so im new to HT and have been browsing around and im confused. How do you know whats good or not. Or the value of something. Im just trying to figure out whats what. can anyone help. id greatly appriciate it

 

This is so totally vague I can't really begin to answer it.

Value of WHAT? A specific car, a DIY posted on here, information posted, a part, a brand?

 

just anything really. parts. cars. tires.

 

If you rub the part on paper and then you can see through the paper its a good part.

 

Check out the classified section as well as the sponsors section. Then compare prices for new and used parts. When you find a specific part you want, do a search here on H-T and on google, and look for reviews. Basically it's just doing your own research.

 

I woke my Boston Terrier up laughing at this. I'm not really sure why. Guess I'm in one of those moods or it could be the Crown/Coke.

 

I have to wonder, how old are you?

This is just impossible to describe here. We would really have to write a book. Seriously. Chapters and an index and all. Maybe a section that goes over teminology used.

I'm sure there are some websites out there that have tips on how not to buy a POS car. There are probably some For Dummies books out there that could help you buy a good used car or maintain your car once you get it.

Tires, there's the same thing. Figure out what sort of tire you want. Go to TireRack or something like that online (or use your new best friend, Google.com). If you want a summer tire, a winter tire, an all season tire, a low profile tire, etc, look for information on those types of tires. Once you find a tire you might like, use Google.com to search for (NAME AND MODEL OF TIRE) so you can find reviews about it, prices about it, photos of it, etc. Use that information to figure out which tires you might want.

For parts it's going to be more difficult. The best thing to do is to learn about which parts are the quality you're interested in, which parts fit your budget and which parts fit what you want for your car the best.

Since you're all new to this though, you obviously haven't done the research needed to know any or most of that though. So it's going to cost you until you figure it out for yourself.

You're going to have to stick to buying retail parts until you know how to tell if something is a legit part (not a replica - if that's what you're looking for) and in good enough condition to buy for the price asked. At this point in time you might not have enough experience to look at a used (PART) and determine if it's in good running condition, what the seller says it is and is worth what they're asking.

So stick to buying from places mentioned on this website and others. You can find reviews and experiences posted by other members all the time. Make sure you search for posts about the company before you buy. Some are good and some might not ever send you your parts.

Oh, and there are threads out there already listing websites to buy from and not to buy from, so you can start out by searching there.

Another tip might be to go to Appearance/Cosmetic and look at threads there. If you find a part on a car you like, ask about it. Maybe ask where they got it. This could possibly lead you to a good company to buy from. Realize that just because you see a photo doesn't mean the owner of the car is in that thread or that they will answer you.

You have to realize we were all there at some point though and we all had to learn. We didn't learn by having our hands held. We all took some initiative to teach ourselves to some degree. You're going to have to do the same.

 

just to clear things up. im 17 just got my license and am looking to get a car soon.

 

Okay.

Do you have a job?

Where do you live (With your parents?)?

Where will the car get parked in the daytime (school, work, the mall?)?

Where will the car get parked at night (in a garage, on the street, in the driveway?)?

Do you have experience welding?

Do you have experience working on cars? If so, what have you done and what do you know?

 

no job yet. i still live at home. during the day itll be parked in the student parking lot at school. at night. itll be parked in a garage 15 feet from my room. no welding exp. and not much work on cars.

 

Your plans are a bit grandiose especially for a person in your position. You're just not really prepared at all.

It will be at risk in the student parking lot. You will need to have security. An alarm might help, but not much. Plenty of Hondas get stolen around here with and without alarms. It's honestly better to not park a modified Honda in a school parking lot, a park and ride lot or a mall parking lot unless you can see the car from where you are at all times. Even then it could still be taken.

I know you plan to do most of the work for the RHD conversion on your own. That means you'll be pulling the motor, pulling the dash, removing all the climate control units from behind the dash, removing wiring, brake lines, a/c lines, etc. all by yourself (perhaps with help). You'll also need to cut out the old firewall and weld in the new one. Get it all painted. Put everything back together. Put everything back together right.

All easier said than done.

The VIN on the firewall (if there are any ID codes on it) won't match your car any longer either. This could raise some red flags with law enforcement, so contacting them before you do such a conversion would be a good idea. They might be totally illegal in WA or you might need to get it checked out before you can drive it all over. You might be required to have a certified body man do the work in order for it to be legal.

Oh, and my car was stolen from about 30 feet away from me while I slept.

As far as the garage idea, make sure 100% that your parents will allow you to park the car in there. What might seem like a good idea to you might seem like less of one to them since they pay the bills.

How are you paying for the car and the modifications?

 

word of advise.. when u get a car, buy a alarm ASAP and stick a million kill switches in it, or else ur **** is GONE!

student parking lot=stolen civic

 

so close to perfect lol, but yeah OP just learn to search and everything will come in time

 

the car will be a gift. right now im looking at a 93 eg hatch in renton. but i dont wanna rush into a car just yet. i still wanna find learn some things. and hopefully find the car i really want. as for modifications to the car. allcoming out of my own pocket. and as for the RHD conversion. it will be mostly me doing the work. maybe a few friends will help out. but mostly all me.

 

You use incorrect punctuation and capitalization.
All I'm saying is that you're aiming much higher than you will probably actually be able to reach anytime soon. I really hope you put off the RHD conversion until you're older so you don't end up wrecking your car.

Things are likely to not turn out as you currently hope. One day you might be happy about that.

Oh, and don't pour too much money into a first car. Sucks when you crash it or it gets stolen.

 

you seem like a nice person. youve helped me alot. alot more than most people on here. im gonna take your advice. i will hold off on the rhd conversion. maybe not even do it.

does everyones first car get stolen or wrecked?

 

i would say yes. Lost my 1st car to a wreck.

and i would suggest that this being your 1st car that a RHD conversion is not something to steer towards. Especially after reading that you dont have much experience building cars.

just some food for thought.

 

no i understand what your saying

 

I actually thought you'd think I was trying to be mean. I just wanted to help you think a little more clear about the entire thing.

A lot of things that at first seem cool get old really quick.

Maybe not everyone's first car gets stolen or wrecked, but first cars (and cars that belong to new drivers in general) are more likely to have unfortunate things happen to them. New drivers just don't have the experience. They might not think about things like other people.

We can try to keep posting tips in here for you.

For example there are things you can do that might heighten your risk of car theft. Living in an apartment complex, outdoor parking in general (out of sight, out of mind), parking in malls, parking in school parking lots (this is a big one in WA), having a visibly modified car. I very rarely drive my modified car to work anymore even. When I bring it out I make sure I can see it at all times. It's been stolen once and I don't want to deal with it again. Granted I'm much pickier than most people; I plan to keep this car for a long time. Nothing against anyone else, I'm just sort of crazy about cars.

The first thing you're going to want to do to your car when you get it is put an alarm in it. I didn't think I needed one where I lived (Delaware) since theft was so low and my car was mostly stock. Well, my mostly stock car got stolen as soon as I got to WA. I had GSR blades, '99-'00 coupe taillights, painted sideskirts and foglights as visible exterior modifications. Still had stock exhaust even.

That was my second car though. My first car blew a tire and went into a concrete pillar. Had I been driving slower (as I should have been where I was) when it happened then perhaps I would still have my first car and wouldn't have had to go out and buy another one.

So read up on alarms and other forms of security first. Remember you don't need to go around telling anyone about your security measures or how you might disarm anything. But if you read up on security you'll start to understand the differences between a good and bad alarm installation even if you're not ready to do all the wiring yourself (it can be a pain to pull all those panels off, plus if you break it, it's broken, if a company breaks it then they could be covered to replace it).

Maybe make a folder on your computer where you can save all the photos of cars and parts you like. Write everything you like down in Notepad or such. Save links of where to buy the parts and where to read good articles. When you want to buy something don't just go ahead and buy the first one you find. Look around, price shop. Think about if it's something you're okay with used (nothing wrong with that) or something you'd feel more comfortable buying new (say, a part that fails often on those cars or is a high wear item).

Stick around and I'm sure you'll start to pick up some really good tips so you don't waste too much money or break anything.

Just remember that at least for a bit this is going to probably be your one car. So you'll need to be able to drive it (can't be down all the time) and you're going to be able to bring it places and park it without fear of it being stolen (or at the very least get insurance so if it comes up missing you won't be totally out).

Good luck.

 

buy my car its prefect for you!

 

Mom and dad might not agree that an already modified turboed car is a good first car for their 17 year old kid.

 

Looks like NOFX kinda took you under her wing. Definitely listen to the advice.

As for RHD...... Have you done ALL the research? And you still feel comfortable with it? You gotta think and research all your mods before you begin them and balance out if its worth.

Like are you more for speed? Or looks? Or handling?

 

ya seriously do what amy says. she knows her stuff!

 

what car do you have

 

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