Sports Cars in 30K - 65K range

Radio....umm, not much else...

 

Not that well they al small! damn im taller then them and im like 5 3 LOL haha

 

Elise!

If he likes Corvettes, in that price range, they are hard to beat in terms of bang for the buck.

 

the Elise is a great choice ... im 16.5 and i'd love one. there are a few problems though. in the UK, the elises are very unreliable. in some circles they are known for "Lots Of Trouble Usualy Serious"

that being said i think that is an amazingly balanced car ... i had the chance to drive one in the UK earlier this summer and it was amazing ... although it was only on a farm.......

almost nothing with comforts ... radio was okay but gave up on the A/C after about 2 mins in the car. but the car is amazing. i am used to driving my dad's 3 series, but this was truly amazing. the only other car that i have driven (no ferraris in here), i only found one as balanced as it and that is the BMW M coupe which they no longer make

P.S. it takes a while to get the roof up for the elise, so if you get a lot of rain like in London ... not a good car, but then who cares if you get a little wet, for ferrari like handling

 

No, it has 2 seats too! And a windshield and a metal floor. Those could be creature comforts.

I'm surprised that for $45-65k range he's not interested in a 328, 348, 348 Spyder or even a Testarossa! Martin's Cavallino Motors has a few 348 Spyders, a convertible that will attract plenty of attention and sounds great with a Tubi. With a TR he could have a V12 Ferrari that would make him the Lord of the High School.

Different generation I suppose; I know my wife is only 1.5yrs younger than me, but dislikes those cars as they look too "80's."

 

Actually, I think this is an excellent parental policy, and I intend to do the same. While I have friends who were gifted their cars and they still care for them better than most owners, I want my kid to struggle a little (not like poverty 'struggle,' but just not immediate gratification). Also, I don't want to spoil what for me has been a good success motivator.

What would be better is to provide support and guidance in the means to acquire his own Ferrari - ie, business coaching, help rounding up investment capital, etc.

Plus, you don't want your son surrounded by girls who only want the car/$$, or "friends" who just want to use his stuff.

 

Stax has some misconceptions I think. The elise is a very reliable car and has been around now for almost ten years in various forms. Everyone loves to spew out the Lotus acronym, funny stuff. But it all depends on the car. Sure some Loti have had problems and then some have not. Its all relative and can happen to any car. The Elise tub is all aluminum and the quality has gone up every year and so far is the best Elise yet. The engine is supplied by toyota and the ECM is tuned by Lotus. The six speed tranny is also a toyota unit and shifts fine. I am six feet tall and about 190 and I fit in the car fine. Creature comforts are very few and thats the point of the car. Its the true sense of driving that you get with the Elise and thats its purpose. You will get a nice Blaupunkt stereo with cd and optional mp3 player. You will get ac that works fine being where it comes from. There is ABS on the brakes and dual airbags as well. Storage inside the cockpit is very minimal but there is a small trunk behind the engine to hold a few things. Theres also the option of a stage 1 stage 2 or possibly even a stage 3 exhuast direct from lotus as well. but the stock exhuast does sound good to. Its a great handling fun fast car. Oh and the top takes a few minutes but it has been revised and is really not that complicated and its lined nicely on the inside. Plus you can get a hardtop if you wish as well.

 

i am 5-9 and it took a far greater contorsion to get in the elise than my 355...once in side it was ok put very tight...by the way, if i had a young son, i wouldnt want him on the l.a. freeways with a car that only weights 2000lbs..its a great weekend and track go cart but for transportation and safety, for get about it!!!!

 

also, i read in car and driver that toyota had many problems with the gt-s engine with the oil overheating..lotus has added an oil cooler to address that problem

 

It's cool though, some people are allergic to speed...no problem by me.

 

True it is not roomy by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Just chiming in for the younger guys. I'm pushing 21, am a junior in college, and have been priveledged and fortunate enough to drive many beautiful cars -- some more powerful than what you have listed for your son, and some less powerful.

While I do not know your son and I am not about to tell you how to parent as I am hardly in the position to do so, I do understand that you are in the business of health, and that you care a great deal for your son. For this reason I think buying the Lotus is a bad idea. The Lotus is a great car, handles like a dream (indeed, better than many Ferraris) and is a lightning-quick car. However, the reason it is so quick (it weighs almost nothing) is the same reason I do not think it is a good decision to buy for your son.

A very good friend of mine once told me, "if you drive a fast car, a sports car, you are going to be in an accident at one point or another. It doesn't matter if it is your fault or not, but it is going to happen."

Again, I am not going to make assumptions about your son or his driving ability. But if and when the fateful day comes that he is involved in a car accident (regardless of fault), would you rather see him in a tiny aluminum convertible, or a coupe that weighs a substantial amount more and will provide a LOT of extra protection in an accident? Consider your other options. A BMW M3 is a wonderful car. It has much more utility and luxury than the Lotus, goes just about as fast, handles very well, and is much safer.

A lot of people say things like, "Porsche/Ferrari/Lamborghini has gone wrong. These days they make big heavy cars that don't amount to anything. I'm going to buy that new Lotus! A true roadster made with the principles of older racecars!" This is all well and good, but when you take into account the drastic safety improvements that come with all that extra weight (a quick examination of racing fatalities from 1960 to present will confirm this) things don't look so bad after all.

I have written a lot here, I hope you are able to take something from it. On highways overcrowded with 6000 pound SUVs and vans, it would be asking a lot of me to allow one of my own to drive around in a car that is basically one step up from a motorcycle.

 

I might be biased, but it has to be the M3. It actually has a lot of safety, and in the parlence of our times is so PIMP that your son will never leave the 1st gear. Make sure you sign him upo for all three levels of BMW Driving Safety Course.

 

Rigidity might have some effect....but in practice an M3 in virtually every situation will be more safe.

 

Eh, I'm 18 so I'm pretty much coming from his position, and In his position I'd probably want the esprit. Quick, bi-turbo, look absolutley stunning, and way more comforts than the elise. If maintenance etc indeed is not an issue this would be my choice. Does he drive anything besides the truck ever? Although I believe he could handle the power, It's always good to go step by step. Personally I started out with a 89 toyota pickup truck, drove that for a year, got a non turbo 300zx, drove it for a year, and now I have a modified 300zx twin turbo with about 400hp. Im definatley glad I went step by step as jumping from nothing to the non turbo or the truck to the turbo could have got me into a bit of trouble. But if hes been driving other vehicles I see no problem in getting him whichever car you (and him together possibly?) choose. If you have any questions you might want answered from someone your sons age dont be afraid to ask me.

 

iyla,

if you have some interest in a porsche, i would be happy to show you my 930 turbo which is w/o question the nicest in san diego...it is as new!!

w/ only 28k miles and the killer engine mods, unless you drive an enzo, he would out accelerate your ferrari...you may not like your son getting too cocky! lol!!

at any rate, porsches are great cars and are bullet proof. i am a bit worried about a young boy w/ what is effectivly a 500hp casket however.

if you are serious, i would be happy to show you my car!

peter

 

A 500 horsepower modern car is one thing ...

A 930 with 500 horsepower! Thats like sticking a kid on a chopping block and droping the axe yourself!