Newbie w/ questions

Hi all,

I am basically a complete newb when it comes to cars but I would still like to get one. I have about $9k but I want to be able to buy a car and perhaps work on it a bit and learn some. I was thinking about an Eclipse GSX. I dont want to have any crazy writing or decals or anything, but I thought a body kit would look nice. Anyway do you think an Eclipse is good for a newbie and do you experts out there have any other suggestions :)

Thanks in advance,

Sent

I dont claim to be an expert, but you shouldn't buy a car to learn how to work on them. You'd be better off taking some courses or a getting a job assisting a mechanic. Do the wrong thing and you'll burn a ton of that 9k trying to make it right.

i agree if you wanna learn get a wrecked eclipse, preferably rear ended.. and play with the engine that way...
then go buy your real gsx... but an eclipse is a typical newbie ride..
civic, integra, eclipse, celica, jetta, gti, sentra, and so on...

Any front wheel drive import is going to be harder to work on than a rear wheel drive car. They're usually really tight engine bays. I'd suggest a rear wheel drive domestic or foriegn if you want to work on it. Check out the aftermarket for the particular model you're interested in. Also, with the Eclipse GSX, do your research. I don't know what year you were looking at but the 1st gen AWD cars had problems with the transfer case. A huge recall was ordered (I know 'cause I had a 90 GSX, kicked ass!) and I believe all the Eclipse models needed a cam belt checkup every 60k or else your engine could throw pistons and you're left with a worthless engine.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK! It'll save you time and money in the long run. Don't expect volumes of info from forums like this. Get reviews, test drives, and info about the models you're looking at. And decide what's important to you in a car.

if you wanna learn your best bet is classes, school, or a job..
doing it yourself is ok but it's crude, slow, and you could change some major damage...
learn before you do anything..
learning about the diff types of engines and so on will help you choose a car ..