Need help choosing a new car

  • Thread starter mark2080
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mark2080

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This summer I will be buying a car, but this weekend I already started looking at different cars and was hoping to get some of your input. Tell me what you think or give me a suggestion on different cars to check out. I am mostly interested in smaller sporty cars. I am looking at a price range under $30,000 for sure and probably under $25,000. Another thing I will have to consider is how much I will have to spend on insurance as I am only 18 years old.

So far, I have test driven:
Subaru Impreza WRX
Acura RSX Type S

And have sat in:
Mitsubishi Lancer
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (a little out of my range i think)
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Acura Integra (2000)


Thanks everyone;)
 
A *used* 350Z? A bit ambitious there, aren't ya, Christine?

Anyway, if you only have around $30K, I reckon you should go for something like a Lancer.
 
Attempting to insure the named cars will be a nightmare for an 18-year-old. Literally, $7000/year.

I'd go for a 1992 Volkswagen Corrado SLC VR6.
 
Better yet, buy a car for around $15,000 and bank the rest for college.
 
Thanks for the replys guys. I have heard that insurance for the WRX will be a little above $3000 a year for me. I also already have all the money I need saved up for college, although if I find a $15,000 car that I like enough, I will still get it. I will hopefully be able to check out Nissan, Mazda, Ford, and Chevy this week before I head back to school (I am on spring break right now).
 
I would buy a 1992 MR2 Turbo. Those cars rule. You'll beat ALOT of people in the stoplight drag races. And its a very nice car that doesnt feel cheap.


I hate when people say the USDM Evo sucks. It isnt any worse than cars that have sold before it. In fact, I think its still better than most cars out there.


If Mitsu doesnt sell any Lancers because a bunch of idiots think it sucks without an AYC and all kinds of fancy LSD's. Do you think Nissan will bother bringing the Skyline?
 
Originally posted by mark2080
Thanks for the replys guys. I have heard that insurance for the WRX will be a little above $3000 a year for me.
Click to expand...

Why? When I was originally getting my first car - which turned out to be a 1990 Lexus ES250, insurance was $6,000 a year. The car wasn't new, this was in 1991-1992, and it wasn't very powerful. I guarantee you'll pay much more than $1500/6 months.
 
I'm 19. I bought my first car (1990 Civic) when I was 17. I hadn't done anything to it. My insurance was $4,500/year for a car with 92hp. It has a manual tranny, and its a 2 door. So, according to the insurance company its considered a "Sport coupe". Do you know what other car is under the same group? A Mustang 5.0 V8 with two and a half times as much horsepower. Twice as many cylinders and an engine thats 333% larger.
 
:lol:

I think the Toyota Solaris is nice. Good power. If you want good gas milage the Toyota Corrola S has 40MPG. The WRX is nice, you get a good sporty car for around 25 grand. Camaro's are nice. Even if you get an 80's one, which my mom had owned before. The Dodge Stratus R/T (new) is great. You can get it for under 20 grand as well. The Intrepid R/T is a nice balance of sports, luxury, and fun (has 250 HP). The RSX is a nice car too, almost bought that one. If you are still unsure try www.carpoint.com for help. Just enter in your zipcode and it shows all cars for sale in the area and you can sort them buy your budget.
 
Originally posted by SandStorm
A *used* 350Z? A bit ambitious there, aren't ya, Christine?

Anyway, if you only have around $30K, I reckon you should go for something like a Lancer.
Click to expand...

No. Considering the American summer is still a few months away, there will be used one floating around by then. And from memory, they are US 35k new
 
Originally posted by 12sec. Civic
I'm 19. I bought my first car (1990 Civic) when I was 17. I hadn't done anything to it. My insurance was $4,500/year for a car with 92hp. It has a manual tranny, and its a 2 door. So, according to the insurance company its considered a "Sport coupe". Do you know what other car is under the same group? A Mustang 5.0 V8 with two and a half times as much horsepower. Twice as many cylinders and an engine thats 333% larger.
Click to expand...

You bought your car as it was ten years old, for one thing. New cars are much more expensive to insure for new drivers - not because they create more accidents - because they know teenagers (or their parents) buying new cars can afford higher insurance. For another thing, the categories are merely placement - they don't determine actual insurance price. That's determined by many factors including horsepower, body style, likelihood of an accident by similar drivers, size, airbags or other passive restraint systems, grades [if applicable], likelihood of getting stolen, length of commute, and even marital status.

I'm sure that's just a partial list.
 
Test drive a Miata, you'll love it.

Finding an MP3 is a bit hard, though you could possibly find a MazdaSpeed Protege at a MazdaSpeed Dealer(Mazda dealer selling MazdaSpeed stuff).

You can find Miatas all over. You could aim for the 2003 SE and/or Shinsen version, I'd go for the SE because the wheels are awsome. I sat in it at the Chicago autoshow.

You could even go with a used one if you like, you can find some(1st gens) for as little as 3K, though a 2nd gen should run you about 9K used to 18K new maxed out. Depends on what you need. You can also get a "racing" version new from Mazda, which is bare bones, for pretty cheap, and it's a great deal lighter than the normal one, but I wouldn't think you'd want one without a radio or A/C and without many other options and standard features.

If you need any info, let me know. :)

But I'd suggest taking the Miata for a spin, you'll be impressed.
 
True. It's small, but not as small as others like the MR-S. Most people though don't really need lots of space in a sports car.

Though, if you need the space, buy the RX-8 this summer. ;)
 
Originally posted by M5Power
You bought your car as it was ten years old, for one thing. New cars are much more expensive to insure for new drivers - not because they create more accidents - because they know teenagers (or their parents) buying new cars can afford higher insurance. For another thing, the categories are merely placement - they don't determine actual insurance price. That's determined by many factors including horsepower, body style, likelihood of an accident by similar drivers, size, airbags or other passive restraint systems, grades [if applicable], likelihood of getting stolen, length of commute, and even marital status.

I'm sure that's just a partial list.
Click to expand...


Wow, thanks for the explaination. Its nothing I didnt already know. If its an argument against me, I really dont understand what your trying to say? I agree, but anyways. Thanks for the insurance write up. I am sure someone will benefit from reading it.
 
Yeah, in order to drive my car I have to pay for gas, insurance, maintinence, etc. So I figured thats around $600 a month for me. But now Im getting a Durango R/T and will use the SRT4 for rallying. I think the Durango gets better gas milage too so I might have to reconfigure some of my calculations...
 
Originally posted by 12sec. Civic
Wow, thanks for the explaination. Its nothing I didnt already know. If its an argument against me, I really dont understand what your trying to say? I agree, but anyways. Thanks for the insurance write up. I am sure someone will benefit from reading it.
Click to expand...

Uh... did you read what I wrote, or did you immediately assume I was being hostile (as you have decided to be) and not read the actual factors which determine insurance price?
 
You could either go for what's a good ride, or what's a good buy. For a good ride in your price range, a Cooper S or WRX: best handling or best speed, your choice. Otherwise, a good buy could be anything used (Miata, Integra, Mustang GT) or something cheap, like [any] Honda, Altima V6, MR2 Spider.... Then again, insurance falls under maintenance costs, so find out what your rate would be. The 18-25 age group is high to begin with, but rates differ from state to state.

I never put much consideration on what my first new car would be. I figured out what my needs (and wants) were, and whittled my choices down accordingly. Then went by price range, then by how the car felt to drive (and whether it was a P.O.S. or not). It was my first car; who cared what it was? It's like being asked to choose your profession for life when you're 18...oh wait, you are.
 
You could either go for what's a good ride, or what's a good buy. For a good ride in your price range, a Cooper S or WRX: best handling or best speed, your choice. Otherwise, a good buy could be anything used (Miata, Integra, Mustang GT) or something cheap, like [any] Honda, Altima V6, MR2 Spider.... Then again, insurance falls under maintenance costs, so find out what your rate would be. The 18-25 age group is high to begin with, but rates differ from state to state.

I never put much consideration on what my first new car would be. I figured out what my needs (and wants) were, and whittled my choices down accordingly. Then went by price range, then by how the car felt to drive (and whether it was a P.O.S. or not). It was my first car; who cared what it was? It's like being asked to choose your profession for life when you're 18...oh wait, you are.
 
Thanks again guys. My spring break is over and i didnt get another chance to test anymore cars, so it sill be a while before i can look again. I did look at the Nissan SE-R and the Altima V6. I liked both of them, but i still want to know how the feel on the road.

Also at the Nissan dealership, they had just recieved one of the 2004 Maximas. It was really cool. (out of my range though)
 

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