Signed my life away. And some Q's.

[Grimace]

Well, I took the plunge this past wednesday and ordered my 2003 Spicey Orange MSP. I'm going on a 4 year lease.
This is my first new car, so I have some "newbie" questions:

I need to order new plates. I think I have to go to a MTO licensing office. Once I order the plates, how long does it take for me to get them (or is it instantaneous - like do they have them behind the counter?) Do I need insurance before plates will be issued to me? (The problem with that is I can't get insurance until the VIN # is known, and I won't know that until the car comes in.)

-Once I know the VIN, how long does it usually take the insurance company to issue the oh-so-important insurance slip?

-Can anyone offer me any advice to make the whole process go as smoothly as possible? What order to do everything, how to make it go as speedy as possible, etc.?

Looking forward to joining your ranks! The dealer said it would be in in less than 30 days. Ideally, it will be in before easter, and I will be able to drive it home to show my parents. So I really want to make the whole licencing/insurance thing go without a hitch. Your help is appreciated.

Soon enough --> (mspo)

 

[timrock101]

I have heard horror stories about auto leases. Buying is better.
As far as the insurance, I use American Family Insurance and had full coverage the minute I gave my agent the VIN. I am also getting a great rate,$660 a year. You can get insurance without actually having the plates yet. It took three weeks before the dealer received my plates and called me. You are in Canada, so your procedures may be different but hopefully this sheds a little light on the subject.

 

[timrock101]

Ps. Grimace, Your dealer has the VIN the minute they place the order. Dont let them fool ya'.

 

[2K3 MSP]

If your insurance needs a VIN # you should be able to get that from the dealer if it's not on the paperwork you signed. If you singed for the car, you should have that...it's important. As far as the plates, I think they are mailed from the Department of Motor Vehicles since its a new car, and registration should be taken car of in the lease signing as well. It took my plates about 6 or 7 weeks to arrive. This being my first new car as well, I don't think it could have gone much smoother(other than the insurance having to create the spot for an MSP, it wasn't in their system). the paperwork should have been taken care of at the dealership, if not yet, then before you take delivery of the car. Like I said, this was my own experience and it couldn't have gone much smoother...anyone else feel the same??

 

[1sty]

Leasings fine, Me and parents lease all the time.
As long as you keep in mind that you can not drasticly alter the vehical or go over a set milage, leasing is fine.

 

[t3ase]

Well, I took the plunge this past wednesday and ordered my 2003 Spicey Orange MSP. I'm going on a 4 year lease.
This is my first new car, so I have some "newbie" questions:

Congratulations! You're one step ahead of me and a few others here seeing as how you already have your MSP. You'll love it! One question that's bugging me.. Why lease a sports car?

I need to order new plates. I think I have to go to a MTO licensing office. Once I order the plates, how long does it take for me to get them (or is it instantaneous - like do they have them behind the counter?) Do I need insurance before plates will be issued to me? (The problem with that is I can't get insurance until the VIN # is known, and I won't know that until the car comes in.)

Depends on the office. They should issue temp tags (Also known as paper plates which serve until you get your sin the mail. They could be a few weeks before you actually get the real ones)

Once I know the VIN, how long does it usually take the insurance company to issue the oh-so-important insurance slip?

Again, depends on the company. They will issue temporary copies until the "real deal" arrives. Be patient, My Grasshoppa!

Can anyone offer me any advice to make the whole process go as smoothly as possible? What order to do everything, how to make it go as speedy as possible, etc.?

Get EVERYTHING in writing. Even what type of gum the guy was chewing. You can never be too safe, especially when dealing with this amount of money.

Soon enough --> (mspo)

Word.

 

[dominoy2k1]

well he is in canada.....is it the same process?........

 

[t3ase]

Didn't even think about that.. Although I was wondering what a MTO Office was.

 

[jaman]

To answer your questions (from a TO perspective):

When I got my P5, I got the VIN from the dealer, called my insurance company and told them I want insurance for the next day. They should provide you with a policy number that you give to the dealer, they should get you the plates and paper work, unless you specifically told them that you'll do it yourself.

 

[Grimace]

OK, I think I get it, but let me just confirm:
1. Dealer gets me the VIN # -which they swear they don't have yet, but "as soon as they know it they will let me know." I don't actually have the car yet, it is somewhere between Toronto and Vancouver in shipment. The order for it was placed Wednesday night.
2. I call insurance company - ask for a temporary insurance slip. This will serve fine until they issue me a permenant document.
3. I inform the dealer that I want them to order me new plates ASAP. If the car arrives before the plates, the dealer will issue me those paper temp plates that go in the window. (I thought these were only good for 10 days in Canada?)
4. The plates will arrive in 6-7 weeks or whatever. Where do they go, to the dealer or my address?

Is this roughly the process? Can any fellow Canadians confirm?
Thanks for the responses guys.

By the way, I'm leasing because I like to switch cars quite often. Too many interesting cars out there not to try. I'm doing a 4 year lease, but getting someone to take over after 2 years, so that is the cheapest way to do it. After 2 years, I'd like to see what the Mazdaspeed 3 is like, or the Mazdaspeed RX-8. Mmmmmm....
And if I don't like anything out there, I can keep leasing until year 4, when I can either turn the car in or buy-out the lease. Its a little more expensive than financing, but a lot more flexible.
I don't plan to do any mods whatsoever, except the K&N filter perhaps, if my car has the 3500-RPM hesitation too. I'll be buying a gen. 1 Miata soon that I will go to town on as far as mods go.

 

[oliver2000]

The dealer should deliver the car with new plates...you do nothing but tell them you want new plates...they cannot deliver a car without plates in Ontario

 

[arkitek]

My dealer/broker is taking care of the plates. If they're nice about it, you can even make a request for it to not have a certain number or have repeat numbers, etc. I'm getting mine mounted and coverplated with stainless steel nuts/bolts for free too.

They can do this in the same day apparently.

Insurancewise, try Monnex. I'll be paying $135/month.

 

[Grimace]

Thanks arkitek. I tried an online quote with Monnex: $371/month. Thats a little worse then through my mom's insurance company (she gets a break being a teacher): $260/month.

Damn Toronto drivers. Been rear ended twice in a year, both not my fault accidents, but it still counts against me. Then a tree fell on the car. Also not my fault, but I had to go through insurance since the city wouldn't admit they were at fault (tree was on city property and it was old and rotten). Then a window smashed out of my car in just a random act of vandolism. All this within 24 months.
Insurance companies hate me. All this adds up to me bending over when it comes time to write them a cheque.

 

[tekkie]

thanks arkitek, thats the cheapest quote I have found so far, only 180 per month

 

[Strider1222]

Congrats Grimace... nice to see you finally made a choice. Hope you still come over and visit us over at the RX-8 Forum. It's getting a lot bigger real quick with the release almost upon us.

Strider-

 

[Slipstream]

If you don't mind my asking, what are you monthly payments going the lease route? If for some reason finances don't work out like I'd like, I may consider this.

 

[Logan]

Grimace,
My insurance company had a new slip for me in two hours.
I picked up the slip on the way to pick up the MSP.
If you're talking about vanity plates, then yes, it takes a while to mail them (custom made and all).
If you just want a plate, the MTO office keeps a stockpile of them behind the counter, the charge was $20 for new plates, picked up and put on by the dealer.
However I opted to keep my old ones and get vanity plates ($290 here, but I've heard $230 in toronto).
The dealership should be able to do the ownership/plates deal once the car arrives, and then you can pick it up.
My dealer offered to pick up my insurance papers too, no charge, but I did it because it was on the way...

 

[Grimace]

Strider1222 - I still lurk at the RX-8 forum, but it has been growing so big that I can barely read through all the new posts, let alone post something myself! What a difference a few months can make, eh?
Just wait until people start getting their cars if you think it has grown big now!

Slipstream: $429/mo + tax, with $2000 down. That is with all the dealer fees, taxes, taxes, and other taxes, and then more fees included. That is a 4 year lease. 2 year lease was ~$75 more per month.

MS MSP and Logan: Is it $200 or $20 for new plates (non-vanity)? I'm hoping MS MSP just added another zero!

 

[Swerny]

if i remember correctly, it was like $200 for the registration and plates. I'll pull my records and look for you.

MS MSP

 

[tekkie]

Grimace 429+ tax for 4 years for a lease? are you sure that is right? that seems high to me, did you bargain with them for the lease end price?