Hello, I am 18 years old and I am looking for a relatively fast sports car that is manual. It does not have to be a coupe but that is preferred I would also really like it to be rear-wheel drive. S2000s are too expensive for me, all the 350zs are clapped-out pieces of junk in my area, and I don’t want a Lexus is300. Can someone help me choose a car that is right for me?
Just what an 18 year old needs $16,995
i was mostly looking for something non-domestic.
Infiniti G35 is the luxury version of the Nissan Z but probably won’t be easy to find as a manual but we don’t know how much you’re willing to spend.
S2000’s are $19,500 to $24,000 and claims that’s to much money.
350Z’s are $7,995 to $13,999 so I’m guessing is his price range.
I wonder how much insurance is for an 18 year old with a “Fast Sportscar W/manual”
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Guys&Gals, admit it, we all had similar dreams when we were 18.
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Subaru BRZ or the Toyota equivalent AE86. Look for the early ones…might hit your price point.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe might as well.
And then there is always the MX5 Miata, available at every price point with a wide range of options. Easily modifiable.
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A sports car is a sports car . The auto industry is global so foreign or domestic really does not matter . It’s Me is correct , a Corvette is perfect . Parts are easy to get , almost any shop can work on them and there are clubs all over the place .
You really should check on insurance cost . Talk about expensive for anything at your age.
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“Fast” is relative, I’ve found myself unintentionally doing 80 on the interstate in modern sedan which would have been much more “interesting” in a small droptop sports car but insurance for an 18 year old in a high powered car is an unfortunate fact.
For me the definition of a “youthful sports car” is the Miata. Relatively affordable, simple, endlessly modifiable, tons of parts availability and fun, fun, fun!
Of course with rear wheel drive, only 2 seats and with a rag top, noisy and uncomfortable but when you’re young who cares,.
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Consider a BMW Z3 coupe. It’s design is polarizing, but if you don’t mind the clown shoe look, it’s will be quick for a 1998 to 2002 car. The 2000-2002 models used the 3L with 228 hp/221 lb ft torque. It’s also available as a roadster, but the coupe is probably cheaper. It’s 20 years old or more, but it meets your criteria and should be affordable, even for one in good condition. Whatever you buy, consider insurance. If you register it in your parent’s name, insurance will be a lot less. Roadsters with about 100,000 miles should be under $10,000 but the coupes are rare, owing to that polarizing design.
The cost of insurance is a very real concern, when you include a young man with a sports car.
I drive a 2009 Dodge Challenger with a V8. I’m well over 25, but I pay a little extra in insurance every month just for driving a V8 vs a V6.
I can’t imagine what it would cost if I was under 25, let alone 18.
Good luck young man.
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+1
I wonder whether the OP has considered the greatly increased insurance cost factor.
Yes we had the dream but it didn’t take long to find out the difference between the dream and reality.
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I laughed at this. Never thought about it…but, yep…it does have a similar profile.
Isn’t a used BMW going to be a little pricier to maintain than an Asian or domestic brand?
I was going to vote for a used Mustang GT before he said he didn’t want a domestic. Lots of them were manuals, really cheap if you buy an older body style, pretty reliable if you can find one that hasn’t been abused, decently fast with a huge aftermarket following, and it has a back seat…that can at least be used in an emergency. More of a “muscle car” than a true “sports car”, I suppose, but I bet there’s a ton of aftermarket support for improving the handling.
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No, it’s likely to be far more pricey to maintain.
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Did a little price shopping and I noticed 2013 Genesis Coupes (8 years old), under 100,000 miles asking under $16,000 and 2010 - 2014 models at a littel over 100,000 asking less than $13,000.
It’s certainly not a Corvette or a rubber burning Mustang/Camaro but it is a 2 seater coupe, the turbo 4 has plenty of scoot, a top speed of higher than you would every reasonably want to go, is well made, well equiped and you may be able to buy, insure and maintain it without selling blood.
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Friend of my youngest bought a sports car (Camaro) when he was 20. His insurance was almost double the total of my insurance and my wifes car insurance and our home owners insurance.
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When I was 18, the “sports cars” everyone wanted were the Ford Probe, Toyota Celica, and Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird. Also popular were 2-door versions of the Dodge Shadow, Nissan Sentra, and of course the Chevrolet Beretta. Looking back, we had such wonderful cars, and we didn’t appreciate them at the time.
For a young man, the perfect car is a used Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic (4-door sedan), or similar. Preferably with a NA 4-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. It will be reliable, easy on the wallet to buy, maintain, and insure.
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i already drive a manual 2005 toyota corolla. but thank you anyway 