Best 1st Car

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aadil717
I love old VWs; but I don't think it's a particularly good looking at all. It's just a basic three box with lots of simple geometric shapes - a bit meh.
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The thing about Jettas is that the style really didn't change all that significantly until the MKIV model, and even then, it wasn't a massively radical departure.

The MKIII is still the best-looking version in my book. The sharp creases and angular lines are very distinctive, and certainly set the car apart from the Civics and Corollas of the same time. It's the best of both worlds when it comes to performance, the MKII was very rough around the edges, and the MKIV was a bit too soft. Granted, you were saddled with the 2.0L 8V... But the VR6 made up for it.

In terms of price, and learning to drive, it's about as good as you can get. And you can get an automatic with the VR6.
 
I want a S2000 or something reliable. Found a M3 E46 for about 15k near me. Hopefully it drops to a price I can afford it at
 
alexlam24
I want a S2000 or something reliable. Found a M3 E46 for about 15k near me. Hopefully it drops to a price I can afford it at
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Are you intending for an E46 M3 to be your first car?

I can see this ending well.

peobryant
I'm glad I've had a much better experience than you. My '02 Impreza Outback Sport has right at 200k miles on it and the tranny is perfect. It shifts nice and smooth, doesn't hesitate, stays in gear instead of constantly shifting on hills and every time I have changed the fluid it's looked perfect. I also know many other people with Subaru's who have had extremely good luck with them as well which is actually the reason I bought one in the first place. Of course, I'm not talking about WRX's, just the regular Impreza and Outbacks. I'm not calling you a liar either, I'm genuinely glad I haven't had any trouble with my (wife's) car. 👍
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The constantly shifting on hills thing is just part of the issue I have with them, but it is certainly the most obvious issue in all the 90's to early 2000's Legacy/Outbacks I've driven. The SVX auto is just trash as well, but that is kind of a different topic.

As for the newer models, the issue is generally more with Turbo models, as the slight drop in compression kills the down low power, but since the transmission wants to upshift fairly quickly, you are kind of stuck below the power band much of the time. That, and it is just painful trying to get off lights quickly.
 
alexlam24
I want a S2000 or something reliable. Found a M3 E46 for about 15k near me. Hopefully it drops to a price I can afford it at
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You're in the UK right?

Good luck getting one of those before you're 25.

Oh and E46s can be picked up for close to the 10k mark these days. You're a bit confusing since you said you want something reliable but immediately think "used premium sports cars!!"

http://youtu.be/MZVrnd9V7sk (has strong language at the end; understandable due to outcome of car)
 
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Sorry to burst your bubble but most insurers say no above a 1.4, so you'll probably wait at least 5 years until an S2000 or M3 to be viable!

Oh and the S2000 was recently labeled the most reliable car in the UK. ;)
 
finnracer
Sorry to burst your bubble but most insurers say no above a 1.4, so you'll probably wait at least 5 years until an S2000 or M3 to be viable!
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This is the USA, 16 year olds get insured on STi's all the time. We don't have the same insurance situation you do...
 
If possible you should learn to drive something not very fun. (Like a minivan) then go get an old truck for 1k (incredibly easy to work on) once you crash that like I did, you go get a real first car. I have a fiero I got for 2k basically mint condition and an rx7 I found for 1400 That needs a little cosmetic work. I want to sell the fiero for a neon or something similar for winter. A really good first car would be a diesel jetta tho. Amazing on gas and iv never heard anything bad about them.
 
Azuremen
This is the USA, 16 year olds get insured on STi's all the time. We don't have the same insurance situation you do...
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You should think yourselves very lucky then! The lowest insurance quote I've seen for when I start start to drive next year has been £2300 ($3800ish?) and that's on a 1.2 Fiat Grande Punto worth ~£2500 ($4100ish) with a truly insane 65bhp :crazy:. Regardless of the larger roads and lower insurance prices though, I think its silly that in America a 16/17/18 year old can easily go out and buy and insure cars such as an Impreza STI as a first car, that's borderline asking for a serious accident!!
 
and that's a mandatory insurance? if it isn't I would obviously not get one, or would get the cheapest and with lots of deductibles
 
Yep mandatory. That is Third Party Fire and Theft (Third Party only is a little cheaper but not worth the difference). May be able to knock a little more off by whacking up the excess too but I'd struggle to get much change from £2000 for insurance alone! Its that bad for young drivers in the UK and it doesn't help that the insurers are run really inefficiently and combined with all the stupid whiplash claims company's mean that all the insurers keep premiums artificially high.
 
So has the OP bought that Lion yet?

Remember:

obama-lion-lightsaber-1.jpg


Nothing is cooler than riding a lion.
 

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