hi, im in hs and i just got my license in december, i currectly drive an acura integra ls. while its perfectly fine for hs, and fun to drive, i want something fast, and im not gonna spend the money to try and get it fast, bc it would cost too much. anyway, what car do you guys recommend for me while in college? ill start college in 05-06. im new to cars in general, but especially domestics. all ive heard about domestics is although they are powerful, they are never gonna last as long as imports, especially honda/acura. i need something that is reliable, fast, and will last me. so what do u guys recommend?

 

well....as this site is an LS1 site, most of the guys/girls (including me) are going to recomend camaros and firebirds/trans am's. as far as how long a car lasts, it all depends on how well you take care of it. there are plenty of domestics out there that have outlast and are still outlasting imports. as for what car to get, i would goand test drive some cars, and see which one suits you best. and also get rid of the integra as soon as you can. ill buy it for 20 bucks. good luck.

 

First of all, any car will last with the proper care. Will hondas last longer for a bonehead that doesn't do regular maintenance- possibly.

If winter driving is not a concern, F-bodies are a great choice.

I'm assuming that since you're posting on an LS1 site- you're interested in an LS1. These are great cars, and in STOCK trim, they are about at trick & fast as you're gonna get without spending a fortune (like a Vette, viper, etc.) In my opinion though the aftermarket parts are relatively pricey once you get into the hard parts as almost any serious mod will require additional computer mods/dyno tuning.

LT1 F-bodies make less power stock, but are much cheaper to buy.

One other consideration is the (everyone get ready to boo and hiss) turbo regal / grand national. The TR's are cheaper than GN's (and generally cheaper than LS1 cars) and can be made to run 12's with really cheap mods. They will be cheaper to insure than a Camaro or TA, and tend not to bait cops as much. They will be somewhat better to drive in inclement weather. Big drawback to these is that they're older now and may need some maintenance parts (brakes, alt, battery, exhaust, suspension parts, etc.) and many have been beat pretty badly.

It all depends on the $$ you have, what your goals are (driver, weekend warrior) and what you like.

 

How old is the LS that you drive now? If you want to go fast for "cheap" get a 93-97 camaro/firebird. It will cost you $ 4000,00 at least. Another good idea would be to get a fox body mustang... you know, the 5.0. 89-93 5spd less than $4000,00. My advice is drive the Acura for a beater till you get out of school then buy what you want....unless you have some hidden funds

 

T-maxx hit on something I forgot to mention. If at all possible- KEEP your existing car.
I don't care what it is- you need a beater if you're gonna mod your "fun" car. We've all been
working on our cars on a Sunday night and lose a bolt/break something/discover we need a gasket, etc.
and this will ALWAYS happen five minutes after the last auto parts store closes.

If you want a fast car, you will have to be prepared to work on it, and to have things go wrong so
you need another means of transportation.
You'll be sick of your F-body, 'stang, Turbo Regal- whatever if you can't get where you gotta go.
Some will say you don't need a beater, but the few times I've been without one I've really missed
having a parts getter.

Also- another post mentioned a 'stang- I hate to say it, but on a student's butget that's a real
good choice. The cars are super cheap, and there isn't a car made that has such good aftermarket
support at reasonable prices. Only downside is that you'll get spanked by lots and lots of
ls1 cars