Thanks for the comments RED_LINE.
My insurance is $660/month for my '97 240sx (it was $645 for the sileighty I had briefly), due to my driving record. 2 years ago I was caught snow drifting in my '98 Legacy GT, and was charged with dangerous driving. I later had that reduced to a careless, at the expense of a $4k lawyer. Just a few months after that, some b!tch (who’s dad happens to be a high ranking undercover police officer) hit me, and the trainee police officer that came to the scene was an idiot. Long story short, I ended up getting screwed with a 50% at fault accident on my record (which, by the way, counts as the same thing as a 100% at fault accident to insurance companies).
When I had my Legacy, I was only paying $311/month. I’m now paying for my mistakes, and will be literally “paying” for the next few years. I got a quote for a '94 Nissan Sentra (beater), and it was $575/month. If I were to own that and my 240sx, I’d be looking at $1,235/month in insurance ALONE.
I’m lucky to have a high paying job for a 21 year old with 1 year of college to my name. Between paying my insurance, gas, maintenance, rent (just moved out with a couple buddies), groceries, utilities, phone bill, entertainment, student loan, and whatever else comes up, it’s just not possible for me to afford a beater. I’m starting a few new business ventures (one car related, the other affiliate marketing) in the next little while (while working full time, hitting the gym, and trying to enjoy myself), so that I can bring in some extra income.
Luckily I have a good relationship with my parents and can pop home for a meal once in a while, or move back in if things don’t work out living with my friends. In no way do they help me financially, but they do provide awesome moral support, and are happy to offer me things like an old couch and some other things for my new place.
If there’s another sunny weekend, we should arrange for a SON fall photo-shoot of some sort…one of these days I need to get myself a REAL camera.