Cars with low insurance rates

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
06/03/2015 at 08:21 • Filed to: Jolly Roger

I called up my car insurance yesterday to get a ball park estimate on what a late gen Grand Prix or a 1st gen Fusion would cost to be a 2nd car. For the PT we pay ~$95 a month; for the cars suggested above, it’ll run ~$140ish total. After inquiring how they determine the rates, she said its the cost to repair them. With this in mind, what cars would have the lowest insurance rates then?

I’m thinking maybe some form of a base trim, fwd, compact/subcompact car. What does oppo think? What cars have low insurance rates?

DISCUSSION (54)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:23

By that logic, it should be a Panther platform car.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:24

Production numbers of said parts are what counts. GM W-bodies are dirt cheap because the parts are shared by approximately 10 billion vehicles. Likewise your PT is nothing more than a neon hatchback and it’s not like either vehicle was a slow seller.....

My jetta was dirt cheap too. Mk3 jettas/golfs are nearly identical in many mechanical ways so this isn’t unexpected.

pip bip - choose Corrour > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:28

sad to say , Camry?

zeontestpilot > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
06/03/2015 at 08:29

Ha, good point. I neglected to ask if rwd or fwd costs more. I did ask about car color, and she it didn't make a difference with end costs.

Party-vi > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:31

In my experience, it would cost me the same to insure a new 2015 GTI with a loan as it does my 13 year old 330Ci.

zeontestpilot > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
06/03/2015 at 08:31

W-bodies.....I think that's the Grand Prix, right? The fusion was about 6 dollars more a month.

jjhats > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:34

your overpaying on the pt cruiser. im 23 and pay 65 a month for my focus st through geico

zeontestpilot > pip bip - choose Corrour
06/03/2015 at 08:36

Ha, that could be!

Tom McParland > Party-vi
06/03/2015 at 08:38

The GTI used to be notoriously expensive to insure...years ago it was always in the top 10 most expensive cars given its category. However, when I traded my Mazda3 for it my insurance actually went down by $200/year. I thought for sure it would go up, the explanation was that despite the higher performance the GTI is a “5-star” safety rated car so the chances of me dying in a severe accident is lower than the Mazda. Safety FTW!

zeontestpilot > Party-vi
06/03/2015 at 08:38

Huh, so I guess the age of the car doesn't matter? It's just the price of the parts. Hmmm, that doesn't factor in the availability of parts though...

Slant6 > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:39

Small trucks are cheap. Like $75 a month for a 18 old cheap.

Party-vi > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:40

The BMW is older and parts are going to be more expensive/harder to source. The VW is newer, has (assumed) cheaper parts, but is on a loan so they pretty much even out.

zeontestpilot > Slant6
06/03/2015 at 08:43

Only with the rwd though, I’d imagine. Still, that is curious. Probably because it’s a frame on chassis body style. Easy body part swaps.

Wacko > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:43

sure the car will vary the price, but the greatest factor is your age, sex and experience.

95 a month for you PT seems high to me. My 2014 pathfinder cost me about 65 canadian a month, and that is fully insured. My 97 jeep tj costs me about 140 a year, but that one has basic insurance.

I am 36 and male and live in quebec, but since i was about 25 my rates have been roughly the same for a new car. Always paid about 140 a year for my shit boxes with basic insurance.

But insurance in quebec in general is very cheap.

zeontestpilot > Wacko
06/03/2015 at 08:48

I’m 28, my wife is turning 26 this month. My previous insurance was >$100, so I’m actually glad for the $95. I live in Michigan too. I ha e some other things, like tow and rental included into the cost, but I'm not sure how much those are though.

Slant6 > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:49

I have a 4x4. 2wd would be even cheaper though.

Slant6 > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:50

And metal bumpers.

zeontestpilot > Slant6
06/03/2015 at 08:51

Dang! Where abouts do you live then?

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 08:55

The color of the car affecting the rates is a myth unless it’s a special color - like the Hyundai flat gray that’s an extra $2000 or more.

In some states they use demographics of typical drivers, too. A Civic coupe is usually significantly more to insure in than a sedan because of who buys them - young single males vs. adult married men and women.

jvirgs drives a Subaru > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 09:03

I got a ‘15 Dodge Dart GT and when I got my insurance, its only $118/month. I did get an extra discount through am organization I’m a part of but I believe it would still be about $130

zeontestpilot > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
06/03/2015 at 09:07

Well sedans means your friends can also enjoy the ride....unless it's a civic, :).

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
06/03/2015 at 09:11

Funny you mention that. When I bought my Civic earlier this year I was amazed at the difference between coupe and sedan insurance prices. But as you said, it makes sense give who drives them.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Tom McParland
06/03/2015 at 09:13

How old was your Mazda? When I had my 3 (2011) it was Five star rated two. Maybe the insurance companies just make up the rate and the dartboard this week said GTI=Cheap?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 09:17

I’ve talked to my insurance agent about this and I was told the following. It’s complicated, and there’s a lot of factors they look at. I’m sure there’s some special algorithm that I’m not privy to. But the gist of the explanation is as follows:

You - your driving history, tickets, accidents, etc. Obviously the more tickets or accidents you have the more risk you are to them, so the more expensive your rates are, regardless of car.

Vehicle Make/Model/Trim - This helps in determining repair costs since parts are generally cheaper for, say, a Chevy Cavalier, than an Audi A6. They can also look at vehicle safety rating, which potentially affects injury claims. They also look at the model/trim to gauge risk - someone driving an Accord with a V6 is probably going to drive faster than someone driving a 4 cylinder model, because why else would you buy the V6? They also adjust based on statistical claims for the vehicle - when I started driving, my dad added me to his plan and I was using our GMC S15. His rate shot up because, statistically, a lot of teenage guys buy those kinds of trucks to make low riders, and are idiots and crash them. You can look at it as, probably a larger percentage of total Mustang GTs sold are crashed than of Toyota Camarys.

Vehicle year/mileage - This gets a little tricky because a lot of factors come into play. Newer cars are generally safer, as mentioned above, so that helps. But they also have more value - if you crash there’s less likelihood it will be totaled, so it will have to be fixed, which is expensive. Older cars typically have less value (not talking about collector cars here) and more likely to be totaled in an accident. But if it’s not totaled, parts could be hard to find if its very old (>20 years or so), and especially if its a unique trim (think M5 vs. regular 5 series).

Location - The cost to insure your vehicle depends on where you live and operate it as well. Live down south in Mississippi or Louisiana? Good chance it could get flooded out in a hurricane. Oklahoma? Tornadoes and hail damage. Big city like NYC or LA? Likely to get a lot of small claims for rear enders, scrapes, pothole damage, etc. Also, it has a bit to do with what people around you drive. My rates went up slightly when I moved from western Maryland to Northern VA. Up there, most people drove common stuff. If I hit someone, they would probably be in a pickup truck or like a 2007 Ford Fusion or something. Down here I’m significantly more likely to crash into a Tesla, BMW, Porsche, etc. There’s just more people down here with more money so most people drive newer, nicer cars.

All these factors come into play so it’s hard to say exactly. My guess, though, is the cheapest thing to insure would be about a 10 year old mid-to-large sedan (Camary, Accord) with a 4 cylinder engine. A minivan, like an older Odyssey or Sienna might also be a good choice since it’s an ultra low risk vehicle - no one goes street racing with a van full of kids... right? I think a Crown Vic or other Panther platform car might be cheap too. RWD cars are generally viewed as “performance” cars, but these extremely common, so they are cheap (easily totaled) and parts are plentiful in case they do need to be repaired.

Tom McParland > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
06/03/2015 at 09:26

2010...perhaps it was a 5 star car, insurance told me they consider the GTI a “safer” car.

zeontestpilot > Snuze: Needs another Swede
06/03/2015 at 09:29

Very informative, nice!

TrickJos > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 09:30

Those prices sound expensive. You should shop around. I have a 1994 Saturn and a 2012 Camaro SS. $75 per month. Dayton, Ohio. 27 years old. I do have a completely clear driving record though, which I’m sure helps.

nermal > Tom McParland
06/03/2015 at 09:31

You also have to factor in that GTIs have gotten more expensive, so new ones are driven by “older / more responsible” individuals that are less likely to crash. Also, due to the relatively small size, you’re less likely to cause damage to others.

Slant6 > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 09:31

Suburb of Raleigh. Also do you really need another car? I mean I know the PT is getting old but do you really need another car to pour money into?

zeontestpilot > TrickJos
06/03/2015 at 09:33

I have received two tickets, one was 7 or so years ago, the other was 3 or 4 years ago. Never been in a accident that was my fault, but bad weather has forced my car off the road into ditches before.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 09:35

Jeeze 95 for just the PT? Before we got the Explorer we were paying 95 for a 99 Saturn sc2 and a 08 chevy cobalt

RockRam > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 09:43

Damn bother, I would get multiple quotes. $85 does seem high for that PT. $140 for 2 vehicles doesn’t sound bad. Definitely get quotes from 3 companies to get a better picture.

To answer your question, I had a 1991 Lincoln Towncar that I was paying around $40 a month for so I would have to give it to the panthers and the Japanese for having possible lower rates.

zeontestpilot > Slant6
06/03/2015 at 09:44

It’s an idea I’d like to happen for a few reasons. One is that we live in the country, and I work 40 minutes away in the city. It’ll be nice to have a car for emergencies/backup/grocery getter. Plus, it’ll allow my wife to get out of the house when she wants to. Another reason is the mpg on the pt is horrendous with my daily commutes. Each week I drive around 400 miles. Averaging 23 mpg means it just eats gas.

But, as silly as it is to say, I do believe the pt has a lot of life left in it, especially with 103k miles. And it’s my first car ever, so if I do sell it, I’ll regret it immediately, :/.

zeontestpilot > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
06/03/2015 at 09:50

And that’s lower from what I had previously. I do have two tickets though. Where do you live?

Slant6 > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 09:55

I’ll recommend an old Accord wagon. They go for cheap because they’re wagons. They get good millage, cheap to insure, and they’re pretty reliable. It’s my goto car for recommending for someone that wants something cheap, reliable and gets good millage.

zeontestpilot > RockRam
06/03/2015 at 09:55

I have a few speeding tickets too, if that hurts it.

AthomSfere > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
06/03/2015 at 09:58

On the Civic, theft rates actually have as much or more to do with it a lot of times. Same is true for older Z’s. I looked at buying a 300zx a while back, and a brand new Corvette was going to cost less in insurance (with same coverage levels). Theft was cited.

zeontestpilot > Slant6
06/03/2015 at 10:01

....there was an Accord wagon?!? News to me. What years/gen? In Michigan, any non-GM/Ford/Chrysler car older than ‘00 is a rarity. You will see them, but not very often. :/

uofime-2 > Tom McParland
06/03/2015 at 10:03

I too was shocked when I insured my new WRX, way less than I expected, less than $1000 a year!

Nibbles > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 10:03

Anything happen w that Vibe?

Tom McParland > nermal
06/03/2015 at 10:05

good point

RockRam > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 10:08

Oh yea. haha well give those a few years to go away on your record and see if the numbers change.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > AthomSfere
06/03/2015 at 10:12

Auto policies have several parts. If you look at Collision - what pays for your car if you’re at fault in an accident - that’s based on your own factors like driving record and experience, repair cost, power-to-weight ratio, and in some states, driver demographics. Comprehensive pays for fire/theft/weather/animal damage. Theft rates account for the higher premiums on that portion. Liability is based on power-to-weight, driver demographics, and your factors. Uninsured motorist and medical payments are generally based on population density and accident rates for your zip code.

zeontestpilot > Nibbles
06/03/2015 at 10:19

Never got a call back. The salesman I called was/is secretly working with my gpa, looking for a car for me. I haven't been kept in the loop, so I have no idea what's going on. :/

Nibbles > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 10:19

Balls.

zeontestpilot > Nibbles
06/03/2015 at 10:24

Exactly. Plus, taking in the cost of insurance for a car, what I can afford is even less than i’d like. :(

RazoE > pip bip - choose Corrour
06/03/2015 at 10:26

Those run a high “drive yourself into a wall” risk, though.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 10:29

We live in Illinois in cook county which is the same county as chicago I’m 25 and my wife is 29 and no accidents or tickets on our records *knocks on wood*

zeontestpilot > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
06/03/2015 at 10:44

From what I understand, location can change the rate too.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 10:45

It’s funny though. Before I had my 08 Volvo c30, I had a 2013 Honda Civic LX Sedan with an automatic.

I now drive an 08 Volvo C30 coupe with nearly twice the power. But, the Volvo is about $25 a month LESS than my Honda. So it really does all depend on random factors like that.

Certain things like V6 pony cars are expensive because of the mostly teenager demographic driving them.

zeontestpilot > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
06/03/2015 at 10:49

Yeah, I think I’m looking for a fwd sedan/wagon, reliable, and a good/decent amount of horses under the hood (>150 hp).

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 12:36

Wow, I’m 20 and my 4Runner is just $50 a month.

zeontestpilot > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
06/03/2015 at 14:33

Where do you live?

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > zeontestpilot
06/03/2015 at 14:59

Florida.