shauni

Hello car boffins!
My son is turning 18 (legal driving age here) and obviously car purchasing time, he is looking at the BMW M135i or the new Audi S3. The mercs are a little out the question as the A250 doesn't compete and the A45 is a bit too steep.
Any suggestions or opinions? thanks!

zibby43

What about the new M235i?

olszowa12

It all depends on his driving skills. The S3 and 135i are very fast cars so I'd reconsider these choices if he hasn't driven any car before he got his license.

shauni

I'm awaiting to see the increase on the M235i from the M135i, if its a big gap. Nooo the M135i already quite steep.

@ols, well he has as he got his learners in Feb this year, and drives the mrs range rover every single day and sometimes mine on weekends, but i'm very protective of my AMG

A GTI is a nice all rounder i say? hes not the biggest fan though..

zibby43

A 328i might be a good start. It's fun, quick, and safe. Slap the M Sport package on it and it becomes a real head-turner, too.

ZorroAMG

Get him a GTI then upgrade at a later date, he'll appreciate the car regardless of preference and then will really feel special when he gets a bump up to audi/BMW/MB later...

Just my 2 cents.

2012C63AMG

If he does want a quicker car get him the AWD audi, which kid doesn't . The BMW 335i is too much of a car, even the 328i is quick. Just look around on the road you see all the idiots cutting people off in BMW 3 series and C classes? They all have something in common under 25 drivers who have no concept of safety and risk and human life, do you want your kid driving like that? You might say well my kid drives nice, well I drove nice when my parents were in the car but totally different until I grew up.

ab0bab0i

Evo/Sti or Brz/GT86 ?

CoolBDPhenom03

Civic, period. It was my first car and practically indestructible. No beginner needs anything more than that.

VaclavSV

Scion FRS! I would have killed for a car like that to be my first!

olszowa12

My first car was a W203 C270 CDI in which I ended up drifting in heavy rain and wrapped it around a road sign. The rear axle shattered into pieces. You can get hurt even in a slow car so it's up to you and how much you trust your son.

jvanbrecht

Dude, I grew up in SA (PE), and have driven in CT and JHB plenty of times.... You of all people should know.. no fancy cars there, recipe for disaster.

And I am not even talking about his own driving skills.. As for that, none of the cars you mentioned are really first time driver cars. Get an old Volvo beater box, or a Civic (Volvo is safer, and a tank).

alexmtl

I would definitely not recommend the M135i, or any half powerful RWD car for that matter. Mine is quite scary when it gets wet, and it's probably wayyy too powerful for a first car!

S3 is powerful but at least it'll have AWD. If he likes RWD sport, then Scion FRS is pretty awesome for a young guy, it's fast but doesn't have so much torque so there is much less chance he'll spin it.

All around I think GTI is the best choice though. Or an A3 TFSI

Vise_

This. If you really must get him something 'fast' go with a GTI or FRS/BRZ or whatever the Toyota equivalent is called in SA.

For the life of me I can't understand why any parent would want to give their kid a truly fast car as their first ride... high horsepower combined with immaturity is a recipe for disaster. For every responsible kid out there I'm sure there are 10x that will succumb to peer pressure or a moment of stupidity.

I'll gladly buy my daughter her first car when she is old enough but it will be a used Civic or something similar. And now I'll get off my soap box...

shauni

hahaha, thanks guys. It wasn't my idea, i was happy with a GTI for him not too fast, still punchy though. Like i said good all rounder, I unfortunately sent him to an expensive school the kids there are getting M135i's, A250's etc.. So i think a GTI would be adequate, we both not fans of the BRZ, but a test drive will be had regardless.
But a civic and such no haha. Prefer a new car, bought my daughter a A3 1.6TDI. So my son is car mad, can recite every spec of every car all that. He convinced me on the AMG, which is why i thought GTI or S3, just a quicker version of my daughters..
@ols has a point i asked the salesman about the M135i and said I'll get him a 125i if its too quick he said its up to me, but you can wrap a 116i around a tree as well..
Maybe i should let him walk?
so.. GTI or 125i hatch?
and thanks everyone for the input, helps a lot!

c63addix

just give him your C63 LOL

hyperion667

I'd get him a beater first.......let him learn the basic's and safety.......THEN reward him with a new car............

sinape62

Not judging anyone...But it seems its important to you and maybe your son (or maybe not) with getting something par with what cars your sons classmates have ...The whole idea IMO should be re-evaluated.

No further comment.

Critter

It does not matter how many specs one can recite, if the power is there he will use it. High horsepower, flashy ride will be a recipe for disaster, at eighteen the look at me phase is in full bloom. Start out with a decent sedan with minimal HP and see how he treats it you do not want to be involved with endangering your son. With age will come maturity, but respect for a car is one he pays for himself. Remember we were all young once, remember?

zibby43

Everybody seems to think that OP's kid will undoubtedly crash a fast car.

I think we need to re-evaluate that mindset.

I had a 240+ horsepower FWD car as my first. I never wrecked it. I never raced it. I never got a speeding ticket. I learned a lot about controlling/respecting powerful cars at a young age and to this day, I think getting a "beast" of a car as my first is why I am the driver that I am today (still no tickets, wrecks, etc. - knock on wood).

So what I guess I'm saying is that it really comes down to the personality/driving skills of the kid getting the car.

No one will know that better than the OP.

Dr Chill

What's wrong with giving him your 2011 Audi A3? We all know that with a tune it can put out around 270 HP and 300 lb-ft torque. It is also rated the best car for a teenager by Forbes. My son drove my REVO tuned 2008 A3 for a year and a half and loved it, then I rebuilt a wrecked 2012 S4 and gave it to him.


http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ehmk45gige/1-audi-a3/

ab0bab0i

What did you drive? A Neon Srt-4?

02Drunkenup

+1 no RWD.. he's going to get the urge to go sideways and well, that's dangerous for someone without much experience with car control.. ask me how I know

OP, If you do end up getting him something pretty powerful and quick, you should at least scare him from driving wrecklessly

black lavender

I wouldn't trust my 18 year old son with a "nice" vehicle. Give him something that is safe and reliable (not saying BMW, Audi are not reliable)

He can get a nice one when he graduates college and can make payments on his own for it.

cyberorth

I think one should work his way up the performance ladder. I remember enjoying my Integra type R so much in my 20s while it doesn't even come close to what I drive today. S2000 and E46 M3 is my 30s and now C63 and GTR. I am not sure which way to upgrade if I had a C63 in my twenties. The upgrade for the C is in the exotic range.
Let him work his way up. He will love each car for what it is. I miss my old cars, but I bet if I drove them now, I would be disappointed.