Should I buy an integra as my first car? I'm 16

[scg_robin]

I drive a 2000 Integra, and its the most reliable car I've ever owned. Honda engines will last forever, especially if you take care of it. Over the past few years I've replaced a lot of parts - which are cheap on these cars- but it was all normal maintenance type stuff. Never had any major issue, and I have 172K miles. I get an average of 25 mpg, but its an automatic and I have a heavy foot, so I could probably get better mileage if I tried. Also, I've been driving with a bad ECU for 3 years-- check engine light has been on, so if I replaced it, my performance and gas mileage would improve drastically.

As for insurance: I pay $54/mo for liability only. Premiums are based on more than just the type of car -- if you are under 25 and a single male with a crappy driving record, you are gonna pay out the ass. I've gotten in 2 wrecks since 2011 and my insurance shot up another $20 a month when it renewed recently. NO tickets, either. Its not worth having comp/collision on a 14+ year old car, because my premium would be another $100 a month, and they'd probably only give me 3k if it was 'totalled'.

My bf has a 2000 si with 300k miles and no problems. In fact it runs better the 'worse' you drive. LOL

I vote for Integra! if not, get a civic (not an '01, ugh) or be a yuppy and get a toyota

 

[Cobiispo]

Patience... Is key, Young grasshopper :mrgreen: These things have taken us many months, Years even to learn what is cheap s*** and what is not.

Take it from me as I am, A real.. Jdm street racer.

Haha sorry, my first hobby was rc drifting and racing and I got them upgraded fast. But that's because I knew the good vs bad companies. I should know which is which before I buy haha. And cool, you actually race? That's awesome!

 

[Cobiispo]

I drive a 2000 Integra, and its the most reliable car I've ever owned. Honda engines will last forever, especially if you take care of it. Over the past few years I've replaced a lot of parts - which are cheap on these cars- but it was all normal maintenance type stuff. Never had any major issue, and I have 172K miles. I get an average of 25 mpg, but its an automatic and I have a heavy foot, so I could probably get better mileage if I tried. Also, I've been driving with a bad ECU for 3 years-- check engine light has been on, so if I replaced it, my performance and gas mileage would improve drastically.

As for insurance: I pay $54/mo for liability only. Premiums are based on more than just the type of car -- if you are under 25 and a single male with a crappy driving record, you are gonna pay out the ass. I've gotten in 2 wrecks since 2011 and my insurance shot up another $20 a month when it renewed recently. NO tickets, either. Its not worth having comp/collision on a 14+ year old car, because my premium would be another $100 a month, and they'd probably only give me 3k if it was 'totalled'.

My bf has a 2000 si with 300k miles and no problems. In fact it runs better the 'worse' you drive. LOL

I vote for Integra! if not, get a civic (not an '01, ugh) or be a yuppy and get a toyota

Finally, a good car with okay insurance! I was thinking of an rsx but then I've heard the insurance will get you broke. Did you upgrade yours for performance or just design? I don't wanna be called a ricer( that's what it's called right) but I just want it plain shiny white and body kits. The stock integra on the side looks kinda boring lol.

 

[Cobiispo]

http://www.clubintegra.com/board/showthread.php?t=53572

That should help

And yeah, don't buy a modified car. Stick to buying a stock car. Modified cars have been probably abused, especially if cheaply done.

Don't be like me when I was your age. I wanted a cool car, so I went and bought one. My biggest mistake was a red civic ex coupe. It looked soo nice and clean, but it was a piece of s***.

I'll read that in an hour lol. Okay so no modified cars and don't be deceived by its looks. Haha my mom has a 2002 red mustang and she wants me to keep it and she'll buy a new car. But I don't want to because it can't even accelerate and insurance would be a dick.

 

[Teggy64]

These cars can last well over 300k if properly cared for. Do you know how to drive stick? If not then I would suggest learning if you want an integra. Automatics are much slower and a lot less fun to drive plus the auto trannies in these cars are known to shift roughly among other issues if not cared for. Also do yourself a HUGE favor buy a stock integra. As others have said modified ones are much more likely to be abused and have a lot shorter life span. Find a nice clean stock one with as few owners as possible.

 

[Cobiispo]

These cars can last well over 300k if properly cared for. Do you know how to drive stick? If not then I would suggest learning if you want an integra. Automatics are much slower and a lot less fun to drive plus the auto trannies in these cars are known to shift roughly among other issues if not cared for. Also do yourself a HUGE favor buy a stock integra. As others have said modified ones are much more likely to be abused and have a lot shorter life span. Find a nice clean stock one with as few owners as possible.

Oh thank God I didnt buy that. Guess ima look for a stock one. And yes I'm learning stick shift right now, and so far I'm doing great, downshifting is just a little hard for me but I'll get through.

 

[TheIVJackal]

Just wondering, is there a reason you don't want to wait until you are 18 to buy a car? Too many rules when under 18, can't drive with friends, punishments can be harsher, etc... I waited and was happy I did.
I believe that all insurance companies give you a much better rate when you pay for insurance in 6-month payments, I pay around $160 for 6 months. When I first got my car six years ago (wow that's a long time!), I was 18 and paid just over $200. Try to get on your parents plan for lower premiums as well. Use an insurance broker to find the best deal or a site like Comparenow.com. Liability insurance is cheapest but make sure to read into it first.

$5k was also my budget but it should be relative to how much money you have saved. You can find decent cars for $2,000 if you just want to be driving, maybe look at an Integra as an upgrade once you are ready? Driving an Automatic is best for just learning the rules of the road imo, then when you feel confident you can move up to a stick shift.

Use a site like KBB.com to find the value of a car you are interested in and look up Used Car Checklists online to learn what to look for when buying used. Basically, press all the buttons to make sure they work, check the lights, oil leaks under the hood and under the car, etc...
There are many more things I could tell you but I think I hit a lot of the major points I find important.
Hope you find what you are looking for

- Aaron

 

[cpeehler7]

Oh thank God I didnt buy that. Guess ima look for a stock one. And yes I'm learning stick shift right now, and so far I'm doing great, downshifting is just a little hard for me but I'll get through.

Learning to drive stick is pretty easy. After a week you'll be fine, maybe a little long on the clutch, or not match RPM perfectly. That said the Integra manual gear box is pretty tough. I bought my Integra about a year and a half ago, 146k on the clock then, 155k now. I had to re-learn how to drive stick after a couple years and it's just fine.

That said, stay away from modded cars if possible. Like everyone said they're a sign the car was beat on. I'm 21, I've had a car for less than 2 years. I like in NY and my insurance costs about $112 a month. I would expect something in the $100 range give or take. No tickets/accidents etc. If you get a cheaper car, like under $6,000 I wouldn't suggest getting collision insurance. That would have put my cost up to $200/month, to be honest, just drive safe on the road. If you get into an accident that isn't your fault, the other company will have to cover the damage. Just don't let it be your fault!

Anyway, I know you're just 16, but if racing does sound fun to you, go for it! I started looking into the SCCA, and thought it was going to be crazy expensive. Or require tons of safety equipment. Turns out, it's $35 for a day of autocrossing. All you need to do is take your floor mats out, and wear a helmet (which they loan). It's a whole lot of fun, for very little money. Another good thing about that is, you can get your need for speed out of your system in a safe environment hahah. Get it all out on the track, learn the limits of your car, and spin out as much as you want. You'll learn how to drive much better, and be safer on the street, granted you don't dick around too much...

That said, get a GSR. The LS/GS etc they're pretty sluggish. The GSR is quick enough to have fun, but not too fast. Toss an intake header and exhaust on there and you'll have a good bit of fun. The GSR is a fun car to track, build an STC car for autocross and have lots of fun in it!

It's a fun car to drive, it's decently safe, and good on gas. Expect 25-30 mpg. I lucked out and found a solid GSR for $3000. Owned by a mechanic, in great mechanical shape. Little bit of rust to repair, but for the price I paid can't be happier. Over a year later, and I've put no money into the engine for repair (aside from obvious routine maintenance).

Good luck!

BTW, clearly modded cars are police magnets, fair warning hahah

 

[Accel.speed]

Just wondering, is there a reason you don't want to wait until you are 18 to buy a car? Too many rules when under 18, can't drive with friends, punishments can be harsher, etc... I waited and was happy I did.
I believe that all insurance companies give you a much better rate when you pay for insurance in 6-month payments, I pay around $160 for 6 months. When I first got my car six years ago (wow that's a long time!), I was 18 and paid just over $200. Try to get on your parents plan for lower premiums as well. Use an insurance broker to find the best deal or a site like Comparenow.com. Liability insurance is cheapest but make sure to read into it first.

$5k was also my budget but it should be relative to how much money you have saved. You can find decent cars for $2,000 if you just want to be driving, maybe look at an Integra as an upgrade once you are ready? Driving an Automatic is best for just learning the rules of the road imo, then when you feel confident you can move up to a stick shift.

Use a site like KBB.com to find the value of a car you are interested in and look up Used Car Checklists online to learn what to look for when buying used. Basically, press all the buttons to make sure they work, check the lights, oil leaks under the hood and under the car, etc...
There are many more things I could tell you but I think I hit a lot of the major points I find important.
Hope you find what you are looking for

- Aaron

Im going to have to go against you on this one. I got my permit on my 15th bday and my license on my 16th bday. It's good to be able to only drive siblings around because you aren't distracted by friends in your car. I'm entirely happy I did what I did. Why wait?

And automatics are boring, you can drive them with one foot and a knee (granted I still do that in my manual but I know my car). That gives you much more availability to be distracted in other ways. If you have a manual, you HAVE to focus on your car and your driving, cause no one likes stalling in the middle of an intersection!

As far as buying that car you linked or any other modded cars, it really depends. Sure, theres wannabee fast and furious drivers out there that will mod a car to shit and will have many problems with their car. However, you will also find sick ass cars that have been modded, and kept in very great shape! IE. Cole, one of the sites well known users had a slammed automatic sedan, all kinds of killer upgrades that would allow him to be ready to go boost (really nice upgrades that support a turbo build). But he had to go off on a religious adventure for 2 years, so he had to sell his car. Now If you have the mind set that you shouldn't buy any modded car, you WILL be missing out, like with his car.

However, in your situation, being 16, you learn by experience. You're not going to learn how to upgrade your car because it's already upgraded. You won't have to take anything apart and learn your car piece by piece because it's already taken car of.

Also, if you find a decent stock gsr, you can "mod" it the way you want to. Not the way any one else already did for you, the way you want it to look. Although everyone here appreciates quality upgrades, which you will understand in time doing research and reading posts like this one.

Good luck my friend.
PS. Body kits can really be trash, I would only put something on my car that came optional from the original manufacturer (like type r side skirts and rear valences).

 

[94RS]

F***! :lol:

Was that full coverage?

My bike insurance when I was 17 didn't cost that much...

Nope, basic shit. And I was on my dads policy, had I been on my own it would've been closer to 350. Idk why, I've never had any tickets/wrecks :what: Guess the area I live in sucks ass.

 

[Teggy64]

While a gsr is nice, if you find a really clean and stock LS/GS/RS I would suggest at least test driving it. While yes it's less fun than a gsr it'll be cheaper to fill up and easier to find a clean and stock one. I daily an ls, it's still a fun little car despite it's lack of HP.

 

[JustinMcGee1]

Just don't get an auto. The automatic transmissions in these cars are not the best

 

[R13]

Nope, basic shit. And I was on my dads policy, had I been on my own it would've been closer to 350. Idk why, I've never had any tickets/wrecks :what: Guess the area I live in sucks ass.

Wtf...

Mine's like $60 a month, On a geezer...


OP, F*** clean LS's, Have patience, A clean GSR will come, You will not regret it, You may however, Regret buying an LS or any other slow non-vtec :mrgreen:

 

[TheIVJackal]

Only reason I advise to learn in an Automatic is because you learn the rules of the road a lot easier that way. After you learn though, I do think that drivers who have a MT are more attentive and aware. I've never heard of an accident in a MT from going backwards or forwards by mistake, happens semi-frequently in AT.

I always get flack for saying this but you don't need to put Premium in a GSR... I used to, switched back and forth various times between Regular and Premium, found no difference so I just use Regular. In the fuel section of the manual, it says it is recommended.

Anyways, once you pick up a car, share some pictures with us

 

[here&there]

I'll read that in an hour lol. Okay so no modified cars and don't be deceived by its looks. Haha my mom has a 2002 red mustang and she wants me to keep it and she'll buy a new car. But I don't want to because it can't even accelerate and insurance would be a dick.

Is the mustang a standard or automatic?
Sounds like an automatic, because of your "it can't even accelerate" comment.
I think that you should take the free red car.