Car For Son! Help Please!

[2000LS1Z28]

Hmm, i'd say get him an Acura Integra GS-R. Stock they run like a mid 15 sec. 1/4 mile. They can be made to run mid to low 14's rather easily (Help him install a Jackson Racing Supercharger). I'd recommend against an LS1 powered car, as the power would most likely lead to an accident.

[PanteraFreak]

Okay, now I'm considering doing a swap since you guys convinced me. Anyways, if I do do a swap what car would you guys recommend? Still go with a Civic Hatch? I heard some Celica's with a 3SGTE swap can be awesome.

Thanks.

[SiGNAL748]

4cyl Accords seem pretty ideal for the situation. When you guys are ready to make it a little quicker, you can swap in an h22 from a prelude, which will make it good for high 14's. And when its ready for yet another upgrade, basic bolt ons will make it good for mid-14's. And when you're ready to push it even further; cams, an intake manifold, and a good tune will make it solid for high 13's.

[RACER D12]

If your still thinking honda then go for a RSX. Looks good not too fast but shouldnt be that hard to get it to run 14s.

[clawhammer]

After reading some more, I'm going to say the RSX-S as well. It's a high 14 low 15 second car stock, very comfortable, nice interior, and a very nice engine that doesn't need to be swapped out.

The engine has i-VTEC, which basically means that it's extremely tunable, even though it's naturally aspirated. First you should probably do intake, exhaust, and then a header with a test pipe (if emissions are not an issue, otherwise high-flow cat). Then do the ECU reflash from Hondata, then cams and a few minor things, and it should be putting down 230 fwhp.

[carrrnuttt]

You need to start him out with a RWD car, so that he learns its nuances. This is my opinion.

I've been thinking about this, since I have a 13-yr-old who'll be driving in a mere 3 years or so.

It has be able to handle and especially brake, fairly well, small enough for it to be "tossable" in case of emergency maneuvers, be fairly reliable, cheaply repairable, and it has to be a two-seater, so it doesn't become a taxi for his friends, for gas-mileage, and potential "rowdy outing" purposes.

The perfect car for this in my opinion is a 93+ NA MR2. Not too fast, and earlier ('90 to '92) oversteer issues have been resolved. Has an airbag, and he won't have to hide when seen in it.

It also has the potential to become much faster in the future, has Toyota reliability, and is quite accepted in many SCCA tracks, if my son decides to "further" the driving fun.

Not to mention Daddy can have some fun in it too.

[turtlecrxsi]

If you're serious about Honda. Come on over to the Honda/Acura section of AF. But I'll add this...
An RSX-S is a good choice. The K20 in it is much better tuned from the factory then the K20 in the 2002-2004 Civic Si. And like Clawhammer said takes very well to mods and it has i-vtec which means saving gas. I don't think a RWD car would be the safest choice for a first time driver only because he could get into a drift situation rather easily. I wrecked a POS chevette from sliding. People buy 240sx cuz they drift easy stock. Is that something your son actually wants to do? And if a 2 seater is what your son wants (doesn't sound like it), then I'd recommend a CRX. In stock form, they are slow but making them fast is relatively easy if done properly. Also, I wouldn't take advice from anybody who is about to lose their license for reckless driving in a Z-28. Even though Z-28s and other LS1 or 350 powered cars are nice, as a first car, it's probably not the best choice.

[carrrnuttt]

Originally Posted by turtlecrxsi

I don't think a RWD car would be the safest choice for a first time driver only because he could get into a drift situation rather easily.

I disagree. A RWD car will force you to learn proper driving mechanics early on, which translates much better into FWD driving, than the other way around. This is why I recommend a '93+ MR, as it has solved the oversteer issues of the earlier models, which will help a young driver from spinning the car out.

This is also why you get a relatively weak RWD car, and not a powerful one that will overpower the rear tires.

I learned from and honed my driving on a RWD platform, and I've handled all my FWD cars no problem.

[shnailpower]

we 13 year olds won't need braking when we can drive... As for the engine swap, howz about a third-gen rx-7 w/ an LS1 thrown in. Massive burnout fun!

[SiGNAL748]

Originally Posted by shnailpower

we 13 year olds won't need braking when we can drive... As for the engine swap, howz about a third-gen rx-7 w/ an LS1 thrown in. Massive burnout fun!

massive death, you mean?

[turtlecrxsi]

Originally Posted by carrrnuttt

This is also why you get a relatively weak RWD car, and not a powerful one that will overpower the rear tires.

I learned from and honed my driving on a RWD platform, and I've handled all my FWD cars no problem.

I agree. But things can happen. My Chevette hardly had any power at all. I just spun out from an oil spot on wet pavement and spun and hit a curb. So what? POS right? Well, if my Dad bought me something else (this was well before 93...haha), I would've been shit out of luck. I'm just saying that if the kid desires that kind of car then sure why not, start with maybe a 240sx or mr2 import or maybe even a mustang. It really depends on what he wants.

I've driven weak and strong fwd and rwd...

[RACER D12]

Originally Posted by turtlecrxsi

I agree. But things can happen. My Chevette hardly had any power at all. I just spun out from an oil spot on wet pavement and spun and hit a curb. So what? POS right? Well, if my Dad bought me something else (this was well before 93...haha), I would've been shit out of luck. I'm just saying that if the kid desires that kind of car then sure why not, start with maybe a 240sx or mr2 import or maybe even a mustang. It really depends on what he wants.

I've driven weak and strong fwd and rwd...

Yea but wouldnt it have been worse if you were in a FWD car? I mean not only would you have lost driving force you would have lost steering. I just dont understand why people think FWD is safer?

[Slowprocess]

Originally Posted by PanteraFreak

What kind of gas mileage would you get for city driving? Also, how reliable was it? I've heard that people get the impression that they are unreliable, when they are in fact reliable, they just have some problems with over heating or something...

Edit: Also, what trucks do you have in mind? My wife isn't a huge fan of trucks because of their safety but I'm fine with it. Only reason I don't see getting one is because of gas mileage. Anyways, I know that trucks can be fast, friend has a Ford SVT Lightning running sub-14's, damn fast truck. Also gets like 15 MPG.

The truck you see in my sig with a stock 5.3L motor can go mid-14s with basic boltons and a good tune and easily get 17-18mpg. Mine has gone a best of 12.40 on motor alone and 11.7 with a little shot of gas and a terrible 60ft time.
Stock, no mods will run in the upper 15s, so it wouldn't be terribly slow from the start. Add a mod here and there and mid/low 14s will be no problem at all. My buddy bought an extended cab 04 silverado, we installed the K&N intake, superchips programmer, Pacesetter Long tubes, and a cutout. He went 14.8. Then I took off my nitrous kit, put it on his truck, then had him spraying out of second gear and he went 14.2. He wouldn't let me drive it, but I know I could have gotten a high 13 out of it spraying out of the hole and through the gears.

Lightnings are fast trucks, but if you want to make it a progressive thing(as well as a cheaper alternative), I would go with a GM. The LS-motor has given us new model GM guys a huge window of opportunity for upgrading.

[99redmaxSE-L]

what about a sentra Se-r?

[flatlander757]

Originally Posted by turtlecrxsi

Also, I wouldn't take advice from anybody who is about to lose their license for reckless driving in a Z-28.

That's a personal matter, I learned my lesson. No matter what you get your son, if he wants it to go fast, he will undoubtedly get a ticket unless there is a track nearby. Hell, if I went with a 300ZX I imagine it would be similar.

There are idiot kids out there racing their hONduHs with a fart trumpet exhaust and getting reckless driving tickets too. It's not the car, it's the driver.

And to consider my information moot, I would like to know what makes you such a great driver? I'm sure you have gotten a ticket at one time in your life. It just so happens that I got one a couple weeks ago. If not, then congratulations. I know that there probably isn't more than a few people on this forum who have never done anything illegal in their car yet, and you are likely not one of them.