Hey, I still have my permit, But soon it will be a full license. I can get around $18,000 together for a car, I currently have 13,000 up front. I have up to 4 months to buy. Im looking to buy a 350z or G35, but 350z is looking more likely.

My Goals-

A. Have a upgraded look, sporter. What body kits or accessories are right for me?

B. Sounds system as well as a possible LCD screen on dash(after market). Ive seen one's like the Z1.
__1. They should have FM/AM, Ipod integration, Bluetooth phone system, and GPS. I dont really want Sat. The Z1 is similar to what i look in screen size and features, yet it seems hard to install and expensive, yet it is a option for me. Is there anything better?
__2. Speakers, I have heard there not that good, I dont know anything about speakers so is there a sound system I should look into, I dont even know where to look.
__3. Speed Stock is fine with me, or for now at least. Im not going to be racing so idc...
__4. Pricing- What is a good year for me and price wise what is good? I dont really think miles are a big concern of mine soo alot isnt bad.
__5. Tires- Advice about tires and breaks please.


Sorry if im asking alot, but its cause I dont know where to start? Please help and sorry I didnt search but I figured this would be the best way for me to get my info since i need so much

 

so tempting...oh well


i dont think you should worry about mods until after you can pay the car off in full.



and there's such a wide range in mod prices that unless you can give a rough budget its hard to say what to get.

for kits and wheels and accesories , start by browsing pics, see what you like and then ask about specifics or use the search function to read tons and tons of threads.
http://www.zmodified.com/gallery/index.php

 

1. A 350Z, or any high powered sports car, should not be your first car. I'm not saying this because I'm a jerk. I was where you are, and after living through my teenage and college years, I believe this to be true.

2. You should not build up debt at your age. Forget about down payments. Take the 13k cash you have, and buy a used car. 13k will buy you a very nice used car.

3. I know you think you know better. I know you think you will be / already are a responsible driver. It doesn't matter. You lack experience and this should not be your first car.

4. I know you think you know better, but I'm right.

5. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear. So you are going to ignore me. You will hear many people who agree with me, and a few 17 year old (kids) who will tell you not to listen to me.

6. It's your life, do what you want. But I'm not warning you because I am jealous of you. I was a spoiled brat too and I got a car from the parents right after getting my license, but I never got a sports car as my first car (even though I wanted one badly) and I'm glad for it now that I'm 24.

 

Start with a different car! Z's are a lot of car and I wouldnt recommend having as a 1st car. Accident waiting to happen. But if u must, Z1 is best imo, plenty of body kkits, use the search feature or go to the image gallery.

 

didnt want to go there, but +1 and wired said it in about the absolute nicest way possible. You should sticky that response and make it a mandatory read upon joining my350z

 

if I had a Z as my first car I wouldn't be here to post about it.

 

Well, I won't get all defensive because I understand your judgement. Yet, Monthly payments wont kill me if I only have 6000-8000 to pay off. There's many kids with 350z, lexus, g35s, evos and tts in my school. There all sports cars so its not really a rare thing around my area. I completely understand all of your judgements in me not getting a car like this as a first, and it is a very good idea. The problem is, I dont like beat up looking cars, I like two doors that have a nice look to them. Im not really in to buy a car to race, yet I know all my friends will tempt me with there cars. The 350 have a unique look to it I like stock, so thats why I like it, not for speed though it is a +.

You say very nice used car but what do you mean by that. I hate the way all hondas look and theres not many cheap cars that have a nice look to them.


So, in conclusion, I dont mean to turn this into a what car should I get then since im in a 350z forum, But since Im likely gonna get "dont buy the 350", what cars do you recommend?

 

My first car was an Eclipse about 2 years ago, It is auto because I remember when I first started driving it was kind of weird at first, now i can drive with my eyes closed, my second car is my 350Z, It is manual and I love it, but I think Its too much to deal with as a first car, best thing for you to do is buy a 4 or 5K car, learn on that for a little bit, then in a year or so buy the Z

 

Used Maxima... (I forget which year is best, like 02 or 03), would be a great first car. It's powerful too (255hp) but won't get you into as much **** as a Z.

I had a 2000 maxima and loved it, and that model year was only 222hp.

I like the V6 Accord 2-doors also. Especially the ~2000-2001 models that had a nicer look than the current version, but the current version isn't too bad either.

Subaru WRX... pretty fast, sporty, fun car. I have met lots of kids with WRX's and they all LOVE them.

I would say used Evo, because they're fast as **** and fun cars with AWD, but I'd worry more about reliability with those.

If I was forced to sell my Z... I would be pretty happy with any of those cars listed above.


Finally, let me say one more thing. You're in high school. You will be much more popular (at least among friends and stuff) if you have a car with 4-5 seats. Even better if it's 4 door. It's really nice to be able to haul your friends around in high school. You have much more freedom etc. But I think nowadays you have to be 18 to drive your friends, isn't that right? Or is that just CA?

In any case, I drove my dad's Jeep Grand Cherokee in high school (he didn't mind... he just bought a porsche to drive around in, and he used the Jeep when he went to play golf on weekends). It was the ****... not to mention that it had a roomy backseat for studying anatomy lessons with chicks.

 

This should be an autoreply to the kiddies out here repeatedly asking this question. Nice post!

 

If I'm doing it over again, I'd buy an old 240SX, drop a SR20 engine in and mod the crap out of it. With the down payment that you have, you can build a really nice 240. Then drive that and get all the practice that you need(normal driving, racing, even drifting). By the time you're good at it, you'll be older, making more money and the SR20 engine will probably be exploded already. Then it will be a good time to buy a higher end car. Really.. you don't want to be paying off a car and modding it at the same time.

 

Like it was said above, I would not suggest a Z as a first car for a 15yr old...
For that matter I wouldnt recommend any RWD 'sports' car. No mustang GT, no nothing.

A wrx would be PERFECT for a high schooler, as would a evo or a Audi A4 even.

 

I say go for an Altima, they are cheaper than the maxima's, still have the "legendary" nissan reliability, they look nice, they are plenty quick, and you can pick up a used one a couple years old and have enough money left for wheels and tires. Ok, maybe not enough money for wheels and tires, but you should be able to swing it paid in full, and if car payments aren't an issue for you, then neither will buying wheels for a car that's paid off.

Otherwise, you can do something along the lines of an eclipse, similar style, slower car.

 

Please, I have showed all the members here respect, please do the same to me. It may have been a repeated question in the past, but if questions werent asked there would be no forum. I mean to start no flame war but I respect every here, and you seem to have many posts and maybe a known member and i do respect you, but I think you wouldnt like to be talked down to if you were new. I think you would like to be treated the same.


Back to topic.

I looked up Evo's and there around the same price as 350's so theres no point in that, but maybe im looking at the wrong ones.

The Subaru WRX I saw were...Well very ugly and I dont want that.

Also, Can anyone give me some more pointers, Thanks everyone I really appreciate this

 

Btw, Im not 15. Im 17, NJ law is currently 17 for licensing(16 for permit but i got mine alittle late) and soon to be 18 if a law passes, But the 18 law is a rumor ive heard for a while now.
I like the A4 though

 

Welcome.

The questions about a audio-video and tires are secondary. Get the 350Z first. Go shopping. Best wishes.

 

lets see, im turning 19 in a couple months and in all honesty i dont know many people my age that are as "good" drivers as i am. i am not bragging or anything like that im just stating my opinion. when you just get your license it will be impossible for you to learn how to drive when you are behind the wheel of a 310hp machine with so much bass from your stereo that you wont be able to hear the sirens behind you from the cop that is trying to pull you over. trust me, when i got my license 2 years ago my dad gave me a 1994 ford taurus, obviously it wasnt something that the girls will love you for. but in retrospect, i now realize how inexperinced i was. basically, when you get your license, you still dont know $h!t. even now i am still learning and im sure that anyone who has had there license for 30 years will still tell you that they still learn some things here and there. im not saying this because im jealous that you can afford such a nice car at such an early age, im saying this because i know way too many of my friends that have been in serious accidents and 2 that have been killed in accidents before they could even graduate high school. get a 350z if you want, but chances are that it wont be looking new for too long, especially after parking in high school parking lots. my .02

 

No one has mentioned a nice '03-'05 Spec V. Fantastic car, 4 seater, great mpg and fairly cheap insurance...a very good first car imo and something this young man would appreciate in many ways.

 

no one mentioned an awesome 240 or 260Z. if i did it all over again id grab a real nice 240 or 260 to mod and fix up and either a daily driver beater or a bike. Do some work on an old Z or by one with stuff already done and you can smoke the rest of the cars at your school for cheaper and look better while doing it. 300zxTT aint no slouch either but theyre a bit pricey


REAL nice 240/260 can be had for 5-7k and it probly wouldnt be a bad investment since the prices are going up every year.

 

Ahh ok.

In oregon its 15 for permit, 16 for liesence. I was not sure, just assumed =)

Either way I would say the same thing, I was just trying to emphasize that you dont even have your liesence yet :/