As the title says who else has a beater? What do you have/why do you have it/what is it's job in your fleet?

Reason I'm asking is because was using my beater this week (2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4.0 4x4 base, 298k) to pick up two replacement engines and after taking it on its first drive in about a month I was reminded just how nice the other cars are. There is some serious whiplash going from your "normal" flagship to a old Jeep, even more so after driving the old car for a few days so you can give it a little checkup before winter. After all why salt down the nice cars.......just opening the drivers door on my 460 today to go visit family had me literally stop and just close and open it again to let the quality of the door closure/opening sounds wash over me.

I like this old Jeep since I can wear whatever I want/don't need to change leaving work, load up and carry whatever I need to in it without worry, and the live axles can't really be broken by anything that wouldn't total the car. Still it's a hell of an experience just driving it because 0-60 is eventually, top speed is like 65 with a do not exceed speed of about 75, mainly due to a failing axle pinion bearing lol!

I need to do some repairs as is the curse of Jeeps, it needs a few things like rear brakes, shocks, the drag link, drive belt, probably a control arm (by probably, most certainly and I just don't want to make eye contact to confirm it.), a parking brake (something about rust killing a shoe stay clip), trans fluid swap, and a head gasket since Jeeps are Jeeps. Oh and the rear axle should probably be swapped to the "new" one I have already rebuilt.

Overall light work....not really but this thread is mostly me venting since this thing decided it would be hilarious to blow a head gasket right before I wanted it to be ready for winter salt. I swear the thing knows it's absolutely worthless if I attempted to sell it to someone else and is far too useful hauling engines/mulch/various supplies and tools and towing small trailers. It's also great fun on trails since I couldn't care less if it get scratched and actually does surprisingly well and doesn't break whenever you try to jump it 2-4 feet.

It's like it knows I will keep fixing it and everyone likes it/is emotionally attached. My wife in particular LOVES the thing and insists we keep it till it starts noticeably rusting externally. Somehow the only things that have worked perfectly from 220k miles is are the two things you would never expect, the trans/T-case and the entire electrical system. It has never thrown a light for anything, probably because the computer systems consist of three potatoes connected via IDE bus that couldn't tell there was an engine problem if a rod was waving around outside the block.

I'll post some pictures of the stupid thing tomorrow. I might even make an extremely sarcastic step by step video of me repairing the headgasket in my garage. Who knows? Scotch will be involved if I do.

 

We've got a beater, my wife's base model 2006 Civic sedan. She bought it brand new, and she's pretty hard on her cars, but for a 15 year old car it's been very reliable (one battery, both headlights, one set of tires, front brake pads). We keep it at my in-laws house so they have a vehicle to use for emergencies (my 3 year old stays with them while I work), but it's become their primary vehicle.

I don't drive it much now, usually only to change the oil or swap the winter tires on/off, but I always appreciate how simple things used to be. I think it's got 160k kms on it now (just shy of 100k mi) so it's still got plenty of service life left. One thing I'm reminded of every time I drive it is how much I miss being lower to the ground. Whenever this car gets replaced, it will be with a non-SUV/crossover.

 

I have a 2001 Ford Ranger (2.3L RWD) with only 110,000 miles. If I survive to age 80, I'll be able to get 'Historic' license plates for the truck.

We use the truck for hauling garden stuff like mulch, gravel and lend it to the kids from time to time for their gardening & hauling needs.

We try to rotate the use of this truck with our IS250 and ES350 so that all three get exercised. For short grocery getting going to lunch, it's faster to just jump in the truck since it's parked outside and ready to go.

 

I have a 2004 Toyota Corolla CE which I bought from my father ~ 6-7 yrs ago.
He bought it new. It only has 115K miles. Runs like a champ.
I only use it if I have to go into Manhattan so I don't have to worry about parking the Polestar or Audi anywhere in the city.
With this car I'll park ANYWHERE.
Sometimes I'll use it in the winter with bad weather and bad winter drivers.
It came in handy teaching 3 of my 4 kids to drive with it.
The best thing is that it has CRANK windows.

 

Think I have the oldest beater of anyone on this forum? Or at least a car driven daily I drive this all winter. Cost of ownership is lower than just about anything out there including new cars.

 

Life's too short for beaters
My 18 Ody handles all the family hauling for us.

 

so would that be a wife beater?

 

I used to, but don't anymore. Several years back my father in law gifted us his Chevy Silverado. I figured I'd use it for trips to Home Depot, yard projects, dump runs, etc. I had it for a few years but never enjoyed driving it, and ended up parting with it after it left me and my son stranded on the freeway on ramp.

It was kind of funny, though. It was a very base level trim - didn't even have AC. The first time I took my kids out in it, they asked how I knew where to go, since there was no map in the dash. And they asked what those handles on the doors were for...manual windows...lol.

 

Lol

 

I keep my 2007 328i Coupe as my beater, but somehow I end up driving my S2000 more often.

 

i LOL'd!

if you have a beater, i consider that a huge luxury! i mean come on, 1 car isn't enough ! i miss my beater...03 tacoma!

 

What if my LS460 is my beater?

 

mine used to be the crown vic until it started doing a thing where a single fuse would blow and the entire car would just die on the spot lol

i work from home now so i haven't replaced it yet

 

2021 santa fe calligraphy is my beater.

 

When I'm not busy in meetings with HRH Queen Elizabeth or President Biden in my Bentleys and RR's, I usually am forced to make do with a 240 hp six speed Accord Coupe and the other one is the indestructible 4Runner V8 awd. Those are my year round beaters. One for fun and one for running over most terrain.