Don't know what to do.
 

Right now I'm currently 15, and just about to get my permit. I was planning to drive my grandmother's 1994 Escort, but shes going to be selling it soon since my grandparents just got an Altima, and are about to get another new car. So I will probably be driving her car for the first year or so.

The real issue, however, is that my dad might get a new car soon. He has recently become a financial advisor to some company, which will be paying exponentially more than what he was paid as an attorney. If he does get a new car, I have the opportunity of getting his 2004 G35. However, I feel that I would be too scared to drive a G, I'd be too afraid of getting in an accident and/or doing anything that could damage the car. I'm also scared of getting the G keyed in my school parking lot, most of the cars in my school are old Integras and Civics.

I know I should be grateful and jumping at the chance for a G, but I'm just not that sure I would be able to handle it. I'm ok at driving, but I have no idea how RWD and that much power will feel. I'm not going to speed either, and my friends all told me it would be a waste and that I'd be a p*ssy. Not that I care about being called that, but I do feel that it might be a waste. However, I loved the car since he got it, and it would be a dream to own it. He said, though, that he's not going to keep the car around if no one drives it, since it would be an extra liability (insurance). Could someone please give me advice for my situation? Do you think I could really handle a G35?

no.

you can handle a G certainly.
However, the G35 is not a vehicle you might want to handle.
It is somewhat notoriously unreliable (ok, not that bad, but still...rattles), and you might spend more of your time cleaning it/making it look pretty than you would be studying.

at least in a cheap-o integra, or civic - you could drive around with rust stains or dirt stains, or bird poop stains and not care. A G wont let yo do that.

so get a cheapo car and focus on the much, much, much, much, much more important things....like studying.

Whether or not you can handle the car is not the question. The real question is are you responsible enough to drive the car and can you realize the consequences of your actions if/when you fvck-up. I don't know the licensing laws where you live, but if you want to become a good driver at an early age, educate yourself. Ask your parents if they will let you take a three-day advanced driving course like Skip Barber. If they are going to let you get behind the wheel of a performance oriented car, at least let them allow you to learn to how to drive it.

Good luck.

Yes, just make sure you're educated and know how to drive the car (RWD, etc). In regards to driving safely, just don't listen to your friends. Don't dog it out or drive crazy. I'd suggest driving it nice and slow. Two reasons, 1) you won't crash, get tickets, etc, 2) let's the chicks at school see who's driving the car ;)

When I was 15 I was driving a 5.0 mustang. It's all about respect for
your vehicle. It's nice to know you have some ump when hitting the
gas BUT you have to be very very mindful that the ump can crash
you into a pole or worse.

As for parking at school. I tend to catch rides most of the time with friends
and only drove to school maybe once or twice per week. And parked way way in the back of the lot.

Its your call..only you will know how your going to behave.

Good luck;)

++1

Go for it I would have loved to have a car like that at that age. You sound like a responsible kid so you should be fine. Just don’t do stupid things and get your self killed.

15. my goodness. well it guess that wasnt that long ago for me. good luck with either decision.

Honestly, #1 I respect your vocabulary "exponentially" is a good word for a 15 year old, let me just say that.

#2. Yea, I would have loved to have that car when I was 17, but ya know what? Just about everyone gets into a little accident with their first car, sometimes big...sometimes small. It is just too new of an experience for most people. I destroyed some dudes 1985 Pantera (who remembers those) with my 1985 t-bird. I drove the t-bird home, while the guys car was flatbedded away because the rear wheel was falling off. Point of the story is that I was messing around, being young, probably headbanging to Metallica, and just realized the guy stopped in front of me WAYYY too late. I tried to swerve, but that just took the guys wheel almost clean off.

Prick and his wife tried to sue for "permanent disability" (the american way), wound up settling out of court for 150,000 dollars. Insurance went up, didn't have a pot to piss in, yadda yadda.

Just get an older car like someone above me said, with maybe a rust spot or bird $hit on it, and drive it and LEARN. Learning comes through experience. You really don't want to LEARN the hard way and possibly crash the G35, and go through the bull$hit associated with an accident of any sort.

Just my .02.

Don

You can do anything if you put your mind to it! :cool:

if you're going to be driving it to school i say drive grandmas car to school n save the G for the weekends/nights. i had a toyota prewvia throughout high school and i cant tell you how many times it got hit, no notes or anything left.

dont take the G if you're going to be bragging about it, im in college and i still dont tell people i have it, mainly because i dont want them to like me for my car, i know it sounds kind of stupid but it happens in orange county.

i would have no problem with u driving a g as long as u drove it responsibly and u showed your paretns a great deal of appreciation for it

my vote, TAKE IT!!!!

Thank you guys for all the wonderful responses. That would be a good idea, to drive my grandmothers car for the majority of the time. And no, I would never brag. Most of my friends don't even know that my dad has a G35 and an Impala, or that he even has a new job. They think that the only car we have is the old and dented Escort. And I like it better that way, because people don't treat you differently. Also, I do know that studying takes priority. In fact, I was told that I need to maintain my 4.0 GPA in all advanced classes if I want to keep the car. I need to play basketball and golf for school, and join a club as well.

So, right now I'm basically wondering how difficult of a car it is for a daily driver. I don't anything technical about cars, nor do I have much driving experience. Since my dad is moving soon, and I will be staying with my grandparents, I am also worried about the maintenance. If something were to go wrong with the car, I wouldn't be able to figure it out by myself. Nor do I know anything about when you have to service the car, change the oil. etc. I guess I am asking wether it is something I could easily learn, and something that is not any more difficult than the average car.

I'm 18 and I just got my G35C. I was scared the first day or so I had it, but after that, I felt more relief. I've driven several fast cars of all platforms (FWD, AWD, and RWD) so I have a little bit of experience but not like that of prolly most others here. Honestly, driving is just like trying to get with a girl.
You want to be confident, but not too confident.

If you dont know much about fixing cars you probably wouldn't want an old car in the first place you'd be repairing it every month. As for having a g35 when you turn 16, Im 16 right now and I am leasing my own g35. In my school people are spoiled as fvck. 3 M3's, audis, 5 series, 3 series, 3 G's n so on. To me a g35 seems like a middle class car compared to the people around me (unlike you having a high class car compared to civics etc.). As for getting it right off the bat i dont think its quite a good idea. Ive been driving for about 3 years now my dad used to always take me out back into a parking lot and teach me how to drive here and there, so i had built experience. When i got my license i drove my POS 92 ford explorer as well as my mothers X5. After 8 months of driving, I finally decided to start working, and leasing my own g35. I think I am much more capable to drive a g35 then i was back than when i first got my license. I Drive a stickshift g35 and im not having any problems as of now. I am a safe driver and always think twice about doing stupid things. Occasionaly i have a little fun but i make sure its in a safe place. My Anti-speed is getting a ticket, which means i wont be able to pay my insurance bills anymore. No insurance = No car :(.

One word of advice is, If you don't have a fast reaction to a situation don't get a g35 because as a beginner their will be multiple occasions where you will be so close to hitting another car, or another car being stupid and putting you in a dangerous position which you have to get yourself out of. I recommend you driving everyday, everywhere with your father, or grandparents, and learn how to switch lanes safely but quickly incase of an emergency, and learning not to panic.

If you think you are truly a good driver, not neccasarily safe which i hope you are, but good as in fast reaction, and being able to control a car and knowing its dimensions then dude go for the G.