Oppo, I need some options

"matt" (mattisnthererightnow) 09/14/2013 at 21:16 • Filed to: None

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I'm 16, still learning to drive (manual in fact), and on the hunt for a job. Also for a while now I've been considering what car I can get next year. I would really love to get an E30 but I know I cant just have one option. What suggestions do you guys have? I'm look into any suggestion at or under 7 grand.

twinturbobmw > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:21

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MX5? They're around the same price as the E30.

PowderHound > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:23

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Whereabouts do you live? What is your price range? Any preferences?

matt > twinturbobmw 09/14/2013 at 21:23

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I've definitely considered that but I thought it might be a bit impractical for me. Can't every completely rule it out though.

matt > PowderHound 09/14/2013 at 21:24

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I wouldn't go higher than 7 grand.

Tom McParland > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:26

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What Powderhound said...need MOAR INFO so we can help.

PowderHound > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:26

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I'm assuming you want something manual and RWD? No worries about snow or anything of the sort?

matt > Tom McParland 09/14/2013 at 21:26

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I'll do a quick edit

dogisbadob > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:28

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The 3rd-gen Camry was available with a manual transmission. Stay away from the V6 because they are impossible to work on (getting to the back of the engine is difficult)

matt > PowderHound 09/14/2013 at 21:29

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Doesnt have to be rwd, and weather not an issuw

twinturbobmw > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:30

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Integra GSR? It is at the top of your price range though.

Supreme Kiwi Zorro > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:31

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Put the luxury aside then look for any affordable car that runs. A mid to late 80's Honda Civic 4-door sedan is a great first car. A mid to late 80's Toyota Hilux 4x4 Xtra-cab is also great if you do a lot of hauling. I recommend these two.

matt > dogisbadob 09/14/2013 at 21:32

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Not that that is a bad suggestion for a first car, I'm generally staying away from Toyota my family has had then for as long as I can remember.

dogisbadob > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:34

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That's because Toyota is awesome :p

Of course nothing is wrong with a Miata. It's always the answer haha

Another good car is the Infiniti G20. Luxury, prestige, sportiness, and economy all in one

matt > twinturbobmw 09/14/2013 at 21:36

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I'll definitely keep that in mind.

matt > Supreme Kiwi Zorro 09/14/2013 at 21:39

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I wouldn't have any use for a truck. Though several kids at my school think they do.

Bandit > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:40

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I'm 17 and drive a 2nd gen Trans Am... so I suggest one of these. The 1970-1973 model year cars are very classy and totally avoid the redneck stereotype. RWD, 4-speed, 455 cubic inches of awesome.

scoob > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:43

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Any preferences? 2 door only, etc. I'd say Miata, because Jalopnik.

matt > Bandit 09/14/2013 at 21:43

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I'm not much of a muscle car type person, but these are awesome.

Bandit > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:45

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Okay, have you looked into e36s or e28s? If you don't mind working on a car you could get a really nice Porsche 944 for 4,000 or so; they are expensive to fix when something goes wrong though.

matt > scoob 09/14/2013 at 21:46

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Can't go wrong with a Miata, it's a bit impractical for me.

Or wagon, also because Jalopnik/Oppo.

matt > Bandit 09/14/2013 at 21:50

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I looked into those as well. I am also looking to becoming a bit of a wrench. I'll stay away from the 944 though, too expensive.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:52

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I am 16, know how to drive, (or at least like to think I do) and have a job. I drive a 1991 Audi Coupe Quattro, and I have very few complaints. The drivetrain is literally bulletproof as long as you maintain it, the gearbox is easy to deal with, insurance isn't crazy, gas isn't terrible, its safe, and dat 20v 5 cylinder.

But I wouldn't recommend it, or any other 20v Audi as a car. Yes, they're very durable and a ton of fun, but they're old. To keep them going, there's little stuff you've always got to do, often pretty expensive. Not ideal for a kid, but it's not horrible either.

So what would I recommend? Nothing in particular. You can go the typical way and get a typical gearhead car (e30, miata, etc) and it'll be fun. Or you can think outside the box, just keep your eye out until you find something that you look at and go. "I need that." My first car was a 2002 Dodge Neon ACR (just sold). At first I had no interest whatsoever in a Neon, considering I had decided I wanted an e30 or a mercedes 190e 16v. But this Neon intrigued me, considering in 2010 it had gone to SCCA National Championships in 2010 and still had the full rollcage, racing belts, and bucket seats, while also still having a full interior and all 5 seats. It had 30k miles, and was pretty cheap.

I wish I never had to sell it. It didn't have a/c or even a radio, it was loud and obnoxious, stupidly red, fwd and a neon. Insurance was surprisingly expensive considering it was a neon, and the rollcage was a head hazard even with the extra padding. But it was so much better than the audi. Sitting in it, I just felt happy. I could shove it into corners and come out perfect, due to the custom factory suspension setup. I could bang through all the gears, 4 cylinder wailing, struggling just to get to 60 mph, with a huge smile on my face and deaf ears from the raspy exhaust. It was the exact opposite of what I am, (quiet, occasionally shy, and ordinary) and that was probably why I loved it so much. It eas really cheap to keep going, barely needed any parts thrown at it, and was totally awesome. The only reason its gone is my parents demands.

Moral of the story/TL;DR: You don't find the perfect first car, the perfect first car finds you. If you look hard enough

Sn210 > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:55

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Thoughts on a Wrangler? I had one for my first car and it was lots of fun. Drive topless in the summer, 4wd for the winter. They were pretty easy to work on, which was good because I did have to do a fair amount of work on it :/ they aren't great on gas either, but trust me you want a 4.0 6 cyl.

matt > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 09/14/2013 at 21:58

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That's what I was thinking to find something different and that will stand out from other kids at my school, which isn't too difficult. Also great story because Neon.

scoob > matt 09/14/2013 at 21:59

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Golf GTi?

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > matt 09/14/2013 at 22:10

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I don't know where you are, and if you're like me you'll insist on a manual and a slight adjustment of the negative camber, but I just found this a few minutes ago. $7k if you get it without the gold wheels, relatively low miles for that type of car, and built by the famous Vlad, apparently. All maintenance also done recently as well. Pretty badass looking car if you ask me, and maybe even worth the slushbox.

Bytemite > Bandit 09/14/2013 at 22:10

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455 cubic inches of being beaten by any 4 cylinder econobox out there today.

matt > scoob 09/14/2013 at 22:11

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Which generation? Because the more recent ones are out of my budget.

NotACactus > matt 09/14/2013 at 22:13

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Volvo S60 R. It's reliable ( because volvo ), safe ( because volvo ), and fast, because R. Manual's not that great according to that interview. And it has a carphone. Might be an issue getting one sub-$7000 but I saw a few on eBay around that price.

matt > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 09/14/2013 at 22:14

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It looks lovely. Not sure on where Maplewood is but it didn't look like Florida.

matt > Sn210 09/14/2013 at 22:15

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I'd have the top down almost all year.

scoob > matt 09/14/2013 at 22:16

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Oh yeah, you're right. Even Mk4 GTi's are up there.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > matt 09/14/2013 at 22:18

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New York, apparently. That would be a bit of a trip. But anyways, just keep your eye out for that one car and you won't be disappointed. If you don't already, try checking out dailyturismo.com (my neon) or bringatrailer.com (although this past week, both have been on a bit of a dry spell for cool cheap things IMO). They both feature some of the coolest and most interesting cars from all over the country, and often somewhere in your price range.

Good luck!

matt > NotACactus 09/14/2013 at 22:20

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I think if I had the money I'd pretty much go straight for that but like you said might be a struggle to find one under 7 grand.

Bytemite > matt 09/14/2013 at 22:27

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It seems to me you don't have any preferences at all...but you have turned down trucks and muscles and 2 seaters so..you kinda do but just won't say it. Anyway, since you're looking at E30s which is just about perfect, other similar cars that have the seating capacity, light weight, and sports car fun factor would be FC Rx7, 280zx 2+2, SC300-400, mk2 Supra. All these 4 seaters are much heavier than the E30, but there are not many affordable options for a truly light weight car with back seats like the E30. Look into '91 318is because they're the best non-M3 e30. They come with a light, rev-happy 4 cyl engine and gives the chassis the best weight distribution. Plus, you can do very easy weight reduction mods like removing trunk and cabin tar and get rid of an extra 60 lbs.

I'd recommend RWD because Fail wheel drive means paying for tire rotations, shitty braking, and just knowing it makes no sense for something with 4 wheels to act like its on 2.

RMudkips > matt 09/14/2013 at 22:33

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15 here, have only tried driving once (it was an empty lot and I barely touched the gas), looking at Volvo 240s and Merc 190Es so far. Good luck on the hunt.

NotACactus > matt 09/14/2013 at 22:56

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Sorry if it is too much, I was going off eBay pricing because I'm not really sure how cars are priced in your area. In which case, I'm going to second 190e30's suggestion of the Audi Coupe Quattro, for the exact same reasons as the Volvo.

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > matt 09/14/2013 at 23:10

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I'm 16, can drive, and have an IS300 in pretty awesome condition. For 7 grand, the only IS300s out there have a million miles on them, but they last forever so I'd go for it. Get yourself one and tune the shit out of it, because racecar!

Bandit > Bytemite 09/14/2013 at 23:22

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Hey, this is oppo, not the FP. No trolling.

wkiernan > matt 09/15/2013 at 00:06

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Yeah they're mad impractical. Almost rule it out. Still, take one for a test drive.

Heh heh heh.

Bytemite > Bandit 09/15/2013 at 00:20

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It isnt trolling. It is just the truth. Americans don't know what power to weight ratio is...so what if your truck engine produces over 300 hp...it weighs 2 tons and cant make even make 15 lb/hp ratio...

Sports cars should have at least 13 lb/hp, and true performance cars have 10 lb/hp.

Party-vi > matt 09/15/2013 at 01:01

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Let's be honest - $7,000 isn't going to buy you a lot of car, and whatever you pick up for this money is going to need some work in one form or another. Stick with something simple and cheap and it'll take you until you can afford something nicer (plus there are insurance costs to consider). An old BMW is going to have expensive and hard to find parts and might dent your wallet on the insurance. I would strongly suggest a reliable and boring manual transmission, like a Civic or Jeep Cherokee (with the 4.0L and 4WD of course). I would also suggest an older WRX if you HAVE to have something fun. Stay away from exotic drive trains unless you're familiar with how to work on them.

Remember this is your first car, not your last. Good luck!

911e46z06 > matt 09/15/2013 at 02:38

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Well, if you're thinkin e30, but you need a few more options, try e24, e36, and e39. No need to thank me, I'm here to help.

His Stigness > matt 09/15/2013 at 14:39

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If you go with a German car, especially an older one, be prepared for large repair bills, even if you learn to turn a wrench yourself, parts are expensive.

Having said that, there's nothing wrong with getting a German car as your first car, and I would recommend one as they're a lot of fun.

I'm not sure how much they are, but I would getting into a Mercedes 190E. It's one generation newer than the E30 so.

Since your price range is kind of low, and going off when I bought a car a few years ago with the same budget. you could get an E46 3 Series which would be a great car to get because it's easily tuneable.

Are you looking for anything in particular, other than an E30.

matt > His Stigness 09/15/2013 at 20:01

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Not really, admittedly I should've narrowed down my search before I posted this because I didn't really know what I was asking for. But I would like to work on it and take it to autocrosses/track days.

SpeedSix > matt 09/15/2013 at 21:04

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Volvo 780 Bertoné Coupé?

SpeedSix > matt 09/15/2013 at 21:05

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Volvo 850R?

matt > SpeedSix 09/15/2013 at 21:16

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I really like those wagons. How much do they go for usually?