Ok Im 16 years old at the moment.

I am looking at getting an s2000 hopefully but do not know if I would be able to afford it. Heres my story tell me what you think. Also I was at a dealer yesterday and played with the shifter for a bit. The gears were so close together I felt that if I owned the car I would mis-shift every time. Anyone who also thought this but quickly got used to it? Does it become easier or will mis-shfits happen?

Well I would most likely be buying this summer and am trying to decide what car to buy. Any help here...
Well this would be my second car. I got my license about 3 weeks ago and for now am just driving cars in the family. Mainly a Jeep Cherokee and in a few weeks when the clutch is fixed, a Ford Festiva.

I am looking into getting a new/used car, most of which will be paid for by me.

I already have a good sum of money in the bank, which was a bond that my grandfather invested in over 10 years ago and finally matured sometime last year. So right there I have 10k, and the rest of the car/insurance/gas will be paid for soley by me.

I am in the process of getting a job, so I wont buy the car until sometime this summer, but most likely by the end of the year at the latest.

So with that in mind I am looking to get a car that is 30k or under. Dont know if that sounds reasonable or not, but thats what I would like. 30k seems like a lot, so something cheaper would be nice.

I want somthing that is nice to drive, reasonable performance, nice luxeries etc...

Depending on the car I may mod it some, but it really depends on many factors such as money etc...

I am in the Washington DC area so it snows, but not a whole lot.

Well if you have any other questions you need to know to help me out please let me know.

Thanks and sorry for such a long post.

I was also looking at getting a 350z instead since its cheaper for the Enthusiast model. And about how much would insurance be for these vehicles?

Also I would be paying MSRP...Anyone here able to get it for under MSRP?

Thanks

 

I hope you don't take offense to this...

If you have had your license for only 3 weeks, and your only driving experience is with a jeep cherokee or ford festiva............

The S might not be a good choice for your first car. As much as I love this car, it is not meant for someone that has little or no experience behind the wheel of a car that will tolerate a lot of pushing, but then almost instantly punish you for pushing to far....you might want to start out with something a little tamer and then work your way up to the S when you are more comfortable with your driving skills....

If you are trying to get around 30K, after taxes/title etc, a MSRP S may be closer to 35K...
Insurance is not the cheapest for this car either...
Mods are definitely not cheap...

Just some things to think about..

Hope I didn't sound preachy...just wanted to let you know...

JJ

 

Honestly, you cannot afford the "S" all by yourself. Even if you have $10k in the bank. You have to be making at least $400-$500 per month to afford this car. And since you're in hs it's highly unlikely you find a job that pays this much. Unless you work at your parents business in which they will overpay you. I was at the same situation as you so I know. It took my 4 years to save up all the deposit/etc. and now I'm making the monthly payments myself. I'd suggest you get a RSX or something if you want it right now.

Here's an example, a wild guess: If you paid $31K for the "S" you should end up with $35K with interest/tax/etc. If you put $10K down you have to pay off $25K over 5 years. That means $5K/year=$416.67/month. Go figure!

 

well im kinda in the same position but mine is a little easier on me than yours is for you


im 17 and dont have a car yet - jsut waitin on the right one, but the passenger seat in different friends cars is fine with me, as long as im not home - but my dad made a promise when i started high school that when i graduate he would buy me any car under $45k as long as i kept my grades up - well i farted around in class, slept, partied on the weekends and failed 4 classes since 9th grade - so we talked about it and made an ageement to cut it down to around $30k (this was this past summer) and being any other teenager interested the slightest in cars i changed my mind every week about what i wanted - goin from a new car to a used car and take the rest of the money and mod it - but now i am officially decided on a s2000 - white with red, i test drove it, talked to my dad about it, and as soon as may of 2003 roles around i will have one in my possesion

but the thing is i have had my license/permit since i was 15 - and driven ever since and know how to drive - i actually have people at school askin me to race their cars for them (of course i say no - they are all to slow )

i cant wait to get it

 

I think you would be pushing your financial circumstances by purchasing an S2000. On top of that, the car is not forgiving ... especially with RWD and the high-revving engine. I personally don't think I could have handled this car when I was 16 ... but at the same time I shouldn't compare myself to you. I don't know how good your abilities are, but the experience is lacking ... and this could be dangerous.

Like someone mentioned before ... payments/insurance is going to slap you about $400-500/month ... somewhere in that range. If you can't "comfortably" afford that, I would advise you to not purchase this car based solely on the money matter. Having a comfortable financial cushion is a good thing to have, trust me.

If you just HAVE to have this car no matter what ... try to find a used '00 model that is in good condition and start off very slow when driving this car. Don't push it till you know you can push it. Also, get a lot of practice behind the wheel ... in any car ... and especially in one with a manual tranny. Also, take some high performance driving classes when you feel comfortable enough to take one. Basically, use your head and don't think you can master this machine overnight.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

 

save your money and buy a cheaper car, seems like you kinda cant afford it.. if i were you, i would get a nice 91 crx si. play around w/ that for a couple years and save your $$, then buy a s2000 in the future.

chris

 

how about the 350z? Or a used s2000, would I have a chance with those cars?

 

you can still get a "S"... RSX Type "S" that is hehe

well that's what I drive, but what everyone here says is true... the S2000 may be a little too "wild" to handle at first. As for the shifting, I don't think you would mis-shift if you got to know the shift pattern... the gates on my RSX are pretty close too (and mighty similar to the S2000) and I haven't mis-shifted once. Make sure you know what you're getting yourself into, and good luck choosing a car!

 

Just some friendly advice.

Before you get an S2000 I would suggest a driving school. You will enjoy the car more. My S2000 goes to my sister as soon as she is 18 but she also gets a trip to Skip Barber of something similar. No matter how good you drive you can always get better and these types of schools will prepare you for a car like this one.

Don't worry about missing shifts if you do get one, the shorter throw means less time between gears, just be patient and get used to the car before you go crazy.

Car handles good in the rain, but the snow is very tricky. I only drove mine once in the snow and would like to avoid it in the future.

The RSX type S would probably be more affordable and more practical, but I was never very Practical.

Good luck,

 

I would consider the Acura RSX Type S or the Subaru WRX. They are both good cars, less expensive, and better suited for the winter.