That law was obviously not intended for that purpose

That's why there are so many Hummer H2s around, that exact law that let's them write it off as a business expense. That's why so many are rolling advertisments for something

That's why so many are rolling advertisments for something

Gullibility?

These are the suggestions I was looking for.

I am not going to buy an SUV because of the terrible gas mileage. For that reason, I am not going to buy a truck neither.

I did some investigation on insurance quotes (quick online to get an idea) and found that insurance on an Acura TL, BMW 3 or 5 and Mazda RX-8 and even a Hyundai Elantra are all $3600 a year for me (I am 22 and not married!!).

I may go with something cheaper because of the insurance. I was looking at a VW TDI or even an RX-8 because they start under 30K. I am also looking at a 3-series.

Personally, I don't like the look of station wagons and so that isn't an option.

Gullibility?

What I meant was buy a Hummer, slap some advertising on it and claim the tax break. The ones around here advertise local sports clubs, cigarettes and stuff like "power drinks" in full color ads on the sides on the vehicle, but I suspect are used for personal business most of the time.

If I was on a small budget (under $20K), I'd probably look seriously at the Honda Civic Si or the new Scion tC. If I had to stay under $30K, I'd go look at the Subaru Legacy GT (and the Saab 9-2X Aero as a more luxurious WRX), the Acura TSX, and maybe a Lexus IS300. The WRX STi and Pontiac GTO are both slightly outside your $30K budget, but are close enough to be worth consideration if you want lots of power.

If you're at all serious about a BMW, make sure you talk to local BMW owners and ask them about their service experiences. BMW build quality, the quality of your local service shop, and ultimately your blood pressure may vary significantly.

I am not on a small budget. I am looking at cars around 40K. The problem is insurance. I want to maximize car vs insurance cost.

I don't really like the look of smaller vehicles like the Civic Si and I would never buy a Scion (even though they are Toyota) for the mere fact of the breadbox on wheels.

I know what you mean about the insurance, im 23 and insurance on a 2004 WRX would be like 2600 a year. It isn't about affording it, I just can't justify spending that much on insurance. We are stuck with it until a more sensible age.

Yeah... "sensible". I haven't had an accident in over 3 years. I will have to wait until 25 or till I get married (whatever comes first).

It is outrageous unless I stay under my parents insurance (which is an idea).

When I upgraded from a '91 Nissan 240SX to a then-new '00 BMW Z3, I think the net change in my insurance was pretty close to zero, despite the radical increase in both horsepower and replacement cost. I can only assume that insurance rates have as much to do with who you are as with what you drive.

Meanwhile, keep in mind that the Scion tC has a whole lot more in common with an Acura Integra / RSX than it does with any of the other Scion cars.

I have a depressing note for you about insurance.

It may not ever go down. The best you might hope for is that it never goes up.

BTW: What is the minimum gas mileage you find acceptable.

im 23 and insurance on a 2004 WRX would be like 2600 a year

I'm 23, live in NY state, have a couple tickets for various things, and took the defensive driving course. After switching to Geico, I now pay about that for 3 cars I have on the road.

2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen (comprehensive coverage + full glass)

1992 Subaru SVX (minimum liability only)

1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham (minimum liability only)

Before I switched to Geico, I was with Progressive and I was paying about $5,500/year. That price was similar to almost every other insurance company I tried. Geico was the only one that offered substantial savings.

That's because they'll argue with you about everything. That being said, as long as you're aware of and okay with that, less is less.

I think that minimum I find acceptable would be 15mpg city.

People always have something bad to say about an insurance company. I've heard horrible things about Progressive more than any other company. But, that didn't stop me from switching to them after Liberty Mutual.

All I know about Geico is that they're cheap and when I got into an accident with a Geico driver (his fault), I had no problem extracting an OEM bumper out of them. We'll see what I say after I'm the cause of an accident...

People always have something bad to say about an insurance company.

I'm fortunate enough to qualify for USAA because my Grandfather was in the Navy. They really are a great insurance company and I have nothing negative to say about them. Their rates aren't the best (nor the worst), but they've always worked with us very quickly to resolve claims and have never give us any trouble. Unfortunately, you have to be directly related to someone with USAA insurance to get it (or be in the military).

I actually had USAA. They are great on claims but their rates were outrageous.

My dad has been with them for 25+ years. I got into an accident over 3 years ago and they increased my insurance to $4800/year on my Hyundai Elantra. I was paying $400/month for insurance and only $129.53/month for car payment. We swithced to State Farm and I am only paying $140/month for insurance which amounts to over $3000/year in savings.

Not that they are bad, but had problems in my case.

... switching to them after Liberty Mutual.

That's funny; Liberty Mutual has been not only the best insurance experience, but also one of the best overall, business-related experiences of my whole life.

Like you said, one man's pate is another man's funky liver paste....