Hey, guys,

The one ring has seized my will, and I'm going to move to MI because of it... I know, I know... Marriage is a beautiful thing. No pics, sorry. She's MINE!

Anyway, in defense of my other precious, my 07 SMB Z, I'm seriously considering the winter beater/cheap project car/practical car/front or all-wheel drive car route. (Hey, I've never driven more than once or twice in those conditions.) I'll have some $4k-ish of a budget, thanks to a good $5-10k more income (the "M" plans won't be affected; she's a wonderful girl). The first things that come to mind are the following: Subaru Impreza wagon, Ford Focus ZX3 and Volkswagen GTI/Golf 1.8T. I kinda like hatches, but it's not a necessity. However, it must be somewhat entertaining to drive.

A couple questions:
1. Could my insurance potentially DECREASE overall, being that the practical car would be my primary drive (some 70% of all driving)?
2. Any of these to avoid? Am I missing a good one?
3. Should I really just suck it up and drive the Z in winter?
4. Any advice about my automotive plans?

 

we had a rough winter here , so driving the Z in the snow is pretty brainless , just get a beater for around 2-3 grand , there tons of cheap used cars here in michigan . btw the snow sometime get up to 10 inches to a feet .

 

Billy is right the weather, and snow get pretty intense up here sometime.
Just to give you an idea we got 6 inches last Friday. Its late March...

I drive my Z year round with snow tires on it, so you don't NEED a beater. Though Billy is right there are a TON of 2-3k used Rangers, SUV's etc that will be great in the snow. When you gonna get up here???

Congrats on the engagement too!

 

I'm going up there once I get a job. I've got about 20 or so applications out there...

 

I miss michigan so much some times. I grew up in Ypsi by Eastern Michigan Univ. and then lived down town Ann Arbor for a long time. I miss the snow, the people, everything about it sometimes. and then other days I look at the ocean and the 70 weather in January and say eh its not so bad down here.

Good luck in michigan. Jobs can be hard to come by these days.

 

yeah, GL finding a job... we're almost all automotive, and automotive sucks nowadays. I think the state unemployment rate is like 8 or 9% last time I checked.

Lol at your insurance DECREASING. 99% chance it will go up. Doesn't matter if the Z is not your primary driver. I have an '06 Grand Cherokee and the Z, and pay about $850 every 6 months (I pay in full -- it would be more if I didn't).

I'd buy a used Jeep/Explorer/Trailblazer/etc for $4k or so. Plenty of them up here. I wouldn't drive the Z in the winter if you care about rust -- salt kills the underside of cars. But 4wd in the snow is fun!!!

 

1. Yes getting the winter beater car will actually decrease your insurance greatly if you call the beater your primary car and the Z your seconday. Thats the only way I could afford to keep my Z.

2. If you can afford it a beater is the best mod you could ever get for your Z to save if from the horrible weather we get sometimes. AWD will defintaly be a plus, but FWD usually dont have a problem.

What area of MI are you moving to?

 

If you're looking for a decently priced beater, look for a used "New" car. We all know how badly domestics depreciate. You could find a 04/05 vehicle right around $10k or less, rather than spend $4k on a complete POS with 100k miles on it.

 

I'm gonna be near Ann Arbor. I'd really prefer a job at University of Michigan or Eastern Michigan, b/c I'm currently working in an academic environment, and like that environment a lot. However, I'm definitely not limiting myself to that. IT is pretty flexible.

 

Marriage or snow...

good luck

 

I love Ann Arbor. Great place to live but housing in city limits is expensive. I have several family members that work at UofM and like the working environment.

 

1. Depending on the car you choose, but for normal car, most likely yes
2, have no idea
3, Don't ever think about that..... especially if you are lowered..... that's my suggestion and im not even from Michigan..... when snow is accumulated to 2+", you dont need to think about driving since your car would "clean the snow".... winter tires help but on some condition, it doesnt do ****
4.-

 

I am sticking with you can drive the Z in the snow
I made ti to work today with the Potenza's on and we got 6 inches of snow last night...

 

Risky, but impressive! My GTO couldn't go anywhere in the snow with the RE040 Potenza's. Anything over 11mph and I was all over the place lol.

 

Jsut go slow, and don't drive like an *** and your ok...
It just takes some time to get up to speed.
Trust me people were looking at me like I was NUTS on my drive in..

It was kind of entertaining

 

haha reminds me of myself when I drove the Z a few weeks back and we got snow late at night sorta leaving me stranded. Somehow made it home, 26 mile commute, 10mph average speed. Like you said, be patient, dont drive like an idiot and youll be fine.