Opinions on the Infiniti G37?

[HarryLui]

If everything goes right (and knowing life something might go wrong) college should have quite a bit done through scholarships and the car will also be mostly/all paid for. I'll pay for gas, maintenance, and insurance.

Then go ahead and buy it... what are you waiting for?

 

[yh125d]

I'm a recent college grad (graduated last year). I didn't have a car on campus and didn't really ever need one at all (I commuted by train 5 days a week), so my situation isn't the same as yours.

Still, I agree with the others - hold off on getting something expensive until you can afford it (i.e. after you get a job and graduate). Once you've used up all of your money buying the car, are you going to be able to maintain it and putting gas in it? Based on your OP ("I'll be a poor college student without many car skills") I have a feeling the answer is no.

Buying a beater (or an older used car) is a much more responsible financial decision, and it will make you appreciate whatever nice car you might buy after college even more. Besides, if you're only driving 4k miles a year (which is nothing), you won't have much time to enjoy a car like a G37 as it drops in value like a rock. And you won't get upset when someone puts a door ding on your 10 year old Civic (or any number of other safe, reliable older cars).

And it doesn't have to be a beater. There are plenty of nice modern cars in good shape that will require little or no maintenance over the next 4 years, be good on gas and cheap on insurance

In my area you can get 13/14 Civics, Elantras, Focii with under 50k for less than $13k. If you're set one something larger with some more power, you can get 11/12 Optimas/Sonatas with the turbo starting around $14k still with under 75k miles. That's a higher trim too so it would actually be pretty luxurious with some nice options. You don't have to settle for a $4k mid 2000s econobox that you hate, you can get a good nice car that is still a responsible buy within or below your budget

 

[nitrous9200]

And it doesn't have to be a beater. There are plenty of nice modern cars in good shape that will require little or no maintenance over the next 4 years, be good on gas and cheap on insurance

In my area you can get 13/14 Civics, Elantras, Focii with under 50k for less than $13k. If you're set one something larger with some more power, you can get 11/12 Optimas/Sonatas with the turbo starting around $14k still with under 75k miles. That's a higher trim too so it would actually be pretty luxurious with some nice options. You don't have to settle for a $4k mid 2000s econobox that you hate, you can get a good nice car that is still a responsible buy within or below your budget

Fair enough, and I suppose that's a better way to go if the parents have any influence on the decision (they would rather have him driving a newer car rather than an older one).

I'd have something more on the beater end of the scale at that age, although it doesn't have to be a soulless econobox!