Alright so I was PLANNING on getting a 2000 formula fbird for my 16th bday (paying for the whole thing myself, i have a hookup at a dealer) however now just in the past few days, my parents have had a change of heart. My brother called in and told them how crappy rwd is, so my mom freaked and said I can no longer get a Trans Am/Formula. My brother is offering to give me his prelude because he wants to get a manual but I'm really not interested in it. Other than Preludes, and Integras...what non RWD cars are worth gettin, because right now im prettymuch hooked on trans ams. I'm considering getting a 3000gt VR-4 or an SL, and thats really the only one I've seen so far. Just lookin for some other nice cars so please help me out.

 

I think it's time to work the "mom" angle a little more.

Tell her to come visit our board and see who she wants to believe ... all of us, or your brother.

Here, use this arguement for now: FWD is awful ... you can only control the front end of the car. With RWD, you control the front end with the steering wheel, and you can control the rear end with the throttle. So the RWD car is safer.

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2001 TransAm WS6, M6 3.42
HPP, TBB, 160* t-stat, MTI Lid, Holley PowerShot, Flowmaster 80, Port/Polish MAF

Pics of the T/A

2001 Z28
-- R.I.P. - 06/25/02

 

Not a good idea. She'll see all the problems we have with our cars. Just get a friend to talk **** about front wheel drive cars in front of her or just tell her that a Transam is front wheel drive. She wont know.

 

Honestly, RWD is only crappy if you drive like an idiot not knowing the physics of how the car will react. The only problem is in snow and wet conditions. And, for the latter case, wetness is only a problem if you drive in a foolish manner (which I assume your mother feels you WON'T do...) She probably just feels that the car, by the nature that its RWD, will be an uncontrollable monster that will cause you to get in trouble - this isn't true. As with anything, it comes down to whether or not the driver is responsible or not. Irresponsible drivers will get into trouble, no doubt, with ANY car.

Good points for RWD? More efficient driveline, implying better fuel mileage on equal hp cars. The RWD can also usually take more abuse. And honestly, it is fun. RWD cars are just fun to drive because their behaior is very predictable on curvy roads. IMO.

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2000 Pewter SS #C161
SLP Dual-Dual, Bilstein suspension, Eibachs, 21mm/35mm swaybars, GMAF
SLP CAI w/lower plate, !EGR, Direct-Flo, SLP STB, Ported TB, ASP Crank pulley
SLP/AAM Differential cover, SLP 2600, Powershot, MSD wires, NGK's,
BMR Boxed LCAs, BMR PHB, G2 DSL, Heavy Lead Foot...
http://community.webshots.com/user/murlynd

 

If your buying it, then what does your mom have to do with it. Tell her your paying for it and you want what you want. If I had to buy a prelude instead of my Z with my money I would probably rather walk. Imports are nice but they cost too damn much to modify. I had looked into a 96 supra, no twin turbo. In 2001 they wanted 20,000 and it had crank windows, and had been sitting in a warehouse for a few months. Said screw that and financed my F-body. Explain to her how all police persiut vihicles, nascar, NHRA, are rear wheel drive b/c it is safer, and easier to control. The whole thing is that your brother is jealous, and you need to slap him in the head and tell him to mind his prelude and not your f-body. Damn if you lived here i just saw a red 99 formula for sale with 50,000 miles for like 14,000. Personaly rear wheel drive is the way to go and frontwheel drive is for taking the kids to soccer.

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'02 Red Z28, ebony leather, M6, T-tops, Trac. cont., hurst shifter
Borla (the expensive cut-out), Wisperlid W/K&N, FRA, Cags eliminator, Strange 4.10's, G2 Rear Girdle, Valv. Synthetic 10W-30, Redline gear oil, Fat hurst shift ****, Lead foot

Soon to be:
Alpine Screen, Orion xtr 800.4, xtrpro 1000, Kicker 12L7 in a milhouse, Focal polykev K2's, Focal utopia 6" audiom midrange.

 

Yeah I know thats all true, but she knows they are RWD because my brother who was talkin **** about RWD cars had a camaro when he was younger, and we lived in wisconsin, crappy snowstorms and the like. He used to skid alot and so now my mom is all paranoid that it will happen to me as well...but she doesnt seem to understand that traction control makes a world of difference. And the thing about me paying for it, there's no way i can go and pick the car up (not 16 yet still have a month or so)...so what can I do? Any ideas how to convince her now, or what else to get?

 

Does the dealer your buying the car from have some type of courtesy shuttle? Or do you have friends that can drive?


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Dennis

2000 Camaro SS
black, A4, tinted windows, stock for now

 

Why spend all your hard earned money on a little ricer and watch f-bodies fly by you. Fbodies are also larger and safer structurally compared to a little ricer. compare a 3700 safe car to a 2700 piece or rice. Also tell your mom that every car she drove as a kid was rear wheel drive.

 

Geez, your brother got to drive one but they won't let you drive one? That would **** me off. Kind of the double standard in a way.

If I was being forced by my parents to buy a car different from what I want, I would be annoyed and would look at saving my money instead to by an f-body in the future when they're not so controlling about what you do and don't do. When you're 16, IMO, I don't think you can just say "no" to your parents and then buy whatever car you want (unless you're prepared to move out or take a lot of nagging from the parents). But in a few years, after you've been driving for awhile, you'll have every right to buy whatever car you want.

I'd just save my money and get a beater car for now (until you can by a car w/o being hassled ). Tell them you're not wasting you're valuable money on some car you don't like, regardless if they like it or not. You're the one that has to drive it. Why would you want to spend thousands of dollars on something you don't want?

 

Sorry I'm with your Mom on this. First off she's the Mom ... you're the kid. She don't want you have a V8, you don't get a V8.

And for those of you telling him to sneak off and buy it anyway. He can't enter into a contract at 16, not mention he can't get his license without parental permisson until he's 18 in California.

And have you even looked into what your insurance will cost? I'd be suprised if you got out for less than $3K per year and probably closer to $4K, if not more.

Last ... sorry, but no just got my driver's license, turned 16 year old has any business in a high powered RWD vehicle. You only think you know how to drive, all you really know, is how to steer a car. Get something less formidable while you're still learning to drive. Then after you've got a year or so of driving under your belt, with no accidents and no tickets, go to your mom and state your case as a responsible driver. Plus your insurance may be little cheaper, with a proven driving record.

Good Luck

 

I have had a Camaro as a primary everyday driver for the since 1994, and I live in Chicago. The best advice I can give anyone in your situation is to know your car. Take you time any be careful in bad weather. Now I have a 2000 Camaro Z28 which I drive everyday, even in the snow, with automatic trans.
The car is equiped with tration control and second gear start. I believe your Formula should, too. The traction control is not a cure all, but is does keep you from losing the rear end in a slow turn. Second gear start is exactly that. Put the car in "2" and slowly push the gas. Less torque gets to the back wheels, therefore, less tire spin.
The best thing I ever did, though, was to get a set of Brigstone Blizzak snow tires. These are super-soft factory siped winter tires. It's like driving and entirely different car in the snow.
Hope this helps. Get your dream car now while you still can. Best of luck.

 

You should feel very lucky that your parents
even care. I'm 19 and I can't tell you where my parents are right now. I'm in the
Marines and I don't plan on going home for a long time. You shouldn't get a Trans Am or
anything with high performance in it till your at least 18 or are living on your own. No offence but you will probably wreck you first car because you will want to have fun in in. If you don't thats really good(I didn't). If you do have the money for the car then you will have it in a couple of years and you might want something better like a ws6 or a mecham. If I was you, I would get something economical with good insurance, especially if you are paying for it. There is nothing wrong with RWD vehicals. I think you brother either just cant drive or he is tired of his prelude. If you want a badass car that gets a lot of girls. Get a new GTP. I had one of those for a while, and it was the shi*. I loved driving it. (Don't take my post personnel)