I have 20k now!! What to get?
#46
My bad, i didn't know he is only 17-year-old.
In that case, an used Volvo or Saab should do it. Learn how to drive first, and then start driving faster cars later. Safety is always first
In that case, an used Volvo or Saab should do it. Learn how to drive first, and then start driving faster cars later. Safety is always first
Does a 17 year old need a 350 hp car? I've seen more teenagers get in trouble
with cars like this with speeding tickets, accidents, etc.
I submit that most 17 year olds don't have enough driving experience or
understanding of vehicle dynamics to really handle a car like this.
We had a Persian kid locally here get his new M3 out of shape and kill
himself and a passenger. Not cool.
Also, if you've only been driving for a year or so, can you really "get bored"
with a particular car? I've always been a car guy, but when I was that age
driving was about the experience itself and the freedom- it wasn't even about
the car (I had a Fiat that I bought with my own money - it was a fun car,
and I learned a lot about pride of ownership and responsibility).
One other note; while a used W210 or E39 would be fun and have great snob
appeal, I think realistically you'd want to set aside some monthly $ for
repairs and maintenance. This would be true of any used car, but I have
friends that are Mercedes & BMW technicians and I am aware of the issues
that can plague these cars as they get older. Head gaskets, window regulators, power steering racks, sunroof motors- none are particularly
cheap to replace.
If you're thinking about heading to college, having an MB or BMW might seem
cool... until a less fortunate student keys your car or an inexperienced driver
backs into the corner of your car, taking out the taillight and bumper.
Not too many 17 year olds can earn $20,000 cash, so the source of the
money may infuence your decision. If aunt rose said "Johnny, I have $20K
to buy you a car" I suppose you might as well use it. If it was a trust fund
kind of deal I suppose I would spend a portion of it and invest the rest to
fund the purchase of a home sometime in the future. I wish I could have
purchased my first home at 25 instead of 30!
with cars like this with speeding tickets, accidents, etc.
I submit that most 17 year olds don't have enough driving experience or
understanding of vehicle dynamics to really handle a car like this.
We had a Persian kid locally here get his new M3 out of shape and kill
himself and a passenger. Not cool.
Also, if you've only been driving for a year or so, can you really "get bored"
with a particular car? I've always been a car guy, but when I was that age
driving was about the experience itself and the freedom- it wasn't even about
the car (I had a Fiat that I bought with my own money - it was a fun car,
and I learned a lot about pride of ownership and responsibility).
One other note; while a used W210 or E39 would be fun and have great snob
appeal, I think realistically you'd want to set aside some monthly $ for
repairs and maintenance. This would be true of any used car, but I have
friends that are Mercedes & BMW technicians and I am aware of the issues
that can plague these cars as they get older. Head gaskets, window regulators, power steering racks, sunroof motors- none are particularly
cheap to replace.
If you're thinking about heading to college, having an MB or BMW might seem
cool... until a less fortunate student keys your car or an inexperienced driver
backs into the corner of your car, taking out the taillight and bumper.
Not too many 17 year olds can earn $20,000 cash, so the source of the
money may infuence your decision. If aunt rose said "Johnny, I have $20K
to buy you a car" I suppose you might as well use it. If it was a trust fund
kind of deal I suppose I would spend a portion of it and invest the rest to
fund the purchase of a home sometime in the future. I wish I could have
purchased my first home at 25 instead of 30!
#47
Lexus Test Driver
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Location: NY
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2005 subaru legacy gt
4WD.
STI engine. Different turbo.
250hp stock. Easily tuned to over 300hp.
Luxurious compared to STI.
Ultimate sleeper.
Reliable.
for an '05, it's going for about $18g!
Oh and did i mention the 5 star crash ratings?
You wont find a better bang for the buck than the LGT.
4WD.
STI engine. Different turbo.
250hp stock. Easily tuned to over 300hp.
Luxurious compared to STI.
Ultimate sleeper.
Reliable.
for an '05, it's going for about $18g!
Oh and did i mention the 5 star crash ratings?
You wont find a better bang for the buck than the LGT.
#48
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: NC- charlotte
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pontiac aztek...
jk im not a fan of the e39 bodystyle, but thats your call. Maybe an e46 330ci? those look great. i would stay away from the w210 e class however. my grandfather bought one new in 2000, wrote the dealer a check for 48k. today, he has major rust problems, the radio is broken, the lcd's and backlights are out on the instrument cluster, the steering wheel and shift **** are severly worn, and it only has 68k mi.also he is having trouble getting 10.5k for it. lexus and other japanese cars are always going to be more reliable, but i like my share of Euros. what about an audi a4/6?
jk im not a fan of the e39 bodystyle, but thats your call. Maybe an e46 330ci? those look great. i would stay away from the w210 e class however. my grandfather bought one new in 2000, wrote the dealer a check for 48k. today, he has major rust problems, the radio is broken, the lcd's and backlights are out on the instrument cluster, the steering wheel and shift **** are severly worn, and it only has 68k mi.also he is having trouble getting 10.5k for it. lexus and other japanese cars are always going to be more reliable, but i like my share of Euros. what about an audi a4/6?
#49
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
2005 subaru legacy gt
4WD.
STI engine. Different turbo.
250hp stock. Easily tuned to over 300hp.
Luxurious compared to STI.
Ultimate sleeper.
Reliable.
for an '05, it's going for about $18g!
Oh and did i mention the 5 star crash ratings?
You wont find a better bang for the buck than the LGT.
4WD.
STI engine. Different turbo.
250hp stock. Easily tuned to over 300hp.
Luxurious compared to STI.
Ultimate sleeper.
Reliable.
for an '05, it's going for about $18g!
Oh and did i mention the 5 star crash ratings?
You wont find a better bang for the buck than the LGT.
pontiac aztek...
jk im not a fan of the e39 bodystyle, but thats your call. Maybe an e46 330ci? those look great. i would stay away from the w210 e class however. my grandfather bought one new in 2000, wrote the dealer a check for 48k. today, he has major rust problems, the radio is broken, the lcd's and backlights are out on the instrument cluster, the steering wheel and shift **** are severly worn, and it only has 68k mi.also he is having trouble getting 10.5k for it. lexus and other japanese cars are always going to be more reliable, but i like my share of Euros. what about an audi a4/6?
jk im not a fan of the e39 bodystyle, but thats your call. Maybe an e46 330ci? those look great. i would stay away from the w210 e class however. my grandfather bought one new in 2000, wrote the dealer a check for 48k. today, he has major rust problems, the radio is broken, the lcd's and backlights are out on the instrument cluster, the steering wheel and shift **** are severly worn, and it only has 68k mi.also he is having trouble getting 10.5k for it. lexus and other japanese cars are always going to be more reliable, but i like my share of Euros. what about an audi a4/6?
#50
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (4)
legacy gt is a nice car, but it's not what you expect it to be.
e46 330 zhp is also a good choice. but they're still $25k right now.
just stay with the lexus if you have to get an automatic.
Last edited by ElitistK; 07-20-07 at 03:11 PM.
#52
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
Well in my last thread I said that I have 15k to spend. Well I just came up with a bit more and would like to check out my options.
Necessities:
4 door
Not american
Moddable
Reliable
Those are my requirements...One question...how reliable are the BMW e39's?
Thanks,
Ellio
Necessities:
4 door
Not american
Moddable
Reliable
Those are my requirements...One question...how reliable are the BMW e39's?
Thanks,
Ellio
Elliott,
Not to sound condescending, but just because you have $20K doesn't mean you have to spend $20k.
You are 17 - you don't need to be driving a $20k car. Personally, if I could go back to being 17 I would do this.
Drop $8k on a boosted SC300 (I know you said 4-dr but I know plenty of people who have kids that fit in an SC. Not to mention you are 17 so you probably don't have any kids anyway.)
Take $2k for mods/maintenance.
Invest the other $10k in a high yield savings account and use it to live off while in college. I worked 2 jobs and went to college full-time because I decided having a cool car was more important. Trust me - it isn't.
Not that you will take my advice - but save this thread and in 10/15 years look back on it. Then I expect an email saying "You were right."
Jonny
#53
5% Club. Killing it!!!
iTrader: (15)
Elliott,
Not to sound condescending, but just because you have $20K doesn't mean you have to spend $20k.
You are 17 - you don't need to be driving a $20k car. Personally, if I could go back to being 17 I would do this.
Drop $8k on a boosted SC300 (I know you said 4-dr but I know plenty of people who have kids that fit in an SC. Not to mention you are 17 so you probably don't have any kids anyway.)
Take $2k for mods/maintenance.
Invest the other $10k in a high yield savings account and use it to live off while in college. I worked 2 jobs and went to college full-time because I decided having a cool car was more important. Trust me - it isn't.
Not that you will take my advice - but save this thread and in 10/15 years look back on it. Then I expect an email saying "You were right."
Jonny
Not to sound condescending, but just because you have $20K doesn't mean you have to spend $20k.
You are 17 - you don't need to be driving a $20k car. Personally, if I could go back to being 17 I would do this.
Drop $8k on a boosted SC300 (I know you said 4-dr but I know plenty of people who have kids that fit in an SC. Not to mention you are 17 so you probably don't have any kids anyway.)
Take $2k for mods/maintenance.
Invest the other $10k in a high yield savings account and use it to live off while in college. I worked 2 jobs and went to college full-time because I decided having a cool car was more important. Trust me - it isn't.
Not that you will take my advice - but save this thread and in 10/15 years look back on it. Then I expect an email saying "You were right."
Jonny
#54
Pole Position
Splitfire - awesome evo! Wasn't aware you own that evo when they had the shootout!
Back on topic - since the OP is 17, id recommend a older civic if he isnt particluar about image! But seems like he is, so maybe a SC300 is more along the lines you're looking for: classic / timeless design, great comfort and sportiness, and still highly modabale with a venerable 2jzge i6 block.
#55
Pole Position
#56
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
Elliott,
Not to sound condescending, but just because you have $20K doesn't mean you have to spend $20k.
You are 17 - you don't need to be driving a $20k car. Personally, if I could go back to being 17 I would do this.
Drop $8k on a boosted SC300 (I know you said 4-dr but I know plenty of people who have kids that fit in an SC. Not to mention you are 17 so you probably don't have any kids anyway.)
Take $2k for mods/maintenance.
Invest the other $10k in a high yield savings account and use it to live off while in college. I worked 2 jobs and went to college full-time because I decided having a cool car was more important. Trust me - it isn't.
Not that you will take my advice - but save this thread and in 10/15 years look back on it. Then I expect an email saying "You were right."
Jonny
Not to sound condescending, but just because you have $20K doesn't mean you have to spend $20k.
You are 17 - you don't need to be driving a $20k car. Personally, if I could go back to being 17 I would do this.
Drop $8k on a boosted SC300 (I know you said 4-dr but I know plenty of people who have kids that fit in an SC. Not to mention you are 17 so you probably don't have any kids anyway.)
Take $2k for mods/maintenance.
Invest the other $10k in a high yield savings account and use it to live off while in college. I worked 2 jobs and went to college full-time because I decided having a cool car was more important. Trust me - it isn't.
Not that you will take my advice - but save this thread and in 10/15 years look back on it. Then I expect an email saying "You were right."
Jonny
Thanks a ton,
Elliott
#57
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (6)
Well how many miles do you have on the evo and the e39s?
Splitfire - awesome evo! Wasn't aware you own that evo when they had the shootout!
well if i'm still 17 and 20k is all I have what i would probably do is go down to toyota and pick up a brand new scion.. they are actually not that bad and for little bit of down payment it will only cost few hundred bucks a month in payment. at least you will new car warrenty and won't have to worry about car braking down in the next few years...
#59
Hey man, that's a really good idea. But like I said previously, I am not sure if I can take the extra cash that isn't used. I really want to, and would love to pick up like an old SC, 1GS or something like that, then mod it a bit, then save for college. Hmmm, i was just thinking that I doubt I could keep the 10k and not spend it, maybe it's time for me to learn some management. That could work as an idea to keep the remaining balance. We'll see!
Thanks a ton,
Elliott
Thanks a ton,
Elliott
And being a 17-year-old myself, just wondering, what are you doing to get that kind of money (if you earned it yourself)?
#60
Moderator
iTrader: (6)
If u can come up with $2K more(around $22K,) u can get a Mercedes Benz W210 E55 AMG.....at least a 2001 model in very good condition. 349 hp & 391 ft/lbs of torque!!! I almost pick one up 3 months ago with 75,000 miles on it..........very very clean.....but I could only come up with $15K
U've owned Lexus already.....i think u should try an European car. I know people will start bashing me on this, but for real, there are somethings & feelings that Japanese cars just can't give u.
U've owned Lexus already.....i think u should try an European car. I know people will start bashing me on this, but for real, there are somethings & feelings that Japanese cars just can't give u.
And I never knew you were only 17...in that case, I'd just get a MT 30 SC, suspension and wheels (nothing too crazy), and just have fun. It'll still be nicer than most college kids have probably. If I were you, I wouldn't even mess turboing it and get a lower mileage/newer SC.
And what about an ES? Have you seen GATO's old ES??
https://www.clublexus.com/index.php?...162&Itemid=170