hello everyone. I've been checking out the site for a while now and have finally got the balls up to post for the first time on here.

let me give you a little background and hopefully you guys can help me out.

I'm a 19 year old college student who currently lives at home and commutes to school a few times a week. I work a decent weeks hours and spent 99% of my free time thinking about cars.

this car obsession has only gotten worse as the years have gone on. SOMETHING has to be done. I've spent the last year and a half saving up so I can purchase a car that I can work on. This spring I'll have around $7000 to put toward a car.

No, I haven't had any practice working on automobiles. The only thing I DO have is the drive to do it and 3 years of absorbing every ounce of knowledge possible on the subject.

I DO have an idea of what I want to do and why:

I'm thinking about purchasing a 97 or 98 GS-T Eclipse (the GSX is more money and more insurance so I'm not sure it is worth it). This car offers me plenty of style and a great engine for easy bolt on modifications that even I can do. I'm all about taking it easy though. ONE of the reasons I've waited till I was nearly 20 to purchase a sports car was because I was too inexperanced and wrekless when I was younger. I want to EASE into the speed and take the modifications slow too. no need to bite off more than I can chew.

I'm thinking of starting with the basic upgrades like guages, boost controler, new BOV, intake, after the maitnence of course. THEN I'd move on to replacing the downpipe, cat, and exshaust (if ANYONE has thoughts on what I should buy for this PLEASE tell me.) After that it's going to be probably a T-28 turbo and a new fuel pump (not too much, not too expensive, and my insurance company will never know). Perhaps some N20 eventually. I don't know it'a a ways off.

it seems like a good car for the money with plenty of upgrades that DO make a differance for less money. IF anyone has any thoughts on this I would LOVE to hear them. I'll be back on here sometime tommaorw.... oh it's late... I have to get to bed.

tah-tah for now.

p.s. please forgive my bad grammer and spelling it is around 4:29 in the AM and I've not slept yet.

Hey sup, u seem like a decent n00b, if i were you i'd definately stick around because there are plenty of guys around here who know their shit and are willing to help.

Welcome aboard,
It’s good to have more people.

The GST is a great car, though I’d prefer the traction of the GSX. Still, a GST can be nice from a roll.

I'd check out http://www.dsm.org/ there's plenty of information there. First thing I’d do after getting the car is take care of all the known problems. Mainly the transfer case and possible crankwalk, (there's a lot of info on it at that site.)

Most important thing with a DSM is to support your mods. Gonna throw on a bigger turbo and up the boost? Then make sure you have plenty of fuel to compensate for it. Things like this make and break a good DSM owner. Be smart, read up, and plan ahead, you should do fine.

Have fun and stick around to talk shop

-Ben

the wieght of that car and front drive will leave you no traction. go GSX all the way, its worth it...

I'd LOVE to have a GSX but wouldn't the added insurance and cost make it a huge pain? Is having all wheel drive that much better? It's going to be over $1200 more (not to mention the high insurance) to get the GSX. For that money I could buy some nice parts.

I have been reading up on a LOT of cars and just feel like a DSM would be the right choice for me. It seems like serious gains in power come easier and cheaper than in a lot of other cars in it's class. I also adore how the later model 2Gs look (even the talons aren't bad looking). The 1st gens are ok, but I don't really want an older car and looks do matter to me. I like a car that looks good and love custom car shows, but love classic muscle a touch more. Although if I get a 97 to 99 eclipse I'm just going to change the headlights and that's it. I don't really need big blue flames on the side or orange splotches. I think that the brand decals are ok but not always needed and carbon fiber hoods looks really decent on some cars.

I've just been planning on getting more air to flow through the car after I get it and have any and all little problems fixed. Then later the fuel pump and then the turbo. I don't need to spend that much money on a car that looks gorgeous to begin with.

ARE there better optionis for me, though? I don't want to get rapped on insurance costs and need something I can drive regularly and occationally in snow. but I also need something that I can work on easily as a newbie to auto tuning. Any thoughts or suggestions?

I loved your first post you seem pretty cool. I liked what you said about waiting and being a better driver. you also stay up WAY late which I'm all about. ...speaking of which it's like almost 4 am. I'm just going to make this quick so everyone else can talk to you about whatever. I have an AWD talon and it is NICE. I'm not sure how bad the traction is on the GS-T but the more power you put in that car the worse it's going to get. It is up to you. My FWD van isn't quite a WRX but I manage to keep it on the road. However you are right AWD is going to up the insurance on an already expensive car to ensure. It won't be ton more but depending on what company you go through it's going to be more than just peanuts. you can e-mail me and I'll talk to you more on insurance crap later.

As far as the choice of car I'm not going to go against the DSMs. They are great cars as long as you pay attention to them and keep them happy. PLENTY of mods you can do too. But listen to what everyone has to say because I'm just one guy and it's my opinon.

well although theres nothing wrong with FWD, i think everybody knows im totaly a fan of RWD.... i get bored wtih FWD and it makes me lose intrest and respect for it alot of the time. and AWD just gets the best of both worlds, but the worst too... as far as ive read, depending on teh car, AWD takes more precision to drive, because u will have both Oversteer AND Understeer at times..... but this is just stuff ive read, ive never tried it for my self...

While ur still wondering, just keep reading and reading on the engines, what can be done, suspention and what not.. learn as much as u can on the car before u decide to buy one... hell ive been doing that for years and i havent bought a newer car than my Mustang haha.

And i like that you dont like all the ricey stuff!!! way to go, cars already look good, no need for the body kits and crap!

what are some of the other cars u have concluded to so far??? im curious. Oh and what have u driven before? what felt good to u? make sure u like FWD and its abilities before u chose it, just in case.

just my two cents

I don't like ricey stuff at ALL.

I've driven a lot of different types of vehicles but never an AWD. I've been allowed to "get up on" (as my father puts it) the following vehicles: My 1992 Crown Victoria, my girlfriends 1994 Celica, my moms 1997 Civic DX coupe, my best friend's 1995 Tarus SHO, and my uncles 1997 Z28.

I can tell the differance between a FWD and RWD car but when you drive them around the difference isn't so bad that I'm annoyed by it. The SHO spun it's tires from a dead stop and did lose some grip on the road when I took turns quickly where the Camaro probably wouldn't have, but over all it wasn't REALLY that bad. The cars slide differently but it doesn't seem that bad. I could be wrong though.

Cars I've considered are a 95-97 Mustang GT, a 97-2000 Cavalier Z24, a 93-97 Prelude, a 92-95 Civic Coupe, a PRE-92 RX-7, a 94-97 240sx, a 97-99 Gran Prix GT or GTP, a 93-98 V8 Firebird or Trans Am, a 2002 Sentra SE-R, a 96-99 Impreza, a 92-95 MR2 Turbo, AND of course the 92-94 and 97-99 Turbo Eclipses.

that's what I was considering... and ALMOST got an Integra but just decided that I liked the DSMs best. Lower insruance than the cars with the larger engines, amazingly good looking car, and one of the best and easiest to mod out of them all.

I guess that's all I have to say for now. I'll read what you guys had to say about my post when I get back from up north visiting family for the holidays... oh by the way, MERRY XMAS!

The V8s are going to rape you in insurance unless you buy them out-right and just put on PLPD or something (which I don't advise). However at your age most of the cars you pick on here are going to be pricy. The Sentra will probably save you the most on insurance.

Since this is the first car you plan on working on and modifying I suggest something that gives you a large aftermarket. NONE of the cars you have chosen are bad in the least but if I were you I'd pick up a civic or turbo eclipse (if you are sure you can afford it.). I think that the 240sx wouldn't be a bad choice either, nor would the Gran Prix, Sentra, or imprezza. The rest of the cars may cost too much for you to insure and/or will be a pain once the snow falls. THAT IS if you plan on making this your only car.

But you really didn't make any bad choices for your potential car... although I'm not a huge fan of the Z24s.