For what it's worth, my best friend got a brand new Trans-Am when we were seniors in HS. Within a few months he had totalled it... he only knew of one speed to drive it: show-off and too fast. He now has a Corvette but I can assure you he drives it much more safely (eight years later).

Likewise, another friend cut his teeth on an '89 Accord manual. After college, he bought a Celica GT-S. While the latter is surely a car with which one could get in much more trouble than the former, he drives much more safely now than he did back then even with a more sooped-up car

For what it's worth, I learned stick on a Kia Sephia but I drive my Lancer much more sanely than I used to drive anything I got at 17 or 18.

 

Yeah, but not all teens are bad drivers.. the rules they tend to break make them bad drivers. Usually the teens feel the adrenaline for the rush, so im not saying all teens should drive the evo... only the irresponsible ones shouldnt.

 

I am an 18 yr old who is just as much an enthusiast as anyone else. I hope to get an EVO in a couple of years because I want to take it to the track. I have already taken a course at SKip Barber racing school (paid with my own money) and am a proud owner of a beater volvo station wagon for the time being. I love driving, but i would never use obsene amounts of spped on an open road where my life or anyone elses life could be in danger. is providing all of us enthusiasts a car with true potential and as long as people dont go "tearing up the streets" F&TF style then they wont be wrapping precious EVO's around trees. I think I and all the other younger drivers here on the site should be treated with respect just like everyone else. I love the car, and i hope does much better next year in WRC (we need Tommi back!!!) I say if you are able to get any EVO good for you- I envy you. Hopefully I will have one sometime in the future.

 

Yeah, i agree.

 

This is my first post, obviosly...but i feel its necessary. I think the biased opinion towards the magic number "18" as punk *** kids who dont know anything about cars, that are going to buy EVO's cuz daddy is rich, and "ruin the car" due to "not knowing anything about the car" is a bit rediculous. I know plenty of people from 16-19 who are just as capable of driving a high performance car as you people complaining about it are. Who cares how old the driver of the car is anyway, sounds to me like your just a bit upset that an 18 year old might get the car YOU want. Im 18, and raced Go Karts for a good portion of my childhood. That doesnt make me an expert at racing by any means, but im sure at age 9 if i can handle a racing kart, givin the other 9 years ive had to experiance other driving situations, im pretty sure im every bit as capable a driver as some of you on this board.

 

i agree with the other 18 year old kiddos in here, i am also 18, i didnt get the chance to race go-karts when i was a young buck, but i have been driving on dirt tracks by my cabin since the age of 12 and i got to grow up on the drag strips in salt lake and las vegas. my dad races cars, im not rich, my family is not rich... i am busting my *** to buy an '03 wrx along with a ton of kids my age, at least you have to give us the credit to put forth the effort. not only am i buying a wrx and am planning on racing my wrx, but i am also putting myself through rally school. i do know my fair share of dumbass kids that go to the boulevard, but those dumbasses drive p.o.s. civics and neons. im sure there will be the select few that get the privelage of there daddy buying them a car, but they were the same kids that got the brand new wrx's, and all the other fancy cars... and either way why complain about not being the first to get an '03? when the '04 comes out it will be better and most of the bugs will be worked out. would you rather have an '03 with recalls or an '04 without???

 

Yeah, great I should be more careful on my punctuation..SORRY u degreed mechanical engineer. Yeah, but I am a very careful driver, I don't joke around, I don't speed in traffic, and i don't take ESP off my car. LOL, wtf like it matters if u drive w/ out ESP, doesn't make a difference if you are going to get in an accident, physics and your abililty to react is whats going to determine your outcome if a semi-truck jack-knifes in the middle of the highway. There are those who panic and assume they know what they are doing, and then there are those who actually know what what they are doing and dont need to prove anything and keep the aggressive driving for time of need. Honestly, I dont know what to expect w/ this car, it's either going to scare me, or its going to impress me and I'm just going to have to mature on how I drive. Till this day, I yet to have a speeding ticket.
Going back to the S4, my brothers S4 is actually running w/a ABT chip and full 3inch exhaust, and seriously, that car is scary up top. He took me unwillingly past 165 in that p.o.s., never again!!!! I honestly think he will beat me up top w/ the S4 when I get my Evo 7.
I'm really concerned w/ jealousy though. There will always be those people. I had an experience where stupid *** VW kids decided since I beat their fastest VW they would return the favor and throw pennies at my car. Oh well, they ratted out who did it, and he ended up paying in the end.... I mean I yet to see that kid anymore.

 

I know how u feel dude, if someone hates you, why take it on your car? about 2 years ago i had my car vandalized. Two tires blown, keyed all over with obscenities. Now you will tell me that i must have done something to someone. As a matter of fact I didn't and still to this day I don't know who did it. So yes jealousy or hatred can be bad for your possesions sometimes. But i doubt The Evo will bring more jealousy than other cars. It's all the same. Yes it will be a flashy car, but only if someone really hates you will they do anything to it.
I think most people on this thread got the message wrong about what was said before. I think that everyone who took time to post and fight back about being 18 yo and wanting the car is not who was being targeted. I mean at the end of the day what does it matter, if you want it you will get it. Just hopefully, and not just these 18 yo but anyone behind the wheel of that car will have all the common sense and skills necessary not to make damage to other people.
I for one would love to have this car. Before it was even coming to the US, I already had in my mind to import it once i finished school. I'm 21, and I can honestly say that I'm glad i could never buy that car when i was 18. I would have probably done something bad. But I also can say that with time on the road and driving experience, I became a very different driver. Right now all I can do is wait because I'm not even in a position to buy the car since I'm abroad and still studying. All I can say is when I do manage to buy an Evo for myself, I won't be a threat to anyone just like those out there with common sense regardless of their age.

 

Mr. AWD, Erik,
I think that you guys are going a little overboard here, we are all here for the same reasons, we love cars. End of story, neither of you have any right to decide who is worthy of an Evo, especially based only on age. I think you guys are just a little angry about possible insurance increases due to crashes like what happened with the WRX, that is a good arguement, otherwise lay of the younger people like myself, all your going to do is intemadate and give reasons why we have to prove ourselfs for respect, I respect you, just show a little in return

 

Hmmm, didn't you put my name in there by mistake? I tough I was saying completely opposite and trying to point out that there is nothing here to fear off, regarding the EVOs or any other cars.

Oh well!


Mr. AWD

 

hehe just to think as the cars i drove, my paretns wont even let me drive until 18, then first car a corolla , then jumped in a maxima a year later, then a vr4 , now an is300, and soon i'll have a dream car EVO.

with young drivers when they feel the speed they gonna want to go fast cuz teh hot blood within them that evil voice says go go go faster faster faster but then that's just gonna get you killed faster. basically ya'll dont got the reaction and wont know what to do incase emergency happends to avoid accident. so drive a slower car then within few years you should be ready for evo

 

Your dream car isn't a Skyline GTR?

 

with young drivers when they feel the speed they gonna want to go fast cuz teh hot blood within them that evil voice says go go go faster faster faster but then that's just gonna get you killed faster. basically ya'll dont got the reaction and wont know what to do incase emergency happends to avoid accident. so drive a slower car then within few years you should be ready for evo [/B][/QUOTE]

Nismo, you're too funny.

But seriously, this is the best forum I've been on in a while! My hat's off to all of you and your contributions!!!!

Most all of you: younger, older, track drivers, and road worriors,
all have great validity in your statements.

I think I know what alot of you are saying:

1. The Evo is a powerful car that can be a weapon in the wrong hands.

2. There are good and bad drivers at ANY age! Yup.

3. Some people are going to buy this car for the wrong reasons!!!! And will possibly be way over their heads.
And yes - all of us enthusiasts will frown upon such posers

4. COUNTER POINT - the fact is, even some of these posers, will adapt to the car and learn to drive it!!!! Right???

5. The biggest debate on the forum seems to be the young driver controversy. There are clearly many individuals on both sides. So I'm looking for the middle ground where we can agree!!!
First of all YOUTH - I think that your driving skills are most likely excellent, especially those of you with track time and those with alot of time driving high hp machines.
So why then, as a statistical group you seem to get the worst wrap???
One factor that may account for this is judgement.
Judgement improves with experience and maturity.
There is usually a + corelation between judgement and age, and this has fueled this controversial stereotyping of youth being "bad drivers."

NOW ANALYSE THIS:
The younger "pissed off" members who feel discriminated against, have a slight problem in understanding what the big deal is about the whole age/experience thing because they know their skill levels are often equal to or better than the old crusties, right?!
BUT on the same note, probably won't know what all the fuss is about for another few years until they transition to a point where they can say:
"Wow - I thought I knew it all back then - but I can see clearly NOW that humans actually continue to learn and develop over time - and improve our judgement that gets us out of trouble much more often than before!!!!" Yeah, it's true guys - regardless of how good you are now you WILL get better.

So, I'm saying raw driving skill is not always enough.
There is a higher "sixth sense" that comes with judgement, age and experience, that is real, and sure enough to show up in the crash statistics.

SUMMARY:

MY TAKE on this is that anyone, young or old, who has an interest in this car has a right to own one and enjoy it as he/she sees fit.

BUT for those unlucky few who don't know what they're buying or when to use better judgement with it - there may be a price to pay. **** HAPPENS !!!!!! "Amen brothers and sisters."

Rock on, baby - We're all here for the same reason, and I feel priviledged to be amongst you who realise that there is a higher plain

 

bottom line:
parents will always buy expensive cars for their kids who don't really have the necessary driving experience - that is a fact, and not a new one.
this isn't meant to slam anyone who is a new driver - but lets face it, experience is worth something. I don't care if you have been driving Porsche's since 16 and auto-xing since you got your license - that still isn't worth the hundreds of thousands of miles that people in their twentys and thirties have logged in every kind of real world situation. this does not mean that young drivers can't handle or don't deserve an Evo, but it does mean that they are simply not as prepared to handle every circumstance like more experienced drivers.

/rant off

 

I hope somebody gets in a "situation" when they get their EVO and wrecks the damn thing....and i hope the person is in the 20+ age group....and then i hope they say "What happened" and all that experiance you brag about cause you are 4 year older flushes down the ****ter, because that 4 years didnt mean ****, you still messed up.

The point is, anyone can wreck a car. Look at race car drivers..its their jobs....the drive 500 miles a day at work, in higher performance cars than the EVO, and still get in wrecks, on and off the tracks. So if we want to talk about experiance and "logged miles" nobody compares to these people...and they wreck too..and age has nothing to do with it. Sure, some 18 year olds will buy the car and wreck it....but that doesnt mean that ALL 18 year olds should be shunned away from the car. 20 year olds, 30 year olds, 40 year olds....your all on this board, and you will wreck a car too. I dont wish this on anyone, but face it..it Fate wants you to wreck, your going to, and all your experiance and age and all other factors dont mean a thing.