. after a few times you will learn to lift your foot while shifting gears and then when you let the clutch out hit the gas again. when downshifting most modern cars have syncro gearing and the trans will align to the engine rpm's by itself. and if you forget the take your foot off the gas you will hear the trans spooling up to match the rpm's and the shift will be a bit harder. soon you will get the hang of it. i bet in a day it will be second nature to you. the worst will be the first few shifts and you will most likely make the car surge, if so just push the clutch in and try it again give it a bit of gas and let the clutch out slow in first gear and the rest just let the clutch out and go. good luck and let us all know how you make out.