Calibur, I'm in the same situation as you, except I don't have any money at all I can pay for myself, and I almost already have my license. (Failed my first attempt, total bullshit but whatever)

Look at the Mazda 3. If the best you can do is a family styled sedan, this is the best choice imo. Its pretty sporty looking, fun to drive and handle, great fuel economy, available in manual, and pretty cheap.





Nice, eh?
You can get a 04-07 model for under 10 grand pretty easy. There's also the hatchback style if you prefer that.

 

Honestly man go for the rx8, Ive had no issues with my car, i check my oil when needed, and let the `car warm up before i take off` and cool down before i turn off, `its a 2006 25000miles on it and i drive it like hell, but respect it for what it is... insurance companies classify cars by their displacement and the amount of doors it has, all your insurance company will see is 1300cc and 4door, go compare the rx8 with a regular mazda 3 and see there is not much difference, only more because of the price of replacement.

 

Not exactly true. My wife works in insurance and told me that they rate it as a high performance vehicle. Besides all the kids on here have proven that their insurance is ridiculous high. I think the young driver at the top of the page has a good point for a first car being a Mazda 3.
Get some insurance quotes. Just because someone takes good care of their 8 doesnt mean things wont go wrong with the car. I dont think its practical especially since after buying the car, the young driver needs a job to pay for gas which in this case is premium and around 18+ or - mpg. The 3 should have better mpg and I heard the young ones say how fun they are.
So the teen has to fill the tank more often and most likely pay alot more in insurance over the 3s insurance cost but like I said, get a quote. Also he has to deal with any issues that possbly come up including replacing the higher priced tires.

 

I checked the Progressive quote for the Mazda 3 and the Rx8.

For liability insurance (cheapest option w/ no collision or comprehension) it was like $105/month for the Mazda 3 and $108 for the Rx8. But once you put up the slider to get at least collision coverage, it gets to about $200 for the Mazda 3 and $250 for the Rx8. And this is with less than 4000 miles a year of driving. If you put down 10k miles annually, good luck.

If I can find a job, I really don't mind the insurance/gas cost. But as long as my parents pay for it, it may be a problem.

 

Remember, alot of people drive around w/o insurance and if they ever nailed you, than your basically paying for the fixes yourself without Full coverage. Even after taking them to court, you would only get a small amount at a time till paid off. I have never had a car wihtout full coverage because I am scared of such a scenario. Some people are also known to hit and run and it happens more than you think.

 

Hell I would drive without insurance if it was up to me.

The rates are crazy high for young drivers. Although I haven't gotten an accurate quote that include discounts. (A avg student).
If I had to pay $2000 a year for insurance, it would pretty much double the cost of the car in a few years.

And I don't see myself front bumping a car at 50 miles per hour and it being my fault, ever.

 

I would never drive without full coverage. Its illegal to drive with liability only on a car that has a loan on it. On a car that doesn't have a loan if your hit and run, un insured, underinsured or anything at all your fucked.

 

Hey Jared, I'm going to tell you about my personal experience with the 8. I own a 2009 RX8 R3 that I absolutely love with all my heart. I never ever thought that I would get a car like this for my first car. I will admit that I am in a VERY lucky situation with my parents. They pay my payment, insurance, gas, etc.

However I am also ranked in the top 1% of my high school class with a GPA of 4.8. With that being said, the insurance on my car dropped. I also took a defensive driving course (multiple actually) that all contributed to lowering insurance as well.

Gas is rather expensive, about $40 every week or so for me. I rarely drive more than to and from school, practice, and home. There are other expenses that come along with the 8 as well, oil etc. Check the breakdown that was on the first page I think.

If the 8 isn't an option for you, I'll tell you the cars that I was looking at when I was looking by myself.

2002-2003 3 Series BMW
With about 70k miles or so, they were priced around 10k
Insurance is also great on these for some reasons, for me it would be about $165 a month (16, M, New driver no accidents or tickets.)

Acura RSX, previously posted, great car.

Scion TC
Popular at my school, had to take a look.

Civic
I know you said you didnt want one, but they are great cars, theres no denying that.

Accord
Same thing as above, but more expensive.

That was about my list. Anyways keep us updated and I hope that I helped!

 

Thanks again guys! Sorry I have not been on in a little bit. I actually just finished my permit lessons yesterday and did OK, at least I think. Driving the accord was pretty intense but it had almost no power haha. Still, when I receive my actual permit in a few days, I will test a bunch of cars to see what feels right. So far my top choice is the Mazda 3. It's got good space, fuel economy, and its got a lot of space. Not to mention, it looks a bit nice. So thanks to you all again for your reccomendations. I only quoted this person because his reccomendation was following the one I want as of now. But once again, I only just turned 16, so I have a year till my license. But we will see.

Thanks,
Jared

 

[quote=Bluerenesis;3754749]Not exactly true. My wife works in insurance and told me that they rate it as a high performance vehicle. Besides all the kids on here have proven that their insurance is ridiculous high. quote]

what insurance firm does she work for? because through state farm, a rx8 IS in the EXACT same class as any family 4 door sedan. accord, civic, mazda 3. and like i said im 20 paying $87 a month for full coverage.

also to the kid looking to buy a car, im assuming the car will not be in your name, and if it is, just have one of your parents be the primary driver on it. thats what i have set up. NONE of my friends are the primary drivers on their cars, thats just stupid and would end up costing a lot more money.

and as for the opinions on the mazda 3, i test drove the 2.5l manual, and it was probably the slowest car i have ever driven. the 0-60 is like 9 seconds. although it is a very stylish, fuel efficient, practical car. as i myself was looking into getting one before i got the lancer.

off topic, will somebody please tell me what this is supposed to be and how it would ever be used in a post? lol

 

As you guys are slinging around insurance quotes, keep in mind location location location.

Rates can be wildly different just based on zip code.

I pay ~$70 a month at 30, a rather extensive ticket history, full coverage near maximums, living in the middle of providence RI which indexes at ~5 times the national average for car theft.


Obtaining a quote to move to the country outside of Nashville TN, I drop to about $30 a month, everything else being equal.

Other people on here see swings of several thousand a year based on in city vs not.



Your rates may vary.

 

Yeah, the Mazda 3 is pretty slow. Only about ~ 160 hp engine, just on par with the Accord and Toyotas...

But its a lot more practical. I mean, really if the best your parents let you get is a normal non-sport sedan, the 3 is a good choice.

But if you want power, look at the Lexus Is 300. Pretty sick car. The Rx8 just appeals to me because I want something totally different.




Not a bad looking car.

Also, if you can find a good BMW for under 10 grand, its the best choice :D You can get a pretty nice looking 2001 325i or 328 ci. But the milage is going to be pretty high.

 

You're right, location has a lot to do with it. I'm 25 and my insurance is only $40/month for full coverage.

 

Apologies in advance for the selective quoting, but I find a lot of this to be pretty funny. It's helped me remember what it's like to have the confidence that comes with being 17.

On the insurance side...stuff happens. If you can't afford collision coverage, buy something cheap enough that you can afford the loss if it gets totaled by joy riders in a stolen car running a red light. The calculation of premium vs car value is fine in the long run, but think of short run consequences if it gets taken out the first day.

Ken

 

I can vouch personally when comparing the Mazda3 and RX-8, as I used to own both. I have Progressive. The RX-8 is almost twice as expensive for me to insure as my Mazda3 was, and that considering the fact that the 3 was on their as a long distance commuting car and the RX-8 as a "recreational vehicle/low mileage." I do have my forged wheels on the policy, though, and that increased the payments a bit. I have a flawless driving record, and I'm 41 and married. The Mazda3 is infinitely more practical, but less fun, of course. It's fantastic compared to just about anything else in its class, and with some well chosen mods, it's incredible. My Mazda3 was clearly able to pull more lateral acceleration than my RX-8 with the mods I had done to it (they were fairly extensive). The RX-8 is (for now) bone stock except for the wheels. Even the tires are still OEM. The RX-8 feels a lot better and more neutral while going around those curves, however.