Happyman

Yeah I'm well aware, earlier i wanted to get a Subaru Wrx Sti because I wanted to do heavy mods, (I anted like a 450 hp car lol) but I found out how cheaply they were and made and I just don't think that for the price they are worth it. So I decided that the is350 was fast enough for me as a first car and it has everything I want.

vgsison

Your one lucky guy to have a lexus sports sedan for a 1st car. I would also suggest you drive your dad's car for a few years then buy your car after a few years. Enjoy

drbazing

STIs are worth it, so do EVOs. They have the best bang for the buck value wise. Plus I believe they hold their value pretty well, better than most cars on the street, including luxury cars. You can do heavy mods that are not made cheap but of course you pay a lot more.

You are a young guy (17?) investing in an asset that depreciates in value. I'm hoping you are aware of that. Buying it is one, but how about maintaining it over the years? I'm sure you can handle that as well, but I wanna make sure you took everything in consideration.

I do agree though that the IS350 is fast enough, if not even faster than these cars we mentioned. It also has pretty much everything you and I want in a car, I assume. If it really makes you happy to get that big boy car, I'm all for it. You saved a lot of money, you earned it. I'm not trying to lure you away from your decision and I'm sorry if it looks like I am.

Good luck with your purchase, you will love the car.

Im2bz2p345

So let's break this down...

1) 17 yrs old

2) $35K saved + getting a slightly used LS

3) Will be your first car ever

4) Moving abroad to study (shortly I assume)

AND you're wanting to buy a new Lexus IS350? What is this world coming to?

Regardless, respect to you for saving up so much money at that age - hopefully you worked hard for it & it was all done through legal means


You should probably read articles online about importing a car to Germany such as: http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/import-car.html

Otherwise, you're going to be hit with some insane duty fees. Even if you can import it duty free, you need to factor in the cost of transportation from the U.S. to Germany and add onto to your total cost of the new IS350. Compare that total value versus a similar IS350 that you can buy directly in Germany - it might be cheaper for you just to get the car there. I would research more into this if I were you.

The utmost reasons that I prefer younger individuals to drive an average/everyday, reliable, used car first are:

1) If an accident does happen to occur, it won't shred your entire wallet.

2) Cost of insurance should be a lot lower.

3) And most of all, you learn to APPRECIATE what you have - going from an older/used car to getting a brand new car, you have a level of respect and care more for your new vehicle.

~ Im2bz2p345

Dark9t316

I would hardly consider the 2008 LS old. That car probably had more tech than most cars out there today. At 17, I walked and biked my a$$ everywhere, and it taught me how money is hard to come by, and my parents work HARD for their money, none of which I "deserved". The OP I can assume is lucky to have well off parents, but I gotta say that of those friends I have who have a great sense of entitlement and spends their parent's money like their own grow up to be jerks, but those who don't take parent's money for granted grow up to be some of the best people I respect.

Aeromotive

I'm 29, and at 17 I was dreaming of first IS. I'm actually happy I never got it. Cars are a total waste of money, and I've been a car fanatic since I was a kid. I drove an older, reliable car until I finish my studies, then indulged! You have saved that money for so many years, and your car will lose 20% of its value by the moment you sit in it, take a deep breath of that new-car smell, and drive it off (that's how it is in Canada).

Do the math... at your age and in your situation, is it worth losing +/-8k$ (considering the car would be 40k$) in a second? And losing 20k$ in a couple of years? Put aside the emotional aspect of owning and enjoying a brand new car (easier said than done, I know... look at my sig).

NikonGuy

iTrader: (1)

Call your insurance and see how much it will cost to insure. For sure the STI will cost a lot more. But the IS350 may be expensive also.

darkdream

I was your age when I first got my 2007 IS350 brand new while I was still in high school in 2007. It might be all exciting for the first year or two having a brand new luxury car, but that feeling goes away and you will want another car in addition to it. Also you will regret investing the money in the first place.