Costco

A couple of issues at hand here. I'm probably gonna be posting several "buying used car" threads until I actually buy one, but I need to know. I won't really sweat the small stuff because the thread title is what really concerns me.


Alright, right into the cliff notes:

1991 Toyota MR2 non-turbo with T-Top, a swapped MR2 Turbo motor & Turbo suspension
~165,000 miles on chassis, ~60,000+ on motor
Clean title
Swap done in Florida, no paperwork but can verify with shop (have their phone #)
Registered in Arkansas
Free extras included (downpipe, drilled/slotted rotors, some others)
Test drove it, alignment is off, motor pulls hard for stock (I've driven MR2 Turbos before), good brakes, no funny noises in particular
Various patches of bondo on the car

mod list: Stage 2 ACT clutch (stiff as HELL, btw), HKS exhaust, HKS BOV, Blitz turbo timer


My question is, when I get insurance for it, do I just register it with my agent as a non-turbo MR2? I've heard varying responses from my friend, who has owned both a hardtop non-turbo and now a turbo T-Top. He said the Turbo model would be cheaper because the engine has less displacement, but it would cost more because of the T-Top. My goal is to get cheaper insurance but I don't wanna get screwed over by some BS in case something happens.

I also have people who can smog it for me, should I expect around $200, and will I have to go through any drama with the DMV? Will there be any additional costs or issues because this is car has a title from another state? Any specific leaks I should check for? And where should I check for rust, because this was a car from Florida, titled in Arkansas. I asked about hurricane damage and he said there was none, but there are a few patches of bondo on the decklid and sides. Owner said his uncle was gonna do bodywork but midway he cut out and went to Vietnam. He also said I can check the VINs and they should be okay. Gonna bring a friend to check it out.

Pic of bondo:



Very high chances that I will repaint the car in the future, or get it repainted. So that's not too much of a concern.... but if this thing is rusting from the inside out, that's a big

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

i wouldn't buy it. you don't know how much that engine has. it can't be measured. also if its modded then it must of been beaten up.

edit: with your age your insurance is going to be high regardless.

Costco

The mods are relatively minor, the clutch is the only big deal if anything. The motor is not built, so he says. Very small list compared to what some other people have, and the price he gave me would make it a very good deal. The engine pulls hard, I will check for leaks after a test drive tomorrow and also do a compression check. If it is built or rebuilt, the way I see it is I get a more powerful motor in the end that runs better.

It is listed at a very good price, and is subject to the best offer, and the guy needs to get rid of it to pay his bills. I have a whole list of observations about the car I can use against him to chip away at the price that he's willing to let it go for, but even at the current offered price its still a pretty good deal assuming the car truly is in the condition that it is. It could probably use a tune-up too, but no big deal.

I pay about $900 a year for insurance on a 1995 Integra LS sedan. If that's not a high-risk car I don't know what is. As long as insurance isn't over $2,000 I'm confident I can handle it myself, otherwise I'm on pretty good terms with my parents I just don't want to spend more than what's necessary and at the same time not put myself in a position where I'm screwing myself over.

One thing that worried me was when I gave the owner a call, his voicemail greeting was: "Hey, its XXXXX, I'm probably racing right now so leave me a message" Don't know if I heard it correctly but I was like

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

As far as insurance is concerned, just give the agent the VIN and let him/her take care of it from there.

If you're worried about coverage on the swap and aftermarket parts, then ask about aftermarket parts coverage. I have several thousand dollars' worth of coverage for aftermarket parts on my car and it doesn't cost much extra at all. But it would depend on the insurance company.

Zippee

Florida to Arkansas? Sure sounds like they are trying to launder a salvage or flood titled car.

I'd stay far, far away from this one.