First car 3000gt?

I am looking at cars I would like for my first one. Do you think a 3kgt would be good? I have $4000 saved up, with some more time before I really have to buy one. I would love a vr4, but I do not think I could get the money for insurance, maintenance, and overall price. How much $ do you think I would need for a 94 3kgt sl with pretty low miles ?

Do the sl and base have alot of probs? Are parts for these cars (if something breaks) alot of money?


Thanks

You need to take into consideration shit happening. If you only have 4k saved up you better keep saving if you want a 94+ with low miles. You might find a 94+ with higher miles for that price but then you need to take into consideration maintenance costs and everything else. Good luck on the search though.

All car parts cost $$$$$$$ it's not cheap to own one... If your concerned with cost buy a older Toyota Corolla or a Mirage or something.

I know I need more money, but how expensive are parts compared to other cars?

got my first car last year around this time a 93 base with 112k miles for $3900. Im so glad i got it and it runs great. Did have a couple problems though a few minors were new battery and thermostat. But i did have one big prob thought my tranny went because it was only running in third gear but turns out it was a computer problem for the tranny. Parts and labor cost me 1,000 to fix..most of my summer money. Then i realized i could of probably had it fixed for half price if i had looked online for the part but i just needed the car back and fixed fast. You learn from mistakes. But yes i would recommend the car if you find a decent one.

If u want a fast car heres a list of cars in your price range But with a little high mileage..

1) 93 (and lower) 3000gt (maybe some vr4's)
2) any year 1st & 2nd gen eclipse turbo (maybe 4wd if lucky)
3) 94+ Integra GSR
4) 300zx
5) Toyota Mr2 (stock turbo version cost more)

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If u want a good car w/ some mileage (50-70k) and will run for a long time i recomend:

1) Toyota corolla
2) Toyota Celica (try to get the 91 Alltrac)
3) Honda civic
4) honda accord
5) Acura integra ls-gs

I know many people forget these...But i really like mk3 supras, You can pick em up for 3500...Just make sure it wasn't driven real hard...If you get a turbo once it goes its expensive as hell to fix!

I am hoping I can get 5-8k $ before I buy a car. So, I would really like a 94 3kgt sl with like 70k miles. A vr4 would be too high in insurance though.

I got my 94 SL with 66.5K for $10K. It was in really good condition and the owner said that the 60K tuneup was done at 54K miles so that was an added bonus since I wouldn't have to do it and spend extra money on it. But yeah, if you have $8,000 by the time you buy it then you should be able to find a decent one I think. Good luck.

I personally think the vr4 shouldn't be a younger driver's first car...simply because it has alot of power and I know for myself that there have been a few close calls and this was my second car...so that being said, I also think it is a rather expensive car to own...I know my insurance at 21 is close to 3k a year, maintainence and gas are expensive...this is a hot car, but it is expensive.
An NA such as the SL would be a good choice in my opinion. I'm assuming you are 15-18, please correct me if I am mistaken.

But the SL would be cheaper and it still is a pretty quick car (alot faster than my 90 accord was). So if you are confident and have your heart set on a 3000gt, then go for it. I suggest you read the FAQ, as it has alot of good information for potential/new owners.

Why not buy a 96+ 240sx :) 240s are awesome cars. Also price of parts is usually dictated by aftermarket support.

While they are good cars, there are tons of 'good' cars. And there are tons of threads throughout AF entitled 'what car should I buy'...I know we even made one a sticky thread in the Street Racing section.

Let's keep this thread to discussing whether a 3000gt or stealth would be a good first choice...if left open for other suggestions, it becomes VERY VERY opinionated.

The original poster didn't mention what his goals, desires, use, etc of the car will be. Time and time again this happens and it only turns into each person listing cars they like, or own.

I don't want to come across as going off on anyone, but let's try and keep this focused to 3/Ss Thanks guys.

First of all, thanks for all your help (and I am almost 16). Now, I just want a cool looking car that is not too expensive to maintain. I will not be able to afford a vr4, so I was just wondering about an sl. I do not see alot of point in upgrading a sl, so I probally would not do much, if any performance mods to the sl. Does the sl need to use premium gas like the vr4?

Thanks

Well A 3000gt is propabbly the best looking car for the money.
SL's do not require premium gasoline. However it wouldn't hurt.
I'm not to sure on maintenace costs. but someone else will shime in soon.

Thanks alot Italian Lunaticz :( , after seeing your cool 1st gen car, now I have yet enough dicision to make- 1st gen or 94. Usually I do not like cars with the popup headlights, but your car is cool looking. I do not know if it looks any different than a 94. besides that fact, however, I like the red color. Anyone know of a pic of a 1st gen w/ the headlights up? And, is a 94 more reliable than the older cars?


Thanks

me too, i'm getting a 3000gt around April, but I can't decide myself...1st or 2nd gen...

italianz car looks different than a 94, although both kick tail.

I decided myself, i'm aiming for 1993 Vr4 :D

I like the sharper look of the 1st gen, but do not really like the popup lights when they are up. Is there any site that compares the difference of the 93 and 94? Is there any relibility issues with a 93 vs 94?

Thanks

no idea, but on eBay, there is a 1st gen for sale with popup lights on

Well A 3000gt is propabbly the best looking car for the money.
SL's do not require premium gasoline. However it wouldn't hurt.
I'm not to sure on maintenace costs. but someone else will shime in soon.


CORRECTION: SL's DO require premium gasoline, it says so both on the gas door and in the gauge cluster "PREMIUM FUEL ONLY".

Maintenance costs: Well other than oil changes there's not much maintenance to do, they are very reliable as long as you don't beat on them horribly.

For comparison sake for the cost of parts: a starter for my Firebird was $35 and a starter for my 94 SL was $180, and that goes pretty much for all the parts.

As far as 1st gen or 2nd gen the 1st gens have more of a sharp look w/ Ferrari Testarossa like lines, and the 2nd gens have more of a smooth and sleek look like say a Ferrari 560 Modena. I like the 2nd gen personally.

Ouch. I stand corrected :(
I didn't realise they did...

cowkiller if your looking for a car than you can buy mine. 95 SL ATX with 105k, great condition, bone stock. eh?? eh???? j/p man. i think if your worried about insurance on a VR4 i wouldn't let that effect you too much because it's still alot for an NA 3kgt. plus at your age any car is gonna be high insurance. i say go turbo, thats what i wish i had done.

So, do 93s have more probs than 94s, and how much money should I try to get in order to afford a 1993 vr4 w/ around 70000 miles? and how much for a 93 sl/base w/ 70k miles ?






THANKS !

The overall differences between a 93 and a 94 are minimal. 93s had OBDI ecu's whereas 94 had hybrid ecus, 93 being better if you plan to highly modify it because dataloggers existed for the 93, however dataloggers just came out for 94 and 95...so that point is relatively worthless...

A 94 vr4 would have 20 more hp, but that is due to a differences in stock boost settings that can be easily remedied for free and 2 minutes worth of work, so once again that point is moot...

Personally, between those 2 specific years, I don' think there are significant differences worthy of swaying a vote...pick the body styling that you like the most...IMO.

As far as insurance quotes, call your provider, or geiko, or progressive, they can give you quotes for both and you can see which will be cheaper....all around, they will all be more expensive to maintain than a Honda, but generally speaking, a vr4 is a more complex machine with more power....so more a bit more wear and tear...both will cost a bit to maintain, but statistically a vr4 will probably cost a bit more to maintain. If I were you, I would stick to the SL, for the reasons I mentioned in my first post...either way, if you can afford it, good luck, because you'll fall in love with these cars.

Insurance for a 2nd gen SL and a 1st gen VR4 are pretty close in cost. The purchase price for a 2nd gen SL and a 1st gen VR4 are pretty close too lol .... decisions decisions

Honestly though, a vr4 as a first car isn't such a good idea. So if you do get one, be careful. Learn how to drive skillfully, and learn your roads well before you decide on taking your car to its limits.

no prob cow. Yea if you can find a decent first gen get it their sexy as hell for their age. Still better looking then 99% of cars out today. I love the first gens but for my next car i would love a 97-99 vr-4 not that i dont want a first gen anymore but i wanna switch up my style. And yea red is a really nice color it shows every detail. Once again to swtich it up next i would go with a straight black. But yea keep looking you'll find one. Some guys love 1st gens others love 2nds but most of us like me love um all. Long as its a 3000.

I am looking at cars I would like for my first one. Do you think a 3kgt would be good? I have $4000 saved up, with some more time before I really have to buy one. I would love a vr4, but I do not think I could get the money for insurance, maintenance, and overall price. How much $ do you think I would need for a 94 3kgt sl with pretty low miles ?

Do the sl and base have alot of probs? Are parts for these cars (if something breaks) alot of money?


Thanks

haha i just had my friend bring a 3000GT sl to the shop cuz he wanted it checked out before he was gonna buy it... he was gonna pay $6500 for the car (good condition, fully loaded) but we put it up on the lift and he had around $3500 worth of work to put into it so i could just pass inspections and emmisions, let alone to replace older parts that could go anytime.

its a hott car i loved it when he was following me to the garage. but its gonna be a work car and insurence is a killer with the 3000 . if you really want one i would reccomend getting liek a lil cheap car for 6 months to a year... ( shoot me know cuz i would reccomend a honda) but save the money up and i mean alot cuz the parts are killer


... my 2 cents and if you think i am completely wrong i prolly am.....

As far as insurance goes...My insurance company didn't realize the difference when i switched from sl to vr4. My insurance went up like 12$ and i'm forgetting how come. When I had my accident and the adjuster was getting all the options installed, he had no idea it was a stock Twin Turbo car with All Wheel Drive. Maybe I was just lucky though, who knows...insurance was 2600$ a year and i'm 19.

I'm actually looking into getting either this 94 black vr4 or gonna have to just settle with a tiburon or celica gts...I won't get another 3000gt if it isn't Twin Turbo, it just wouldn't be the same. I figured my insurance would rocket because of the accident and 2 citations, but because they were both dropped off my nvr My insurance is only going up around 150 -200 a year.