Hi guys im 16 and I am in a debate on which car to get. I really like the rsx-s and the price for it is really good. I also like the rx-8 and the 350z because of their looks and they are really fast. The problem wit those 2 cars is that when i buy it they will be brand new and could still have a few problems that will be fixed if i would just wait a couple more months which I dont want to. It will also be my first car so I want a car thats really reliable and I know acura makes really reliable cars. Any replies from you guys will help me out a lot.
Thank you

 

Haha..
buy the 350Z!

 

16 !@#$@#% When I was your age (8 years ago) I was driving an 84 camry !!!!!

 

2 thoughts immeditately spring to mind. I think it's insane that someone who's 16 would be considering any of those cars, but I'll spare you the lecture. It's a crazy world...

To your question, if you don't already have a pretty good idea of which car you're interested in, I'd say you need to give it a lot more thought. No one else can make that decision for you. IMHO they are all extremely different takes on performance driving. The 350Z is very heavy, and probably won't have anywhere close to the the tossable feel of the RSX or RX-8. It also only seats 2 people. The RSX is FWD, which gives it a completely different feel from the RWD options.
You have a lot of questions that you need to answer. How many people do you want to carry? Will you be driving this car through lots of snow? Are you going to upgrade the stereo? Autocross?

Last, before you buy anything, get a quote on insurance. I get the distinct impression that you're not actually going to be the one paying for it, but if you are you might be shocked by how much it will be to have that kind of a car at your age.

 

damn when i was 16 i was taking the city bus. these youngsters now adays. wait im only 23 so its not that different now :D

listen to Rich, he has a good responce. mainly comes down to how many people (or for the young generation "hoes") you want to carry. and i guess the main thing would be who is paying for this all. if you are you might want to look into the RSX (not i didnt say type s)cause it will probably be cheaper car, and cheaper insurance. if mommy and daddy are paying for this all (you lucky son a bitch) then get what you can, just dont abuse it.

 

just go out and buy a used car like the rest of us had to when we were 16. wait i had to wait until i was 18 becaus because my parents said i had to pay the insurance and make the payments! (do i sound bitter about kids who's parents buy them great cars at 16?) i had to drive my dad's '76 olds delta 88 for a year and a half before! granted you could fit like 10 peop[le in that thing but it did't exactly leave the chicks (read hoes for you youngins) drooling. save your money for a while.

 

Although he's sixteen, he didn't say when he was going to get his first vehicle....just thinking about it. When I was 16, 15 yrs. ago, I wanted an '87 RX-7 turbo so bad I went crazy for a while. I knew I couldn't get it, but it was nice to dream. Unfortunately, I had to use my only method of transport..my left and right feet.

If you do have the means to get like one of these at the age of 16, I ain't mad ya, assuming you work hard for it and get it on your own. If momie and daddy foot the bill for you, then I think it says a lot about our "give our children whatever they want" society. A person tends to appreciate something they work hard for versus someone just giving it to them. Ok, I'm off my soapbox.

 

What insurance company would give a 16 year old in a 250hp RWD sports car coverage?!?! If they would how much? 6000 USD per year!

Why not start with something like a good used 1.6 Miata. Get used to driving, and driving a sports car. Try your hand at a few years of autox to develop good car control skills. After you've extracted all of the performance possible from the Miata THEN you are ready for an RX-8.

Best of luck.

 

Well my parents will be payin for the down payment and i will only get the car i want if i can get a steady job and be able to pay at least half the monthly payments. The car will be put under their name so I dont have to worry about insurance(I guess I am lucky). And yes I do plan on upgrading the audio system. I think I might just go wit the Acura rsx-s. Being 16 I want a car that I can drive daily and fit more then 2 people in it. I do have some common sense and the 350z and the rx-8 is too expensive to be a first car. I think I will enjoy the Acura rsx-s and its wide aftermarket products. Thank you guys for your replies. I still have a long time to wait too.

 

great, so once you smack the car into a tree, my insurance rates will go up.

do yourself a favor, and drive a POS for 3 years, take some school (or participate in Autocrosses), then buy something over 200 horsepower.

 

I am pretty sure that the question that i asked before is which car to buy. I didnt ask if i should get a brand new car or a used. Anyway why do you care that I get a brand new car. My parents are buying me a car because they are moving to fl and i am staying in jersey to finish up hs. It seems to me like you are just jealous cuz u had to drive a pos before gettin a new car. I asked a simple question and wanted simple replies. Is that too much to ask for?????

 

you asked for it.

 

Even if your parents will be the "owners" of the car, having an under 25 driver in the household will dramatically raise the rates, unless that driver is explicitly restricted from driving the vehicle. Also, I question the legality of the insurance being in their name if they will be close to 1000 miles away from the car. I don't know N.J. laws or the regulations from your insurance company, so I'm simply speculating. Either way, if you're allowed to drive it, their insurance will skyrocket. If they're willing to by you a $20k+ car, that's probably not a big issue, I suppose.

Check out some of the threads on this topic. It seems that the general feeling is that the stock system will be very difficult to modify. $$$ can solve all problems, however.

When one asks for commentary in a public forum, one must be prepared for responses that are not precisely in line with the question that's asked. The topic of young drivers in sports cars is a very touchy one, and one that I have seen often generate very heated discussions amoung the various online communities that I frequent. Some of those negative responses are probably due to jealousy, as you suggest. Some are due to the belief that items of such value should not simply be given, but earned. Others are due to concern for your well being, and others are due to fear of another inexperienced driver in a high-powered car on the road. Whatever the reason, they have the same right to criticize the decision that you have to ask your question.

In other words, you did not ask a "simple question".

I have strong feelings on this issue, but I'll keep my mouth shut because my words won't sway anyone's thoughts on the matter.

One issue that I would like to comment on is JGard18's suggestion that you autocross your car, whatever you end up with. Even though I'm sure you think you're a good driver, you will be far safer on the roads if you race in a controlled environment. Also, it's a blast! Trust me, after you get absolutely embarassed by a car with 100 hp less than you (maybe 15 seconds slower on a 60 second course), you'll realize that you've got some work to do. It's a fun, yet humbling experience. It's also one that I truly believe results in safer drivers on the road.

 

Alright well im also 16 almost 17 im lucky enough to get a car from my parents (1992 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.6) they do pay for insurance, so for now im fine and grateful for what i have. I do plan to get an RX-8 when i turn 18 in 2004 in my senior year but i have been saving money for this (ive been working since i was in the 8th grade) ive saved enough to buy myself a brand new RX-8. I consider myself an enthusiast. ive been a fan of the rotary engine ever since i discovered my curiousity in cars, motorcycles, ect. well i just want to say you pretty lucky to be getting a brand new car already. i don't have any bitter feelings towards you i think its great you are able to get such a car as your first car.

If you are willing to wait i would go with an RX-8 (which i am waiting for right now)

If you cant wait another year or more then go buy a 350Z which comes out this month or the RSX, the people on this particualr message board would tell you to get an RX-8 since this is what we talk about, or if they dont like you they will persuade you to get a 350Z or RSX just for the reason for you not to get the RX-8.

It's your choice you should decide by yourself. You seem to want a fast car which is not uncommon for our age group.

i dont know if my post will acutally help you i think it would confuse you, cause its also confusing me rightn ow as to what im trying to say...

I chose to wait for the RX-8 and i hope you will also but thats entirely up to you.

 

The RSX is a nice car, a good friend of mine just bought a nice black one and he is very happy with it. He is only 19, but has a good job (working for me) and he's paying for it himself. He originally wanted a 350Z which he could easily afford but the insurance was going to be close to $7000 a year!!! That was a major motivating factor helping him choose the Acura and his insurance is about $1200/6months. Still kind of steep, but he's had two tickets.

The RSX is small, lightweight and has good performance. It has a large aftermarket following and is supposed to be easy to modify. I personally would never buy one, but I'm shopping with different criteria than you. I'm not into front-wheel drive for sports cars, but it has it's advantages. It's better in foul weather and since you live in Jersey, you may want to consider that. Of course, the Subaru WRX is even better for that and faster too, but you didn't ask about it.

 

As far as my opinion on youth driving a high performance car (since you asked... ) I don't think it's a good idea. I bought my first car when I was in the 11th grade. It was a black and gold 280ZX 2+2. I drove it for a little over a month before I hydroplaned in a curve, over-corrected, went up the embankment on the side of the road backwards, and landed on my roof on the railroad tracks on the other side of the hill. That happened to me and I was the world's greatest driver!:o That's a joke but that seems to be the opinon of most guys in that age group.

No one was hurt and I did get the car fixed and drove it for two more years, so it didn't end too badly. I could have saved myself a lot of money and trouble had I just stayed with the mud brown Dodge Aries K car that was provided for me by my parents. How's this? Three speed auto, sliding dial analog radio, bench seating in front and back, and 0-45 mph in about 15 seconds. :p I couldn't keep the ladies off of me in that stud mobile, HA. But seriously, if I would have done anything differently, I would have stayed with that car for as long as I could.

The recommendation I give to all of the high school age kids in my Sunday School class is to not buy a car yourself in high school. You are only young and free once and you shouldn't try to make that time any shorter. Spend your time enjoying your youth. Participate in after-school clubs, atheltics, and hanging out with your friends. I'm not saying don't get a job, because early jobs teach you a lot, provide income, and hopefully give you work ethic and teach you what you don't want to do for a living. Just don't get handcuffed to a job because you have a car payment or upkeep expenses. Spend your youth having fun, developing your character, developing relationships, and preparing for your future. Milk your parents for a car or mootch rides off your friends. You'll have the rest of your life to have nice stuff.

This is just general advice and observations and not really directed at easyroc16 who started this thread. I just think they are good rules of thumb. Now that I have a son of my own, I will be providing him with a safe, under-powered, uncool car that will get him where he needs to go. Probably the 94 Toyota Corolla that was the only car I bought new. It will probably still be running strong when he hits high school around 2014.

 

When my son turns 14 or 15 im going to buy him a car. Cause its going to take him 2 - 3 years of working hard, earning money, and working on the car to get it running and looking good :D . i cant say to much when i finally got my license at 18, i got to drive my moms new high powered escort around. but i drove her to work every morning, plus i lived 45 mins from school. it was easier than taking the bus in the morning.

 

I'm inclined to agree with the general opinion through this thread, youths in sports cars are an issue of somewhat controversy.

However, I'm a youth myself, 21, and I believe that in this case, like in many debatable issues, people oftentimes omit the importance of case to case assessment. Let me clarify with an example: my parents are overly cautious people, not just in driving, they tend to think I drive with a lead foot. This is granted my own opinion and nothing more, but I would BY NO MEANS consider myself a daredevil driver! I've taken my focus up to steady 140kpm on highways and such, and that's significantly above the speed limit, but I think I have a good understanding of my limitations wrt experience and confidence. ie, I drive safely, taking into account what I believe I can and can't do, despite my parents thinking other wise. -- well I'm exactly what you guys are referring to as a youth behind a sports car, and sometimes I'll give into the temptation of exhilirating myself, when I deem it's not unsafe to partake in what would be unsafe if regular practice (contrary to alot of people's opinions, there IS an appropriate time for fun on the road, and, in that aspect, the RX-8 is a toy that a kid with proper understanding of his limitations (like me =) can drive safely IMHO)

I can certainly see why people would show reluctance wrt youger people driving powerful cars, but easyroc16 might just be a responsible driver. I'm sure he'll take the car speeding, anyone buying a car like the RX-8 is gonna do that at some point or another, not doing so is like someone buying the Lexus SC430 w/o popping the roof in his garage 40 times just for the hell of it.
The kid might actually do it knowing what his own limits are, though.

I think ultimately, the evaluator of a young driver's competence SHOULD be the parents, I just think it a shame when I see parents (a bit like mine) who prefer being overly cautious, because (and here come the letters...)

::even caution should be exerted in moderation ::

there I said it, ok, and I'm not a hothead, but driving (and life, but I'll leave the confucionisms out of this...) is an experience to look forward to and to learn from, second hand knowledge is good to base one's driving-mentality, but people have to go out there and DO things themselves, even challenge convention.

I wanna close with the notion that I have more faith in a driver driving sensibly past the limitations of the law than in someone who doesn't have enough faith in his own judgement to go those extra km's -- coming full circle: driving spirit is a case by case phenomenon that I encourage, and in many, it starts young in a person...

thanks for your attention, I await your flames...

 

no flames from me i think that was an excellent commentary.

 

That was a very good reply. I am 16 turning 17 in a month i got 1 more year of high school and I just want a nice car to drive around. I know my limits and never exceed them. I am a very responsible kid and have never gotten in trouble. Of course I will speed sometimes but only when i know i am not dangering my life and the life of the other drivers around me. At first I thought this site was just gonna have a lot of flammers but now I think otherwise. Thank you to all the people that replied to my post and gave me a reply that was worth reading.
Thanks again

 

Also unmentioned was the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, which supposedly will be out for 2003, as well. I grew up in Jersey myself, and have many fond memories of my HS buddies and their POS's dealing with the snow and ice (a frozen handbrake comes to mind). I did not have a car in HS. In fact, I didn't have a car when I met my wife (proof that you don't need a cool ride to attract the ladies). My first car was the '91 Civic we bought just before we married at 19. As long as you know and respect your envelope, get and do whatever you please.

 

Bond...James Bond

 

When you're 16-17... if there's one thing I noticed about driving an expensive car.. (I regularly drove my fathers company cars, mostly to be a taxi service for him I might add!)

I stood out. I was followed by the police many times until they were satisfied that I had not stolen the car and presumably I was also being watched for an excuse to stop me.

One time I was followed for nearly 10 miles, and I eventually stopped to pick up some groceries and the (marked) police car stopped also and watched until I used the remote keyfob to set the alarm.. that convinced them I was on the level.

My point?

When I was driving my own 1979 Triumph 2000 Estate I was never given a second glance, even when I WAS exceding the speed limit... which I only did in moderation and in the appropriate time and place. If you're gonna drive a bright yellow RX-8 then you're gonna be under far more scrutiny than you might like!
Learn to be VERY co-operative and friendly when you DO get stopped... as I have been let off a few minor indiscressions that I might not have been, probably because of that.

Actually, the only time I have been stopped without good reason was when the police officers in question couldn't believe how low the suspention on my Senator was... Custom made too... I was driving at exactly the speed limit because I had seen them join the "freeway" but they passed me, and forced me to pass them several times while they had a good look... then they pulled me over and asked me about it!!!

The only thing I'll say about the risks of driving a fast car at that age (feel free to comment) is that you are still to some extent coming to terms with the hormonal changes that make you a man, rather than a child... and may be more prone to being angered by other motorists or following peer pressure to drive faster than you would if you were thinking clearly.. SO recognise when this is happening to you and think twice, it's hard, but worth it... it might save your licence, or at least your dignity. Remember Spider Man, with great power comes great responsability.

 

THE INSURANCE COMPANY KNOWS ALL THE TRICKS.....TRUST ME...AND WHEN I WAS 16 MY NAME WAS ON A $2000 SAAB AND MY INSURANCE WAS DOUBLE THAT!

 

I'm not a Hitler fan, and I imagine few of you are, but that's not the only reason why I'm against your sig, T-RX, It's just that that really fast animation gets old fast, and to be blunt, it's kinda irritating

I know the whole freedom of speech applies here, but, if it's not too much to ask, could you please get something else?

nothing against ya, man, I've just grown attached to my sanity :p

Welcome to the forum, T-RX!
RX-pecting