Insurance. Daily Driver vs. 2nd Car?

[Mobius357]

I kept my truck when I got my car, but I can't really go without without the truck anyway. I was paying 600/year for full coverage on the truck, now 800 for liability on the truck and full on the car. 200/year is pocket change compared to the car payment. The car has spoiled me though, it's so much more comfortable and better to drive than the truck, but with the weather starting now, it will probably be a while before the roads are clear, clean, and dry again.

[brzninja]

I'm regretting selling my old car. Keep it. I'm going to end up having to buy a used honda or something for the winter months come next year.

[AlexTheGreek]

Originally Posted by brzninja

I'm regretting selling my old car. Keep it. I'm going to end up having to buy a used honda or something for the winter months come next year.

Yeah, but you're in PA. If you lived in NC and it snows like a day a year if at all, would you have a winter beater?

[Admiral Ballsy]

I'm buying a BRZ exclusively for DD duty. I have a truck for the few snowy days we get (if current trends continue, anyway).

It's fairly inexpensive, small, easy to park and maneuver in traffic, gets good fuel economy, and it's fun. Just about perfect.

[brzninja]

Originally Posted by AlexTheGreek

Yeah, but you're in PA. If you lived in NC and it snows like a day a year if at all, would you have a winter beater?

I guess it also depends on how many miles / wear n tear you want on the BRZ?

Before I got mine I had the mindset of "Well, I'm going to use this as my DD and keep it as nice as humanly possible."

For me, it has now changed. I want to keep this car for life and be like the 60 year olds who drive their old vettes when I'm that age with my BRZ. Keep in mind, I'm young and this is my first car and it just so happens to be a (right now) rare and mildly expensive sports car. I hate parking it in an unknown area and worse driving it in the heavy rain (which I've been doing all week).

My plans are to have a used honda for all year round insurance and insure the BRZ during the summer / fall months and drive it on nice days, limiting the wear and mileage on the car.

Hope that makes sense. I started to ramble on.

Also, how much are you going to get for the honda? Is it really worth it in the long run? Get some quotes from some insurance agencies to see how much both would cost year round or having the BRZ only insured half a year?

[Admiral Ballsy]

Originally Posted by brzninja

mildly expensive sports car

I realize "expensive" is totally in the eye of the beholder, but statistically speaking, the BRZ...isn't. As of May, anyhow, the average selling price of a new car was a little over $30K:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneybui...-of-a-new-car/

I can't think of a single example of a "sports car" that costs less than a BRZ/FR-S, either. The Miata is more or less the same, depending upon trim level.

[DeeezNuuuts83]

^ I was thinking the same thing.

[brzninja]

Originally Posted by Admiral Ballsy

I realize "expensive" is totally in the eye of the beholder, but statistically speaking, the BRZ...isn't. As of May, anyhow, the average selling price of a new car was a little over $30K:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneybui...-of-a-new-car/

I can't think of a single example of a "sports car" that costs less than a BRZ/FR-S, either. The Miata is more or less the same, depending upon trim level.

I'm 25. I understand where you are coming from, but for me $31K (that's how much mine was) is expensive. Considering I was going to get a base Impreza, which is roughly $14K less than my BRZ . Growing up we had boring base model cars/vans so the BRZ, to me, is an expensive car.

Still, the average is $30K?! I think that is crazy...aren't we in a recession?

[DeeezNuuuts83]

A recession doesn't necessarily change the MSRP of new cars though. But take into account things like inflation and all of that over the course of the last couple of decades. Fifteen years ago, the E-Class started at around $30k, now it starts at no less than $51k. Naturally the price of the average new vehicle will also go north.

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by BRZfan

Same here: Use the 2011 Mazda CX-7 (a crossover) for daily driving and hauling stuff from the big box hardware stores. Also for long distance vacations depending upon how much 'stuff' we have to take with us. (Don't forget the dog). So 'Daily Driver' is not an issue for the BRZ (FORGET the dog) although I realize not everybody has 1+ or two+ cars in the family.

dogs are good luck to a traveler! ohhh! wait,no sunroof! (additional ventilation!)
well! as the asians say! it's "suuuup" to you!

[Admiral Ballsy]

Originally Posted by brzninja

Still, the average is $30K?! I think that is crazy

You'll get no argument here. The first car I was old enough to remember my family buying was $3000, and it was a stripper (a Chevelle). That's about $15K in today's money. No way you could get the modern analogue (a Malibu, if such a thing came in two-door) for that.

My dad told me he almost bought a new Corvette in '65, but thought that $5000 was just too much to spend on a car. That's about $35K today, or roughly $10K less than it takes to get into a base 'vette.

It's true, of course, that there's a helluva lot more to cars these days, but OTOH I'm pretty sure real average wages are lower.

[DeeezNuuuts83]

But times have changed. It's somewhat easier for people to afford more expensive cars these days since interest rates aren't nearly as high as they were a couple decades ago, when paying in cash saved you a ton of money. I remember my mom saying that the 1980 BMW 320i that we had when I was a kid had an APR of somewhere between 15-20%, which was supposedly the norm at the time. Even if you don't have a promotional APR, getting a $30,000 car nowadays and financing the whole amount over five years will get you paying another $4-5k in interest, while in the '80s you may have been paying an additional $10-15k in interest. Pretty big difference.

[pinoyplaya]

My BRZ and my CX5 only cost me $499/6 months with full coverage for both, 500 deductibles ($0 glass), 100/300/100 coverage. 24 y/o, cant wait what my insurance will be when I turn 25.

[ayau]

Originally Posted by brzninja

Still, the average is $30K?! I think that is crazy...aren't we in a recession?

it probably doesn't take into account sales of used cars. even a brand new civic will cost you about 20k out the door.