FR-S or Veloster turbo
 

Hey, i'm currently deciding between these two cars, i'm 18 and this would also be my first car. Are these good cars for a 1st time owner?

apples/oranges. personally if you were my 18 year old I wouldn't let you get either one, especially for a first car.

This.

I know that AS an 18 y/o you just don't want to hear this BUT I can look back a mere 8-10 years and regret locking myself into a car payment so early on with my Evo. I never hurt myself or anyone else with it but I did rack up a few speeding tickets and drove it (sometimes) like an absolute ass. I cooked the brakes from 160mph on the freeway to a near dead stop when I though I was about to lose it. I could have been killed. These days I'm more responsible and after 6 years of Jeep ownership I'm looking at the FR-S as a 27th birthday present to myself.

If I could go back I never would have traded in my COMPLETELY paid off 02 Lancer on a used 03 Evo on a terrible deal at a shitty dealership because I had tunnel vision. $500 car payments.

I'd still be driving that Lancer today and buying my FR-S w/ Cash if I could do it all over.

Agree with Chewie. Plus, you or your parents will be paying through the roof for insurance.

Like others said before at 18 you're probably going to end up in a corolla or TC at a toyota dealership.

No You'll need to get more years of driving experience to really enjoy cars like this. Getting something lower powered and cheaper. That doesn't mean that can't be fun in their own way. Think the Mazda 2 which is a great little handling car with only 100hp but very light toss able and predictable.

My first car at 19 was '89 Civic Si which back then had only 108hp and something like 98lb/ft of torque. That car was hella fun without getting me into trouble. Think along those lines in a small light low hp car. You'll appreciate a sports car much more once you master the basics in subcompact/compact, and you'll be having fun along the way. Plus like someone said, the insurance on either of those cars at your age will be brutal due to lack of years of driving experience.

You guys realize that his parents may not be involved in this at all, right? I know lots of 18 year olds with jobs that have purchased new cars. Say, nearly all enlisted military right after high school.

My thinking is find an older Miata in good condition, pick up a friend and go to the beach. When you want get some professional instruction tracking/autox. Enjoy the process and go at it for a couple years. Then you will be better experienced and prepared to make an expensive decision.

^ agreed.

If you want a car that really handles do not get the Veloster, the rear suspension leaves a lot to be desired. Otherwise the V is a great little car to zip around town in.

Very true.

But the point made about a light economical compact still being fun and a great stepping stone still applies. I had a LOT of fun with my Corolla and my Lancer before I spoiled myself.

Doesn't matter. My first car was with my own money. It would be smarter that you learn to walk before you run, if you will. Hell, just the insurance alone should be enough to scare you, if you're completely doing it on your own at that age! In some cases it would be more than the damn monthly payment on either of those cars!

It's all about what you want. No-one else here can decide for you, and no-one here should be parenting you. You are 18, and legally an adult. So this is a big first choice. Just do your homework, and figure out what you really want. Think about where you want to be in the next 4 years, and what makes sense for where you want to be and what you want to do with the car.

If you're concerned about straight lined driving, then pick up the veloster since it has a factory turbo. If you want to do some more track/auto-x driving where handling matters, pick up the FR-S.

Personally I think the FR-S will be the most rewarding for a driver that takes it's abilities seriously and learns how to handle the car properly on the track and at Auto-X.

Being 18 just means you're an adult, not that everyone needs to baby you. Your decisions are yours to make, and the consequences of those are yours to reap. (That sounds morbid, but it's not meant to be)

Do what feels right man. Do what makes sense for you. Don't go on what anyone else says.

My dad is paying for the car cash as a grad gift and i've had experience in much faster cars that belonged to my dad like his porsche cayman which is what i learned to drive in and now in his C63 AMG coupe