Car For Son! Help Please!

[shnailpower]

the Rx-7 is not a good starters car. The engine is dificult to maintenance because not many mechanics have been educated on the rotary so its hard to find someone to repair the car. I personally love the mazda but they aren't easy to find. So 10,000 - 15,000? you could look into an older acura rsx, super high revving engine w/ a nice tranny. The interior is also acura-grade. Reliabilty is near perfect (it's a honda, duh...). If you want something faster go for a used srt-4, cheap interior and not so relaible but that thang moves. (turbocharger, <---- I love that word.

[PanteraFreak]

Yeah, don't think I want an RX-7 because of the gas mileage as well, just not as good as I was hoping.

[Mr. Luos]

Just so you know...

LS1 F-Body's with the 6-speed can get over 30MPG on the highway and 23-24 around town.

Not that it matters much. Opinions are all anyone can give you here.
I had to pay for my first car. Nothing expensive....but looking back at it, I am glad it wasn't given to me. I would recommend having him pay for parts of it. Could be anything...maintenance and insurance might be a good idea.
Anyways...
Not sure why you want to get him something faster for a first car. Dangerous if you ask me.
Good luck on your search!

[PanteraFreak]

I don't want to get him something fast for his first car, I want to get him something that can be made fast. Anyways, I paid for my first car too and I definately think it's a good idea because then they don't feel like they can just go trash it, they actually care about it and know that it's a privelege. He is in fact paying for part of it.

[Mr. Luos]

Cool.

What do you consider fast?

[PanteraFreak]

I think he would be quite happy with low 14's.

[Mr. Luos]

And I would say that is too fast for a rookie driver.

My younger brother thought my '01 Grand Am GT was the shit when he was 17-18 years old. And that is a mid-upper 15 second car.

[shnailpower]

Low 14s + new driver = SPLAT

To bad I ain't gonna follow that formula when I get my first car. Just you guys wait, 3 more years and my $1000 civic shitwagon (with fartcannon, ) will be runnin' low 11s.

[CassiesMan]

Originally Posted by shnailpower

the Rx-7 is not a good starters car. The engine is dificult to maintenance because not many mechanics have been educated on the rotary so its hard to find someone to repair the car..

The 13B is a perfectly good motor. The only problem was the uber restrictive exhaust/down pipe combo from the factory. It cuased the heat to build up in the motor, killing it around 80-95k miles. Most used RX-7s have new, low milage motors in them, meaning you have plenty of time to save it. All it takes is to widen out the down pipe/exhaust, and a possible cat delete. And I know plenty of mechanics that can work with rotarys just fine...of course, I also live like, ten minutes from Steve Kahns shop, so there is like 30 RX-7 mechanics right down the road from me, lol. I know I would love to have an FD. Yeah, the gas miliage sucks, but c'mon, its an FD....

Also...low 14s for a starter car? Wanna adopt a new son? My dad thinks my 15 second BMW is too fast. Of course, Im paying for like, 95% of it, so its my choice. God I cant wait till I get the title for this thing and sell it for a fast car. Oh, and my 325i gets between 35-40, sometimes up near 50mpg on the highway...

I think a Honda would be a great choice. Why?

1)Easy on insurance
2)They are cheap
3)Its gonna be a fun mod and bonding expirence for you and your son. Think about it. You get him started off on a 16 second car, maybe high 15s. Get a two door or the hatch, a nice little "sporty" (notice the quotes) moddel. He'll learn how to drive safely, how to survive on the road, etc. Then, you can start slow with bolt ons. Sure, your not gonna have a low 14 car out of the box, but it will help your son learn the general inner workings of a car, and how to build it up. When you out grow that, you can start looking into motor swaps, FI, the like. And the thing is, if both you and your son get involved, it'll help you bond the entire time as your building it up. It'll help teach patience, fiscal responsibility, etc., while slowly, but surely, ending up with a fairly fast car. And it doesnt have to be a Civic, you could go with a Teg, or Prelude.

[RACER D12]

Well if you got 10-15k I like the used WRX wagon idea. You can pick up a good 00-03 one for that price. Anyways I think we pretty much threw out every newer car in that price range already. And I would say stay away from the hondas if your not ready to do a lot of work to make it fast.

[PanteraFreak]

Oh crap. I meant low 14's eventually. I would never trust a new driver with a 14 second car, low or high, period. Sorry for the confusion, we would like to EVENTUALLY make it a low 14 second car. Sorry about that.

I think I may just go with the Honda as I do like the idea that it's reliable, good on insurance, potential, and good gas mileage. Anyways, besides Civics, Tegs, and Preludes, any other specific recommendations for models and what years? Thinking about maybe getting an older Civic, like 92-00. I've never done an engine swap before and I hear there pretty difficult so I was hoping we wouldn't have to do that.

Thanks again for all the replies!

[xXxRocker5150]

I think a car just about anywhere in the 14s is way too fast for an inexperienced driver... just get him a low 15 second car and tell him it's a 14 second car... chances are he won't be able to tell the difference unless he actually tests it out (or does his research I gues)

[CassiesMan]

Originally Posted by PanteraFreak

I've never done an engine swap before and I hear there pretty difficult so I was hoping we wouldn't have to do that.

My buddy did a swap into his pickup, dropped in a crate 350 just him and his dad...if you have the tools, and do the whole, whats it called...oh yeah...FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS, lol, it shouldnt be that hard. If your son wants something like a wagon or a hatch, go with a mid ninties Civic hatch. If he wants a margianlly sportier car, I'd say Prelude or Integra. Im not to sure about the Accord aftermarket, but a mid/late 90s 2 door V6 Accord should be fine on insurance, and I think they have decnt potential.

[PanteraFreak]

Sorry, that's just what I heard. Besides, we don't really have the tools to do a swap.

[flatlander757]

78-83 Chevy Malibu

Stock they came with at most I think a weak 200hp 350. Usually they had a V6 or 305 in it though.

Start out being fairly less than desirable...


But build up a 355/383/434ci smallblock and:




My suggestion:
-Get him a geo metro or something that is ONLY meant for good gas mileage
-Get something else to make a father/son project car to make fast as hell

My first car was a 94 Z28(275hp, 17-18mpg city, 22-23mpg hwy, and way cooler than a honda ) but I was tempted to break the law and got a reckless driving ticket for 27mph over the limit. I'm glad he didn't catch me about 2 minutes before when I was about 85mph over(in a 55 zone).

Because of this, I learned from it and provided I don't lose my license completely(I find out the 21st), I am very seriously considering selling the Z28 and getting a geo metro from a friend for free and buying some kind of older car to make a hot rod with my dad because I'll be out of the house in a couple years and may as well have some good memories with him. But I plan on getting a coupe, not a wagon

I know it's not exactly what you planned, but just throwing that idea out there.