AquariusOG

So I'm 20 now and I'm currently in college. I have about 4K to spend and I'm looking at 2nd gen Gs300s 98-04. I just want to know if it's expensive to maintain these cars. I am deciding between the gs300 or RSX. Anyone help ?

UDel

I would not get a GS while you are in college. It is a expensive looking car even if older which means it is going to be a target of vandals and haters on and around campus or even off and if you are in California that is one of the worst places for people damaging and vandalizing nicer cars. I hear about it all the time happening in California. A GS is still a 6 cylinder RWD luxury car that is expensive to fix so your insurance rates may be high for it which I would avoid while your in college, a sporty RSX may be no better for insurance prices but at least it does not attract as many vandals and haters and the sport compact scene has died down. If something goes wrong in a GS it can be expensive to fix, they are generally reliable cars though, I had mine my GS430 for 10 years with no real issues, I did a lot of maintenance myself. If you are getting a GS I would try to get a 2001+ because I believe they improved the ball joint design on that year which can be a issue on pre 2001 cars. RSX's are very reliable too and not as expensive to maintain, if the insurance for a RSX is less I would get that over a GS, get the RWD luxury sedan once you are out of college, not around vandals/haters as much, have some more income, insurance is lower, etc. A Honda civic or Accord should not cost much to insure or maintain and there is a much bigger choice out there, they are very well built.

Johnhav430

I'd have to say no. Save the $4k and use uber when you need to get around, spend your effort on getting good grades and meeting women, forget about a car.

Aron9000

You don't know his personal situation, he might actually need a car to get to work, commute to campus, etc Says he's in California, in southern California, you drive EVERYWHERE.

I would say no to both cars. I don't think the GS would get vandalized or stolen, its a 15 year old luxury car at this point, nothing that special, parts are not in real high demand. Its pretty under the radar as well, not real flashy, nobody is going to mess with it other than bumping into it in the parking lot/on the street. As far as maintenance costs, if you buy one with service records, it won't be that bad. Just keep in mind timing belt is a $500-1000 job, make sure its been done or put that money into consideration for the purchase price. These cars are pretty rock solid reliable, even with a bunch of miles on them if you take care of them.

The reason I say no to the GS300 is gas mileage. Expect 17ish in town, maybe 23 on the highway, best case scenario. And these cars use premium fuel, so factor that in. Insurance should be cheap for this car though.

As for the RSX, HELL NO!!! That car is going to attract all kinds of unwanted attention. Like all sporty Hondas, parts are in high demand because the people who buy them are always wrecking them(might also make finding a decent one hard) or doing motor swaps, modifying them, the k series engine is in high demand. There is a real risk of this car getting stolen and chopped up. Insurance will be higher than the GS300 on a base model RSX, if you buy the 200hp RSX Type S, I'm betting it would be more than $200 a month. Keep in mind insurance rates are based on number of claims a certain vehicle has.

Also I can't think of two more different cars in terms of driving dynamics. The RSX will handle like its on rails(best handling FWD I've ever driven), rides like an ox-cart, is extremely noisy, rattles, and has a really cheap/crap interior. The Lexus is a proper luxury car, very isolated, quiet, smooth, not very involving to drive. As for stuff to watch out for on the RSX, I know they like to eat A/C compressors, the leather seats are crap in terms of quality and rip. Main thing with the RSX is insurance costs and it getting stolen.

AquariusOG

Thanks guys!!!! Exactly what I was looking for. I actually am in need of a car :/ I think I'll just stick to the RSX or a civic or something. The Lexus is very nice I guess it's not for me ATM.

Aron9000

Gas mileage and the premium fuel thing is the only real things I can hate on with the GS300(or any car with the 2JZ, they all get crap mileage). Chaps my *** that premium fuel is now $0.50 to $0.90 more a gallon than regular now days. You might be able to get away with regular in the GS300, it will just pull the timing and reduce the performance(I'd read about it in the GS forum before trying, I always fill my car up with premium).

If you still want a Lexus, look at an ES300 or ES330, much better gas mileage with the V6. With cheap used cars, I think its best to stick to models owned by senior citizens, I call it the grandma's last ride theory. For $4000 its going to be 10 to 20 years old, look for the Camry, Avalon, ES300, Mercury Grand Marquis/Crown Victoria/Lincoln Town Car, any Buick with the 3.8 V6. You are more likely to find cars that are owned by some senior citizen who put 60k miles on it in 15 years, kept it in a garage, and maintained it to a T. Looking at stuff like Civics, Scion Tc, Acura RSX, you're going to find A LOT of crap for $4000 that has been wrecked, ghetto modded, not maintained and driven into the ground. Your $$$$'s go a lot farther and you get a much better car if you buy a stuffy old person's sedan rather than what is popular with young people. I'd say look at Accords as well as Civics if you want a Honda, I feel like you get a lot more car for the $$$$ with the Accord. Also check with your insurance company, I'd bet its cheaper to insure any of those cars mentioned above(including an Accord) than it would be a Civic. Possibly A LOT less.

situman

I would go for the GS, if it was well maintained. Besides dont you want a big enough backseat for those impromptu spur of the moment after a few drinks thing? jk jk.

bagwell

until you graduate, go with a civic.

Johnhav430

Not joking about focusing on grades, and women. Do things today, at 20, that put you ahead in the future, not behind, like with a car. If you do need a car, try to spend as little as possible. Often such a car comes from a close friend or relative. I mean the other day on the BMW forum, someone goes check out this 2006 330xi for $2,600. That sets off all kinds of red flags. There were oil spots on the driveway in the pic! If you spend $2,600, you want the ugliest, most undesirable, most reliable car possible. my .02

Fizzboy7

Absolutely, the GS is a great idea. Reliable, affordable, stylish, and safe. A very good bet for someone getting on their feet. One thing though, is you can probably find all that for a little less with an ES, Camry, or Accord. Again, all very reliable, safe, and economical. The GS is just one class up, which makes everything a tad more expensive over time. I'd avoid a Civic or compact car. Being a new driver, you need something a bit bigger around you for protection. Not knocking your driving skills, but stats show more accidents happen at those years than later on. Lookin out for a bro and speaking from experience.
As far as theft, use a club, get an alarm, or get Lojack. All cars listed here are equal take, with the Hondas being #1 on the list.
Good luck!

BrownPride

If it's clean and well-maintained I say why not? It's likely a Toyota underneath meaning it'll run forever with minimal maintenance.

I understand the argument about teens and young adults not spending too much $$ on cars (I'm a proponent of this too), but OP said he's going to spend $4K max. Now given, he could get more bang for his buck if he opted for a Civic or Camry (in terms of year/mileage), but $4K for a potentially 13 yr old Lexus GS doesn't sound that irresponsible. My first car was also 13 yrs old and $5K (Camry).

Now if OP were looking for an old Bimmer or Merc that'd be a different story.

SwitchUps

I say go with civic/camry/corrola/accord. Buy cheap and save your money so you can get what you really want later.

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

Get a old Corolla or Civic for your needs. No need to waste money on a GS. Insurance will be higher, gas mileage worse, parts are alot more expensive, etc. It's a luxury car, don't mistaken it for a cheap car just because you can buy one for $4,000.

Aron9000

I'd wager insurance is cheaper on the Lexus GS than a Corolla or Civic. Insurance rates are determined by number of claims, Civic and Corolla drivers are younger, more likely to be involved in an accident and are more likely to be injured/die in said accident since the cars are smaller/less safe(especially older Civics/Corollas on the less safe thing)

AquariusOG

I really appreciate all the replies guys. I have looked into a lot of cars around the 4K area. I don't want accords from 98-04 because their transmissions are very awful unfortunately. I dont want to get a Civic or Accord from the 90s (not that they're bad) but I'd like to get a better looking car. Acura RSX is a decent car, gets good MPG, looks nice, pretty cheap to maintain but since you guys say it's a theif magnet and has high insurance rates it makes me think twice. I guess I'll have to settle with a Camry or corolla. I don't want Altimas because I heard that they have engine problems and they burn oil like crazy because of the Cat Converter or something like that, not too sure what it was.