Newbie!

[Victor Laury]

Jeff,

I'll bet my dollars to your doughnuts that the both the Z and the SX will cost the Same to insure.

If you try upgrading for AutoX, High performance parts cost $$$.$$ for both cars.

Yea, the safety thing weighs in favor of the SX.

2 seats are a drag for your buddies, but can be an advantage in getting the girl alone!:classic:

I'm backing the Z. Jeff, The fact is if you buy the Z, Care for the Z, Spend on the Z, you'll have a pretty unique car. You'll spend on the SX too and have the same car as 2,000,000 others!

[Alfadog]

Yeah, I can't emphasize enough to ring as many insurance companies as possible for quotes. My Z differed in insurance price from $230 USD to around $1200. BIG Difference.

[sapruns]

Speaking as a parent, my son is taking drivers Ed as we speak and he THINKS he’s going drive my Z when he gets his license. Well maybe after a few or several years I'll consider it.

Regardless of what car you chose as your first, keep your nose clean and drive carefully. If you keep a good driving record your rates will come down a lot faster.

And it’s true, some of them have small back seats and some have none so you’re limited as to how far you can impress the chicks.

Have fun with your Z

[MikeW]

Originally posted by Victor Laury

I'll bet my dollars to your doughnuts that the both the Z and the SX will cost the Same to insure.

That will be interesting to find out. Insurance companies are certainly weird about such things. A 4 door car will have lower insurance than the same car in a 2 door model. A red car will be more than a white car. Big luxury cars and minivans don't have high liability costs because people who buy them are safer than those bad sports car people. As a sad side note to us Z-car fans, the 7-passenger 2003 Honda Odyssey can do 0-60mph in 7.7 seconds. Ouch. As a teenage male, you can thank your predecessors for demonstrating that certain groups of people are more likely to have insurance claims even though you've personally never done anything wrong. It's not fair.

As I recall, the 240SX has an electronically limited top speed of 115 mph specifically to lower insurance costs. Who decided that 114 is safe but if you're doing 115 you must be dangerous? In any case, even though it's a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder it actually puts out slightly more HP than the 240Z (155 vs. 151). It also weighs a good bit more.

In my earlier post I mentioned that the 240SX would be easier to maintain. That's not what I meant to say. After all, you can change the 240Z oil filter with your bare hands. What I meant to say was that the 240SX, being newer, would probably require less maintenance.

Let us know how the insurance works out as that may be the determining factor.

[jeffhop]

Just in reply to sapruns' comment (this is not a flame at all):

I am a very responsible kid adn I have seen way too many accidents adn known people who have been killed or seriously injured in accidents because they decided to run way to fast and lost control of their car. I am a avid mountain biker and race and sometimes win those races and I know I dont want to mess that up. That is also one reason I am choosing to buy my own car. I could probably convince my perents to buy me a car because we are fairly well off but I know myself enough to know that if I buy something my self and work on it and put time into it I will not risk destroying it or myself. Yes, I know I am young and hormones are raging and all this and that I WILL probably do a few stupid things, but I belive that if I buy and work on it myself I will be less likely to risk it as often or do as stupid things.

I plan to call a bunch of insurannce companies this weekend because I have some papers due this week :eek: so I wont have any time. Ill post up what they say though! Once again, thanks soo much you guys for your help!

Jeff

[frankensteinZ]

Dear Newbie,

My first car was a 240z matter of fact it was purchased for me when I was thirteen and was forced to just stare at it until I turn 16, but It was worth it. Having an older 240z is helpful in several reasons at a young age. 1. I am now currently 21 and only pay 48 dollars a month on insurance for the car and that is full coverage will also a stereo policy of up to 3000 dollars, not bad considering my age. I am not sure of the year you plan to buy but I have a 72 and when I was 16 it was 25 years old and was able to get antique insurance, so I had a sporty car with like only 40 dollars a month. 2. Also I have posted about this in the discussions but the chicks at school loved the car, especially after it was painted. 3. This car was rather cheap to fix. However it was old and only purchased for 300 bucks so it was in bad shape so I spent alot on it. I would suggest that you get an older z. Maybe not as old as mine but maybe a 78 through 83 they are pretty much that same mechanics and cheap to purchase and fix, plus they have plenty of power but not so much that your parents will get worried. The insurance would be cheap on the older car. Plus the chicks dig it. My two cents.

Frankenstein Z

[Alfadog]

Originally posted by MikeW

In any case, even though it's a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder it actually puts out slightly more HP than the 240Z (155 vs. 151). It also weighs a good bit more.

Measuring BHP has changed a lot since 1971...

I think someone said in another topic the Z has the equivelant of around 130 BHP in today's standards.

Not bad still, but I wouldn't be surprised if a 240SX was faster.

[tanny]

jeffhop,

You're probably right about taking better care with it when you have lot's of your own time into it. Be careful if you get the classic car insurance that you mind the rules religiously. Lots of restrictions, and you know if they can substantiate any wrong doing on your part, they won't pay off. That's why I am getting full coverage from my normal insurance company with no restrictions. Definitely more expensive, but more peace of mind for my paranoid little brain. I will be giving the 240 I am refurbishing to my son when he turns 16 next July. I don't know if that's the smartest move, but you're only that age once and you have to have as much fun as possible(hopefully without killing yourself or frying your brain) while you can. I live in Durango, and I get up to Denver fairly often, maybe I'll see you around. I've been mulling over joining the Colorado z club, but don't know if I'll be able to participate enough to make it worth while. Have a blast. Victor.

[1 Bravo 6]

Hey there you lot,

This 15 year old young man sounds a damn site more level headed, mature and responsible than some much older rev heads I know of.

Good on ya Jeff.

Rick.

[Gav240z]

Grab a 240z they have sexy look there simple mechanically, the dashboard is probably one of the best designs of all time. The girls do love them especially in red .

Yes if you buy a car and fix it yourself you will be less silly with it than those spoilt rich kids who race around with MILO tin exhausts.

Insurance with either car will probably be more or less the same and gotta love being able to do an oil filter change in 20 seconds.

I used to own a Front WHeel Drive corollla what a nightmare that was to work on. The oil fiter was hidden under the extractors I don't know how someone with bigger hands than me could possible squeeze in there and remove it.

It's all about the fun factor, I see plenty of fast cars on the road but I bet there no half as fun to drive. My friend had a VL Commodore which for those that don't know has the RB30T engine in it. That thing was fast but it had poor handling ugly looks and was problematic. The Z is the best thing since sliced bread for me .

[jeffhop]

Thanks everybody. Yeah. the chick factor has been a big part of deciding... 240z' are beautiful cars and well, the 240sx is not (except in Silvia form)

What is the deal with antique insurance? About how old must the car be? I guess I'll ask when I call. But 40 bucks a month sure sounds a hell of a lot better than what my friends are paying.

Jeff

[Alfadog]

Originally posted by Gav240z

The Z is the best thing since sliced bread for me .

Sliced bread??? Who needs damn sliced bread, Z is better than sliced bread!