Coupe....first car ever??

[golfgizzard]

My soon to be 16 yr old son has fallen in love with a 2004 G35 Coupe black on black. The look of the car is the allure to him right now.

Dealership "loaned" car out to us....Dad drove it home......little worried about too much horsepower after he's used to it.

Good kid..great driver so far.....very responsible.

I've never owned an Infiniti. Can this be a good first car?? 49,000 miles

[C-Kwik]

I was a responsible driver once. It lasted as long as my permit did. Funny thin happens when you get some freedom.

I would be pretty concerned with the power myself.

Here's a recent article I read on this very topic though:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/0...x.htm

[J-Owner]

Would be a hell of a car for your 16th birthday.

However, also WAY TOO MUCH power for a 16 year old. No matter how responsible you always have the temptation to floor it. My bet is he wrecks it in the first year.

Good luck whatever you decide. Oh, one more thing your 16 year olds insurance, which I am sure you will be paying, will go through the roof!!!

[Nick240sx]

does he deserve it? if you wanna start him out with a rwd car with a little bit of power find him a 240, i think it would be too much to risk as a first car, the 240 is a fantastic starter car. ill be picking up my own G this fall. but im the one paying for it.

[GamingMom]

I was an honor roll student, member of the national honor society, never in trouble, etc and my parents let me purchase a car with a turbo engine for my first car. They paid for insurance and I paid for the car payment (this was back in the 80s hehe). Well once I got out alone on the road I turned into an animal - the first time I was pulled over it was for drag racing, I rear-ended someone because I was going way too fast in the rain, and I blew the engine 2x. The rev of the engine just took me to another level.

Now I'm not saying your son would do this as everyone is different but IMO it is too much horsepower for that age. Perhaps get him a different car for now then if he has proven that he is as responsible of a solo driver that he is in all aspects of his life bump him up to a G for graduation? Just some thoughts, not trying to make judgment calls on your son as I don't know him but sharing my personal experience.

[golfgizzard]

You guys are echoeing what my gut has been telling me since I drove the car......would the same car in the sedan make a difference in your eyes?

It's my understanding that it's the same engine and HP, yes or no?

Our main concern is to put him in a safe car....money is not that big of an object, although it is a consideration. We have been looking at the Jetta, the Mustang, the G sedan and now this. The G35 Coupe rates pretty close to equal in comparisom to those other cars in the number of stars awarded in crash tests.

[C-Kwik]

While the Sedan doesn't have the image of performance that the coupe does, it performs pretty much just as well. I would have the same worries as I would with the coupe. Any car getting over about 150-180 HP for a first car would probably worry me as a parent. Especially if it were my kid and knowing how I was at that age...

[joe603]

This is my opinion...

My first car was an 85 Plymouth horizon...small, rusted, piece of crap...but it was great to be free, plus it got me into car stereo's! After hitting 2 deer and another car (didn't have his headlights on, I tried to cross a 4-lane hw), I managed to smash it into a tree one morning picking up my gf. Again, not my fault an extended cab pickup was backing into the street, had nowhere to go. My wife's first car was an 86 Fiat Ritmo...sideswiped by someone who didn't stop at a stopsign.

My point is that your first car WILL BE IN AN ACCIDENT! Insurance companies know this, and adjust your rates accordingly...have you checked what your rate would be with your son as the primary driver?

I would also like to say that I was a A+ student, but i didn't race...too scared of loosing my license, or paying more insurance (my parents made me pay for my own insurance). Eventually I became comfortable enough to drive, and my father bought a 76 rally sport camaro w/ a 350 for HS grad. I'm 28 now, and thankful that I make enough money to be able to afford nice things, like my G35. On the other hand, if your pulling down 6+ figures, then maybe a G35 is a cheap alternative to a viper or NSX...

[RED_DET]

Too much car for a 16 yr old, IMHO. To expensive of a car as well. I don't think he will appreciate the car as much now. The sedan is not an option either, don't let the two extra doors fool you. The sedan is just as fast, sometimes even faster.

[Sil40_Mayhem]

Luxury performance car (even entry level) + 16 y/o kid = It's pretty much a fact of life that a young driver's first car will incur some damage whether due to misuse or inexperience. My advice would be to go with a lower powered, less expensive start car and work up from there. Just my $0.02.

[yzarcur]

I agree with everyone else. But it sounds like you are going to spend the money on a car of his choice, be it a G35, Mustang or what ever. I think the best thing you could do for your son is get him in an advanced driving course. No matter what car you get him he is going to drive it as fast as he can, so he should know how to drive that way. I don't condone the high speeds, expecially for a new, young driver. But you are talking about your son. The G35 is a very fun car to drive but it requires years of experience to drive it the way it was designed. I gaurantee you the back end of a G35 or Mustang will come around on him, if he is not expecting it it will spell disaster.

If you know how to drive with advanced skills go with him at least and show him what to expect.

Good luck.

ps your insurance will be about $2000 or more a year, I know I am an agent.

[J-Owner]

Any self respecting 16 year old boy would not be caught dead in a VW Jetta.

There is nothing in the Infiniti arsenal that is appropriate for a 16 year old.

[joe603]

Any self respecting 16 year old boy would not be caught dead in a VW Jetta.

There is nothing in the Infiniti arsenal that is appropriate for a 16 year old.

I don't know...the GTI is pretty fast. Not in the same league as the G though!

[HashiriyaS14]

Unless the kid has previous driving experience pre-license (read: karting, auto racing, et cetera), I would start him out on something front-wheel drive, manual, and docile.

Manual so he learns to drive stick, because even if you're eventually going to buy an auto, it's just good to learn how to do, and no time to learn like when you're first learning to drive.

FWD because it's more intuitive. You get into trouble, and you get off the throttle and on the brakes, just what most new drivers will do intuitively. In some RWD cars, that will get you in trouble in a hurry....

Docile for obvious reasons. You don't want a 16 year old with no driving experience behind the wheel of anything capable of seriously overpowering the tires, which a G35 can easily do. If he punches it in a corner, he's going end-over-end. If he punches it in a corner in a 170hp Civic or Accord, he might understeer off the road, but it'd be a lot easier to handle.

My first car was a 5-speed Saturn sedan, which was all 3 of these things. Taught me to drive manual very well, it was light and responsive, and it wasn't overly complicated.

I would also not put a 16 year old boy in a Jetta, it's asking for h0m0 jokes. Hairdressers, interior designers, and our 35 year old female office manager drive Jettas.

How about a new Civic Si? Fairly quick, but easy to manage. If you want something larger, try an Acura TSX.

[J-Owner]

Thank you! I didn't want to be the one to make h0m0 and tree hugger jokes about the Jetta.

That was however what I was getting at.

[Ptone]

You need to assume your kid will be driving like a maniac when he or she first gets their license and make sure they have a somewhat safe and mellow car. I can't imagine what I would have done if I had a G35 as a first car. I think my first car had around 100hp but I still managed to get it to triple digits on a regular basis.

[tennisboy821]

eh.. i'm 15 1/2, and my parents just bought me an 03 g35c

there are 2 other teenagers at my school that i know of who also drive g35 coupes

and my friend, who's also 15, has an 01 m3

i just think that if the teenager is responsible and aware of the consequences of dangerous driving behavior, he should have enough sense to follow the rules of the road, regardless of the horsepower of handling ablilities of the g
Modified by tennisboy821 at 3:28 PM 6/18/2006

[srdrps13]

dude im tryna get my parents to get an g35c...... 15-16 year olders with a 30,000 thousand dollar car? come on now...

wayy too much power for someone at that age...

[tennisboy821]

i personally wanted this car more for the styling. the power of the car wasn't nearly as important, but it was a plus.

[minhong]

I'm 22 yrs old, so I remember how it was to be in high school w/ some perspective on it.

No doubt he's going to go at least 80 or 90, possibly more, with the G35, or with any other car. I've seen people go 90-100 on anything from an old Civic to a minivan, so either way, your son is going to go over the speed limit. Just make sure to take him out practicing a lot before you let him go out on his own with his friends.

At least with a G35, a car thats actually designed to go that fast, the handling abilities of the car won't be compromised at those speeds. However, and I'm not a 100% sure about this, but with RWD, when you do lose control, if you slam on the brakes like your instincts tell you to, you lose even more control, so there might be a safety concern there.

If money is really not a huge issue, I think the perfect car for a 16 yr old would be either the TSX or IS250. Both are around 200 hp, so slower acceleration, but still designed to handle higher speeds and very good handling cars. But buy your son a nice car to buy his love. You won't regret it.

[Vikster]

eh.. i'm 15 1/2, and my parents just bought me an 03 g35c

there are 2 other teenagers at my school that i know of who also drive g35 coupes

and my friend, who's also 15, has an 01 m3

i just think that if the teenager is responsible and aware of the consequences of dangerous driving behavior, he should have enough sense to follow the rules of the road, regardless of the horsepower of handling ablilities of the g

Modified by tennisboy821 at 3:28 PM 6/18/2006

LOL Im the guy that he was talking about. In my honest opinion if you know your son and you trust him, make him happy and get the car. Just make sure he doesnt think he is invinceable.

As to the guy that said you can go 155...even going speeds of 90mph can kill you in any car.

P.S. Im 16 and its an 03 M3

[MinisterofDOOM]

It really depends on the kid...My sister will be taking driver's ed next year, and the thought of her behind the wheel of my dad's 265 hp Maxima scares me to death. I'd bet good money she wrecks it (and not just a fender bender) inside a year.

I, on the other hand, feel like I would have done fine with it. Maybe I've just forgotten how bad a driver I was when I first started out...but I really think if I would have had a G35 as my first car, I would have been fine.

Unless the kid has previous driving experience pre-license (read: karting, auto racing, et cetera)...

This is a big part of it, I think. I've been driving cars since I was 5 years old, but I have friends who can barely operate a car because driver's ed was their first time ever behind the wheel.

Quote »Manual so he learns to drive stick, because even if you're eventually going to buy an auto, it's just good to learn how to do, and no time to learn like when you're first learning to drive.[/quote]Absolutely! It's useful knowledge that I'd feel naked without. Plus, automatic cars just aren't as fun.

Quote »FWD because it's more intuitive. You get into trouble, and you get off the throttle and on the brakes, just what most new drivers will do intuitively. In some RWD cars, that will get you in trouble in a hurry....[/quote]I disagree here...I've always found RWD to be more intuitive, especially in low-traction conditions. But maybe I'm just wierd...

[J-Owner]

tennisboy821

Promise us that you will notify us when you and your friends wreck your G for the first time as it will happen.

You forget that most of us on here have been down the road you are traveling, meaning we were 15 1/2 and 16 once.

Like I said in the beginning TOO MUCH CAR FOR A 16 YEAR OLD. What happened to the good old days when you worked hard for a $30K car as someone pointed out?

[J-Owner]

hyperactivvv.......dude chill out we are just talking on here.

No one is tearing apart your thread they are just throwing in their 2 cents. Don't take it personal.

I was the second person to respond to this post letting the guy know he is nuts if he buys his kid the car and look where we are 23 posts later???

Its just talk.

[Vikster]

tennisboy821

Promise us that you will notify us when you and your friends wreck your G for the first time as it will happen.

You forget that most of us on here have been down the road you are traveling, meaning we were 15 1/2 and 16 once.

Like I said in the beginning TOO MUCH CAR FOR A 16 YEAR OLD. What happened to the good old days when you worked hard for a $30K car as someone pointed out?

Trust me I know my limits, Ive had too many of my close friends die to car accidents and I know its a lot of power. What I am saying is that you can kill yourself (and do donuts) in any car! I could be driving a minivan and flip the thing, or a hyundai and hit a tree. Its speed that kills not the car. This is just my $.02.

Vik

EDIT: Did you have a car like this when you were 15.5-16? If you didn't and if you still had near death incidents, it proves my point.
Modified by Vikster at 10:07 PM 6/20/2006

[joe603]

I think the problem is not that the G35 has 300 HP...its the fact that it cost $100 per horse that has everybody upset. As long as the VSC system is engaged, the G is one of the safest cars to drive. How many of us had side-curtain airbags, and anti-lock brakes in our first car!?

If your family is blessed with money, than enjoy the car by all means! If it was a question of power only, then a much cheaper late model firebird would be considered. The G35 compaired with that car is MUCH safer!

Am I jealous that a 16-year old will be driving the same car as me now, yes! I had a POS when I was 16...

[J-Owner]

I don't get jealous as my family is also wealthy, however my first car was a 300ZX that I paid for by myself along with the insurance that I also paid for from my two jobs during high school. I have always been the type to make my own way in the world without the help of mommy and daddy but that is besides the point.

My point to this whole thing is that I was 16 once and I know how I drove that 300Z. A G35 for a 16 year old is simply TOO MUCH CAR. A 300Z was TOO MUCH CAR FOR ME AT THE TIME as well.

If his parents can afford a car like that then get it for him but I think it is a huge mistake personally.

[maxnix]

There is nothing in the Infiniti arsenal that is appropriate for a 16 year old.

Oh, I think a mid-nineties P10 with a stick would be quite nice.

Do tell your son that becoming the right kind of the man is more important than driving a popular kind of car.

First cars are meant for abuse and learning how things break. Hopefully kids will learn what it costs to maintain it also, but will not if you are footing all the bills.

[blckg35]

well...i am now 17...but my dad bought me my g35 for christmas when i was 16...first of all...ur kid will love you and do anything u ask for a looong time...and its not "too" much power for a 16 year old kid as long as he has some responsibility...

perks include: every kid he knows will instantly love you, and bringing ur son true happiness

remember...a man always remembers his first girlfriend and his first car...you can at least help with the car, and mannnyyy girls will follow the car

[J-Owner]

hyperactivv.........I was in complete agreement with the first part of your post and then you went south from there.

Towards the end you came off a bit cocky....like you are superior or something...so needless to say I am not in agreement with the last part of your post. You seem to have high opinions for only six posts.

FYI.......We can talk about whatever we feel like talking about. We can post on a topic as many times as we wish. If YOU don't like the topic and YOU don't want to post or contribute, THEN DON'T POST.........DUH!

Don't ever tell me what to talk about on here. While I only have like 160 posts or something I have been on here four years longer than you. I am not a post whore like some others on here. I post when I read something that I feel compelled to respond to. While I do not post everyday due to time, I do read this site everyday. I felt compelled to post on this topic and that is really all you need to know.

Have a great day!