Is the Scion FRS a good starter for 16 year old
 

Hello I am looking through reviews and I really like the GT86 a lot aka as the scion FRS, and I drove the car and it handles turns like its no problem and there is not much temptation to race with it, but I feel that as a starting driver is this recommended because the body of the car is weak and if involved in a collision i might suffer severe injuries, just opinions is what i need.

Don't do it. Insurance will be ridiculous. Go to college. Don't let your parents pay for it. You have another things to pay for. Don't forget student debt. Your girlfriend will demand you drive all the time. Gas is expensive. You probably don't have a job yet. You probably haven't even graduated yet. You're going to be indecisive about future cars. It's not a car you want to learn mechanics on. Modding cars is expensive. Find a different hobby.

I think I covered almost everything.

In all seriousness, I think it's not what you want a first car while you're still learning how to drive and will still be surrounded by a high school atmosphere.

Actually, contrary to what you said, the body of the car isn't weak. This car actually does quite well in collision tests.

That having been said, I think it's a fairly expensive and risky car for a first car. I would get something FWD or AWD instead, preferably cheaper and more practical. It isn't the worst choice in the world, but I know I would have done some stupid things if I'd had a BRZ when I was 16 (though I wouldn't have thought so at the time). The insurance will probably be pretty pricy too.

(Gas mileage is good though, so that's a plus...)

I didn't know 16 year olds worried about injury or death. I know I didn't...

There is nothing to be cpncerned about regarding safety with this car.

With that said start with a beater/old car. A miata, aw11 mr2, ae86, or sentra se-r would all be great fun cars to start with. No debt from payments and no bill to worry about. Plus insurance wont suck and you dont have to forl out for premium fuel. Learning on an old car helps a ton, plus no real harm if you mess it up a bit.

Neither poll result was vote-able for me.

Seriously, a 16 year old needs a piece of shit that has cheap parts and is easy to work on. Build the maintenance and respect basics before buying something like this. C'mon, who among us couldn't resist the urge to play bumper cars in our youth?

Grab a small used truck for 3K and learn how to parallel park first at least. It'll pay off in the long run.

Haha this is the second best poll I've ever seen.

This one is still my favorite though: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1294320

Go big or go home. Make your parents get you at least an M3 BMW.

This applies to every car. There is no car out there that can prevent severe injuries.

But I don't get where you got the idea that this car is weak.

The IIHS ratings are high--all Good except for 1 Acceptable rating on torso movement. (http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/scion/fr-s)

Now that that's out of way, there are other things to consider when buying this car especially at your age. The above posts may seem like they're exaggerating but some of it are true.

Unless mommy and daddy are supporting you financially 110%, you should take into consideration what the others have said!

I always thought Monte Carlos and Supercharged Corvettes were the best cars for High School Students.

On a serious note....your insurance will be sky high (whether its you or your parents paying for it).

You have bigger things to worry about than cars and car insurance.

Hello Paul_Gerges and welcome to our forum .... http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...mages/wave.gif

Well, if you are dead set on buying a new car priced around $25,000, then an FR-S would be a relatively safe, relatively economical, dependable, fun automobile for a single person..

However, several other new cars on the market are less expensive and can fill that criteria.

I know I started all three of my kids off with used cars when they turned 16. I replaced the brakes and mounted new tires for them and then showed them where my tool box was and where the wrecking yard was.

As others have mentioned, at age 16, you might consider other priorties to spend your money on. Like education, acquiring job skills or simply saving it.

There are lots of fine pre-owned vehicles out there that can get you to where your going for far less money ..... ;)

humfrz

Get a Honda Civic. Worse comes to worse a new d-series engine/trans is $500. Very cheap and reliable. Insurance is cheap. Enjoy!

Considering you can't decide when is the correct time to use commas or periods, I don't think it's a good decision.

I wonder...

If you could perfectly quantify peoples' bad driving-ness as well as their inability to punctuate correctly, and graph them together... would they be the same graph? I think you may have just stumbled onto something huge, Husker.

Oh, man...

Geez kids these days... whatever happened to shit car, alcohol, pot, and sex?

Pokemon.

A beater would make sense, it certainly makes you appreciate cars later on in life. I started with a hand-me-down 5sp 90s Elantra when I was 17. Because of this car I learned how to drive a manual properly without that guilt of smashing the clutch or transmission cause the car was crap to begin with. Then when I bought my RSX I was totally in love and obsessed with that car just because it was sooo much better, and it wasn't even a type S, and I have the same love affair with my BRZ. But if you and your parents have the means for the expenses just go for it. You obviously like the car and it is safe. Heck if my parents offered me a car like this at 16 I probably wouldn't say no to it. And most importantly just be humble about it.

No... Your going to crash your first car. Its a given.. You should always get a used car when you are still young and its your first car assuming it is since your 16.

Learning how to drive stick on a new car and being a new driver you will end up crashing your car or get it dinged up pretty bad since you are still learning.

Plus, you need to go through the irresponsible stage where you do a lot of burnouts, jump hills, and crash through bushes on purpose. That way you can be a calm and collected older driver eventually, and reflect on how much of a fucking idiot you were when you were younger and wonder how you're still alive.

That's what everyone else does, right?

OP, I have carefully laid out your options. I think your parents will most likely approve.

http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/up...spiderman.jpeg

The frs is a great car but I don't think you would want it when you are only 16; you should rather drool over the car.

1. your insurance would rape you (most likely your parents)
2. regardless if you intend to race it or not, you'll get on the gas eventually
3. get something simple and cheap like a civic or a corolla as a starter car
4. you're wrong, the frs is actually a pretty safe car to drive

hell I'm only 22 and insurance on my frs is still costly for me. not to mention I have to have it fully insured even tho I'm deployed in Korea (gotta pay off my loan)

besides, you're 16; which means you'll get into a wreck eventually...everything thinks they are high and mighty when they first drive then they get into that wreck and insurance goes up and if you have a sports car, you can kiss your college funds good bye if you wanna keep driving

there's my 2 cents. enjoy

Lol there are only positive responses possible...

Honestly if you/your parents can afford it comfortably why not? Just because most people who did not have a lot of money to throw around (or their parents money) when they were younger should not influence your decision. I suggest making absolute sure that this is indeed the car you want. Wait a few months and test drive various cars. Then make your decision. Don't impulse buy.

Like a lot of people have already stated, your chances of getting in a wreck are high. I drove off into a ditch when I was 16-17. Rear ended a van when I was 19. Luckily for me, this was with a truck, so not much damage. Furthermore, it was a good vehicle to learn on due to the fact it was a V6, 5 speed manual, no TC/VCS/ABS, and it had 4WD, so I had ground clearance and could drive in inclement weather if ever needed to. My dad still has the truck til this day (gotta love the Toyota Tacoma. 130,000 miles on factory clutch :lol:).

Is it sad that to this day, it is still easier for me to predict the truck versus my BRZ? I blame TCS/VSC :lol:

TL;DR: Get a beater truck that is a manual and does not have any nannies. Best way to learn IMHO.

http://trialx.com/curetalk/wp-conten...eo_Metro-3.jpg


You'll have more fun in this thing.

Sick GT86 RC bro. I thought it only came in white.

Nah mang, mine was red.

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...4001_large.jpg


Good rubber up front, shit in the rear. You'll wonder why you would need RWD.

Brah you stole mah dudes wheels, wtf

And RWD fo lyfe

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No!

These cars are not safe for kids. Matter of facts, people crash these cars too often. Look at how long the cars have been produced, and how many accidents already.

The safest cars are always FWD or AWD.

The safest drivers = Grown-up, but not Teenagers.

These cars + Teenagers = Funeral home waiting for business

Yes, the FRS/86/BRZ/GT86 makes a good first car. It's cheap, reliable, and safe. I don't know why everyone on here thinks "I had a shitty first car so everyone else should too!".

Look at what you need/want from a car, then get the car you want. No point in buying something you don't like.

That's overkill big time. Many people start off with rwd cars. I would say this thing isn't one of the better choices, because of expenses and steering prowess, but it's not a bad choice either.

If you really want to go rwd, I would go with either a small truck or a larger car, preferably something like a camaro or mustang that have sloppy steering, possibly a v6.

Opinions, man! OPINIONS!

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humfrz

This is my first car back in 1987. It was 1974 celica. Like others said, get a beater car.

Biased poll is biased, where are the NOT A GOOD STARTER/NOT SAFE options? Methinks the 16yo is OP.

wait till you graduate highschool and know where you're going to college, you may find another car more compatible

wait...

Um, this is not a beater car. This is gold.

It's just fine for a 16 year old., albeit maybe a little too nice and new. But if you can afford it why not. It's all relative.

I had a RWD SUV to start at 16 and many of my friends had RWD light trucks. They are not any safer. I would argue that my RWD 4runner's back end was at times way easier to get out than the frs is. Also it's larger, weighs more, less stable on the road and just less safe all around.

I just got my car this summer and I'm only 19, and I still feel like I don't deserve this car sometimes. Believe me, I work 2 jobs and I still have a tough time keeping up with paying for this car's gas and insurance. I've been driving since I was 16 and I don't have a single ticket, no accidents, or any blemish on my driving record and my insurance is still 270/month.
Just get a beater if you really need a car. I remember being 16 and thinking "I'll never get a new car as my first car. I just want a used car that I don't have to worry too much about." Now granted, I never got a beater car because I decided to tough it out for a few years and save up for this car instead. If you really want something as nice as an FR-S, I'd say save up your own money for at least two or more years. Don't put that financial stress on your parents and have them worry about you getting into a wreck everyday.

Here's my advice to you (advice from a 19 year old? wow), and this applies to generally everything you'll ever consider buying:Don't buy anything you yourself can't afford two of.

That simple little advice works for everything, believe me.