First car to my son

[NemesisX]

Originally Posted by Stohlen

He asked for recommendations, what do you expect.

I expect, you know, recommendations on cars that meet his criteria (up to $40,000) - not a lecture about how his arbitrary price ceiling is wrong or too high for a first car.

[SaMaster14]

In order of my personal preference.

Infiniti G37 (Or the Q50 sedan if it's out)
Audi A4/A5
BMW 328i
Mercedes C250 / CLA250

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by piotr2324

Hi I want to buy for my son first car to 40 000 $.What you recommended to this price?I think about A5,1series and CLA.

Whats wrong with a new 2012 Honda Accord? $25k out the door is perfect for a first car. They are pretty sweet. I would start there.

2012 Honda Accord
2006 Acura RSX Type S
2012 Honda Pilot EX
2012 Volkswagon Jetta TDI

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by Meeni

SUVs are not safe. They are heavy, have train suspension, and are usually powerful. This is not safe, at all.

You are incorrect. They are safer in the United States VS a new M3 or Porsche 911. This is fact and not arguable.

Next...

[vasmir]

Used reliable 128i, 318i or 328i with manual transmission.
This way, you both won't have to worry about all the issues of "first car" ownership... like curbing wheels, curbing bumpers, opening up car doors into solid objects, etc. And, he won't kill himself in a 300hp car. It's a safe car to make mistakes in.

My first car was a Z3 1.9... it taught me how to respect speed (frankly, because the 1.9 didn't have any).

[Stohlen]

Originally Posted by Endless619

You are incorrect. They are safer in the United States VS a new M3 or Porsche 911. This is fact and not arguable.

Next...

They may do better in a crash test than luxury sports cars (which in the M3 and Porsche 911's case I wouldn't consider safe either...) But they are much more likely to get in an accident in the first place, via flipping, poor braking, etc. Issues which the others wouldn't have to the same extent.

[minigearhead]

how about a quick used car for 40k$?

[blutattoo]

How bout a S60 Volvo? Safe, kinda sporty, killer stock stereo, decent on insurance compared to others in class.

[Sniz]

for 40k i'd get him a built engine gt4094r m coupe running e85 and around 30psi.

that would be about as dumb as spending 40k on your sons first car. Unless you have a large insurance policy on him and are looking to retire.........

[badazzm]

F@cking troll. Why don't you get yourself a $40k first. If you are not trolling, get him 370z.

[catherinelam]

Originally Posted by cuiter23

aventador

[Nkc]

Something practical like a GTI or any small sized SUV would be great for a noob. First car is all about freedom and the journey he'll be taking so a car that has comfortable space to fit friends, large enough trunk space to do activities (ski, camp etc) will be great. If you seriously feel the need for a $40k car then here's a list

Lexus RX
Nissan Pathfinder
BMW X3
BMW X1
VW Tiguan
LR2
Audi Q5
Jeep Wrangler

[cuiter23]

im feeling more and more like this is a troll post...

[piotr2324]

No im not troll.370z its too fast.

[Meeni]

Originally Posted by 631twentyeighteye

so getting him a 300hp sports car is safer? They have powerful motors but are heavy as all hell so that means they're slow.

I'm not advocating putting a 335 in the hands of a hormonal disaster on legs. Teenagers cannot and shouldn't be trusted to handle what was not so long ago exotic territory. If I had a 300hp RWD car when I was 18, I'd be dead by now Teenagers have poor judgment, that's a fact of life. Risk is mitigated with a random sedan that doesn't overpower them.

Now, SUV are heavy AND powerful. That means that they can accelerate quickly, but cannot handle or break accordingly. Blanket statement, if you consider a Mazda cx5, it's less of an issue. Beside the high center of gravity it is quite a safe machinery.

Train suspension? What does that even mean? [...] live rear axle with leaf springs or coils.

You just found it yourself, I see. This is a technology that should be reserved to trucks, not to passenger cars.

[SMG M3]

1970 Dodge Challenger...Coolest kid on the block!!!

[STi_traitor]

Toyota Prius

[fireline43]

Originally Posted by SMG M3

1970 Dodge Challenger...Coolest kid on the block!!!

Truth. I had a classic as my first car and it made me apperciate cars alot.

[manutdas11]

Pagani Huayra

[SCOTT26]

The last customer I had this conversation with went against advice and bought his son a new M3... He was in a serious accident within a year. Which also killed another driver because he thought he was invincible in an M3.

My son who is now driving will be given our Ford Escort Estate when he is given his licence and will get no where near anything 10 times more powerful.
If he takes anything without permission then he will be dealt with by the law and then I would break his legs.

[631twentyeighteye]

Originally Posted by Meeni

I'm not advocating putting a 335 in the hands of a hormonal disaster on legs. Teenagers cannot and shouldn't be trusted to handle what was not so long ago exotic territory. If I had a 300hp RWD car when I was 18, I'd be dead by now Teenagers have poor judgment, that's a fact of life. Risk is mitigated with a random sedan that doesn't overpower them.

Now, SUV are heavy AND powerful. That means that they can accelerate quickly, but cannot handle or break accordingly. Blanket statement, if you consider a Mazda cx5, it's less of an issue. Beside the high center of gravity it is quite a safe machinery.


You just found it yourself, I see. This is a technology that should be reserved to trucks, not to passenger cars.

In my own personal opinion, learning on something with live axle's is much more rewarding then anyone would expect. the movement of the suspension is so... basically awful, cornering wise at least that you really learn to slow it down and not drive like an asshat.

Listen, i'm 19 years old, i just went through, and still am going through watching my friends get sportyish cars and ruining them shortly. My friend has 1998 Nissan sentra and he can still go 100+ because its a small light car, despite only having maybe 120 horsepower. I known of several different kids from my high school who got e46 style 328i's and totaled them because they were driving recklessly and didn't truly respect and understand the handling of their cars.

I stick with my own advice of getting him a Jeep, or some kind of smaller SUV that doesn't have quite the power like a Escalade or maybe a ram 1500 or something that you guy's imagine i'm talking about(im referencing the jeep liberty/rav4 aspect of the SUV market.

If you don't wish to go the small SUV route, at least go front wheel drive, because it's so much harder to whip a FWD sideways then it is a RWD for an inexperienced driver.

in the end, i will say it comes down to kind of kid you have. If you know he's responsible enough to handle a fairly sporty car, then i'd highly a recommend a 128i. Cheaper then a 135i, economical fuel mileage, fairly cheap maintenance(i do mine myself) and reliability. My parents would have never let me get my 1er if it hadn't been for 2~ years of incident free driving with my first car.

[MrClean335i]

My younger brother got a 1M for his first car and I bet he out drives 90% of this forum. He also competed in karting since he was eight years old though.