Would the FR-S be a good first car?

[FRiSson]

Okay, here's my take. It is so great when you finally get a car to drive that it should be something used. It is the only time in your life when just having an average car, or even a junker, will feel so good. By making a car like the FR-Z your first car, you are short-circuiting the process, and spending money that may or may not make you happy.

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by campy

I'm shocked people are telling this guy NOT to get a Scion as a first car. Seriously? That is the exact market Scion is aiming for. Notice how we don't have all the cool little features that the Japanese and European versions have? That's because they wanted this car (and the rest of their lineup) to be attainable by the younger crowd. The whole Pure Pricing thing is designed specifically to make dealerships easier for first time buyers.

I bet that if a thread like this showed up on a more high end car forum, people there would be suggesting the FRS instead of whatever else. The FRS is far from being "too nice". It's pretty bare-bones. Just because your first car was some beater doesn't mean that this guy has to play fair and also get a crap car.

And about the other suggestions on here: a minivan? A fucking ford fusion? Really? These are absolutely terrible suggestions for an auto enthusiast, and the fact that you're even suggesting those shows that you know jack shit about what auto enthusiasts want.

Maybe people here are trying to seem holier-than-thou. "Oh I can own a Scion FRS because I'm an advanced, experienced driver. A simple newbie peon like you wouldn't be able to handle such a machine". Bullshit. This car isn't "too difficult" for anyone who is even slightly passionate about cars. His probability of wrecking it isn't any higher than if he was driving a Honda Accord.

OP: buy the car you want. Step back from this for a moment. Can you really imagine yourself saying "yeah I wanted an FRS, but some guys on the internet convinced me to get this econobox instead because it has 4 doors."


/rant

well to be totally honest.the frs 'brz is a very poor first car choice for all the right reasons! it's too small,(safety),you can't carry people in it (back seat) plenty of cars get better gas mileage. from a "Practical" perspective,the car is a f**king disaster,and although it handles like a dream,(i love it) where can you possibly use it to it's full potential on a public road. car's basically a toy for people who already own other cars that are far more practical. seriously though,anybody who buys this car doesn't give 2 shits about any of the "afore mentioned",because it's just too much fun to drive. also,at $25 large,the value in this car is negligible at best for a new driver,and could be construed to be even "dangerous" to the inexperienced.

[Saab2Frs]

Originally Posted by BlaineWasHere

Inexperienced drivers should NOT drive nice cars. I'm glad my first car wasn't that nice.

If you have never driven your own car before and have only been using family cars then I would say no. Everyone needs a shitbox for a few years before they step up to a new car. I'm 30 and this is my first "new" car. I have always bought used. Glad I did too because now I treat her like gold.

[Saab2Frs]

That being said though, if your heart is set on it then there's no poll numbers that will sway your minds. It's about balancing wants vs needs, risk vs reward. I had a shitbox 84 Subaru GL (Non AWD) as my first car and even in that I was tempted to tool around. Trust me. You will be even more tempted in a car that is designed for performance.

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by zenki_levin

Car's too small? Try driving a 27y old lowered ae86 on the highway between semi's. Most people shit bricks.

i hear ya! think i'll take a pass!

[Porsche]

Originally Posted by Shagaliscious

Did anyone actually read this post? Particularly the part in bold.

I did.

Moreover, I looked at a few other posts of his for some background and learned that he doesn’t have his driver’s license yet!

Now, his sister’s getting a car for her birthday, it appears, 16th maybe?, and he anticipates getting her car when she discards it in ... what? Four years, maybe? If Alex99 were to turn 16 at that time … that makes him, maybe, 12-years-old now!

Alex99 is polite and respectful, has good taste, good judgment, plans ahead, and pursues his dreams.

I like this kid!

At his age I was dreaming -- a lot! -- about winning the Lotto and buying either an Austin-Healey 3000, or a Porsche 356C. Those were vivid dreams; and as I think of it now, in the twilight of my years, I can almost summon up the very feelings they evoked.

Alex99 has indulgent parents with money. His dreams can come to fruition, unlike most of us. Let’s hope for the best and wish him well.

Did you never dream? What do you say we cut Alex99 some slack, here, huh?

[Sacs]

Originally Posted by alexb99

Wow there are a lot of replies ! Now that I think about it, I probably wouldn't need the back seats unless its an emergency like you guys said. Another thing I need to know is if golf clubs will fit in the trunk. We're deciding between this and a Focus ST or Focus Titanium. (Btw the car is for my older sister, and when she's done with it, it will be my car. So by then, it will probably be worth less.)

If its for your sister then the lack of room in the rear seat is a GOOD thing... if you know what I mean! ;-)

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Porsche

If Alex99 were to turn 16 at that time … that makes him, maybe, 12-years-old now!

Wait, that would make him born in '99 hence the username...

I feel old now, I'm going to go wallow in nostalgia for the rest of the day.

High five to the forward thinking little dude, best of luck.

[campy]

Originally Posted by Sacs

If its for your sister then the lack of room in the rear seat is a GOOD thing... if you know what I mean! ;-)

Might be a bad thing, depending on how close his relationship with his sister is.

[Jaylyons1]

Not sure why you say it would be expensive to run. It gets better gas mileage than my Jetta did and is cheaper and easier to maintain.

[Joeprelude]

It really depends...My first car was a 1969 Plymouth Satellite (383 4 barrel). it was a beast of a car. Paid for it by working odd jobs around town at 14-15, paid 3500 for it. Of course gas was 75-80 cents a gallon. My brother ended up wrecking it. Ended up with a 85 S10 Diesel (thing had 5hp and a smoke screen stock, but 55mpg and diesel was 50 cents a gallon then, 1997)

I would suggest a 97-01 Prelude...loved those cars, easy to tune, cheap to drive, good gas mileage. If you want leg room, check out the new Dart. 15 grand. massive amounts of room, great fuel mileage, and probably the best/most standard equipped car under 20k. (everyone can go ahead and flame me for saying the Dart, but it is an Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and is probably one of the best Alfa's ever made) plus SRT is doing one.

[stilletto]

Inexperienced Drivers and RWD Cars provide great entertainment. ..especially when you see them take out bus stops.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by stilletto

Inexperienced Drivers and RWD Cars provide great entertainment. ..especially when you see them take out bus stops.

I understand your point but, and just my opinion, I think the correct wording of this is "inexperienced drivers with only FWD time and lazy instructors".

I've said this before but pretty much (at least in the US) anyone that learned to drive before 1980 or learned in RWD cars and no nannies.

I don't recall us all sliding our cars into bus stops on a regular basis, at least unintentionally.

All my kids (now 24, 20 and 16) learned to drive in RWD and we had no significant issues with it. It wasn't on purpose, but frankly I never thought twice about it one way or the other, and would have no issue providing them a RWD car as "theirs".

I don't see an issue with any 200HP car being a first car, other than it maybe inspiring a bit more aggressive driving because of its styling and "history".

Even with that, kids are going to do what kids do. A kid that wants to get into trouble can do it just as easily in a 4 banger Chevette as they can in an FR-S. Its about the individual, not the car.

[stilletto]

Realistically, it all lies on the driver.
First car I owned was a 66' Cutlass, and one slide later, I learned to respect the car.
We've got a lot of young "Drifters" here in Chicago, and one actually took out a Bus Stop in his 350Z, so that's where my comment originated from. Haha.