i AM going to say get a used car first. i haven't regretted one bit about getting my first car used. i got the 2.0T base as my second car. my car before that was a hand me down that got me through many good shares of accidents. research says that almost 80% of new drivers get into at least 1 accident in their first year. at least for the first couple years, i highly recommend it... unless of course you have the money go ahead, it's not my place to say anything

2.0T premium just has extras i didn't need and didn't appeal to me so i just stuck with the base model.

 

Thanks for the quick reply! Too be honest, my parents aren't interested in buying me a used car at all. My dad's thinking is that he doesn't have nearly enough knowledge in cars to know if there's anything wrong with it or not, or if it needs any fixing up, etc etc. In the end he'd rather spend the more money (because he has that option to) than have to deal with the possible headache from a used car. Hence why I'm not looking for discussion on used vs. new as a first car, because that's not the point of this topic.

Ignoring the fact that the Premium just has more extras from the base, is the 2.0 model in general good for a first car? Does it have too much power (although I can't see 210 hp being too much), is it reliable enough, etc etc?

 

it's enough power for a first car...if you get the V6 and you don't have enough experience with driving dynamics of a car...then the RWD will kick your a$$....but the 2.0T should be enough power where you're not getting CRAZY spin to the wheels and hence be a little more controlled on the road...you can always mod the I4 later to get more power

 

It should be ok as long as your actually responsible and dont go out try to race every person you see or race people the egg you on. Oh and number 2 rule. Do not and i repeat DO NOT RICE it out. so stick to that and you'll be good to go.

 

2.0 premium is perfect.

 

PREMIUM
• INCLUDES ALL STANDARD 2.0T FEATURES PLUS:
• Power driver seat
• Infinity® premium audio system
• Proximity key entry and electronic push-button start
• Electrochromic auto-dimming mirror with compass / HomeLink®
• Power tilt-and-slide sunroof

If you like these features, then you should go for it. If not, the base model is just fine .

Also, you are quite lucky to possibly get a Gen Coupe for your first car. Be careful haha.

 

Does the 2.0 premium in the states come with the proximity key and the push button start? cause all the trims of the 2.0 in canada are just regular keys arnt they?

 

Seriously mang. I'm 21 and I'm glad i went through 2 1st used cars when I started at 16. All of them got beat. Got my 3rd car new and that even got beat too, my 3rd car is a yaris and it made me get the title of perrallel parking master of the world. LOL My 4th is my Genesis.

NO BULL **** but get something used. I'm not sure if you have been reading but there is a bad curse that comes along with this car. I'm a victom myself. After 7 days of owning my car, on the 8th day it got backed into. Others on here will tell you, the car has a curse on it. Fear for you life!

Everyone that has bought it has either:
1. Died
2. Survived to tell the ugly tell
3. Total loss
4. $2k away from being a total loss
5. $3k worth of damages
6. Bent control arms from the car being rwd and being a novice driver.

Over all man. Stick with the 2.0t for a 1st car. Its good on gas and it has enough power, trust me. I used to drift my car stock and it was enough power to get it sliding.

If you're going to get an automatic... grow some hair on your balls and dont. If you are... get a civic. =P

 

NO BULL **** but get something used. I'm not sure if you have been reading but there is a bad curse that comes along with this car. I'm a victom myself. After 7 days of owning my car, on the 8th day it got backed into. Others on here will tell you, the car has a curse on it. Fear for you life!

Everyone that has bought it has either:
1. Died

Wait, who died? Did I miss something?

What does OP stand for?

And El_StiG, a bit excessive no? lol. there is no curse. sports car = more likely aggressive drivers.

OP stands for Original Poster or the person who originally started the thread.

As for El Stig's comments being excessive, they really aren't. All but 2 or 3 of the accidents were due to other people not seeing the car or not paying attention and running into whether it was at a stop light, going through an intersection, etc. Then again, that is one of the inherent risks of a smaller sports car. People, especially big trucks and SUVs don't see you and have a tendency to try to kill you.

I know, I have been run literally off the road twice so far in 10 months and 34,000 miles of ownership. Once I lucked out and stopped in the grass shoulder safely. The second time I wasn't as fortunate as I was forced to ramp a concrete median. Fortune came in when the only damage was a slightly bent metal brace part of the frame and a 1 foot long scrape down to the metal on my pinch weld. So for me, the curse was sparing in it's deal of punishment.

Now, onto the OP

Is the 2.0T Premium a good choice for a first car...?

Well, I suppose that all depends on what you want out of the car. Like you, when I was looking around for a first car, I was basically told by my parents that I could get anything I wanted for 15K. Anthing over that in price was mine to cover as well as the gas and insurance. Minor maintenance was mine as well to keep up and cover cost wise with major repairs if and when needed being split 50/50 with them. This way, while I may not have bought the car myself, I was still in control and responsible for it. This gave me a lot of respect and appreciation for my car. I personally went with a 01 Jetta which was slightly used at the time. I chose it because it had enough peppy feel to the motor to satisfy me and because it was nicer than the friends cars I had been riding in and was large enough to hold several of my friends or carry a crap load of stuff in.

It was a good learning and do it on my own whatever I wanted car. Even so, I would from time to time think I was better than the car and as soon as I did it would bring back to reality like when I hydroplaned on I-10 and had to drive it into the shoulder to get out of the way of a semi and when I thought I was "cool" and tried to powerslide a sharp corner and lost control and put the back end into a ditch (no damage but required an expensive tow to remove the car from the mud).

So, is the 2.0T good for you? I was more responsible than any of my friends for the most part and they always commented that I was the best driver they would ride with, yet I still had my share of things come up. Will you be the same, maybe or maybe not. The point is to look at your needs for now and into the next however many years you plan to own it and think about things like:

1) Does it fill all my needs?
2) Do I want to drive all my friends somewhere?
3) Do I constantly carry things or do things that would require a more useful need like a large trunk or similar?

My point is to take some time and sit down and think long and hard about your decision. Don't think about looks or power or numbers or what everyone tells you you should get. Think about yourself and your needs honestly and then think about what cars fit those needs. If that includes the 2.0T Premium and it is a plausible purchase option, great and have fun. If it doesn't, it's not a big deal. Either way, your welcome here to post and ask questions about things.

I hope this helps you a bit.

Bill

 

If I was you I'd get the rspec rather than the premium, comes with more useful features if your into spirited driving.

 

I'm definitely not looking to race, OR rice (I can't stand ricers!) and of course and am going to be responsible as possible.
The main reason I'm looking into the premium is because I definitely like the extras inside, but also I'm most likely going to be getting a 2010 model when the 2011's come out, so I'll be able to get a premium around the price of a base (hopefully?).

Sadly, I'm going with an auto tranny, so no r-spec, and hell no I'm not getting a Honda! I love the GenCoupe way too much

 

OP sounds a lot more mature and open minded than most kids on this site. The 2.0T is a good first car, but it depends more on the driver. Drive any reasonable car with some common sense and you should be alright.

 

What does OP stand for?

And El_StiG, a bit excessive no? lol. there is no curse. sports car = more likely aggressive drivers.

 

A Genesis probly isn't a good idea for a first car. A civic would be a much better choice, I had 2 8th gens, a sedan and a coupe and i loved them both. Jumping right into a rwd car can be a problem, and it's gonna suck if it gets put into a telephone pole.

 

The dude will not have a problem with a rwd car trust me I am 22 and have been driving sense I was 16 and had 7 cars before my Genesis fwd or rwd don't matter just don't be stupid on the road and all should be well also when u pay for your own car u tend to treat it better just realize how much money ur parents are going to spend I started with a 400 car that I bought

 

The 2.0t should be nice... its not that quick, good gas mileage (the automatic 2.0t is kinda crappy actually, gets like 3-5mpg less than the manual, probably because it only has 5 gears). Then after a good 2 years behind the wheel, you can pick up a reflash and have a little more fun, maybe some other mods if you decide to keep it for a while. This is my "first" car as in I actually own it, its under my name and I pay for it, so I plan on keepin her for a long time.

 

Thanks for the input everyone. That write up definitely helped out Wildbill, and honestly I still fell as if the Genesis Coupe is the right choice. The only problem I have with it is the lack of room in the rear seats, but I never really planned on carrying around a lot of friends, anyway. And besides, I'm not going to buy a car just so I can carry my friends around.


Thanks again! If anyone else has input I'm willing to hear it!

 

As a father of teenagers, I would never get them a new car, nor a GC, but that’s me and my situation. It’s not them I’m worried about – it’s their friends and school mates. My 17-year old daughter’s used Malibu has accumulated quite a few scratches, tiny dents, and drink/food stains in it that were not her doing, but her friends' and classmates'. And despite being a used car and a Chevy to boot, it really hasn't needed much work -- and it's pretty easy to find parts, etc. when it does.

I have a 2.0T Premium and it is my 9th car in nearly 30 years of driving. Had I had it as my first car I’m not sure I would enjoy it as much as I do I have wanted a new sport coupe since I was in high school, but never could afford or justify it until this time in my life.

But, I'm guessing you've developed a taste for fun cars and the 2.0T Premium will definitely be a great car for you if you're a responsible driver. I like it more for it's handling than power (as others have said, it's not a powerhouse) but certainly has plenty of horses when needed for safe passing on two-lane highways, getting up on the freeway, etc. I also enjoy the sunroof, decent stock stereo and other creature-comforts. It has a good safety rating. Being a first-model year it does have some kinks, and in that respect, there are some risks.

Were I in your shoes I would certainly rather drive a GC than the '77 Buick Century my parents let me drive while in high school

Good luck and have fun shopping !

 

In my personal experience or following WildBill's word, I've been told I was probably one of the slowest safest drivers BUT alone I was known to be a little aggressive. My first car was a 2000 Mercury Cougar, it was manual so on the streets I would try to beat everyone on the stoplight with a 120 horsepower based Inline 4 engine. I never got into an accident that involved my fault. Most recent was about a month ago and I got rear ended by a graduate from high school stopped by traffic. I was stopped for about 10 seconds and she didn't pay attentioned and rear ended me. I also minorly scraped the front of my bumper against a wall which made me learn that it's better safe than sorry.

Point is that sometimes things will get messed up sometimes no matter what. Like I love my car no doubt but I'm paranoid of driving it. A first car also teaches you some lifelong experiences about driving that you wouldn't do on a car you'd baby. If you love the car and are probably going to think twice before doing a dangerous maneuver then I'd say get it. I'd also say watch out for the boost cause that still catches me by surprise by how much power gets into it. I don't use the boost a lot but just a heads up.

For trims, if you're really technical then the premium's a way to go, but I think the track would be a much better idea for the pricing. There might be some dealers selling the track a little cheaper than normal so just shop around.

 

I'm not sure what kind of winters you have but unless you live down south, GC is a poor choice for a first car.

RWD in a winter environment for a non-seasoned driver could mean accidents.

FWD or AWD would be better in this case since you would have more control of the car vs. a RWD

however, ultimately its up to you. Are you willing to be responsible with your driving and buying winter tires, etc.

 

To narrow it down, responsibility, control (to not be so aggressive), and being safe

 

if you are average height.. you won't fit in the back seat lol

 

Yea you should get a used car first. Chances are you'll end up wrecking/ messing up your first car.

 

Yea you should get a new car first. Chances are you'll end up wrecking/ messing up your first car.

He means used

 

first car = 90's civic, carolla, camery, accord

/thread. sorry

 

Sorry for the double post.



Maybe if you read my OP you would have seen that I'm looking for input on whether or not you think I should have a used car as my first car. That's irrelevant to this topic, and quite frankly, I don't care if you think I should have a used car or not. I've talked it over plenty of times with my parents and that's not the road they want to take.

I simply wanted to know your thoughts on the 2.0 GC as a first car. Not if a used car is better.

 

I've talked about it extensively with my dad and not being a car person, he'd rather not take the risk and rather me be safer in a newer car. Thanks in advance!

Are you female? or are parents really this overprotective of their children?

If you're some smokin' hot 16-17 year old girl, I can understand daddy not wanting his little princess to get stranded on the side of the road and raped by Bubba the tow truck driver... But if you're a dude, just get AAA and call it a day.

To answer your question, yes, the 2.0 would be a fine choice for a 1st car. RWD can get a little squirrely if you don't know what you're doing, but the 2.0 isn't that powerful, and the traction control on this car is overbearing as hell, so you should be fine (unless you try to gun it while making a left hand turn into oncoming traffic and the TCS cuts your throttle because your rear wheels slipped slightly and you find yourself in the middle of oncoming traffic with no power... but that's a discussion for another thread )

 

Nope I'm a guy. My dad's outlook isn't "I don't want me son to get stranded on the side of the road" but its that he doesn't want to put in money to a used car, then have it break down or have something wrong with it and have to pour even more money and time into it constantly and worry about any headaches. He has the money to, so he'd rather put forth a little more to get me something that I won't have trouble with and he won't have to be worrying about it being in the shop every 2 months.

I dont want to sound like a dick but does a 16 year old kid that doesnt know anything about cars really need a brand new car with a turbo??? its like every squid that thinks they need a 1000cc motorcycle because its "cool" and "badass" and then they end up killing them self on it or totaling it out a week later. But then again I guess if mom and dad have enough money to spend on it well good for you...

Well first off, who said I don't know anything about cars? And I'm not 16. Please don't come into my topic and assume.

I'm not looking to get a brand new car with a turbo because I want to be "'cool' and 'badass'." I really love the GC for more than just its engine, and trust me if I wanted something powerful a 4 cylinder turbo with 210 HP is not something I'd be going for.

 

I dont want to sound like a dick but does a 16 year old kid that doesnt know anything about cars really need a brand new car with a turbo??? its like every squid that thinks they need a 1000cc motorcycle because its "cool" and "badass" and then they end up killing them self on it or totaling it out a week later. But then again I guess if mom and dad have enough money to spend on it well good for you...

 

I would've loved to have the GC as my first car but I probably would've killed myself.

 

Practical is having four doors instead of two. I honestly wish I had bought a four door from time to time but I didn't anticipate having to cart around a girlfriend and two dogs. ><

 

Haha I hear ya, Im so glad my SRT4 is a 4 door.

 

Man I'm 18 years old, and this is my second car....first car was a 330 hp 4.5l v8 rwd monster....it was a hand me down granted, but it had waaaay more power that the gencoupe...long story short I was responsible with it, and never even got in a fender bender...the secret is not getting too comfortable and cocky...as long as ur responsible and drive safely doesn't matter what car you have...also u obviously want the car so just get it, just be safe

 

yup, keep the ego at bay

 

OT, what's +1?

 

I haven't read the posts and I'm late to the thread obviously, but my two cents says go for used too. If he's worried about the car not being safe, buy a used turbo Volvo.



Basically means "I agree."