Help Needed. Getting familiar with 240sx and owning it in Ontario

[eclipse_lite]

Hey

I am new to the forum as well as to Canada and am going crazy about buying 240sx pignose.

I live in Toronto have G2 and will be turning 25 soon. I am trying to do as much research as possible now to learn everything about 240sx. I would be very thankful if someone gives me tips and advises on buying and maintaining the car. The questions I have in mind at the moment are:

1. Purchase. I constantly monitor Kijiji, Autotrader, this forum etc. for listings. I am even considering buying the car in the US. This morning I checked shipping cost at Uship.com and was given a rate of CAD 967$ for shipping 240sx from Florida to Toronto. Has anyone imported pignoses from the US? What will I have to pay at the borders for bringing the car to Canada? Will I have issues with registering the vehicle? If total cost of bringing the car to Canada will be around 1500 Cad, I think I can handle that.

2. Rust. Given the age of these cars we all know how easily they rust and many say that salt on the roads will destroy the body in 1-2 years. So far I have seen that entire Toronto is covered with salt in winters. How long will the car last here, if I drive it in winters? Obviously I will try only to drive when the roads are more or less dry. I read this thread (http://www.son240sx.org/showthread.php?225954-winter-prep-tips-best-rust-proofing&highlight=winter) and want to know if any of those coatings really help. I don’t want to spend too much time on finding/bringing a car in decent condition with minimum or no rust and seeing in being eaten by rust in 2-3 years.

3. Insurance. I know that zero insurance history in North America will spike my insurance rates, yet I think I will manage to pay around 300 a month. Such high rates will not allow me to pay another insurance for a winter beater, yet I heard of something called “seasonal vehicle insurance suspension”. How much on average will it cost me to keep one of the cars parked during the “non-season’? By that I mean storing 240sx from Dec to April, and storing the beater from April to December.

4. This is going to be my first car in life, so what other things I should consider before buying it? Registrations, emission test, safety test etc..

Thanks for reading this long post and hope to see some useful advises and tips.

[kennedy8383]

I own 240sx and can tell Lots about it from good and bad but it just too much to write. You don't know much car you better buying fully running 240sx in Canada but it gonna costs a Lots of $$$. Good running certify and etested 240sx would $5000 and up. You can go cheaper but, it can costs money, time, and parts. Buying 240sx in u.s good depend on location because of rd salt ruin it. California or florida are 2 good place to 240sx because hardly any rd salt. To save time and frustration then buying one in canada would much eazy. If looking around sometime good 240sx show up. Car insurance on these car cheap depend Insurance party. Just too much to write.