Question about getting first Car!

[Dudek]

Hey everyone, I'm 20 and still havent had my own car because my parents are pretty kool and I pretty much have a car whenever I want.

Recently in the past few weeks I have been really getting interested in cars :). Main reason is I like anime and I watched this one called Initial D and it sparked my interest even more. So now I want to learn as much about cars as I can.

So far having read a bunch of posts by other members here alot of people are saying to get an old beat up car for your first car so you wont be so mad if you crash it.

The thing is I've been driving legally now for about 4 1/2 years and havent once gotten into an accident, gotten a few fines thogh :thumbsdow . I've probably been driving standard for.... I dunno roughly 8-9 years. I'm not 100% sure all I know is first time I ever learned to drive was in a standard and I was young lol. First started with sitting on my dads lap and steering, then I learned how to shift into gear and finally learned the pedals. I love standard no matter what anyone else says, I will never buy an automatic for myself because I just love being in control of my car. Alot of people talk about it sucking when your in the city cause you have to shift alot but thats what I love about standard I love shifting!!!!

So I'm fairly confident in my driving skills, I've also recently drove 20min to my work in a big rain storm with no whippers on a highway in traffic! Let me tell you that wasnt fun at all but I didnt want to turn around cause it was like my 2nd week working and I didnt want to start off bad lol. I know the smart thing to have done was to pull over and wait for the rain to stop but meh I took my chances and I was also confident in my driving heh.

Now my question is this, seeing as I am a fairly good driver and when I do finally buy my first car I really want to get one that I like not something beat up and old to work on. I want to get something that I love and want to modify. For awhile now I've been thinking about an Integra I just love the way they look with no mods done to them. But now that I am learning more about cars I want to take other things into consideration other then looks. So in my situation what would you guys recommend? Still go with a beat up car? or go with the car of my dreams? (that I can afford lol)

Thanks for reading and appreciate any feed back :)

[sabad66]

Go with the "car of your dreams". And make sure you get it inspected before you buy it. It will make you feel a lot better.

[markymark]

It all depends on your prefrence, so as you stated you dont want a beat up car that you have to work on. Why dont you just buy the car of your dreams?....that is in your price range, it is your car after all.

[Dudek]

Ok but I ment like what would you guys recommend? Like even though I say all this stuff about me having good driving skills. If it were a person who wanted to buy their first car and have that car modified would it be smarter for them to go with a beat up car first or the car of their dreams?

Like what I mean is ya I'd love to get the car of my dreams and modify it, but if it's smarter to buy a cheap beat up car first and modify that then move onto the car of your dreams, then I would probably go with the beat up car first. Cause id rather go with the smarter idea then go with the car of my dreams and fuck it up royally =/.

So please tell me what is the smarter thing to do?

[jaysas_63]

alright it would be really stupid to modify a POS, like why would you want to invest your hard earned money into something you don't like????...when you buy a POS its becasue its either for winter use, or to learn how to drive, or because you don't have enough cash....but there is no point at all in modifying a car you don't like....not to mention the resale would be terrible.

the bottom line is if you are goin to drop any money in your car it should be a car that you like, and are proud of driving. i hope you go for that integra you were saying you liked...just hope you don't put a fart can and a massive wing on the back lol
gl with the car man :thumbsup:

[Dudek]

Theres actually a few other cars I am interested in but have no idea about their price and such =/.

The reason I like the Integra so much is because they look good without any mods done to them and are fairly cheap, can get them for under 20 grand canadian ez.

The other cars I also like but no idea on price are the Evo and the Supra. Any idea of the price for a good condition Evo or Supra in Canada?

I make a decent ammount of money. I get paid $16 an hr full time job. The thing is though, I wanted to pay my car off with cash right away and not take a loan. But if I went with a 30+ thousand dollar car I would have to get a loan. What you think is better?

[statick]

if u hav 20 g's for a car, u can get an MKIV supra in ontario ( i'm pretty sure at least)...sumthing else nice would be the FC3s RX-7 ( ryosukes car in intial d, haha), it wouldnt cost too much, and u'd have quite a bit of money for insurance/maintenance/mods. i'm not sure if u wanted fwd or rwd, but as u kno rx7's are rwd. if udont mind rwd, u could get a nice 300zx/240sx. also in ur price range u could get a top condition skyline gtr, sorta old and maintenance might be a tad costly in comparison to an integra.
and if u do end up getting an integra, go with at least the gsr, and itd be better if u got a type r (well in ur price range).

good luck with the car shopping, and let us know how it goes adn wut u end up picking up.

[jaysas_63]

well if you have 20,000 you can not afford a evo ( i don't even know if they are legal here) but you could buy a lancer and modify it to look like an evo (mitsubishi evo are race moded lancers) and that would fit your price range......a newer supra ( the one you like) which is 93.5 and newer will set you back around 30,000 so thats kinda out of your range....i don't think u should look at fc3's (2nd gen mazda rx7's) but u should really look at 3rd gen rx7 like 93 and up....they go for around 20,000....and finaly if you really want an integra a gsr 95 would cost around 10 which is cheap,.,,,,but in your price range you could afford a 97 integra type R which are really cool ( sport modified integra) they go for around 17500....so basically i would recomend buyin a lancer which you said you like and modifyuing it to look and perforrm like a EVO...that way you get wahat you love, and you can have the fun of moding a car!!! tell me what you think

[GC84ever]

BTW you won't find a price for and EVO 8 in Canada, because they are not for sale here in Canada. If were lucky we might get the EVO 9, but probably not.

Your still young, I don't know what kind of credit history you have, but if you want to buy a new car. You could finance it and it''ll be a good way to build some good credit rating. And of course you can pay it off quicker if feel like it.

Don't forget the cost of insurance. You said you got a few fines. Get some qoutes for the cars that you are interesting in so that you can afford the payments (if you finance) and the insurance payments.

Since this is your first car. I would get something that you really like. That's what I did. A beater will be just a bigger money pit than a newer car (all cars are money pits). But some one once said "It's ok to pay for fun".

As for cars to get: (this is what I would look for)
Acura Integras are sweet cars. Lots of them are available, and the after market if hondas in general is masive, so the possibilities are endless.
Subaru Imprezas are the best (but I'm biased :D :love: ). They have the beloved AWD. The pre-WRX cars (my01 and older) are a bit on the rare side if you like to be original. After market is a bit on the low side (aka a bit pricey) compared to Hondas. but new WRXs are getting more affordable.
Nissan 240SX the hardest car to find because of the drifting craze. A 240SX with a silvia conversion would be :bigpimp: Depending on who you buy it from be wary if they could have been drifting it, because of excess wear on the rear end.
Acura RSX like the Integras are sweet. But I prefer the 02-04 cars. They look meaner than the '05. People have said though the RSX looks a bit like a civic though.

Well I hope this helps. and good luck

[Dudek]

Hah! GC8 I love the Subaru Impreza too! Ever since I think it was Gran Tourismo 2 or 3, I loved that Blue Impreza Rally car with the yellow logo on it!

How much are those?

Oh also about credit history I have a perfect record so far, never been late on a payment.

[jaysas_63]

the wrx sti's are around 40 000 man, u should really look at the lancer or type R instead.

[statick]

jaysas finding an mk4 supra in ontario for around 25 g's isnt hard...my cuzzin was lookin at a couple. with sum bargaining u could get it down a bit

[Dudek]

Damn no wounder their so good =/ lol. K I wanted to kinda wait till I was 22 or 23 so I would have a clean record with no fines, but recently I have been getting more and more into cars and I'm starting to get impatient with buying my own car!

Even though I want one so bad I, think it would be smarter to wait? Cause I know if I get a sporty car I'm gonna get hit hard with insurance =/. I already once got a quote on a regular Integra and it came to over 4k a year, which is like $350 dollars a month =/ and thats without collison.

So should I just bare with it for a few more years or just buy it?

[Dudek]

Hey GC8, just looked in your profile nice ride you got man! :thumbsup:

[Dudek]

I just looked on Subaru.ca and I can get a Impreza 2.5RS Sports Package Sedan for $27,795.

The WRX though was 47k =/.

Also if I went with a Mitsubishi Lancer, should I go with the Lancer ES or the Lancer Ralliart? The ES is 16 grand and the Ralliart is 22 grand. But the ES only has 120hp and the Ralliart as 162hp.

[jaysas_63]

Originally posted by statick
jaysas finding an mk4 supra in ontario for around 25 g's isnt hard...my cuzzin was lookin at a couple. with sum bargaining u could get it down a bit

ya you could find a supra for 25 in ontario...but even over there 25 is a good deal (for a non turbo) the cheapest one for sale over there is 37 right now...and there is a non turbo in calg/edm for around 33...and if you buy a car from eastern canada there are lots of probs ..like there may be rust ( it is a 11 yr old car), and you are ganna have to find a mechanic to check the car out too,. and shipping, ur just better off to buy in cal, or edm. besides 30 grand for a non turbo supra is a rip off like i don't understand why they are so expensive ( fast and furious lol)..they are a beautifull car and the twin tubos are fast as stink but IMO they are over priced

ne ways ya the 2.5 rs is deffinatly attainable in your price range u should be able to pick up like a 99 or sumtin for around 17...but i really think you should go for that lancer man like u said u love the evo, and they look very similar, just do some cosemetic mods, and lancers are only like 13000, and they are 2003, so u get a fairly new car, and insurance won't be bad either cause they aren't considered sport cars

and the es is more like 13, and OZ ralli art is around 18 (still in ur price range)...i would go with the es because
1 u are ganna mod the exterrior anyways.
2 you can slap on a turbo for cheaper than 5 gs and you would put out way more power, along with other perf mods

[jaysas_63]

lol just looked at ur location and u ARE from ont. well i guess u can scratch all that shit i said about importing...but i would still try to stay away from a 30000 non turbo car that is over 10 yrs old...unless you are a supra entuhsiast

[Dudek]

So you think I should go with the Cheaper ES model? Rather then the Ralliart model?

[jaysas_63]

ya for sure ....because u said ur self that you want to modify, so by the base and modify it to how YOU want it to look, not OZ

[jaysas_63]

and to copensate for that 40 hp diff. you can always do engine mods

[Dudek]

ya, so your saying I could probably get it up to 160hp or more for less then paying for the 162hp Ralliart model?

[Stratus_Power]

i disagree, you should at least go for the ralliart if you were to get a lancer. but if you are spending that much on an econ box, why not get a mazda3

[jaysas_63]

oh yea...a lot more than 162 for 5 gs, like a turbo alone will totaly transform those specs on that car

[jaysas_63]

Originally posted by Stratus_Power
i disagree, you should at least go for the ralliart if you were to get a lancer. but if you are spending that much on an econ box, why not get a mazda3

well the rali art isn't exactly like a MB with amg tunning lol they put on some rims a slighty better suspension, and ground effects, and a slighty bigger engine well i say you can do better for 5g's

[jaysas_63]

and the reason i suggested the lancer in the first place was because he said he liked
1 the evo
2 hw wanted to mod cars

well why would he waste money on the rali art when he should be puttin the money into a body kit/ lights/ hood/ that would make it look like the evo.

[Dudek]

As for the question I asked earlier:

Even though I want one so bad I, think it would be smarter to wait? Cause I know if I get a sporty car I'm gonna get hit hard with insurance =/. I already once got a quote on a regular Integra and it came to over 4k a year, which is like $350 dollars a month =/ and thats without collison.

So should I just bare with it for a few more years or just buy it?

[GC84ever]

Thanks Dudek for the nice comments.

I waited till I was 25 when I bought my Impreza. My insurance was cut in half once i reached 25.
I've seen bugeye WRX for as low as $27K CAD.
$47K for a WRX? you probably meant WRX STi; WRX's are about $35K. But GC8 cars are the best looking and you can put any EJ series engine in a GC8.

IMO I would not buy. Use your parents car for now. A) unlimited access B) lower insurance C) you can save for the car of your dreams when you are really able to afford it or when the insurance is reasonable.

You should check out Subaru club of toronto (http://www.toronto-subaru-club.com/) .

[Dudek]

ya I knew it was the smarter thing to do, but I want my car sooo bad =/.

LoL I cant wait for Gran Tourismo 4 to come out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 years just seems like such a long time to wait :thumbsdow

[Dudek]

Hey howcome I dont see many Lancers around? I mean for a car that good only costing 15k you'd think you would see more of them around?

Actually on Friday was the first time I ever seen one in real life!

[jenzfast01]

Speaking of GT4, I kinda wish they released it on the PS3 or whatever they are calling their next box.:dunno:

[Dudek]

screw that, no way could I wait till 2006 for GT4 and have to buy a new system. I can barely wait till December lol.

[GC84ever]

I know how you feel about waiting. Just remember once you get your car, you'll appreciate it that much more.
I was heart borken when it was announced that GT4 won't be online. Same for Ace Combat 5. :banghead:
But GT4 will rock!!!!

[Dudek]

WHAT?!?!?!?!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?!?

GT4 wont be online?!?!?!? Awwwwwww =/ That sucks I thought that would be like the number one new thing they would add to this!!! That sucks :cry:

[GC84ever]

yeah, I read it on IGN.com
But they are planning to release a second version in about a year that will be online, if i remember correctly.
On IGN.com they mentioned that 77% of people polled said they would rather wait a few months more for the game to be released with online support, than get it right away with out online support.

[BigMass]

Originally posted by jaysas_63


well the rali art isn't exactly like a MB with amg tunning lol they put on some rims a slighty better suspension, and ground effects, and a slighty bigger engine well i say you can do better for 5g's

no way.

If you get a Lancer, get the Ralliart. The OZ Lancer has rear DRUM brakes for crying out loud. The only acceptable Lancer is the Ralliart (at least it has 4w disc). To bring an OZ lancer to Ralliart level you would need an intercooled tubo kit $5000 at least, new brakes, new suspension and a few other goodies that are going to cost well over $10,000 with install and to top it off youre going to void your warranty.

Then after all that youre still stuck with an OZ lancer that has no resale value because the market for modded cars is small. The Ralliart is a way smarter choice and down the road when your warranty runs out, you will have a decent base to build on IF you chose to mod your car.

Buying a new 15,000 car and putting 10,000 into it to get it to a lower performance level than a 20,000 car AND voiding your warranty at the same time is just idiotic IMO.

If you want a lancer get the Ralliart. Especially since you said you liked the Evo. The insurance on it should be cheap. Its a 4 door econobox.

At your age i would try and stay away from blowing %100 of your money on a used car youre going to need to do repairs on eventually.

And to the people suggesting this kid buy a 3g RX7 or MkiV Supra, pass the crack pipe.

[Dudek]

Hey BigMass, I was sorta thinking the samething. Like when I first herd about it I was all hyped about getting a decent priced car and then having it modified.

But then when I really thought about it your right, whats the point of buying a lower class model car and modifying it just to be a lower class model trying to perform as a higher class model.

Cause the Ralliart is pretty much the Lancer ES, just that it's already been modified a bit.

[BigMass]

A race car driver i know once said to me, "If you have a $20,000 car and want to put 10,000 into it why not just buy a 30,000 car? and so on". In the end youre going to keep your resale and have a better car to show for it. The Ralliart has a lot more over the ES. Just look at the specs on the Mitsu site. Im not saying the Ralliart is the best car for the money or you should get it over any other car. But if you are set on getting a Lancer, then thats the way i'd go. $20,000 is pretty cheap for a new car these days.

In that price range you could also consider a Sentra SER Spec V. Which is a good performer for the money, but IMO looks like complete ass. But thats a personal matter of taste.

In the end i'll stick to my opinion that the best driver's car for the money is a used Miata :) But I don’t judge a car based on 0-60 or ¼ mile times.

[Dudek]

Ya I hear ya BigMass, thats why I am gonna wait to find out if the Rumors are true or not about the Evo VIIII being available in Canada next year.

If it is true I will probably get one of those even though their set to be around $47,000. But it will be worth it!

[BigMass]

You must have a lot of money if you can afford a 47,000 car. I didnt realize that. You said you make 16/hour. I make over $30/hour and i cant afford a $40,000 car. How are you going to make $1000/month payments on your car if you loose your job? Are you sure you wont loose your job for the next 6 or 7 years? Are your parents going to let you live at home until youre 30 just so you can afford a more expensive car than they can? Sorry i know im getting personal, but at 20, you may not realize the full reality of what it takes to own such an expensive car.

You also have to realize that if your insurance company wanted $4000/year for a regular Integra, theyre going to want something stupid like 12,000/year for an EVO 9. You should look into it just in case so you dont disappoint yourself.

[Dudek]

Dont worry I know what you mean, I got alittle carried away in my last reply lol. What I really ment is that would be my dream car. That or the WRX STI.

So ya I dont plan to buy a car right away, well hopefully I can resist the erge to get one. If I do end up getting one before I'm 25 then ya it most likley wont be no $40,000 car. But I dont think I would get a Lancer Ralli-art either. One reason is because I herd alot of negative things about the Lancer. And the other reason being that the Impreze 2.5RS for alittle more then the Lancer Ralli-art.

[Rydog]

so what did you end up doing there Dudek? just wondering since i drive a 2004 Ralliart. i love it, so fun man and exactly as Bigmass said, it's WAY more car for the money than the ES or LS models.

check us out at www.lancernation.net if you like.
Cheers,
Ry