I suspect most Beat drivers beat the snot out of them. :)

And with good reason - I've read one mainstream auto journalist claim they're about the most automotive fun you can have within legal speed limits.

One person mentioned 3.7L/100 km at 62 km/h from the brochure. If that's right, it's about 64 mpg (US) (probably in ideal conditions).

For comparison: in ideal conditions, the monster Suzukiclone 1.0L gets roughly 75 mpg (US) at that speed.

Get in, sit down and hold on! That looks like something you and your wife should have a lot of fun with and get great mileage, as well. That look's to be a win-win purchase. Congratulations.

perhaps the beat engine will more easily fit inside the n600?

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...b02fb529ca.jpg

Maybe...there are some mint ones on the Japhoo auctions for around $2K US.

Also - I went ahead and bought new tires for the Beat. Didn't shop for LRR tires, just went with stock replacements - Bridgestone Potenza RE92's.

...and then there are comments like this that give me hope:

"I'm doing just short of 100 miles a day in my Beat and filling up every 2 days. It costs between ?14 and ?17 and my last tank got me 56.6mpg
And I tend not to dawdle ;)"

damn it dax. You're making me want one...

but I require LHD. :P

Wow. This is great. I would rather have a beat then a smart car any day. dax, You will turn a few heads with that car :D

Have you talked to your insurance people? Is it going to be hard to get or $$$?

I'm still waiting to see if the guy doing the title is going to issue the Beat a 17-digit VIN...the Beat only has a 10-digit code. The seller has asked the titler what insurance company he recommends, as he also titles Skylines in the US. If I get a 17-digit VIN, I'm going to try to use Liberty Mutual - my current company. If not, I may have to go with Hagerty's or something like that - a classic/exotic car insurance company. Either way is fine with me. I got a quote from Hagerty's - only about $650/yr.

Just wait Matt - Erik will have LHD's available, but probably not for as cheap as I got mine.

Ok,

I don't think I'm going to be getting a 17-digit VIN issued, so I'm not even going to try getting Liberty Mutual to look at insuring me. I spoke to another US Beat owner last night (CA), and he said that State Farm wouldn't touch the car. He's using Hagerty's, a classic/exotic insurance company. I tried getting insured with them today but did not have good luck. They were all fired up to offer me insurance, and then all of a sudden they said since it was not 25+ years old, I would have to have an insured daily driver vehicle that is 5 years old or newer. That's bull crap. I called back the fellow Beat owner and his is registered as a 1980 Beat. I am awaiting contact info from yet another US Beat owner (FL) tonight so that I can ask him what he did for insurance. I probably blew my chances with Hagerty's, but there are still a few other companies out there I'm going to try. If I have to, I'm going to ask the titler to write it up as a 1981 Beat. I guess everything hinges on what the guy in FL tells me.

I really must get this sorted out by Monday at the latest. I don't want to get the Beat home then not be able to get insured. :(