A good, cool first car?

Question

i would like to get a coupe. i would like it to be an import but domestic would be fine. it cannot be a honda civic. a manuel transmission, something with great gas milage (25 mpg or better). price can go up to 21,000. i would like to be able to upgrade this car such as performance (nos kits, turbo charger) and the looks ( seats, body kits, neon lights).

Answer 1

how about a mazda miata/mx-5? or a honda del sol? small, nifty cars with great mileage... can go like stink if you want them to (though not the same kind of stink as a camaro, but if the civic is your benchmark, these two will do fine).

Answer 2

def go for the latest 2008 and up....cars have changed so much this year for the better and are only improving.

scion tc

mazda 3 speed

mitsubishi lancer

nissan altima

I'm sure I can think of plenty more...me like cars =] I have a mazda 3 myself. vedy nice.

Edit: so I didn't pay enough attention to the question and just noticed that this would be your first car....DON'T get a 21g car for your first....it WILL and I promise you get a nick/scratch/dent/bang/total....lol don't put a nice car into all that....for a first car stay within the 12g limit....

2004ish and stay under 45000 miles.

pontiac grand am

pontiac sunfire

mercury cougar

nissan sentra

toyota corolla

not the best of looks or cars in general, but more of what you should be looking for.

Answer 3

h**l with economy cars get a big v8 u cant go wrong with them and are cheaper to fix and they beat little 4 cylinders off the line

Answer 4

mitsubishi eclipse

Answer 5

oh great ... were gonna have another 16 year old kid driving an econo-car with a ricer body kit, neon lights, and nitrous. Prepare to be hated by everyone for such tastelessness. If you modify, modify responsibly (with class). And please stop taking advice from Fast and Furious, and 2 fast 2 furious

Answer 6

toyota corolla is the best...

easy to modify, easy to find performance parts, and off course wide range of style...

Answer 7

Buddy,

    Why not get a very classy older sports car for 5-10k and have a new engine put in, and maybe a 2k paint job?  You'd still have 5k left for "go-fast" parts even if the car is 10k.  

    Some suggestions:

1990-93 Turbo Supra (the MKIII version).  Get the targa top.  You can find some beauties out there on yahoo autos or supras.com in your price range. They tend to blow the stock head gasket, but other than that fly in the ointment, the 7MGTE engine is about bullet proof and ready for serious boost pressure.   (by the way - I have a '92.)  I'm getting 23 mpg in mine.  I've had 2 people waving at me on the highway and one made an offer at 70 mph in the last 2 months.  These are beautiful and unusual old sports cars.

The first generation eclipse AWD - as the other poster said, is cool, and can be made very fast.  However - the differentials are weak.  Hot rodders get new ones w/ 4 gears made by Cusco.   The 89-91 brakes are smaller and warp when you look at them.  You'll need to upgrade to later years, 93-94,  if you get the early ones.  The same is true of the half-shafts up front which were underdesigned and too narrow at first.   For me, I was always fixing or paying someone to fix mine.  I had a black '90 w/ about 10k in performance parts.  I won't list them but it was nice.  I put almost 200k miles on it and sold it.

You might also consider a late 80's porsche 944.  They handle like a dream.   This is the only sports car that I have ever driven that would actually 'drift' through an intersection.   Parts are higher of course.  Oops.  I remembered that my TR-7 would - when it was running, which was rarely.  

For the record, don't get a trash-7 even if you find one with zero miles for free.   TR-7's are like beautiful but loose women.  They will take all your time and money and leave you broken hearted.  

Another one that alot of guys really love because of the way it handles is the MR-2.   You can get a used one that's way inside of your range and have money for parts and paint.   I've never driven one so I can't say much about them aside from the fact that I know 2 motorheads personally that love theirs as their daily drivers back and forth to work.

Good luck.  You think like I do where cars are concerned and you'll find something that will serve you well and turn heads if you take your time.

-Kevin

Answer 8

Nissan Skyline R32 GTST 2 door coupe

Answer 9

21,000 for a first car..... why waste it on a rice guzzler?

Answer 10

cobolt ss. all the way

or a g35

lancer evo

Answer 11

You don't want a good nice car as your first car. You want a S**t car until you get experienced.  

Answer 12

get a scion they look sweet with a boy racer wing, lightweight wheels, low pros , exhaust, and a body kit. On the plus side there are a ton of parts to pimp this car OUT. And it's very reliable. The older ones sort of look like a bmw.

Answer 13

I think you should get a nice used car for the first 1 or 2 years so you can have experience. Then get a coupe.

Answer 14

  Personally I'd suggest getting a Camaro. they look sweet,and you can customize it to personal perfection.