[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Trust me, its a very simple and approachable car if you don't look at the spec sheet and the funny memes!

True that. Your car looks sweet. This particular color looks good too. I've seen a few and they appear smaller and lower to the ground than the older models. Perhaps its the design.

The Miata has always been about fun without breaking the bank. It is reliable and easy on the wallet too. You don't need a specialized garage to fix one either. I'd say the only real competition comes from Toyota's GT86/ Subaru BRZ. The latter in its latest iteration looks good. Don't think you can go wrong with any of these cars.

[hema4saran]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Received an offer I couldn't refuse on a 2020 GT with all the Club edition goodies like Bilstein suspension and awesome limited slip diff. To further sweeten the deal, received a 5 year 0% interest finance with a small amount down.

That is a excellent choice. Congratulations on the pocket friendly sports car. Take it to twisted sisters drive and you will enjoy it even more in twisties. And in future take it to Circuit of Americas, Austin on a day when the small cars are allowed to practice around the track. I hope Honda will learn a lesson or two and bring back the S2000 back to market.

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

True that. Your car looks sweet. This particular color looks good too. I've seen a few and they appear smaller and lower to the ground than the older models. Perhaps its the design.

The Miata has always been about fun without breaking the bank. It is reliable and easy on the wallet too. You don't need a specialized garage to fix one either. I'd say the only real competition comes from Toyota's GT86/ Subaru BRZ. The latter in its latest iteration looks good. Don't think you can go wrong with any of these cars.

Thanks for the compliments. I really didn't choose the color. Inventory was so tight in MT. Plus being 2020 I knew I could receive a better offer. Most people want the RF AT version. The upcoming BRZ looks exciting.

Originally Posted by hema4saran

That is a excellent choice. Congratulations on the pocket friendly sports car. Take it to twisted sisters drive and you will enjoy it even more in twisties. I hope Honda will learn a lesson or two and bring back the S2000 back to market.

The sisters are close and I ride some part of the roads almost every month on the motorcycles. After I get some drive time, planning to try beginner autocross. Not sure if the car is big track friendly. We do have a small track which I plan to try. My only exp on track is with my old zen and alto on the chennai MMSC.

[nikhilarni]

Hi T-Bhpians,

I am in Pittsburgh, PA right now and planning on selling my Honda Accord.

Link to the FB post.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...9779486993827/


Hi Mods,
Please delete if I am violating the rules of the forum. Being in the US, I wasn't able to post this on the Classifieds section.

[Impala59]

Hi folks!

I will be moving to Toronto in the next few months for my MBA. Now honestly, I am well aware of the high insurance rates, but being a petrolhead I just cannot imagine not driving/owning a vehicle till I start earning.

Can someone help me with car options that are absolutely fun to drive (preferably not the Accords and Corollas) and whose insurance premium won't make my wallet substantially lighter? What about the beater cars? Or do they command higher insurance premiums? I will mostly be doing a part-time job and hope to buy a car in a few months post that.

TIA!

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by Impala59

Hi folks!
I will be moving to Toronto in the next few months for my MBA. Now honestly, I am well aware of the high insurance rates, but being a petrolhead I just cannot imagine not driving/owning a vehicle till I start earning.
Can someone help me with car options that are absolutely fun to drive (preferably not the Accords and Corollas) and whose insurance premium won't make my wallet substantially lighter? What about the beater cars? Or do they command higher insurance premiums? I will mostly be doing a part-time job and hope to buy a car in a few months post that.
TIA!

Your insurance cost would depend on a whole lot of factors. The biggest being the cost of the car. Then the engine bhp, body style, even color.
For a petrolhead, I would suggest a Mazda 3 hatchback. You can snag a 5 yr old under $10k with less than 100k miles, it may be a good balance of maintenance costs, insurance costs, & initial cost.

[Impala59]

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

Your insurance cost would depend on a whole lot of factors. The biggest being the cost of the car. Then the engine bhp, body style, even color.
For a petrolhead, I would suggest a Mazda 3 hatchback. You can snag a 5 yr old under $10k with less than 100k miles, it may be a good balance of maintenance costs, insurance costs, & initial cost.

What about used Subaru Impreza/WRX/Outback? I have seen some at pretty cheap rates, some as low as $1800 on Autotrader (not the WRX obviously, those start at around $6k). Being an AWD would also help me in the winters. The sweet boxer engine sound is an added bonus

[mohit]

Originally Posted by Impala59

What about used Subaru Impreza/WRX/Outback? I have seen some at pretty cheap rates, some as low as $1800 on Autotrader (not the WRX obviously, those start at around $6k). Being an AWD would also help me in the winters. The sweet boxer engine sound is an added bonus

Welcome to Toronto. Where will you be located? If you are planning on living in the downtown area, factor for parking too as it might be an issue.

Beater cars here have one big issue - rust. The roads are salted extensively during winter and the salt eats thru metal when it mixes with water. The upside is if the car is not too expensive, you can get away with third party insurance only (as in no coverage for the vehicle itself) which is cheaper.

Have you thought about licensing? Unless you hold a license from a country recognized for direct transfer, you will have to start afresh here. There is a three tiered license system - G1 - learner, G2 - Intermediate and G - unrestricted. Minimum period for getting a G2 is 8 months after you get a G1 and you will have to attend a driving ed course for that. That's almost half your MBA term BTW.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Impala59

Can someone help me with car options that are absolutely fun to drive

Your best option, get the rental cars on weekend. This will be the cheapest way to enjoy different cars for at least couple of months. When you have got a hang of the driving, appear for a test and get one.

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

The biggest being the cost of the car.

Nope, not in Canada at least. Your residence address, number of years since you have held the license will be more important.

Originally Posted by mohit

Unless you hold a license from a country recognized for direct transfer, you will have to start afresh here. There is a three tiered license system - G1 - learner, G2 - Intermediate and G - unrestricted.

Yes, but you can apply for the unrestricted if we have an Indian license. If one is able to clear the written and advanced practical test, you are given directly unrestricted license. It’s difficult but possible if you can take few lessons. Otherwise also, for almost all practical purposes intermediate works as well as the full.

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Nope, not in Canada at least. Your residence address, number of years since you have held the license will be more important.

I should have qualified my comment to be limited to the choice of car. In my mind the OP would not have a choice in the number of years he has had a drivers license.

[mohit]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Yes, but you can apply for the unrestricted if we have an Indian license. If one is able to clear the written and advanced practical test, you are given directly unrestricted license. It’s difficult but possible if you can take few lessons. Otherwise also, for almost all practical purposes intermediate works as well as the full.

True that but you used to need an experience letter from Indian licensing authority. My information is a bit outdated on the subject. The 8 months thing still stands irrespective of license types.

Totally agree that renting is the way to go to begin.

[Amrik Singh]

As has been pointed out above, the most important factor is whether your residence will include a dedicated Car Parking for you. This may come at a hefty premium. Roadside parking is a hassle as in severely congested residential areas, finding a parking is a nightmare.
The best is to be there, get driving licence and experience especially on icy conditions. By then, you will be wise enough to select which Car to own.

[Impala59]

Originally Posted by mohit

Welcome to Toronto. Where will you be located? If you are planning on living in the downtown area, factor for parking too as it might be an issue.

I will be living in the North York area, inside the York University campus. At least for the start.

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Your best option, get the rental cars on weekend. This will be the cheapest way to enjoy different cars for at least couple of months. When you have got a hang of the driving, appear for a test and get one.

I guess that is the sensible choice at the start

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

As has been pointed out above, the most important factor is whether your residence will include a dedicated Car Parking for you. This may come at a hefty premium. Roadside parking is a hassle as in severely congested residential areas, finding a parking is a nightmare.
The best is to be there, get driving licence and experience especially on icy conditions. By then, you will be wise enough to select which Car to own.

The current place of accommodation (which might be only for a few months) has parking available at an extra $117 per month. I think the picture might get clearer in the coming months.

Thanks a lot guys for all the advice! If there is anything else that I should know about driving in Toronoto/Canada, do let me know!

[mohit]

Originally Posted by Impala59

I will be living in the North York area, inside the York University campus. At least for the start.

Ah.. Schulich bound!

The current place of accommodation (which might be only for a few months) has parking available at an extra $117 per month. I think the picture might get clearer in the coming months.

That's what I meant by parking concerns.. If you have to pay for parking, it adds to your monthly expense.. But I guess you are cool with it.

Thanks a lot guys for all the advice! If there is anything else that I should know about driving in Toronoto/Canada, do let me know!

Driving in Toronto and Canada are two different animals - Toronto (and the Greater Toronto Area in general) is not made for enjoying driving - Tons of traffic and a little bit of insanity once you reach certain suburbs.
Outside of that, there are good road trip opportunities. Just watch your speed and enjoy the view . And that's where the rental suggestions comes into play. Your campus is close to a Subway station so getting to downtown is a breeze. You can always rent a car for the weekends and enjoy a new ride every time.

[TouringAlly]

Hi, fellow TBHPians. I have been reading TBHP for 9+ years now and this is my first post.
I recently moved to Canada, but still read TBHP religiously every day. I have been planning to buy a car over here, hence looking for reviews.
TBHP has poised me for high-quality content, hence I am looking for an equivalent website for Canada/North-America.
Similar to TBHP, it will be great if the website has:
- Detailed reviews
- Unbiased content
- Forum-based, so that people can voice their opinion (rather than just one-sided 'published' content)