First NICE car.

[drunken monkey]

i'm going to go slightly against the majority here and recommend the S2000. that way, if he is just using it as transport, he can just as easily keep it on the low cam and get back 35-40 mpg but if the need arises, he still has that 2500ish rpm (newer S2000 has a slightly lower cam change point at around 6000) to play with. the rear can get a bit tricky but if he is sensible, he won't do anything that the car can't handle.

a second choice would be the 350z which is a more predictictable car with a less snappy chassis but more torque and power so maybe that point's a bit moot. it's marginally more useable except for that big old brace that blinds you in your rear view mirror on sunny days and takes up too much boot space. kills tyres faster than the S2000 not to mention that it is also more thirsty than the S2000. I would say the interior isn't as good as the honda but both cars, if you're buying second hand, will still get you a good return a few years down the line.

as someone else also mentioned, when thinking of buying a good car that will most probably be second hand, its hard, very hard to argue against a BMW 3 series. Still makes the most sense unless
i) there is something else you really want.
ii) you don't want a BMW 3 series.

[Vurnakes]

I am a big fan of the 3series. the only downside is i would have to buy a used one which isn't that big of a downside. do these cars have a sporty feel to them?

[nastyNater]

Vurnakes...unless you have your mind set on one of the above mentioned cars, there are other cars that represent a great value for your money. As drunken monkey said, the BMW 3 series is a nice car. The interior IMO blows away the others. Yet the 3 series lacks the kick in your pants factor that all the others have.

Have you tried looking at used Subaru's? Consumer Reports has rated the WRX as the best sport sedan for the money 4 years in a row. Yes thats in the same class as the 3-series sedan and for a hell of alot cheaper. You can pick up a used WRX for less than $20K nearly brand new and the WRX holds its value fairly well. Alas, if you HAD to have RWD then the Subaru wouldnt cut it. WRXs are mid-14 second cars and AWD is very safe in all weather conditions. Think about that for those times your son is riding home at night in a storm.

Buying a sedan will cut your insurance payments drastically. When insurance companies see that a 16-yr old male is driving a new S2000 or 350Z, they are not going to want to insure him.

Good luck finding a car....just make sure you get the right car now. Swapping cars b/c you cant find one you like is a surefire way to end up in debt.

[kman10587]

My vote goes to a 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX. Judging from the cars on your list, I take it that he doesn't want a four-door, but still, the car offers plenty of power from the new 2.5L turbo engine (230 hp and 235 ft-lb, without the horrible turbo lag of the old WRX), has a much smoother-shifting five-speed manual, is reliable and practical, and gets 20 city/26 highway gas mileage. The aftermarket on them is impressive as well. If he's gotta have a two-door, go with a gently used G35 coupe with a six-speed manual. Rock-solid reliability, plenty of power, acceptable gas mileage, a nicely-done interior, and the best performance of any car in that class.

[Zachp911]

Originally Posted by lamehonda

Does your son have much experience with rear wheel drive? Might be good to get him an old rx7 or something for him to practice with for a year or so. You are talking about some pretty powerful cars here that can be very deadly even when used with reasonable care. I am not questioning your sons driving abilities, but he is quite young.

I would highly reccomend to stay away from RX7's, they get shitty gas mileage and they are VERY unreliable, you have to constantly maintain RX7s or they'll run like shit. Just my

[lamehonda]

As far as the wrx is concerned, he is poking up into the price range of the STI or EVO MR. Those would be great cars and are IMO much safer for everyday driving.

[Vurnakes]

My son thinks that they're a great car but he would never pay that much money for such an ugly car, no offence to anyone that likes them... just a personal opinion. I think we are going to look for a used G35 whenever the hurricane goes away we will look into the 3 series but i our local bmw dealer is very poorly stocked

[Zachp911]

Originally Posted by Vurnakes

My son thinks that they're a great car but he would never pay that much money for such an ugly car, no offence to anyone that likes them... just a personal opinion. I think we are going to look for a used G35 whenever the hurricane goes away we will look into the 3 series but i our local bmw dealer is very poorly stocked

Good luck if you decide to buy the G35, you WONT be disappointed.

[mason_RsX]

G35 is definately a good bet, looks good, fast, handles well, decent fuel economy, definately a winner in all categories

3 Series is definately a nice car, and the used engine + tranny are great, but there are little things that can go wrong with bimmers that can be a lil pricey

S2000 is also a good choice with good fuel economy, and a fun high-revving engine

Personally for a kid your sons age, Id go with a WRX...its a nice practical, sporty, young mans car that can lug all his stuff to school, and take the friends for a nice ride here-and-there

[D_LinK]

I reccomend the pontiac GTO, that is a very nice car. I think he would be happy with that.

[nastyNater]

Originally Posted by D_LinK

I reccomend the pontiac GTO, that is a very nice car. I think he would be happy with that.

well yeah im sure hed be happy......until gas hit 4 bucks a gallon. GTO just isnt practical for a 18 yr old driver. On the other hand, just b/c you are young doesnt mean that you cant drive a sporty car.

Go with the WRX! and about the looks....IMO the WRX looks fine...especially for a sedan.

[SuperHighOutput]

Originally Posted by nastyNater

well yeah im sure hed be happy......until gas hit 4 bucks a gallon. GTO just isnt practical for a 18 yr old driver. On the other hand, just b/c you are young doesnt mean that you cant drive a sporty car.

Go with the WRX! and about the looks....IMO the WRX looks fine...especially for a sedan.

A GTO is no less practical then a G35, 350Z, or S2000. He doesn't appear to be looking for practicality.

As for the gas comment here's a comparo of the mpg for some of the cars.
GTO: 17/25 - Manual
G35: 19/26 - Manual
WRX: 20/28 - Manual
Not bad considering the GTO has over 100 more horsepower than the next closest car, and 400lb-ft of twist.

[Vurnakes]

we test drove the gto just the other week and i was astonished at how well the car drove

[blakscorpion21]

i dont think he wants a souped up grand am. no disrespect to the gto but its so bland. it doesnt life up to its heritage.

[SuperHighOutput]

Originally Posted by blakscorpion21

i dont think he wants a souped up grand am. no disrespect to the gto but its so bland. it doesnt life up to its heritage.

First of all, it has nothing in common with a Grand Am, that's akin to saying the G35 is a souped up Altima. The GTO is rwd, V8 powered, and based on the Holden Monaro, the only thing it shares with the Grand Am is the Pontiac arrow and corporate grill. Secondly, it does live up to it's heritage because the original GTO was nothing more than a 1964 Tempest Le Mans with a big engine in it. The whole idea behind the GTO was to have a car that looked like your everyday run of the mill two door family car, but could blow someone's doors any time you wanted it to. Which is exactly what the new GTO is, but I think the ram air hood and dual exhaust give you an idea that is has some kick to it.


Now I'm not saying he should get a GTO, or shouldn't get one. I think the best bet is to drive all of the cars he wants to drive then compare and contrast the cars and then decide, which I'm sure is what they'll do.