New car

Hey every one im new hear and im just kind of looking around.
im gettin my first car in a couple months so im starting to look.
i dont necessarily want to street race but i like the option.
So far i have been looking at the 2002 gti and the 2004 RX-8.
What do you guys think about these cars and what other cars would u recommend looking at.

Dont get either. They are took nice/fast for a 16 year old. Get a nice civic or something like that.

BTW, nice race.

BTW, nice race.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Get a good Honda. I do like the GTi though...

I do too.

What I dont like is some nub little 16 year old who decides to rev at me in a 25 zone to impress his flat chested girlfriend.

You're 16?

You WILL thrash your first car. You WILL make stupid decisions that involve going too fast and threatening your life or someone else's.

Please don't get a fast car as a first car and wrap yourself around a tree. It happens way too often.

Learn to drive first. Worry about racing later.

That having been said...DAMN dude, you have rich parents or something? I got an '84 Buick Regal, an '85 Plymouth Reliant K, and then an '86 VW GTI (finally something decent and fun).

well im gonna have to take the other guy's sides on this one......I think you should start off with something decent, and then tune it to take some of the high end cars!!!! It may take som time but it will let you mature a little more and rethink what you want in a car!

Yeah those other guy's are a huge majority (crash's)

Get a civic. When you have been driving that for awhile there is a huge market to "take some of the high end cars"

You're 16?

You WILL thrash your first car. You WILL make stupid decisions that involve going too fast and threatening your life or someone else's.

Please don't get a fast car as a first car and wrap yourself around a tree. It happens way too often.

Learn to drive first. Worry about racing later.

That having been said...DAMN dude, you have rich parents or something? I got an '84 Buick Regal, an '85 Plymouth Reliant K, and then an '86 VW GTI (finally something decent and fun).

Nah i don't have rich parents at all. im pretty much paying for this myself.

but ya i do understand what u guys mean about the whole bad driving situation. personally i don't think im an irresponsible driver (not saying im the best, just saying im not dumb).

I was looking at some civivs. i know they are nice cars, but i dont even know which one to look for. any help?

Im really liiken the GTI though, do they really have as many electrical problems as they say?

[quote=bmxtillidie20]Nah i don't have rich parents at all. im pretty much paying for this myself.

but ya i do understand what u guys mean about the whole bad driving situation. personally i don't think im an irresponsible driver (not saying im the best, just saying im not dumb).

I was looking at some civivs. i know they are nice cars, but i dont even know which one to look for. any help?

Im really liiken the GTI though, do they really have as many electrical problems as they say?[/quote

VW/Audi has had electrical gremlins since the Mk3's or so (1993), but it's not like they ALL have them. And honestly, EVERY car has its problems. My friend had a 2004 Honda Civic that had the transmission replaced under warranty TWICE before the car had 10,000 miles on it. :rolleyes:

At least you're on the right track with a FWD car. PS, have you heard a VW VR6 with exhaust? YUMMY. :smokin:

My friend just got a used 2003 nissan 350z. super sweet. hes trying to get new tires and rims on it soon. just saying. What do you guys think about the 350z?

I think a RWD car with ~300hp is too much for a kid's first car. My son will get something slow yet fun to drive. Perhaps an AE86, 240, 2.0L 16V GTI, Porsche 944, or something similar.

I think a RWD car with ~300hp is too much for a kid's first car. My son will get something slow yet fun to drive. Perhaps an AE86, 240, 2.0L 16V GTI, Porsche 944, or something similar.

exactly, save the 350 for your next car

ooh there is no way i want a 350z. i like them i just wanted to know what you guys thought of them. i dont want one, im still liking the GTI. you guys would not believe how much money is around me. i live in sterling VA, and kids are driving cadillacs, bmw, nissan 350z (theres 2 of them that park right next to each other), mustangs from like 1967 and up, corvetts,Mercedes-Benz, its rediculous.

ooh there is no way i want a 350z. i like them i just wanted to know what you guys thought of them. i dont want one, im still liking the GTI. you guys would not believe how much money is around me. i live in sterling VA, and kids are driving cadillacs, bmw, nissan 350z (theres 2 of them that park right next to each other), mustangs from like 1967 and up, corvetts,Mercedes-Benz, its rediculous.

I'm in South OC, SoCal. Trust me, I'd believe it. It's fucking :screwy:.

ooh there is no way i want a 350z. i like them i just wanted to know what you guys thought of them. i dont want one, im still liking the GTI. you guys would not believe how much money is around me. i live in sterling VA, and kids are driving cadillacs, bmw, nissan 350z (theres 2 of them that park right next to each other), mustangs from like 1967 and up, corvetts,Mercedes-Benz, its rediculous.

well then do you wanna be like everyone else and drive those types of cars or something different? i'll lay you this bet, by the time they're 20, not only will they have different cars, but they'll have crashed the one's they have now..especially the stangs, vettes and bmw's.

now this is what i'll suggest. a Porsche 944. for around 8g(and less) you can get one with around 120k on it and 220hp. impressive handling(keeps up with 350z) and enough power to satisfy you for a while. don't get a turbo, turbo's provide a different type of driving, and need a different skill, and aren't easy to find in reliable condition, and parts aren't cheap.

i drive a 1987 944, only issue i ever had was the clutch, which is a normal wear and tear. great on gas(33mpg hwy) and yet it still provides enough fun to get my neck hair to stand up.

if a porsche 944 sounds interesting join rennlist.com. free for a while, but lots of 944's for sale all the time. i'm on it as well as a few others from here. and tonnes of 944 things(parts) but forums that discuss everything. hell we just put up money to get a member from Georgia to Va, to Cali and back because of some mistakes he made.

we all say we're decent drivers, it's not until that deer that pops out that we say shit.

I'd vote N/A, but that's just me. He'll at least end up with a chipset, exhaust, maybe MAF. At that point it's faster than the 350Z. I had an N/A 8V @ ~180hp and it wasn't bad.

Though, a 951 might be a little maintenance intensive for a first car. Especially once his folks figure out how much they are gonna have to pay to get it worked on!

Nah i don't have rich parents at all. im pretty much paying for this myself.

Then do yourself a favor and buy something cheap in every regard. I would buy a late 90s Honda. Cheap to maintain, cheap to buy, and cheap on fuel. Chances are that you WILL get in an accident or damage the car in some way. It's best to get something that is dispensable and will not me missed as your first car.

I will move this to the correct forum.

now this is what i'll suggest. a Porsche 944. for around 8g(and less) you can get one with around 120k on it and 220hp. ...don't get a turbo, turbo's provide a different type of driving, and need a different skill, and aren't easy to find in reliable condition, and parts aren't cheap.

i drive a 1987 944, only issue i ever had was the clutch, which is a normal wear and tear. great on gas(33mpg hwy) and yet it still provides enough fun to get my neck hair to stand up.

~220hp is a Turbo (pre-'89).

'88 Turbo S/'89 Turbo is ~250hp.

N/A is ~150hp in the 8V, or ~190hp in the 16V.

Ya i'll look at the Porsche 944. My friend just got the choice of getting a 1965 or so Porsche 911 or a 1968 or so Porsche 912. what you think he should take out of the 2

No question, the 911. The 912 was the more affordable version that just looked like a 911. The 911 was the higher performance car with a 130HP flat six while the 912 only had a 64HP four cylinder.

niether unless his parents don't care about repair cost. the average clutch on either by a mechanic knowing what he's doing(not the local honda place) will run around 2g, if not a lil more. and if his parents don't mind the repair costs, he should get some advanced driving courses, the 911/912 is not the average car to drive. it's not close in handling to a honda, nor even a viper. one wrong move and (with those yrs) it can kill you. they weren't called rolling coffins for no reason.

the 89+ 944 n/a had a 3.0l dohc making around 217hp...lovingly rounded up to 220hp.

the one with 190hp has the 2.7l. not a long lived car but notable for a halfway point between the 2.5l n/a and the 2.5l turbo in terms of power.

i would recommend of all of em, an 87-89 n/a. good power, still find em with low milage, well taken care of, kinda cheap(4-8g, i paid 3((big mistake)), fun, upgrades galore(just not in terms of power).

on rennlist a guy just posted his 87 n/a 2.7l for like 4600 or something. there's also a few s2's(220hp 3.0l n/a) for sale.

Dudes, my friend with the 350z just got in a big accident and now he is in the hospital. shits weak because we just got out of homecoming and now he is screwed.

the 89+ 944 n/a had a 3.0l dohc making around 217hp...lovingly rounded up to 220hp.

the one with 190hp has the 2.7l. not a long lived car but notable for a halfway point between the 2.5l n/a and the 2.5l turbo in terms of power.

i would recommend of all of em, an 87-89 n/a. good power, still find em with low milage, well taken care of, kinda cheap(4-8g, i paid 3((big mistake)), fun, upgrades galore(just not in terms of power).

on rennlist a guy just posted his 87 n/a 2.7l for like 4600 or something. there's also a few s2's(220hp 3.0l n/a) for sale.

No, you're mistaken on a few things! I used to race them in 944 Spec and I'm on Rennlist as well. ;) I've owned a few of them.

The 944S2 (3.0L 16V) was 208hp. The 217hp figure you have is the 1986+ Turbo figure (which is commonly rounded to 220hp).

The 944S was still a 2.5L 16V, making 190hp and 170tq.

The 2.7L 8V engine still just made 150 and change.


Dudes, my friend with the 350z just got in a big accident and now he is in the hospital. shits weak because we just got out of homecoming and now he is screwed.

Wow...sorry to hear that man. I hope his parents feel like idiots for buying a young kid such a quick car. THIS is exactly why we were trying to talk you out of a fast car for your FIRST car. I hope your friend is OK.

Oh, one more thing...

The '87-'88 N/As are the best years (IMHO) because they had the high compression engines and slightly more advanced ignition timing. The ECU's are in high demand by SCCA racers in early cars for that reason. In '89 they went to the 2.7L.

It's somewhat difficult to make the 8V fast by conventional means...they are about the same as an N/A Nissan 240SX.

Spec race cars put down ~130 to ~135 to the wheels.

If you bump the compression, get a high-octane chip mapped (try FR Wilk if he's still around), throw in a cam, a 2.5" exhaust, and a lightened flywheel...you'll wake it up quite a bit.

Mine made ~154 to the wheels, or about 180 at the crank, with the above + high octane gas, Nology ignition setup, and that's pretty much it.

i dont plan on doing power upgrades to mine. as is it's fun and reliable. just brakes and a few cosmetic things. then onto an 86 or 87 turbo, a bit more power, a bit more can be squeezed out and from factory have a decent front end.

i'm always wrong with the 2.7l and 2.5l. i never understood y they made em but o well.

bmx: check out the 944, if not then the 924S, same engine same power, a lil less expensive and a little quicker(in theory) due to less weight...but not as agressive looking. whatever you do, DO NOT GET A 924 TURBO.

Bmx- look at some mid 90s 240s. The s14. They are good looking cars and there are so many options for them when it comes to looks and performance. Eventually down the road you could look into making it quick.

mid 90's 240's have issues with somethine in the engine, i forget what exactly, but i can find it. good cars though, hard to find sometimes, but fun.

either of those two vehicles would be good 1st cars. cheap, good handling, fun, tonnes in the aftermarket, 4cyl(cheaper insurance).

even though the standard 944 isn't quick, nor are there many mods for it in terms of power, there are always other motors, chevy 350 being one of em(though 240 can get it too, i think)

So one of my friends was driving to work yesturday and swerved and hit a tree. it was a fatal accident and she was only 17. there is so much stuff going on around here. so im rethinking everything and im not trying to have all of this happen to me, plus insurance will be super expensive so i was thinking if you guys could name some cars that are really good first cars, that look good, and are fun to drive. if thats possible. thanks for everything

Well lets just say an SS/SC would be a bad idea.. if this was my first car, I would be dead right now.

And you guys better watch it with the kid remarks, as I am 17!

I had a 1993 Honda Accord 5 spd for my first car, and I loved it. Thing was indestructable, I took it on sand dunes, ice skating rinks, and drifting in the winter. It was a reliable, great gas mileage car that wasnt fast enough to tempt me to do something stupid with it. Something involving high speeds anways, the ice skating was pretty stupid!

Honda is probably your best bet at this point, as lots of members have pointed out. Maybe a base RSX or the s14 someone mentioned.

I am very sorry to hear about your friend... things happen, but you still feel terrible when they do. I hope things go alright for you man.

ya, i was looking at a mazda mazda3. what do you guys think about thoose. i have many friends that say they like them.

Mazda 3 would be nice if you want something nice all around, but not too quick. Just remember you may end up in an accident so keep that in mind when buying a nice car for your first. But if you want a nice newer reliable car to learn on, then I would say go ahead and get a mazda 3. You can choose between the sedan or hatchback style, and the 2.3 N/A with a 5-speed is decently quick

Cobalt SS

Do any of you guys know how bad insurance would be on a mazda3 as i am 16 insurance will probably be pretty high.

Naw, it will only be moderately high if you get the Mazdaspeed 3 (the car I was planning on getting) My insurance on the Cobalt SS is around $800 a year.

Mazda would be a good choice. I personally like the hatch better than the sedan.

Gohan, I like the way you think :D

how are the cobalts classified? they're 2drs. so sport compact? also how is insurance on those, i'd imagine that some companies have red flagged it like they did the srt4 neon.

Its not bad, as they are only rated at 205hp. I think it is classified as a sport compact, but im not sure.

Get a car with a minimum 400 horsepower - Welcome to Flavor country.


Go big or go home son.

Get a car with a minimum 400 horsepower - Welcome to Flavor country.


Go big or go home son.


i'm hoping that's sarcasm, it's the 16yr old's first car, he doesn't need that much power, 250 at most should work for now, if turbo'd even better due to most being able to go up in power in nice learnable, easy to obtain curves.

o i'm just going to put it out there...AE86

i'm hoping that's sarcasm, it's the 16yr old's first car, he doesn't need that much power, 250 at most should work for now, if turbo'd even better due to most being able to go up in power in nice learnable, easy to obtain curves.

Of course it's sarcasm.

Most drivers can't control the power they have now in their average cars, let alone something with high performance capabilities. Just because you can afford a sporty-sporto-sports car doesn't mean you know how to drive it.

Painfully slow with good visibility for the driver (i.e. lack of blind spots) is a good learning platform for any driver. I learned to drive in a '87 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4... wasn't fast at all and was easy to drive as well as park. Although I had a muscle car to get myself into trouble with I preferred driving the slow P-finder just out of the sheer ease of it.


Of course the slow and safe approach to driving something like a Pathfinder went out the window the day I realized I could drift it in open fields and jump it off-roading... :p :cwm27:

Good times.

well wait, we're tellign the kid not to get a powerful car so he can stay safe, i'm guessing the average person could get injured just as easily offroading as on a road, exne on the pathfindersay

haha true, I never said what I did was smart.

It was just fun.

I do not condone my behavior... I just talk about it as if I'm an old man... in forum speak I am. :(

i'm glad i live near an OK 4X4 place, they built a track out back, it's fricken awsome.

off roading is fun though, and a little more diffucult to get seriously injured, it's not like he's going to get a jeep and do rock crawling by himself, or in the middle of nowhere. dangerous, yes, fun, you bet your ass it is.

he can check out a truck. maybe a late 80's tacoma or tundra

how is the 2006 scion tc

im biased, i don't like toyota's(dont make me list the reasons). my cousin wants one though, so i've done some looking at em.

not bad, obviously with the toyota backing they're supposed to be bullit proof. about 170hp, so not deadly quick, they can be pricey though, they're only 3MY's old. also remember, you're trying to learn the basics of driving the car, you shouldn't get something expensive.

here's how i look at it, it's no different than a dodge neon, if the previous owner has taken care of it, and you will, it'll last a long time, if they or you abuse it, it'll kill your pocket.

for you, i'd suggest any car under 250hp and best to be fwd, so you can learn to drive. if you want rwd, get somethign that can handle(no mustangs) that way if you mess up a little it won't kill you.

The Scion tc is alright, I love the way they look... if you want to make them decently quick you can always throw a supercharger on it... but not the TRD one, as I hear they suck.

Yeah they suck...AIR!!:biggrin:

oh arent you cute :) haha... Well, they dont suck, they actually blow.

ya i deff. dont want anything expensive and i dont necessarily want it to be fast. it has to be good on insurance. so im pretty fricken limited. i went over to a carmax by my place and looked at some 01 eclipses, some tc, rabbits, and a vet for shits and giggles.

ooh i would also like it to be a hatchback because it is easier to fit a bike in. but it does not have to be a hatchback

AE-86. toyota built rwd, 130ish hp, and available as a hatch, can be hard to come by though.


other hatchs to consider: 300zx(83-89) 240sx(89-93) mitsu eclipse(91-99) eagle talon(91-97) 944(it has a good trunk space) a volvo sation wagon with a turbo...there are many others.

if you really wanna fit a bike in something, maybe a late 80's ford f150 lightning, rwd and fun, and hauling space.

oh arent you cute :) haha... Well, they dont suck, they actually blow.
Eh. Depends which side of it you are on. Turboes, superchargers, they all move air from one spot to another so they suck or pull(vacuum if you wanna get technical) and blow it to another area.

The Scion tc is alright, I love the way they look... if you want to make them decently quick you can always throw a supercharger on it... but not the TRD one, as I hear they suck.

you heard right. you can fully bolt a scion tc with trd upgrades, and still be in the 15s.

im talking cai, header, catback, supercharger. all in all, around 25 for a low 15sec car...no thanks.

There was a Scion at the track this past weekend in the mid-high 14's w/ a TRD kit.

you can get a car that's quicker than a scion stock for less. plus he really shouldn't get something to new or expensive.

my final vote, split between the 1983-1992 Porsche 944(any but turbo) or a Honda Civic(1993-1999, only for looks)

Dare to be different man.

2nd gen RX7, Conquest/Starion, 200SX, 1st gen 300ZX...or even a 1985.5+ Porsche 944...old school goodness.

Then again, you can always build a 12-second Volvo station wagon like I am. ;)

I do too.

What I dont like is some nub little 16 year old who decides to rev at me in a 25 zone to impress his flat chested girlfriend.

My girlfriend is a 38D...can I rev at you?

no way on the 200sx, thats a fwd no fun to be had 120hp 240sx wanna-be.

My girlfriend is a 38D...can I rev at you?
DAMN! Well do you have a choice if one of them falls out wnd hits the gas pedal?:lol2:

no way on the 200sx, thats a fwd no fun to be had 120hp 240sx wanna-be.

Wrong dude.

S12 chassis, '84 to '88. RWD. It's a Silvia, before Silvias were trendy. :redface: