I'll throw my 2 cents in.

If you have a loan on a vehicle, you are only required to have comprehensive insurance if it is in storage. If you drive the vehicle, then your lender requires full coverage.

The insurance rates Chris is quote are not unrealistic. I pay about $38 a month for my 95 Stealth and similar rates on my other cars. Calculating your insurance rates is a very complicated formula, and it varies among insurance companies. Here are the keys to getting lower insurance:

- being over 25
- excellent credit rating
- no accidents/ no moving violations

Other things that will affect your rates to a lesser degree are:

- location
- miles driven to work/school

If you think you are paying too much insurance, shop around. I switched to AAA insurance a few months ago. I use to be paying over $100 a month for my Stealth, so I got a huge savings.

later,
Curt

i am paying $458 for storage on the eclipse for 6 months.. thats storage alone!!!

full coverage on the eclipse is $921 / 6 months..
the truck i am paying $500 full coverage for 6 months..
Grand prix i'm paying $190 comprehensive 6 months
stratus i'm paying $287 full coerage for 6 months..

-E

I am 18 and under my parents, if i wanted to do full coverage on my car my agent wants ~320 a month..... Only ticket i have is for no front license plate...

I pay about $1,200 every 6 months for a '96 240sx and a '99 Frontier.

And as far as financing goes, it's all up to the individual. Some don't mind making car payments, some would rather do without. I feel that if you're going to put money away for something every month, it would be best to put it torwards something that will actually give you a return on that investment. Most people, including myself, can't pay cash for a newer car, so we finance. Some people are comfortable with spending more per month for a nice car, some would rather buy a chep beater for $300, and some are willing to get a little less of a car and pay it off quickly.

I would like to own an NSX someday, but there's no way I would finance a new one, and to get into one I could afford, it would probably be at least 7-10 years old, which gives you little to no option to finance. Sure I'm sure there's someone that would give you some money for it, but you would have an insane interest rate. If I had a house I could get a home equity loan for it, but that's not something I would feel very comfortable with. Which leaves me with the option of paying cash money.