My first car

Azzazzin · Post by **Azzazzin** » November 3rd, 2003, 8:35 pm

Hi, this is my first post on this forum. Happy to be here...

I'm 17, live in Toronto, Canada, and I'm looking to buy my first car. I'm looking for a nice sport car/all-round car that I can eventually mod up.
I drove a friends Intergra Type-R and it was really nice, engine was sweeeeet and handling was nice. But, how does this car compare to other Jap sports cars? How about in bad conditions (snow). How easy (and expensive) is this car to mod compared to others, and what type of power gains can you get outta this car.

And #1 question: is this car reccomended for a first car?

housecat · Post by **housecat** » November 3rd, 2003, 10:11 pm

You don't want an ITR for your first car. You will love it, but you'll go broke if you're 17 AND you want to modify your car. Here's an example: I just bought a timing belt for my 00civic EX and one for my 97ITR. The parts are SO similar, but the civic's was $31 and the Type R's was $85. That is just the timing belt.

If you like to work on your car and you don't want to start out with something too pokey-- think about a 240SX or a 2.5RS, the parts are a little cheaper and the cars are still really fun.

One more thing: I live in Minnesota and drive my ITR in the winter and it doesn't do that great. I feel a little safer in the civic. I know Toronto's winters are worse so...

That's my $0.2

jetydosa · Post by **jetydosa** » November 3rd, 2003, 10:23 pm

I have to admit the ITR would not be a car I could recommend as a first car. At your age, you are still learning to drive and chances are extremely high you will have a fender bender or 2...the insurance on an R will be very very high for someone that is <21 and you will likely be dropped if you have an accident or 2.

My advice, is to get an older car, say 94-95 Integra GSR (assuming you do want some performance) that you can learn on, and then even spend $ to mod after you get some milage under your belt.

Azzazzin · Post by **Azzazzin** » November 3rd, 2003, 11:25 pm

Mmm, thanks for the advice...

Would the car be good if I kept it stock?
I don't have trouble with powerfull cars, I drive my moms A8 and it's got 310HP, so would the ITR be really tough for me?

I do agree I should drive a lower car first. I don't know how to drive stick yet, so I would obviously learn first (rent a civic for a while or something)

Any more advice would be nice. Also, if I were to get a sport car like the ITR, it would be a much better choice than an RX-7/Supra?

DoughBoy · Post by **DoughBoy** » November 4th, 2003, 1:25 am

If your looking for the fastest car off the line, chances are the Type R wont be for you. However, the Type R is built much better than an Rx7 or Supra and is more fun to drive. Also you don't wanna be driving around with a Supra as your first car. A couple of kids do at my school and believe me, they get their asses made fun of.

QuickMagicDC2 · Post by **QuickMagicDC2** » November 4th, 2003, 8:34 pm

I drove a friends Intergra Type-R and it was really nice...I should drive a lower car first. I don't know how to drive stick yet

How could you drive a type R and then say you dont know how to drive stick? =) just intelligently pointing out something, that people missed. Sorry for being critical, but yeah IMHO i dont think the ITR would be a good 1st car for you (stalls, mis-shifting, new learner on manual) you seem to be pretty new driver being 17, i was that a year ago haha, but yeah, Im gonna get a type R hopefully by Christmas, as a present for myself, I'll end up buying it and pay 300+ per month not including insurance, which I pay my self under my parents policy of course =). ITR Insurance would be sky high, i checked it for myself without my parents policy and its like 1850 per 6 months of coverage so yeah if you have a good paying job or a job at all...checks would barely make insurance and car payments...thats if youre doing it all on your own, which i think you should, maybe with minimal help from the rents because I believe relying on parents too much is a no no =) my opinion again. And yeah, what else...I think your first car should be a corolla or civic, =) corolla was mine and will still be mine when the ITR is in the shop being converted with JDM C-west and MUGEN goodies =), Those cars (rolla and civic) arent bad cars to start off driving in, get them in MT so when you will get the ITR you know how to drive it well without burning up the clutch =).....Also yes Type R is built better, than and RX7...atleast the US models of 93-95 but after that its a different story 96-01 are the years of the FD3S in which it became an all around car It's amazingly fast and some can destroy supras (referring to cars from REAmemiya) also its an amazing track car, i belive can take ITR's anyday on the track the [(RX7 Type R, RX7 RZ, RX7 Spirit R, and RX7 Bathurst Type R) my opinions again based on my knowledge and research on those rotary rockets]....and also Type R being built better than a Supra is vague, better in what way? Handling wise i would accept that. ITR can take supras on the track (IMHO Supras have poor handling on courses compared to an ITR or RX7, its just not a track car, prone to severe understeer) also Supras have one of the best engines ever if not the best, the 2JZ-GTE is a monster of an engine, No B18C5 can take 36+Psi and make over 1000RWHP without blowing pistons through the hood...(my opinions again and again [based on my knowlede]..sorry) So yeah Supras for tearing through freeways Well built USDM RX7's for all around (racing Track etc), or else import a japanese RX7 98+ =), and finally the ITR for qucikness, agility in handling, reliability and a hell of a lot of fun. -I wanted the RX7, I cant maintian one, and I wanted a Supra but didnt have money to Mod one....so final Decision....the ITR Black 01 is mine... =)

.......thats my 25 cents for the day..........sorry for making it into a lesson and crap its my 1st post by the way.....Nice to join all you guys. -OnE-

Azzazzin · Post by **Azzazzin** » November 4th, 2003, 11:18 pm

I can drive stick, I just can't do it without stalling at least 10 min into my drive...I mean I need to master it, which apparently isn't hard with a honda

Azzazzin · Post by **Azzazzin** » November 4th, 2003, 11:29 pm

Mmm, I don't think an RX-7 or Supra would suit me in Canada. First of all you can probably only find up to a 93' of each a Supra or RX-7, and even then they are rare and expensive here. Then they are RWD compared to the FWD witch would be better in winter.

The Supra would be my favorite because IMO it's one of the best looking cars to come out of Japan, and the engine is built to be bullettproof (build seriously strong). I think the ultimate street deamon would be an RX-7 with a 3-rotor engine swap (imported obviously)

Haha I know about cars...I just dont drive them....thats what happens when you have rich friends in the import scene

Oh yeah and an insirance question: as a 3rd car in a household, the insirance is really high. Lets say I registered my car under my aunts cottage as the only car, would that make a difference for the Type-R high cost? Plus in octtage country insirance is really low cuz its in the middle of nowhere but Im not sure with a kid driving a type-r anywhere.

Thnx

DoughBoy · Post by **DoughBoy** » November 5th, 2003, 12:05 am

Well considering you dont have much driving experience, your insurance rates will be ferrari-like no matter which one of those 3 sports cars you choose to drive. I'm not saying your a bad driver, its just that when you dont have any previous driving experience to tell your insurance company, they take it as if you're a first time driver.

HyperS · Post by **HyperS** » November 6th, 2003, 3:45 am

Screw insurance. Really, just take some reasonably sized payments you would be giving to your insurance company and put them into a savings account which you can use if anything bad ever happens. Just make sure you always park your car in a safe place and you're careful in traffic.

This car is kind of a pain to use the clutch in. It's got a short clamp distance so a small jerk of the foot and its gone from neutral to 1st. It's hard to learn how to use a clutch at first, let alone this clutch.

All the same, I'm going to be buying myself one next year some time and it'll only be my second car. I'm 18. I'll see what insurance costs me but if I'm going to be paying the car's worth back in a few years I might as well just put those payments into my own savings and drive carefully.

typeRated · Post by **typeRated** » November 6th, 2003, 9:09 am

Even if you wanted to put the money in savings instead on using the insurance there is no way around it because there is no way youre buying the R out of the Dealer without having insurance. It's required by law , Iknow because I Hada a couple of cars.. Now unless it was an 92 or older than yea youd get away with it.. But were talking Type R. Just my thoughts..

ITR640 · Post by **ITR640** » November 6th, 2003, 8:59 pm

I got a Type R as my first car. I did alright no wrecks. You just half to be responsible and not show off to your friends all the time. In snow you don't want to drive with an R. I would suggest getting another car like civic first and then in the summer get a type r. i also have a crx to drive when snows and things. So you can get an ITR first just be responsible and you'll be alright. My insurance by the way was about 200 a month.

HyperS · Post by **HyperS** » November 7th, 2003, 1:35 am

We're only required to have third party insurance. Not much comparatively.

ITRCA

My first car

My first car

your 1st car