Hey guys.
I've been browsing many forums and such searching for a good first car.
I am currently in High School as a Sophomore, and our family has been doing pretty well, so 25k (average can go little above) is the budget for my car.
Sorry if this goes a little off topic because this forum seems very neat and clean, and I think you guys would help me a lot.
So I would have to drive my car for 6 years, pretty much until I graduate College.
So I'm planning on driving an Automatic just for traffic purposes and such.
It's between a
Mini Cooper S
VW GTI
Honda Accord Coupe EX
I'll just dive into the attributes I see in them, feel free to correct or give your own insight
Mini Cooper S:
Expensive(for the reason below)
Hard to find the one I want(can't get all these packages for price sake)
Small (a couple of my sister's friends from college that got a mini said they all regretted it because of the small space)
I like the paddle shifters.(HAHA something that Icould play around with every now and then)

Golf GTI:
Bigger space (than mini)
Generally easier to find
Able to get a better price(?)

Honda Accor Coupe EX:
Bigger space(than mini)
EASY TO FIND
Able to get a better price quote/range becasue of availability
I don't like how the gear shifter is in a straight line instead of it having distinct curves (HAHA sorry I don't know what else to call it, and how to describe it. It makes me sound stupid HAHA)

Generally,
All the cars interiors are fine.
They all look good.

BUT
the question is.
What would be best for me?
I love the Mini, but I'm not sure if I would agree on that once I go to college.

P.S.
I can't order a Mini. It would take too much time. I'm planning on buying my car the weekend of Valentine's week. So pretty much next weekend.

What do you guys think?
Thanks a lot.
~Eddy

 

Eddy -

Of course, most of us here are going to have a tendency to recommend the MINI. That said, you might check to see how much insurance for the three cars on your list will cost; I would guess that the Honda will be the cheapest to insure. The Honda is likely to be the most economical to own as well, but perhaps the least fun. Based on your budget, it sounds like you'll be looking at new cars with few options or slightly used cars that are better equipped.

Since you like the MINI but are concerned about space, you might also consider a Clubman. Downside is that a Clubman may be harder to find.

Good luck!

 

I love my Mini but its a second car, not my primary. Get the Honda than later on in life buy a neat toy car.

 

Speaking from experience of owning 2 of the 3 cars you are looking at, I'll give my 2 cents here.

I have owned a Honda Accord. It was a 08 LX manual trans so here is my take on that car.
1) Lots of room for people and stuff.
This is good for a student since you will be schlepping it to and from school. Plus I don't know many college students that don't like to hang out with as many friends as possible.
2) Economical.
Not just in the gas tank. It was cheaper on insurance than the MINI is plus the maintenance cost is lower. They are VERY common and easy to find parts for, plus they run on 89, you don't need 91 or better in it. I got very close to 40mpg in mine on the interstate, around 32 around town.
3) Fun to drive.
Now, it isn't as fun as the MINI, not by a long shot. But, bear in mind mine was a 5 speed, it handled really well and was pretty fun to drive.

The MINI Cooper. Keep in mind here I have a Justa, not an S.
1) Not a ton of space for people.
Put the seats down, and you have more space in the back than in the boot of an Accord. However, no people space. Well room for one more.
2) Economical.
Including in the tank. It is only $130 more per year for insurance on my MINI vs. the Accord. Parts aren't too pricey and are fairly easy to find. They aren't Ford Taurus cheap but they aren't Lamborghini pricey either. You do have to put 91 or better in the tank, especially on the S. But you will fill up less than on the Accord, I know I do. I get over 33mpg around town, and close to 44mpg on the interstate.
3) A blast to drive.
Das Stinktier, my Justa, is the most fun car I have ever driven. And I spent 5 years as a mechanic and doing PA inspections I got to drive a ton of different cars. From a 63 Corvette to a 2001 SVT Cobra. This car is by far the most fun to drive.

Now for my bottom line. Go with the Accord. You won't regret it, I loved mine. You will have the room to schlep your stuff to and from the dorms, and still have room to take that special someone out on a double date. The only reason I traded mine in, I got bit by the MINI bug at a British car show in Stowe, VT and after test driving one, I had to get one. The Accord will probably be the cheapest for insurance, mid range for gas, cheapest for parts and maintenance and it should have what you need for your time in college. Of course the real choice is yours, if you can, drive them all and that will help make your choice. But like Charlie said, look at the insurance cost. Sometimes that can make or break the deal on a car.

Good luck, keep us posted, and Motor On my friend.

Matt

 

Speaking as a mom with a son in college, I sent my son off to school with my old PT Cruiser. Not fast, but reliable and tons of room for hauling his stuff back and forth, plus very inexpensive to insure.
I have had a Honda Accord and loved it, a great car and extremely functional, not very exciting to drive, though .
I've never had a Golf, but they are very popular cars with the high school students in my area.
We love our MINIs, but I'm not sure it would be the best car for a college bound kid, pretty restrictive in the room department. As suggested, a Clubman might be a better option. Still fun, but more versatile for you.
You didn't state where you are, but around here the dealers have quite a few on the lot to choose from. Your dealer can do a search and find closer to what you're looking for and have it brought in.
Oh, and insurance would absolutely be a factor, that is why my son is driving the PT Cruiser and not the MINI!

 

I agree with tccox about the second fun car idea. I would buy the Honda, as it is the most reliable, cheapest to insure, and practical car on your list. Of course it won't be as much fun as a Mini, but you need peace of mind so you can concentrate on school, and not worry about your car. I drive a Honda Odyssey daily driver, and save my Mini for fun. I had to wait a while to do so, but it is so worth it. I would actually suggest not the coupe, but a 4 door Honda also, as it is much easier to live with in a practical sense. Makes a big difference when carrying friends and cargo. Good luck.

 

I'd agree with the Accord. (Or if you want sporty, get a Civic Si.)

You're in college, you're going to be low on cash.
Hondas are cheap to fix, parts are easy to find, mechanics are easy to find, they take cheap gas, low insurance costs, etc etc. Be responsible. I'd never take a $25,000 car to college. I drove, wrecked, and beat up a '93 Honda Civic for my 4 years of college. Buy a good used $10,000 Honda ($10k is being very generous). Put the other money towards college, insurance, and other expenses.

And I hate to say it, but lots of college students get into car accidents... I sure wouldn't leave my pretty new MINI sitting in a college parking lot. That's just asking for it to get beat up. The other kids in their hand-me-down Hondas aren't going to blink twice if they slam their door open onto your nice car.

You'll have much more room to take your stuff between home and college. You'll have more room if you need to drive your friends around.

When you graduate college and get a full time job then sell the Accord, buy a MINI and never look back.

If you do decide to go for the MINI though... I'd get an '09 or '10 justa instead of an S. They seem to be more reliable with less known common problems. And they're plenty fast enough to get you into trouble.

 

1.) Most colleges don't allow freshman to have cars on campus. So it's going to sit.

2.) Buy a new Hyundai. It's cheap, it got a really long warranty, it's cheap... (more money for booze, broads, and dope... you will be in college after all...)

3.) You're lucky to even be getting a car. Go to college in Portland Or, and buy a bicycle. (even more money for the other fun things, and you'll fit right in with the green party hot chicks...) Yea, be that guy...

4.) VW's (and Audi's) are a nightmare, service sucks, it's expensive to own and repair. They are notoriously unreliable. Electrical systems suck...

 

MINI fan that I am, I'm also going to recommend the Honda. You see a lot of MINIs around, but they're still something of a specialty car, and depending on where your college is located, you may find yourself SOL if something breaks and the local garages aren't interested. Just IMHO, you have to be something of a specialist to work on a MINI without fouling it up. If you have a MINI dealer in your college town - fine... but you're still talking about high prices for parts.

And as stated above, insurance can differ widely. Ditto on subjecting a MINI to the typical college parking lot environment, plus stuffing all your laundry and other swag into a MINI for the trip home. My college car was a VW Beetle, so I know about overstuffing a small car...

Cheers,

Spridget

 

Another thought-you may want a car that you can feel like you can beat up a little during the college years. You are going to be using the car for many different things-taxi service for friends, moving truck for you and your friends, etc. There is always time to upgrade to the cooler MINI AFTER you graduate and can perhaps take better care of it. Just a thought!

 

I got my first MINI my 2nd year of college.. I've never been a fan of Hondas (or VW's really)....I'd go with the MINI or the GTI. But then again I've never really purchased anything based on practicallity alone.

 

You really should check with your insurance agent for the potential insurance rates of each vehicle you're looking at. I looked at the Mini, Honda Civic, and Toyota Prius when I was looking at cars and the Mini was the cheapest of the three to insure.

As to the issue with taking your car to school in two years, first I would dig around on the schools' websites to find out if they allow freshman to have cars. Maybe it's more predominant up North, but here in the South I have only heard of a handful of schools that don't allow freshmen to have cars. Also it depends on the type of parking at the schools. I wouldn't worry about hauling stuff to and from school. If your parents are anything like mine were, they will expect to haul stuff to and from school. My sister has been driving my dad's MCS while in college for the past 2 years and she manages to get a ton of stuff in that car.

As for your high school parking lot, I think that it's really a matter of what kind of school you go to. My sisters and I went to a wealthy high school in a good area and a MINI would have been towards the middle of the pack and would have been ignored by malicious students. At my high school, your car only got keyed if you were driving a really expensive car or if you were a total jerk.

My final piece of advice is yet again completely dependent on where you live. I live in Texas so keep in mind that extreme heat is the norm for me. I would never ever ever buy a VW. Every single one of my friends who has one or has had one has the same two complaints of them. 1) VW's are really not built to withstand the heat of our summers and parts are expensive. And 2) Because of the wax they use as glue in the interior, the car reeks of Crayon odor every year as soon as the temperature hits 80. It's terrible.

Ultimately it's your decision and you're the one who's going to have to drive this car so choose the one that you like best. Good luck!

 

Please get a mini I've had two through out my highschool and college life and I could never drive another car. The other two in my opinion would not even come close to the mini. And who cars if you can fit a lot of people in it. Have someone else drive if you want to fit a ton of people. For things if you put the seats down it has tons of space. Go test drive one and you'll be hooked!!

 

I was actually in a very similar situation as you are, kimsters. I was recently looking at finding a first car and two of my potential options were a MCS or a honda civic/accord (had a choice). I drove in both of them and it really comes down to what your looking for in a car. From my experience the MINI is WAY more fun to drive in than the Hondas were (the hondas felt a little boring, but thats just me). The Honda obviously is going to have more space but the MINI didnt really seem to have a lack of space. If you're worried about fitting people in the back I'm 6'1/6'2 and i easily fit in the back seats assuming theres no one really tall in the front. It all comes down to preference on what you want in a car. If you want to be able to haul all your friends around with ease then the hondas the way to go. If you want to be able to haul a few friends around and have a hell of a time while doing so then the MINIs the way to go.

 

I agree with a lot of what was said here. For a first car to take you through college, out of the choices you proposed I would go with the Honda. Cheaper to fix, reliable, and fun enough to drive.

If you did want to go with a MINI, I would get a non-turbo Justa Cooper instead. While not as fast, still fun to drive, more reliable engine, and I would assume cheaper to insure.

 

The VW is probably the best mix between space + fun to drive, but it can be expensive. The DSG transmission option alone will run you quite a bit. The insurance is expensive too, but the hatch and extra cargo room are great for school and lugging your stuff to and from.

The Accord is a solid car with plenty of space. if you plan on having a lot of people in the car then this is your best bet.

 

An old-dude vote for the Honda. (My college car was an almost new '61 VW Beetle: you do the math.) Avoid the GTI: nice car, great handling, hard to feed and maintain. The four-door Accord was a great suggestion, but you have to maintain some self-respect: coupes are cool. Just went through the same car acquisition, Kimster, and had similar options -- if about 50 years later: chose the Mini 'cause I'd always wanted one. Don't wait that long -- but start with something that will self-maintain.
With all this sage, serious, practical and absolutely correct advice, you're almost certain to wind up with a Mini.
Don't say we didn't tell ya'!

 

Despite all the sage advice, life is too short to drive boring cars!

Buy the one you like the most that will fit your budget, and don't look back.

 

I loved my MKV GTi, I dont know if I would say as a first car, but it was 300whp/320wtq when i was done with it. It was a sexy little car.

The honda is great for gas and to insure, but if you are going to keep it for 6 years.. I would get something you really want to be in that long. No offense the honda is going to get old and the cooper s seems to pull great gas mileage as well.

I have observed this in owning two of the vehicles:

driving Salt lake to ogden daily so roughly 100 miles round trip my GTi got around 33-34 mpg @ 77mph on 100oct and slightly less on 91 oct but i ran it strictly on 100oct for the last 4 months of owning it. The cooper s gets about 35-37mpg on 91oct @77-78mph.

So if mpg is your thing they both seem to do very well. I think you would enjoy driving the cooper and the gti much more than the accord.

 

His budget is what I'm afraid of. He's a 16 year old in high school getting his parents to buy him at $25,000 car...

Does he have a job?
Who is paying insurance? Repairs? Maintenance?

What happens when he wrecks it? (I don't know if I know a anyone who hasn't wrecked their first car in high school/college.)

 

I never wrecked my car in highschool or college. My friend did And fir insurance. It was cheaper for me when I bought my new car. Because it's new. And I was on deans list. Got a discount for that

 

I'd go with the accord as well, for a few reasons. I can relate, I'm only 3 years out of high school, and I wanted a MINI more than anything for my first car, but I'm glad that I wasn't so fortunate. FIRSTLY, I'm a former honda owner as well, my first car was an '01 civic ex coupe. It was alright, but didn't stand out like I wanted. BUT, it was cheap, reliable, got GREAT gas mileage, and was cheap to maintain. Lacked a little in the "fun" department, which I can now attest to after owning a MINI. Insurance is another hugee factor-the primary reason I had to put off getting a MINI until I got some (3 years worth) driving experience. AND believe me, those 3 years were full of bumps, nicks, scrapes, scratches, dents (all from OTHER people) and hard driving-thankfully nothing serious, but my point is, is you'd be going crazy loving/maintaining/detailing a car like a MINI when it's your first car and the chances of it getting banged up are a little higher. In northern NJ, when I got my license at 17, it was well over $2,000/year to insure my '01 civic-so the lower profile car you get, the cheaper it'll be

 

I can some what relate I am a senior in high school and I got my first car A couple of months ago a 07 mini Cooper s (manual) and I love it. Its so much fun to drive, as for the space I think it's enough for me. I would recomend this car. But you should defiantly test drive one.

 

Good compromise, Maybe a Honda Civic Si Coupe ????? $25 G will get you a new one.

Where are you going to college and where is the nearest Mini Dealer located near that college ??? What's the weather like there ????

 

I am a freshman in college this year and I would recommend the MINI. I had a scion tC as my first car and got a new car for college and had always wanted a MINI so of course that is what I went with. I have no problem with space and all of my friends love ridin g in my car even if they have to sit in the back! Trust me, you will not regret getting a MINI over the honda or the golf. I work as a valet and I haven't driven a car yet that is as fun and has as much personality as the MINI does. You will have plenty of fun once you are bit by the mod bug! I hope you get a MINI!!