Who Owns A Beater?

[Red91]

Just curious and bored, thought I'd ask who here owns and operates a beater car. What is it, what kind of shape is it in, and what are its quirks?

Mine:
- 1992 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon
- 5.7 TBI V8, 700-R4, RWD
- Dark Blue With Wood Grain and Blue Interior

Quirks:
- When it's low on fuel, it cuts out going around corners
- Timing is a little advanced, and I broke my distributor wrench trying to adjust the timing yesterday; it spark knocks a little at low RPM
- I broke the antenna off accidentally, so no radio
- Steering system needs to be overhauled, needs ball joints
- The shocks for the rear hatch don't work, so I have a small pair of vise grips handy to lock the hatch open when necessary.

That's enough for now, so it's your turn.

 

[HemiHawk]

Its not the worst of beaters, but a 1997 Grande Cherokee.

4.0L low output

Just over 190k miles
Leaks oil
Leaks trans fluid (after a new pan gasket somehow)
pinion seal leaks
Sometimes a rough start, seems better the more I drive it.

I just retired it from its 2 years of daily driving, now its mostly a bad weather/winter beater.

 

[Turbo_Lemming]

Define "beater."

 

[Red91]

A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.

 

[4wheeldog]

I have a '00 4runner with bad paint (Clear coat failure). Otherwise, excellent condition, 250k miles. The leather seats are getting little tatty, but no tears.

Best bad weather car I can imagine. Last winter, I was away when we got 30" of snow. My wife used the 4runner to beat the snow down, so she could get the Subaru Outback out of the driveway. (She wasn't supposed to drive the manual tranny 4runner, because she was awaiting knee surgery).

 

[zzyzzx]

1995 Ford Escort with 235K miles. A/C doesn't work and has body damage.

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

Hello without the o, that's everything I own.

Of course, I have an aversion to payment books.

Paid for, runs decent, doesn't leave trails of smoke or liquid going down the road; why should I borrow more money than my parents paid for their house just to buy something that the bank and NADA book will say is worthless in 5-7 years?

Oh, yeah, my neighbor's got 3, I need to get with the program.

Sorry, maybe I just don't play well with others. My cars neither burn nor leak anything, everything works and I'm not ashamed to park them next to the President's Limo...Come to think of it, I paid for that too.

 

[supton]

Used to, sold it last year, 314k on the clock. 2004 Jetta. Concerned it had many expensive repairs ahead of it, and it was time to let go. Probably should have kept it, waited for it to actually break something, but I was too attached to the car to let it get "broken".

Couple more years my Camry will likely qualify for "beater".

Wouldn't mind having another, but I spend 2 hours/day in my vehicle, kinda like reliable.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Does my '02 bmw qualify?

It's leaking oil, and various electrical stuff no longer works, but it drives.

 

[wavinwayne]

'00 VW GTI 293K miles.
Ripped leather driver's seat
Broken center armrest
Broken glovebox hinge
Flaking paint
Leaking oil & power steering fluid
Shocks/Struts shot
Headliner disintegrating
Cracks in windshield

 

[IndyIan]

I dunno if mine are quite beaters yet? I still fix them and am buying new tires, but use them to transport livestock the odd time, so resale value isn't a big concern...
They both have a couple years before rust becomes a real issue and the will become nearly worthless, so I guess they aren't quite beaters for us yet.
That will be my definition of a beater, a car that has little value other than keeping you from needing to buy another car.

I think I could get $3k pretty easily for each of them now, as they will certify and etest, so they aren't beaters yet.

 

[Red91]

Great post so far, keep 'em comin'!

 

[badtlc]

I consider my Escape a beater because it is pretty much worthless but it has 140k miles and is literally like new inside and out. Everything works on it still. I plan to drive it and maintain everything until oil consumption becomes an issue.

 

[bigt61]

94 Pontiac Bonneville - 157k miles. Needs paint, a LF brake caliper and the Throttle Position Sensor. It just developed an exhaust rattle with the right rpm-throttle pressure. Starts up quick and runs fine except for an occasional TPS quirk. AC blows ice cold. It's the most comfortable car I've ever owned. This will be the last year for it - sold cheap or donated. You can park it anywhere - door dings are laughed off.

 

[Red91]

Lol, I could park the Roadmaster with the keys in the ignition, engine running, and doors open, and it would still be where I parked it to begin with. I think people are scared of it.

I'm not knocking this car at all; I love this car. It's the quirks and patina that gives it character. You can't make it, it just comes with age.

 

[Lolvoguy]

I love beaters. They help you realize what's important in life (NOT making a car payment).

 

[Red91]

I have the Cruze, and a payment. Don't really mind it, as the Cruze is a great little car, but the Roadmaster is a completely different machine. You just can't compare the two.

 

[RooflessVW]

Sold my "beater" on my last R&R.

1987 BMW 735i, running, driving, and looking perfect:

 

[53' Stude]

I guess my 97' Jeep is my beater even though the salt and weather has not got it yet. Never let me down yet and I can haul stuff in it

 

[Red91]

That's part of why I like the Buick, I can lay down the two back seats and haul things.