Time for a new car!

[exrider12]

Well Im going to college next year in South Carolina and freshman can bring cars. My college expenses are extremely minimal so Im going to be upgrading from the maxima!

Looking for ideas on some quick, well handling cars. I want a Rwd or Awd car. Been looking at g35...350z..mustang.. Sti.. Evo.. Gto.. S4..S60r..M3.

Let me know what you guys think! Thanks

[trailrider894]

Your about to get a massive amount of completely biased posts, so i'll keep it un-biased. What are you really looking for in a car??? Speed?? Handling?? Fuel Mileage?? Low Insurance?? Best Looking?? You listed some of the best, so its hard to choose. Limit it down a little. I personally would avoid the Mustang and 350Z, not because they are bad cars, but it seems like its the typical car that freshman go out and buy, and who wants to be like everyone else.

[exrider12]

Oh Im ready for it, Im just waiting for it to happen. And I guess your right about those two. I wont be driving all that much so fuel mileage isnt a big deal. It has to be a manual. I want a good handling car that still has a good amount of get up pretty much.

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by exrider12
Oh Im ready for it, Im just waiting for it to happen. And I guess your right about those two. I wont be driving all that much so fuel mileage isnt a big deal. It has to be a manual. I want a good handling car that still has a good amount of get up pretty much.

Then I say stick with your basic import cars. The GTO isn't that bad with handling, but I wouldn't want to go 100mph around a tight corner. The STI is still my personal favorite car, because you can get an easy 400hp and they handle like they are on rails. I guess the real question is how much are you gonna spend???

[exrider12]

I get what your saying haha. And between 15-20k. I really like the luxury, handling, and power you get from an M3 but Im having trouble finding a good one with low miles. And the Sti is one of my favorite cars but Im majoring in some form of business and I want my ride to be presentable to potential bosses and the Sti wing doesnt exactly look professional.

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by exrider12
I get what your saying haha. And between 15-20k. I really like the luxury, handling, and power you get from an M3 but Im having trouble finding a good one with low miles. And the Sti is one of my favorite cars but Im majoring in some form of business and I want my ride to be presentable to potential bosses and the Sti wing doesnt exactly look professional.

Yeah, I get your point, and the STI is FARRRRR from comfortable. I got cramped after just 20 minutes of driving. I suggest the Luxury Imports, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, etc.... The M3 is a great car, RWD doesn't help with cornering on wet surfaces, but the car is rock solid, comfortable, and gets decent gas mileage.

[exrider12]

Alright man thanks for the input! Much appreciated. Im just gonna keep looking

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by exrider12
Alright man thanks for the input! Much appreciated. Im just gonna keep looking

can those who are biased post?

[exrider12]

Be my guest pipeless!

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by exrider12
Be my guest pipeless!

i've fallen in love with the 4th gen f-body platform. with a t-56 people see about 28-30 mpg highway, plenty of power for when you want, and very easy to make big power. they're extremely reliable, but they do lack in handling somewhat. the handling could be much worse though. a few simple upgrades can make a night and day difference. the main reason i'm suggesting this is because you would have plenty of money left over after the initial purchase of the car to either modify it to your liking or to save (smart).

[exrider12]

Im not familiar with F-bodies. Would that be trans ams and fire birds?

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by exrider12
Im not familiar with F-bodies. Would that be trans ams and fire birds?

and camaros

[89trx250r]

In all honesty and im not trying to be a dream killer here but why not just save your money for now...? You said yourself you wont be doing much driving etc. seems like this car may be a talking/braggin point especially on the sti,m3,g35 end of the scale.Everyone loves a new car but you have to think if its worth it not to mention most college students are drunk 24/7 so you dont need to catch a dui and have that bad larry impounded...Anyway goodluck with whatever route you go...

[Quad18star]

Simple choice .... get a Dodge Challenger . :devil:

[slightlybent47]

Originally posted by 89trx250r
In all honesty and im not trying to be a dream killer here but why not just save your money for now...? You said yourself you wont be doing much driving etc. seems like this car may be a talking/braggin point especially on the sti,m3,g35 end of the scale.Everyone loves a new car but you have to think if its worth it not to mention most college students are drunk 24/7 so you dont need to catch a dui and have that bad larry impounded...Anyway goodluck with whatever route you go...


Yep I agree, and why would you want a car that will come with very expensive insurance and then let it sit? If you want a car to get girls, you’re after the wrong girls.lol
I know everyone wants a nice fast car, especially if you’re young. And the car companies want you to think 30-40K is normal to spend on a new car.
Buy a beater and save the money for hookers, you be better off in the long run.lol

[Tommy Warren]

get a prius :macho

[finsteratv]

Originally posted by Tommy Warren
get a prius :macho
I heard all they cost is the forfeit of your man card!

[beastlywarrior]

honestly if i were to actually buy a car, i saw a clean red prelude vtec that i really like or a cobalt ss turbo

[trailrider894]

An F-Body wouldn't be a bad choice, the only thing to be warned about is that Trans Am's are pretty well known for their interior designed of tracing paper, it'll crack in a heartbeat, so you gotta be careful.

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by trailrider894
An F-Body wouldn't be a bad choice, the only thing to be warned about is that Trans Am's are pretty well known for their interior designed of tracing paper, it'll crack in a heartbeat, so you gotta be careful.

the door panels crack, but taking out a specific staple can prevent it. dash pads crack too but that seems to be either you're lucky or you're not.

[HondaRacing83]

i love f bodies. i love my grandpas z3 to.

[Tommy Warren]

Originally posted by exrider12
Well Im going to college next year in South Carolina and freshman can bring cars. My college expenses are extremely minimal so Im going to be upgrading from the maxima!

Looking for ideas on some quick, well handling cars. I want a Rwd or Awd car. Been looking at g35...350z..mustang.. Sti.. Evo.. Gto.. S4..S60r..M3.

Let me know what you guys think! Thanks

I would take any of these cars over a firechicken. they handle (apart from the mustang) way better and have twice the fuel mileage

[outacontrol]

Originally posted by Tommy Warren
I would take any of these cars over a firechicken. they handle (apart from the mustang) way better and have twice the fuel mileage

your wrong. my 02 ss camaro with 6 speed got 26-28 mpg highway with 360 hp. show me a 350 hp car mentioned above that gets 52 mpg, as your claimed twice the fuel mileage.

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by outacontrol
your wrong. my 02 ss camaro with 6 speed got 26-28 mpg highway with 360 hp. show me a 350 hp car mentioned above that gets 52 mpg, as your claimed twice the fuel mileage.

You have to understand Tommy, he is just a comedian. Obviously none of the cars listed will get 52mpg with more than 350hp.

[outacontrol]

I understand it was a figure of speech I was just stating u get any of those cars to 350 hp and I doubt any will get the mpg as the ls1 motor in the f bodies

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by outacontrol
I understand it was a figure of speech I was just stating u get any of those cars to 350 hp and I doubt any will get the mpg as the ls1 motor in the f bodies First off the LS1 isn't whats getting them the gas mileage its the tranny. I've got an LS1 with some bolt on's that only gets 20mpg, its a much lighter car with a different tranny and 4:10's in the rear.

[mx Eli]

s4's are a very nice car, have the luxury like you want and can be real sleepers, my buddy has a stage 3 01 with about 450 to the wheels and get 19-20 if he drives nice

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by trailrider894
First off the LS1 isn't whats getting them the gas mileage its the tranny. I've got an LS1 with some bolt on's that only gets 20mpg, its a much lighter car with a different tranny and 4:10's in the rear.

and your rear end is whats killing you. i get 20 around town all day in my t/a if im not laying into the happy pedal, and during the summer i get up to 26 highway. that's with an A4 and 3.23 rear gear. LSx engines are extremely efficient as far as fuel consumption.

[YFZ-FoFiddy-TC]

If you're going to spend 20k my vote goes for an '03/'04 Cobra. They handle well and lay down power. Manley H beam rods and forged Zolney pistons from the factory, the bottom end can take up to about 1000 hp. Rear end is good for roughly 700. I love all cars, but the Terminator is just a beast right out of the factory.

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by YFZ-FoFiddy-TC
If you're going to spend 20k my vote goes for an '03/'04 Cobra. They handle well and lay down power. Manley H beam rods and forged Zolney pistons from the factory, the bottom end can take up to about 1000 hp. Rear end is good for roughly 700. I love all cars, but the Terminator is just a beast right out of the factory.

i change my vote to a termi. pulley, exhaust, tune, drag radials.. done.

[YFZ-FoFiddy-TC]

Originally posted by Pipeless416
i change my vote to a termi. pulley, exhaust, tune, drag radials.. done.

Yes sir. I have a buddy that runs in SCCA solo with his and does surprisingly well, he doesn't use his drag radials obviously though. Lol. After my truck is paid off I'll be buying one. He has a 2.2KB with Borla exhaust, crower stg.2 cams, CAI, few other odds & ends and he's putting down 647/603 on a mild tune.

[outacontrol]

Originally posted by trailrider894
First off the LS1 isn't whats getting them the gas mileage its the tranny. I've got an LS1 with some bolt on's that only gets 20mpg, its a much lighter car with a different tranny and 4:10's in the rear.

Wrong again.. put 410 gears in a prius and watch what happens to the gas mileage. I agree with pipeless. I've had both an auto ls1 and a six speed both with mid to high 20s mpg. The auto I put 373s in and lost 4 mpg

[honda250xrider]

I would suggest a new mustang. you can get one within your price range- 20k otd is doable on a base V6 model. They get good gas mileage and have decent amount of HP. You also get the satisfaction of owning a new car WITH a warranty.

Lets be honest your young, and you are going to drive the piss out of it, a warranty would more than likely be a good thing.


Owning an older car that you constantly have to keep running is no fun and can get expensive quick. A termi is a cool car indeed, but for a daily driver? Most of the termi's out there have been modified and driven hard. Are you willing to take that chance? Look at the prices of new blocks/engines.

[sexysilverado45]

Im definatley a muscle car guy, but I've been looking at the Audi tt quattro and I believe the s4 and a4s. You can pick up a ty used for 8-12.

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by outacontrol
Wrong again.. put 410 gears in a prius and watch what happens to the gas mileage. I agree with pipeless. I've had both an auto ls1 and a six speed both with mid to high 20s mpg. The auto I put 373s in and lost 4 mpg

I said, that my rear ends gears and tranny are what is causing my bad mileage. So how am I wrong, we don't need another person coming on their high horse, trying to prove themselves.

[MX MaNiAc 06]

Havent heard anybody say G35.. I think they are awesome cars. 350Z motor. Has proven itself to be pretty reliable. Handles like a dream, back seat and looks pretty badass as well. I think they get like 24mpg if that matters. They come in a 6 speed. I have a savings account I call my G35 account.. I want one bad :devil:

[Wills77]

GTO...i cant wait to get mine on the road. They only made the new style for 3 years so you rarely see them around which is cool because you feel like you have something special. 05/06 have the ls2 making 400hp stock. They have more of a sleeper look so youll surprise any of those other cars if they pull up next to you. I bought mine wrecked.

[sexysilverado45]

I was actually looking into the g35s too. They are a mixture of performance and luxury from what I gather but I like the looks of the coupe and those are hard to find around here in a manual.

[FHKracingZ]

I vote a newer wrx. Still a presentable car and a good winter car. Im a v8 rwd car guy at heart but its hard to find a nice one for a decent price.

I owned a 08 STi with a few mods and I can tell you that 400whp is not easy to get on them cars.

I had full exhaust, dp, intake, grimmspeed electronic boost solenoid, grimmspeed headers, ported turbo, accessport and the car was protuned for 21lbs. Still only made 330awhp. So 400 is gonna take some major work and lose reliablity, plus we all know the subaru wrx motors are notorious for ringland problems in the newer versions, even in stock form.

I vote a newer wrx with a few bolt ons and you will have a mid 13's car that gets 22-25mpg and is great in the winter.

[catch22blaster]

Honda S2000 or WRX... Either one will get the neck breakers an the ladies dude. I love my s2k

[traitor08]

I would tend to stay away from the mustangs, except for the cobras. I don't like chick cars. Around here mostly girls drive them. I was around a guy who built a ws6 firebird, that thing was a beast. Gto's around here are also driven by girls. Not a fan of the "ricer cars". In the end, they are still usually just economy cars.

But this is going to be your vehicle, so choose wisely, and do research.

[sexysilverado45]

Also one thing I havent heard mentioned is just because the bank will loan you up to 18-20k doesn't mean you have to or should spend that much even if you can afford that now, with a current job or what have you. Something could always come up. Also shop around dont settle or impulse buy.

Ex I could have afforded a 12-15k pickup out of highschool and found one for 13500 at a dealer I was a pen stroke away from owning it but decided to go home and think about it. I looked at the private market and that thing was marked up threw the roof. Ended up paying 7 for the truck I have now and its newer, has more options, and more accessories than the one at the dealer.

Just a heads up invade you hadn't thought of that.

[YFZ-FoFiddy-TC]

Good advice^. Before I bought my truck I looked at a couple from a dealer, very glad I didn't buy them. One wanted $12,900 for a truck that booked hi value at $11,450. Tranny needed rebuilt, needed a lift pump and a VP soon, one rear door was stuck shut, dome light wouldn't shut off, list goes on and on. They wouldn't budge a penny because they said its "rare" seeing it was a long bed quad cab 6 speed. I looked at that truck 2 months ago and needless to say they still have it. Sadly enough I'm sure some sucker will buy it eventually.

Found my truck from a private seller and paid $11,000 and it booked at $13,900. Needed a lift pump and that was it ($300). I'm more than happy and glad I waited.

[RATPACK Z400]

If you can get loan ,check out the whole sale lots /auctions . You can get a great deal on luxury/sport cars there .I went to whole sale lot got bmw 02 330xi for $8000 (45,000 new) had 100,000 miles on it but was taken care of and never wrecked and was pristine in and out, is awd and has all the packages on it . Never been happier, cars fast,handles like a go-cart get 30mph to gallon got 240 hp/215 tor. there so many luxury/sport cars too chose from at these places ,just take someone that knows cars !