MrH's Great Car Shuffle of 2010

[Raza]

I imagine GTO's are incredibly expensive to insure.  I'm having a hard time finding any with low miles or a manual.  Just doesn't seem my style of car.  I want something scalpel sharp, not a big hammer.

Drive one.

You seem pretty set on the NC.  Just get it.  You're all over the place on bodystyle and drivetrain, but the one constant is the NC.  Early NCs are getting pretty cheap, they are fun to drive, and with a few bucks in suspension work, you'll have a car sharper than the one out now.  It seems to me that if you choose something else, you'll always sit around thinking "What if I bought that MX-5 I really wanted?"

[BimmerM3]

Your limited automotive experience is hardly enough of a foundation for issuing the last word on the subject as you have done.

And the fact that a few shops refused to work on your Camaro means that suspension mods mean a major pain in the ass to find a place to get an alignment?

[Onslaught]

I'm going with Raza on this one. If the NC is the car you want then get that. Unless you find some better car for a great price while looking for the NC.
I find the NC has too much body roll from the factory for my taste. I'd be going to Flyingmiata to fix that.

[GoCougs]

And the fact that a few shops refused to work on your Camaro means that suspension mods mean a major pain in the ass to find a place to get an alignment?

Yes, it can be, yes but not an always, as you had asserted with your claim.

[565]

4.  Insurance rates:  This is what's keeping me from a lot of the standard cars kids my age go for (350Z, S2000, Mustang, etc.).  I also only find the S2000 exciting out of those three.
-NC Miata
-Mini Cooper S
-Civic Si
-Mazdaspeed3
-GTI

The thing about insurance rates is that you really would need to call to figure out prices.  Sometimes cars considered "expensive" in general to insure actually are not that expensive when you call your insurance provider, or the price difference is smaller than expected.

[Rupert]

I have plenty of automotive experience, and some shops will work on stuff you've worked on, and some won't. I don't think it would be hard to find a shop that will.

[Raza]

I'm going with Raza on this one. If the NC is the car you want then get that. Unless you find some better car for a great price while looking for the NC.
I find the NC has too much body roll from the factory for my taste. I'd be going to Flyingmiata to fix that.

To quote my Miataisti friend, every MX-5 came underdamped from the factory, less the Mazdaspeed. 

[MX793]

The thing about insurance rates is that you really would need to call to figure out prices.  Sometimes cars considered "expensive" in general to insure actually are not that expensive when you call your insurance provider, or the price difference is smaller than expected.

Yeah, I was a little surprised last year when I got quotes on the Genesis Coupe, RX-8, WRX Hatch and Camaro LT.  WRX was about $100 a year more expensive to insure than any of the others.  I figured being a hatch/wagon, it would have been the cheapest.

[AutobahnSHO]

Yeah, I was a little surprised last year when I got quotes on the Genesis Coupe, RX-8, WRX Hatch and Camaro LT.  WRX was about $100 a year more expensive to insure than any of the others.  I figured being a hatch/wagon, it would have been the cheapest.

hahahahaa  those are some of the most overdriven/crashed cars around.
The AWD is great for driving confidence compared to some other cars- problem is that the brakes and tires don't work any better.   Plus the young speedsters like them.

[GoCougs]

The lion's share of what makes a car expensive to insure is liability insurance which is a function of how it is driven and not its configuration (coupe/sedan/hatch/wagon, etc.).

[Tave]

OT, but I'm a little confused on this whole swap. Your dad gave you a Tacoma w/ over 200,000 miles in return for you buying him a brand new F150? And you're a college student?

I guess it doesn't really matter, just wondering.

[GoCougs]

I think the deal is MrH negotiated a good deal on the new truck and got the Tacoma as reward.

[Raza]

Yeah, I was a little surprised last year when I got quotes on the Genesis Coupe, RX-8, WRX Hatch and Camaro LT.  WRX was about $100 a year more expensive to insure than any of the others.  I figured being a hatch/wagon, it would have been the cheapest.

The WRX was named most expensive car to insure last year.

[Raza]

I think the deal is MrH negotiated a good deal on the new truck and got the Tacoma as reward.

Yes, I don't believe MrH is shelling out the cash himself, rather procuring a deal on the truck for his father. 

[MrH]

Don't want to be a Debbie downer but self-directed suspension repairs can be a major PITA - from anything to getting/renting the specialty tools to finding a shop that will align a car that has been worked on by a customer. Also, per KBB private-party value is in the $7-8k range.

As to the general question, I'd shy away from something so purpose specific as a Miata while in school. I'd go for a WRX, Legacy GT or Outback XT.

As to the overall situation, I'd sell the truck as is and pocket the money until after I got out of school and got a job. Maybe you get a company car. Maybe you end up over seas. Maybe you end up on the North Slope in Alaska.

Tacoma front suspensions are pretty simple.  This shouldn't be much of an issue for 3 mechanical engineers to tackle with a full shop at our disposal.  KBB might be in that range, but Edmunds has the truck worth over $10k.  Watch the market for Tacomas, and expecting $9,000 isn't too much of a stretch.

I don't want to work in Alaska.  I'm more than likely staying in the area and going to graduate school right away, along with some income on the side doing research.  I'll be buying a second, more practical vehicle within the next few years, but now's the time to have some fun.

[MrH]

And yes, I found the specific truck he wanted, and negotiated the whole deal, and got the Tacoma as payment basically.  Turns out you can order an F150 about 7 billion different ways.  Finding one with the right options but without $3000 worth of Chrome wheels and pinstripes and shit was difficult.  Ended up getting one from Columbus, about an hour and a half away.

And yes, it's true, I have my heart pretty set on a NC Miata.  I found an '06, completely loaded to the brim with every gadget I could imagine with only 16k miles, asking $15,750.  If I could get that around $15,000, I think that's a hell of a steal.  It looks brand new, and Carfax is reporting it's been detailed by a dealership multiple times.  It's hard to find any other 2006's with that low of miles, because a lot of miatas are just weekend toys.

As for the GTO, this is the only one I could find that somewhat fit the bill: http://www.vossauto.com/certified/Pontiac/2006-Pontiac-GTO-b06936507f00000101c1c9dcd12502a4.htm

Crazy expensive, probably brutal insurance, and still kind of higher mileage.  It'd be hard to choose that over a basically brand new 06 Miata for thousands less, and better equipped.  I'm picking up a lot of hours at work, because if I get a Miata, I want to get:  snow wheels and tires, Flyin Miata stage 2 suspension (shocks, springs, and sway bars), and BRUM of course. 

I'll be arranging for the Tacoma to get diagnosed this week, and the repairs will be happening soon.  I'll keep everyone updated!

[Raza]

If your heart is set on something and you can afford it, buy it. 

[MX793]

The WRX was named most expensive car to insure last year.

I knew that, but since most WRXs sold are sedans (by a large margin), I thought that maybe the accident stats on the wagon would look better and the rates would be lower (wagons historically have had lower premiums than other body styles).  Maybe they are, I didn't get a quote on the sedan, but the wagon is still pretty pricey to insure.

[Onslaught]

The thing about insurance rates is that you really would need to call to figure out prices.  Sometimes cars considered "expensive" in general to insure actually are not that expensive when you call your insurance provider, or the price difference is smaller than expected.

Tell me about it. I was looking at an FD 1994 RX-7 about 4 years ago and called to see how much it would cost to insure. It was $20 less every 6 months then my 90 MX-5. I was a little shocked at that.
One has twin turbos and was newer and worth more. The other has a motor with the power of a asmatic hamster and was older.

[68_427]

Wild Card.




http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-Volvo-S60-R-Turbo-sunroof-/110541233923?cmd=ViewItem&pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19bcc55f03#ht_500wt_1182

[Laconian]

Horrible fuel economy, and a turning radius better suited to a full size pickup truck than a sports sedan.

[MrH]

Holy shit.

Called the insurance company to check on rates.  For that 2006 GTO a few miles from me, they want $710 every 6 months!  A 2006 Miata is somehow cheaper than what we're paying for my Protege5, despite being newer and worth a lot more .  Only $370 every 6 months!

And the only thing appealing about that Volvo is the color of the dials. 

[68_427]

Chip + exhaust would be awesome.

[MrH]

Chip + exhaust would be awesome.

I have no gift to bring, BRUM BRUM BRUM BRUM BRUMMM
That's fit to give the King, BRUM BRUM BRUM BRUM BRUMMM
BRUM BRUM BRUM BRUMM, BRUM BRUM BRUM BRUMM,

[Onslaught]

To quote my Miataisti friend, every MX-5 came underdamped from the factory, less the Mazdaspeed. 

If he thinks a NA is bad then he should try a NC.

And I'll add a NA type R to the list of "getting it right" along with the Mazdaspeed

[omicron]

Holy shit.

Called the insurance company to check on rates.  For that 2006 GTO a few miles from me, they want $710 every 6 months!  A 2006 Miata is somehow cheaper than what we're paying for my Protege5, despite being newer and worth a lot more .  Only $370 every 6 months!

I can beat you there. Using the very same specifications as that GTO, a major Australian insurer wants $5,644 for the year. Shopping around brought me down to $2,362. Hooray!

[The Pirate]

I can beat you there. Using the very same specifications as that GTO, a major Australian insurer wants $5,644 for the year. Shopping around brought me down to $2,362. Hooray!

Seems to be inline with the pricing of automobiles over there, unfortunately. 

[MrH]

Ok, checked on a bunch of insurance rates.  Granted, I don't pay for insurance (parentals help me out), but I don't want to be a dick and get some car crazy expensive to insure.

The miata is looking better and better.  Some of the cheapest insurance, cheaper than my Protege5.

Right now, I'm looking at:
2006 Miata
2006 RX-8
2007 Civic Si
2006 Mini Cooper S

Mazdaspeed6's, GTO's, S2000's, and GTi's are all pretty expensive to insure.

Anything else worth checking out?

[dazzleman]

Holy shit.

Called the insurance company to check on rates.  For that 2006 GTO a few miles from me, they want $710 every 6 months!  A 2006 Miata is somehow cheaper than what we're paying for my Protege5, despite being newer and worth a lot more .  Only $370 every 6 months!

And the only thing appealing about that Volvo is the color of the dials. 

Those rates are pretty low, man.  What level of coverage are we talking about?

I pay about $1,100 per year for insurance, but I had to really shop around to get that.  $370 every six months, or $740 per year, is really cheap if it's for full coverage.

[dazzleman]

Ok, checked on a bunch of insurance rates.  Granted, I don't pay for insurance (parentals help me out), but I don't want to be a dick and get some car crazy expensive to insure.

The miata is looking better and better.  Some of the cheapest insurance, cheaper than my Protege5.

Right now, I'm looking at:
2006 Miata
2006 RX-8
2007 Civic Si
2006 Mini Cooper S

Mazdaspeed6's, GTO's, S2000's, and GTi's are all pretty expensive to insure.

Anything else worth checking out?

Is the Mini you're considering a convertible?