[V12]

Well i am looking around for my first car, i will be 17 in november and can finally drive then, currently i am in drivers education.

Currently i am just looking around, not too set on anything yet...

Anyway here is what i like/dislike

any car recomendations are appreciated

Price range 25k or under - New or Used (if used no older than 2002)

Not american

something sporty, but nothing that will kill me on insurence (i like the nissan 350z, but insurance will kill me)

i want to get the most out of the car as i can for the price (i.e. leather, a good sound system, possibly gps, etc...)

i like german cars a lot...audi a3 is beautiful, but a little out of my price range....

cars i looked at so far:
acura tl 2004(used)
the new 2005 jetta(new)
2005 scion tC(new)
infiniti g35 sedan 2003(used)

[budster101]

25k or under for your FIRST car? !!!

I wish I had your troubles.

[GSixZero]

Buy something which is alright to wreck and put the other 20K towards your first home.

[budster101]

Get the most expensive car you can afford. :/

[Sherwin]

Get a used F150. Spend the rest on suspension, tyres, beer and chicks.

[FulcrumPilot]

yeah buy a car that you can afford even if it means you have to borrow money

[V12]

lol...very helpful....

anyway i guess i forgot to meantion i'd like to stay away from trucks because of their low miles to gallons, expecially with the increasing gas prices.

[rozwado1]

You're in NYC. Ride the subway.

[budster101]

Get a mini Cooper.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by GSixZero

Buy something which is alright to wreck and put the other 20K towards your first home.

Sucky used cars are a royal pain.

[budster101]

Where did I say, "get a used car"?

You can get a new car for 12k
Mini Cooper starts at 18k.

[Nodnarb]

I am actually in the exact situation. Next month I get my license and am also looking for a car. I have looked at a new toyota camry, a new honda civic, or maybe my dad's used 2004 acura TL. If I pay a few thousand for the car and cover insurance and gas, my parents will probably take care of the rest. I am also worried about gettin a nice car as my first car such as a new one or the TL and messing it up somehow (also the fact that it would kind of be like rubbing it in my friends faces who do not have as nice of cars), but my parents don't want to get a used car that might have all sorts of problems with it. What to do, what to do...

[cjrivera]

Didn't you read this?

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=263091

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

Currently $18K. and you have $7K left over for fuel....

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by budster101

Where did I say, "get a used car"?

You can get a new car for 12k
Mini Cooper starts at 18k.

Sorry, wrong post quoted.

[budster101]

Ok. never mind then.

Well, what is so wrong with used?

Find one with no rust.
One owner.
Low miles.
Good price.
Get anything fixed after a mechanic has seen it.

[doucy2]

damn some ones got some money
buy a used benz for 10K
and use the other 15k to trick out a sweetass powermac im talking like 8 gb of ram here

[Nodnarb]

I actaully had the opprotunity to get my hands on a 1995 lexus 400 sc for $9,000 (that car usually sells for around $16,000) but my parents thought it would be "too much of a car" for a 16 year old. Damn. That would have been a sweet car.

[budster101]

I would have cried myself to sleep for a week... your parents are dumb. Could have garaged it until you were 18.... tell them that for me.

[Nodnarb]

Well my dad wanted me to have it. But my mom was freaking out cause "i drive too fast already" and having a car like that I would (admittedly) drive very fast. But I'm leaning towards getting my dads 2004 acura (still an awesome car), but I just don't know if that would be rude considering my friends my age are driving '93 jettas and old volvo's and focus's that they all got for around $5,000. I'd feel kind of weird driving around in my $30,000 acrua. Maybe I'm just neurotic.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by budster101

Ok. never mind then.

Well, what is so wrong with used?

Find one with no rust.
One owner.
Low miles.
Good price.
Get anything fixed after a mechanic has seen it.

I have not had terrific luck with used cars, but, rationally speaking, I likely should moderate my view because the bad experiences I had were pretty predictable, given the particular make and model years of the two cars in question.

[jasonsRX7]

Originally Posted by V12

cars i looked at so far:
acura tl 2004(used)

The TL gets my vote

[budster101]

It's difficult. We have bad luck with new and used cars so I say screw it. Find a good mechanic, find a few cars and have him look at'em. Recommend what needs to be done and then make a proper offer based on his review.

If there are no lemons hisorically with that model and make then you should be happy.

[doucy2]

ahh im about to go crazy 1.5 months till i get my liscense
then i can pimp the 87' benz (ohh yea and its a desiel)

[Nodnarb]

Car 1: 2005 Honda Civic



Car 2: 2005 Toyota Camry



Car 3: 2003 Acura TL (Same Color)




Anyone have any advice?

[budster101]

buy the chevy impala.

[doucy2]

american cars are trash

[jasonsRX7]

Originally Posted by budster101

buy the chevy impala.

I don't think all American cars are trash, but the Imapla is pretty hideous.

[budster101]

It's freaking fast as hell though. Ugly... meh, yeah, you're right. Black though isn't bad with tinted windows... did I meantion the thing flys?

[suvsr4terrorists]

My wife has a 1989 Honda Accord. Lx. 5spd, power everything. It currently has 222,250 miles. We've had zero problems with it. The alternator died on it before we got it, but other than that it's great. Don't be afraid of older cars, I think they're a much better deal than most new ones....

Also, not to be a prick, but don't spend your parents money. Get something modest. Not only will people respect you more, you'll appreciate it more, learn more on how to take care of it, and ... well... I don't know. Something about driving your own machine that YOU paid for that's very satisfying.

I'd look into 93-96 preludes, Contour SVTs, Hyundai Tiburons, Subaru 2.5RSs, or something along those lines. They're pretty sporty, easy to take care of, and they won't ruin your wallet. Older GTis are neat too.

[stevesnj]

If you live in New york city I would get the car with the best gas mileage you can find. The Scion seems to be the best choice...if you have 25k and under to work with I would load that scion to the max GPS, leather...blah blah blah...you get good gas mileage and be in the best luxury a Scion can provide.

[Agasthya]

I bought a 2005 Civic LX 4 door for $15k ($16.1k with taxes and title, etc). I get anywhere from 34-37 miles a gallon and I'm pretty confident that I will not have any serious isues with the car for a long time.

[ender2002]

Originally Posted by V12

Well i am looking around for my first car, i will be 17 in november and can finally drive then, currently i am in drivers education.

Currently i am just looking around, not too set on anything yet...

Anyway here is what i like/dislike

any car recomendations are appreciated

Price range 25k or under - New or Used (if used no older than 2002)

Not american

something sporty, but nothing that will kill me on insurence (i like the nissan 350z, but insurance will kill me)

i want to get the most out of the car as i can for the price (i.e. leather, a good sound system, possibly gps, etc...)

i like german cars a lot...audi a3 is beautiful, but a little out of my price range....

cars i looked at so far:
acura tl 2004(used)
the new 2005 jetta(new)
2005 scion tC(new)
infiniti g35 sedan 2003(used)

if you live in the city, why do you need a car? id wait until college dude. you dont know what is going to happen.

[Sherwin]

Of course, you could be completely non-wet and get one of these:



and use the rest of the money to buy a stick to beat the chicks off with.

[KeriVit]

I bought a car at 18- SWEET Nissan Sentra. Guess what? Totaled it! Paid 4 months more cuz it was worth less than I owed... AND I had to move because my apt. was too far to walk to college.

Don't be dumb. Buy something affordable. Likin; the Mazda 3 5 door.

[Zimphire]

Get a beater till you learn to drive better.

[alligator]

Get the Acura TL. I LOVE my TL. It has lots of power, feels great, and is a very reliable car with a high resale value. You can't go wrong with a TL. Shhhhh.... don't tell everyone, or the secret will be out.

[hickey]

im drunk so i dotn nkow if anyone said thsi alredy, get an 87 camry, thast waht i got, adn its awseome. 600 bukcs, and im still pipmin ot.

[budster101]

65 Cadillac Convertable Loaded and Mint.

You will be da man. PIMP'n

[ManOfSteal]

'88 Dodge Aries would be phi-sat...

Booya!

[budster101]

I had a nice Oldsmobuick 71 / 72 Cutlas Callais and that was awesome...

[osxpinot]

[osxpinot]

You really really seem like an SUV type, but out of all those cars, I'd recommend the Infinity G35.

[suvsr4terrorists]

I've been thinking more about this... the venerable 'first car'. I changed my mind. My first car was a 68 Charger 383 hurst 4spd. It was nuts. I couldn't drive int ehw inter, and I left it in the garage when it rained. It wasn't that reliable, it was hard to start, and it had no parking brake. It was fast. Then I got a 97 Neon, which I modified for handling...then a 78 Merc, which I drove for a summer while gas was cheap. Then my SVX, which I replaced the stereo, speakers, suspension, brakes, exhaust, and a few other things.

Honestly, I like driving sports cars...but... I'm jealous. My friend just purchased a 1996 Subaru Outback wagon with all wheel drive, 93,000 miles, power heated seats, windows, heated mirrors, keyless, and a roof rack for a measly $4100. That's insane. Do you realize how much you could DO with a wagon? Pile your friends in it, go on roadtrips with mroe than one person, camping, kayaking, mountain biking, etc. I really like the way my SVX handles, and it does have a lot of power, but honestly, it's tuned for high speed. What does this mean? When driving below 80, ITS BORING TO DRIVE. It's actually LESS fun to drive than slower cars. I have more fun driving my wife's 89 honda with only 98hp most of the time. Why? Because I'm driving the car more to it's limits. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but tonight I was driving my grandma's 04 forester XS. 2.5 liter. Not very fast. But I had a blast, more fun than I'd have had in my SVX. Why?

Becuase I wasn't going over 80, and I was able to squeal the tires since it doesn't have as much traction. What's my point? I'm not sure. I love my SVX, but it isn't really practical to have a fairly competent sports car as your daily driver. The suspension and steering were designed for high speed touring, it's able to cruise at 115 effortlessly, but...damn. It's like I'm never getting to use anywhere NEAR the cars potential. I'd seriously consider a wagon. Sure, they aren't as fast, they don't handle as well, but you can fit a TON of crap in them, and honestly, I think INTELLIGENT chicks dig guys who don't really give a **** abuot what they drive. My wife never really cared what I drove, even though I loved all my cars.

Look into wagon. For real. Used. And spend the rest of the money on camping gear and traveling, if you must take your parents money. You'll get a lot more memories that way.

[ajprice]

17, first car, $25,000!!!!

I second the 'I wish I had your troubles' sentiment. I just got my first car, I'm 29, and I had way less than that to spend on a car. My main trouble was getting a small car to get all 6'6" of me behind the wheel of comfortably, I got a Skoda Fabia, its basically the same car as a VW Polo underneath, but its bigger inside and cheaper than a VW.

(Mine's red)

As for your car, VW Golf GTi Mk5?

[effgee]

This just in from cars.com ...

2001 BMW Z3 3.0i
Features: A/C: Front, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Steering, Remote Keyless Entry, Bucket Seats, Leather Interior, Power Seats, Airbag: Driver, Airbag: Passenger, Airbag: Side, Alarm, Anti-Lock Brakes, Fog Lights, CD Player, Premium Sound, Power Windows, Rear Window Defroster, Rear Window Wiper, Tinted Glass, Alloy Wheels, Sunroof/Moonroof



Asking price: $ 21,500.00

Plenty fast, decent gas mileage (by US standards, that is), very reliable, a real trunk that holds 2 suitcases (for vacationing), 2nd seat with room for the gf, and most definitely not a common (= boring) sight.

I love my coupe and would never sell the precious.

[ASIMO]

Acura TSX. Peiroiod.

[Sherwin]

Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists

Do you realize how much you could DO with a wagon? Pile your friends in it, go on roadtrips with mroe than one person, camping, kayaking, mountain biking, etc. I really like the way my SVX handles, and it does have a lot of power, but honestly, it's tuned for high speed. What does this mean? When driving below 80, ITS BORING TO DRIVE. It's actually LESS fun to drive than slower cars. I have more fun driving my wife's 89 honda with only 98hp most of the time. Why? Because I'm driving the car more to it's limits. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but tonight I was driving my grandma's 04 forester XS. 2.5 liter. Not very fast. But I had a blast, more fun than I'd have had in my SVX. Why?

Becuase I wasn't going over 80, and I was able to squeal the tires since it doesn't have as much traction. What's my point? I'm not sure. I love my SVX, but it isn't really practical to have a fairly competent sports car as your daily driver. The suspension and steering were designed for high speed touring, it's able to cruise at 115 effortlessly, but...damn. It's like I'm never getting to use anywhere NEAR the cars potential. I'd seriously consider a wagon. Sure, they aren't as fast, they don't handle as well, but you can fit a TON of crap in them, and honestly, I think INTELLIGENT chicks dig guys who don't really give a **** abuot what they drive. My wife never really cared what I drove, even though I loved all my cars.

Very, very sensible advice. Fast sports cars only really become interesting when you're driving them in places which don't have speed limits and cops.

And about the girls: It's true that intelligent chicks don't care what you drive. However, driving something different will help you get noticed by them in the first place, help you stand out from the other five thousand dweebs who've asked them out that day. Think of the Mac vs PC - when you walk into a room do you look at the Mac or the boxen? If your college campus is populated with small silver Japanese sedans and you're riding a jacked-up Bronco, you'll be the one getting the chicks. Fact.

[suvsr4terrorists]

Originally Posted by Sherwin

And about the girls: It's true that intelligent chicks don't care what you drive. However, driving something different will help you get noticed by them in the first place, help you stand out from the other five thousand dweebs who've asked them out that day.

Then get a wagon with a yakima rack. Poof. Instant do anything capability (chicks like that), outdoorsyness (the real kind, not the fake lame ass SUV kind) and sportyness in a adventurey way (chicks dig that too).

[euphras]

You are 17 and beginning to learn driving (No, in fact you can´t drive when you´ve finished driving school, you gain save handling of the car out on the streets afterwards) and want to spend 25 k on a new car???

For god´s sake get a used one like this

and save the rest of the money for more important things like vacation, travelling to other countries, etc

[Sherwin]

Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists

Then get a wagon with a yakima rack. Poof. Instant do anything capability (chicks like that), outdoorsyness (the real kind, not the fake lame ass SUV kind) and sportyness in a adventurey way (chicks dig that too).

I don't know what you're on about with regards to "wagon" (Scooby Forester?) or "yakima rack" - don't know the terms (I'm not American). But for instant do-anything capability, outdoorsiness and sportiness I'll put my XJ up against any Jap thing you're recommending. Live axle at the front does it every time.
Trouble is, while they're pretty rare around here I expect they're ten-a-penny over there, so the difference factor (and thus noticeability) won't be so high - which is why I didn't recommend one.