2003 Econosport Sedans Comparison Test [Neon SRT-4, MazdaSpeed Protege, SVT Focus, Sentra SE-R Spec V]

[Ornery]

Hell no! Electronics is one thing, but mechanical stuff is another. It's pretty rare to see new machines built as ruggedly as the old ones. It can be done through technology, but will have a price tag to match. Not so with electronics.

 

[vi edit]

Honestly, I do think that insurance companies have had *some* play in this. They've had to. It's been a constant cat and mouse game between them and car manfs. Most 16-25 year olds simply can not afford the insurance on a Mustang GT or Camaro SS. But, they can climb into something like that Neon and get damn near as fast of a car, but only pay a fraction of the insurance.

Is it right? No. But car manfs are doing what they can to squeeze the most HP out of the smallest engine possible and insurance companies aren't really catching on yet. You can get cheap speed both in purchase price, and annual recurring prices (gas, insurance, ect).

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Honestly, I do think that insurance companies have had *some* play in this. They've had to. It's been a constant cat and mouse game between them and car manfs. Most 16-25 year olds simply can not afford the insurance on a Mustang GT or Camaro SS. But, they can climb into something like that Neon and get damn near as fast of a car, but only pay a fraction of the insurance.

Is it right? No. But car manfs are doing what they can to squeeze the most HP out of the smallest engine possible and insurance companies aren't really catching on yet. You can get cheap speed both in purchase price, and annual recurring prices (gas, insurance, ect).

you know whats not right? me with 8 years driving (24) and a clean record paying more for car insurance than my sister (23) who has never driven a damn thing in her life

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: Ornery

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: Ornery Exactly, BUT these wienie-mobiles are more similar to go-karts than full size muscle cars. Econosports...

I still do not understand the rational behind your argument.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words:

• Econosport Muscle Car

There's 2,000 words!

Well, time for you to start listing a few, because currently, I'm not seeing them.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Honestly, I do think that insurance companies have had *some* play in this. They've had to. It's been a constant cat and mouse game between them and car manfs. Most 16-25 year olds simply can not afford the insurance on a Mustang GT or Camaro SS. But, they can climb into something like that Neon and get damn near as fast of a car, but only pay a fraction of the insurance.

Is it right? No. But car manfs are doing what they can to squeeze the most HP out of the smallest engine possible and insurance companies aren't really catching on yet. You can get cheap speed both in purchase price, and annual recurring prices (gas, insurance, ect).

I'm pretty sure the insurance on a Mustang GT and a SRT-4 are quite similar in price. Ins companies are't stupid, they know what the SRT4 is.

 

[vi edit]

I'm pretty sure the insurance on a Mustang GT and a SRT-4 are quite similar in price. Ins companies are't stupid, they know what the SRT4 is.

Ins for me on a WRX was $60 more a year than a base impreza...which was pretty cheap already. A Camaro SS would run me almost double that.

 

[ElFenix]

WRX: $2,680.00
mustang GT: $3,350.00

when i turn 25:
WRX: $960.00
mustang gt: $2,560.00

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
WRX: $2,680.00
mustang GT: $3,350.00

when i turn 25:
WRX: $960.00
mustang gt: $2,560.00

That seems a bit extreme. I drive a 5.0l mustang and only pay $450 a year and my dad has an 02 GT and pays $800 a year but he uses it for business.

BTW the SRT-4 do usually run in the low 14s.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: ElFenix
WRX: $2,680.00
mustang GT: $3,350.00

when i turn 25:
WRX: $960.00
mustang gt: $2,560.00

That seems a bit extreme. I drive a 5.0l mustang and only pay $450 a year and my dad has an 02 GT and pays $800 a year but he uses it for business.

BTW the SRT-4 do usually run in the low 14s.

My friend (21) has a 87 5.0L Mustang and pays $3500CDN per year just for that car.

I dunno how the hell your only paying $450 a year!!!

btw, how much was insurance back in the 70s? I'm just curious.

 

[vi edit]

That seems a bit extreme. I drive a 5.0l mustang and only pay $450 a year and my dad has an 02 GT and pays $800 a year but he uses it for business.

Yes, but your 5.0 is worth what? A couple grand? Not $25,000, that's for sure. The value of the vehicle is a significant factor in coverage price.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

That seems a bit extreme. I drive a 5.0l mustang and only pay $450 a year and my dad has an 02 GT and pays $800 a year but he uses it for business.

BTW the SRT-4 do usually run in the low 14s.

what year is it? this zip code is almost twice as much as my previous one, houston is ridiculous. '89 mustang LX 5.0 is $1,340.00 and thats collision + comp with $250 deductibles

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

That seems a bit extreme. I drive a 5.0l mustang and only pay $450 a year and my dad has an 02 GT and pays $800 a year but he uses it for business.

Yes, but your 5.0 is worth what? A couple grand? Not $25,000, that's for sure. The value of the vehicle is a significant factor in coverage price.

I'm not so sure. A '94 LS400 (which costs us $14kCDN ) costs more to insure than a 99 GS300 (which costs $32k CDN). And the differnece in ins price was quite significant. Baffled us, and stopped us from buying the LS400 (which only had 42k miles with full service history!!!). It was immaculate! Sadly isn was wayy wayy to high. Around $6000CDN a year for entire family.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

That seems a bit extreme. I drive a 5.0l mustang and only pay $450 a year and my dad has an 02 GT and pays $800 a year but he uses it for business.

BTW the SRT-4 do usually run in the low 14s.

what year is it? this zip code is almost twice as much as my previous one, houston is ridiculous. '89 mustang LX 5.0 is $1,340.00 and thats collision + comp with $250 deductibles

Mines an 89 too and I only have liability atm. Full coverage would be around $550 a year and I will probably bump it up to that next year. I am 27 and own a house with home owners insurance through the same company so that gives me a little bit of a discount. Its only $100 more a year than my 89 caravan turbo .

My dads 02 GT was in there to cover the "new" comparison.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Mines an 89 too and I only have liability atm. Full coverage would be around $550 a year and I will probably bump it up to that next year. I am 27 and own a house with home owners insurance through the same company so that gives me a little bit of a discount. Its only $100 more a year than my 89 caravan turbo .

My dads 02 GT was in there to cover the "new" comparison.

me being 24 and "irresponsible" is most of it, then