This was my Saturn when I got rid of it for $500 in sept 2014. As of Feb 2016 it's still on the road and had a valid (?) inspection sticker.
Who Owns A Beater?
- Thread starter Red91
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The Rat has 31xxx showing on the odometer. The 4.0 runs like it only has 31xxx miles. The body doesn't have an undented panel and the interior smelled like a wet dog when I bought it. I have to put a blanket on the seat before MDW will deign to ride in it.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Does my '02 bmw qualify?
It's leaking oil, and various electrical stuff no longer works, but it drives.
Of course it leaks oil, it's an old BMW.
The electrical stuff not working is more a matter of its being a BMW with more gizmos than mine.
We have a few beaters including an old Focus, a '99 Legacy, an '02 Accord, a '94 E350 and my old BMW.
What these cars have in common is that all have been driven enough miles that none of them owe me anything at all.
I can fix them or trash them and I'm not out any money either way.
A good beater should be an old car that's cheap to keep fully functional. Anything needing either lots of work or costing a bunch to keep safe and reliable isn't a good beater.
Does my '02 bmw qualify?
It's leaking oil, and various electrical stuff no longer works, but it drives.
Of course it leaks oil, it's an old BMW.
The electrical stuff not working is more a matter of its being a BMW with more gizmos than mine.
We have a few beaters including an old Focus, a '99 Legacy, an '02 Accord, a '94 E350 and my old BMW.
What these cars have in common is that all have been driven enough miles that none of them owe me anything at all.
I can fix them or trash them and I'm not out any money either way.
A good beater should be an old car that's cheap to keep fully functional. Anything needing either lots of work or costing a bunch to keep safe and reliable isn't a good beater.
98 Toyota Tacoma, 210,000 miles, 5 speed, AC quit working so removed the drive belt, Differential rusted thru so I add oil frequently, Frame rusted, just had it welded, the truck still runs fine and I use it as a daily driver and hauler. I drive 3 miles to work and do not need a fancy vehicle or AC. An additional benefit is my wife freaking HATES it, since this was my bachelor truck. I call this my Semper Fidelis truck as it has never failed to start.
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
My beater is a 2000 Toyota Camry 2.2L with 210k miles. It got rear-ended last month, and totaled out. Now has a salvage title. I was paid $2600 for it plus $750 for my sore back. I paid $2100 for the car last August with 194k miles so the car is totally free. I got out the hammer and banged it out enough to bolt in a $40 tail light. Well, 1 of the 3 bolts. Good enough for me. Has faded paint on the roof, trunk lid, and rear bumper (or what's left of the rear bumper). Paint is peeling off the front bumper. It smokes out a nice blue cloud every startup from out the tail-pipe, needs valve guide seals. It creaks and groans when going over speed bumps, probably the rear strut mounts. It also only has 2 hubcaps, keeping the passenger side looking classy
It's been dead reliable, has only needed a $50 air intake tube that broke from the heat.
It's been dead reliable, has only needed a $50 air intake tube that broke from the heat.
I just sold mine in December...96 Miata with 120k on the clock. It sat around most of its life until I bought it in 2012 and started driving it year-round. Top leaked (like any good convertible) and eventually broke both windshield header latches due to Michigan's "roads". Top flew open on 75 near Detroit, wasn't ever really the same afterward. Paint was coming up in sheets, left control arms were bent from previous crash damage (caster was only a degree out...), leaked oil, #2 synchro was shot, exhaust was rusting out, lifters were noisy if I didn't run Xw-40. I could go on.
Sold it to some guy who took it racing. Now I drive a Chrysler 300M. Nowhere near beater status yet.
Sold it to some guy who took it racing. Now I drive a Chrysler 300M. Nowhere near beater status yet.
Originally Posted By: Red91
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
Originally Posted By: Red91
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
Originally Posted By: Red91
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
Originally Posted By: Red91
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
I asked a secretary what kind of car her husband had and she replied "he doesn't have a car, he has a piece of car."
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
Originally Posted By: Red91
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
Originally Posted By: Red91
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
Originally Posted By: Red91
A car that isn't all that nice, but is somewhat reliable and you drive it anyway.
I asked a secretary what kind of car her husband had and she replied "he doesn't have a car, he has a piece of car."
Originally Posted By: Turbo_Lemming
Define "beater."
Inoperable Volvo XC70
Define "beater."
Inoperable Volvo XC70
Well, as I think about it, my wife would still ride in either of these.
Both are reasonably reliable. The Camry more so than the P5 as there have only been three repairs on the Camry in the 270k miles. We've replaced a bad axle, a bad starter and one bad coil.
That's it. Sure, wear items such as brakes, belts, fluids and filters. But only three repairs.
I drive 20-25k/year so it doesn't make sense to drive a newer car. I look for something with around 100k miles on it and maybe 7-8 years old and buy it in hopes of driving it out to about 250K miles.
I drove 310 miles for work yesterday. I just bank that mileage reimbursement at $0.575 or whatever it is now as my running costs are under $0.12/mile including buying the car. So that was around $150 in tax free money earned after my costs are factored in.
I figure I have two more years with the P5 unless something goes horribly wrong. It's starting to rust, so two or three years tops and then it will be parts
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Let's see, a 2002 Camry with over 270k miles on it. Stepson drives it back and forth to a local college.
I drive a 2003 Protege5 which should hit 200k miles in the next 7 days.
Neither looks good. But everything works on both cars. Oh, ok, one of the LEDs in the CHMSL on the P5 is out. Drives me batty when I see it, but not enough to fix it or look for a replacement CHMSL.
Both are reasonably reliable. The Camry more so than the P5 as there have only been three repairs on the Camry in the 270k miles. We've replaced a bad axle, a bad starter and one bad coil.
That's it. Sure, wear items such as brakes, belts, fluids and filters. But only three repairs.
I drive 20-25k/year so it doesn't make sense to drive a newer car. I look for something with around 100k miles on it and maybe 7-8 years old and buy it in hopes of driving it out to about 250K miles.
I drove 310 miles for work yesterday. I just bank that mileage reimbursement at $0.575 or whatever it is now as my running costs are under $0.12/mile including buying the car. So that was around $150 in tax free money earned after my costs are factored in.
I figure I have two more years with the P5 unless something goes horribly wrong. It's starting to rust, so two or three years tops and then it will be parts
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Let's see, a 2002 Camry with over 270k miles on it. Stepson drives it back and forth to a local college.
I drive a 2003 Protege5 which should hit 200k miles in the next 7 days.
Neither looks good. But everything works on both cars. Oh, ok, one of the LEDs in the CHMSL on the P5 is out. Drives me batty when I see it, but not enough to fix it or look for a replacement CHMSL.
Bud_One
Site Donor 2022
My faithful 97' Accord Wagon.
I'm only the second owner.
Purchase in 2012 with 134k miles on it. I traveled to Atlanta, GA to go get it.
My wifes aunt was tired of it.
It was her dog mobile and hadn't been washed in years.
I had to gut the interior to get the wet dog smell out of the vehicle and vacuum out all the dog hair from over 15 years of dog rides.
It currently has 190k miles on it.
Beater qualifications -
1.It's been in an accident and totaled .
I bought it back from the insurance company. Slapped a fender , front bumper and headlights from Rockauto on it. And painted the fender with some Plasti dip . Good to go.
2. ABS light and SRS light on .
3. Oil pan leaks.
4. My wife and daughter hate the car and think it still stinks like wet dog. (it doesn't)
5. Trans slams into each gear at times and sometimes it don't .
6. Clear coat is peeling on the roof.
7. Front end has a horrible squeak when it rains and gets colder than 40 F outside.
8. A/C has a very small leak . I have to fill it once every year.
9. Motor mounts are shot. shakes like crazy when first started and a/c turned on.
10. Power antenna doesn't work and is bent.
Yet it's faithful,keeps on truckin and I love it.
It's weird that I prefer this over our 2016 Civic.
It fits me like a good pair of shoes.
I'm only the second owner.
Purchase in 2012 with 134k miles on it. I traveled to Atlanta, GA to go get it.
My wifes aunt was tired of it.
It was her dog mobile and hadn't been washed in years.
I had to gut the interior to get the wet dog smell out of the vehicle and vacuum out all the dog hair from over 15 years of dog rides.
It currently has 190k miles on it.
Beater qualifications -
1.It's been in an accident and totaled .
I bought it back from the insurance company. Slapped a fender , front bumper and headlights from Rockauto on it. And painted the fender with some Plasti dip . Good to go.
2. ABS light and SRS light on .
3. Oil pan leaks.
4. My wife and daughter hate the car and think it still stinks like wet dog. (it doesn't)
5. Trans slams into each gear at times and sometimes it don't .
6. Clear coat is peeling on the roof.
7. Front end has a horrible squeak when it rains and gets colder than 40 F outside.
8. A/C has a very small leak . I have to fill it once every year.
9. Motor mounts are shot. shakes like crazy when first started and a/c turned on.
10. Power antenna doesn't work and is bent.
Yet it's faithful,keeps on truckin and I love it.
It's weird that I prefer this over our 2016 Civic.
It fits me like a good pair of shoes.
My last dunga was dragged off on a transporter to be recycled after 9 years of abuse. Replaced with a $500 Volvo 850, after a bit of work it's now a car I can use and abuse. Still a lot of things wrong with it, but you don't get a mint car for $500.
My car isn't necessarily a beater, but my Camry is close. If I am in an accident, like I was earlier this year, who cares? My insurance is dirt cheap. Good gas mileage and I can save all my pennies. My car isn't new, but I know it runs better than a lot of cars that students drive at the University I go to. Most foreign exchange kids wreck their new Mercedes and Porsches multiple times, so I won't be too upset if I have a hit in run or any other incident.
A beater is freedom that must be experienced to fully appreciate.
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I guess depending on context, both of my Rangers could be called beaters due to cosmetic appearance. Between the two of them, the 2002 is the beater for sure. It has been worked a lot harder, it has body damage all over, and I'm less gentle with it. For example, one time I had to fit it through a really tight spot in an alley, but knew I would have to sacrifice a tail light and put a scrape in the bed to do so (tight turn next to a pole)...was kind of a no brainer to go for it, especially with a spare tail light somewhere at home. I do wish the truck was in it's former cosmetic glory (looked new inside and out when I bought it in 2008 with 49K mi), but it has definitely put in the work. Original engine/trans/rear end/alt/starter/AC/water pump. Valve covers have never been off. The biggest repair has been replacing the precats around 148K mi, and direct fit aftermarket ones are readily available and not too expensive, around $300. Maybe one day I'll do a full cosmetic restoration of it...I don't think it will ever need a full mechanical restoration.
The 1994 has major clearcoat oxidation on the hood and roof, and the huge 22 year old "STX" decals are in bad shape, but don't come off easily either. The interior also needs a headliner and carpet, plus a passenger seatbelt, but is in pretty good shape otherwise. While the 2002 truck has gotten rougher under my ownership, this one has gotten nicer. It's a continuously improving driver project. From replacing hoses, to tailgate cables, to brakes, to eventually dealing with the paint and carpet/headliner, it gets better a little at a time. I bought it with the intention of building it into a nicer truck.
While they don't look great, I do maintain both trucks pretty well and that makes it harder to call them beaters. They aren't beaters in the sense of a fan on the dash, or a bungee cord holding something shut, and they definitely are not rigged up mechanically. You get in, turn the key, and they crank right up immediately. A/C is cold in both within a minute, and no CELs or other warning lights. Both have comfortable interiors in good shape for their age. The manual transmission in the 1994 is cantankerous at times, but it works. The fuel gauge in the 1994 is totally inop and the one in the 2002 truck only works for 8 months out of the year, but they have trip odometers so I will deal with it until they need fuel pumps. The 2002 has the original fuel pump, and the 1994 is unknown.
We have a 2003? Kia Rio at work that's a REAL beater. It was abandoned after the owner was unable to pay for a major engine repair after the work was done about 6 years ago. It wound up with the parts department after about a year, and has been a warehouse beater ever since. The biggest round trip it has made in the last 6 years is about 6 miles. It has probably spent less than an hour total at full operating temp in all that time. It usually starts okay as long as the battery isn't dead. It screeches with the A/C on, but it's left on all the time anyway. It's totally gutless, but it's still fun to floor it. There's a catalytic converter and broken up sheetrock in the back seat, and the whole floor is just dirt. That's a real beater!
The 1994 has major clearcoat oxidation on the hood and roof, and the huge 22 year old "STX" decals are in bad shape, but don't come off easily either. The interior also needs a headliner and carpet, plus a passenger seatbelt, but is in pretty good shape otherwise. While the 2002 truck has gotten rougher under my ownership, this one has gotten nicer. It's a continuously improving driver project. From replacing hoses, to tailgate cables, to brakes, to eventually dealing with the paint and carpet/headliner, it gets better a little at a time. I bought it with the intention of building it into a nicer truck.
While they don't look great, I do maintain both trucks pretty well and that makes it harder to call them beaters. They aren't beaters in the sense of a fan on the dash, or a bungee cord holding something shut, and they definitely are not rigged up mechanically. You get in, turn the key, and they crank right up immediately. A/C is cold in both within a minute, and no CELs or other warning lights. Both have comfortable interiors in good shape for their age. The manual transmission in the 1994 is cantankerous at times, but it works. The fuel gauge in the 1994 is totally inop and the one in the 2002 truck only works for 8 months out of the year, but they have trip odometers so I will deal with it until they need fuel pumps. The 2002 has the original fuel pump, and the 1994 is unknown.
We have a 2003? Kia Rio at work that's a REAL beater. It was abandoned after the owner was unable to pay for a major engine repair after the work was done about 6 years ago. It wound up with the parts department after about a year, and has been a warehouse beater ever since. The biggest round trip it has made in the last 6 years is about 6 miles. It has probably spent less than an hour total at full operating temp in all that time. It usually starts okay as long as the battery isn't dead. It screeches with the A/C on, but it's left on all the time anyway. It's totally gutless, but it's still fun to floor it. There's a catalytic converter and broken up sheetrock in the back seat, and the whole floor is just dirt. That's a real beater!
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted By: Donald
beater = a car your wife will not ride in to go out to dinner
My wife will ride in my beater, but she hasn't drove that 99 S-10 4X4 in about 5-6 years.
Got 3 rust holes I can put a softball in.
ABS light has been on for several years.
Very few dash lights remain on
Gas gauge is not dependable beyond a half-tank. I set the odometer to zero at every fill-up and drive it 275 miles before a refill.
Shocks/struts are original.... having about 160K mile.
Driver side mirror had to be shimmed to operate. Don't slam that drivers door hard, or the mirror will move a couple inches.
Hear a hum in the front wheels. I suspect a bearing problem, especially when I turn the wheel a little left, but the hum has been there for 5-6 years and not worsened.
Air conditioner is shot, about 10 years now.
I have a four speed blower, but only the first three work and only Bi-Level works.
beater = a car your wife will not ride in to go out to dinner
My wife will ride in my beater, but she hasn't drove that 99 S-10 4X4 in about 5-6 years.
Got 3 rust holes I can put a softball in.
ABS light has been on for several years.
Very few dash lights remain on
Gas gauge is not dependable beyond a half-tank. I set the odometer to zero at every fill-up and drive it 275 miles before a refill.
Shocks/struts are original.... having about 160K mile.
Driver side mirror had to be shimmed to operate. Don't slam that drivers door hard, or the mirror will move a couple inches.
Hear a hum in the front wheels. I suspect a bearing problem, especially when I turn the wheel a little left, but the hum has been there for 5-6 years and not worsened.
Air conditioner is shot, about 10 years now.
I have a four speed blower, but only the first three work and only Bi-Level works.
I think the xB in my sig attained beater status this week, thanks to Tuesday's hail. Up to then, I hadn't really looked at it that way.
Before this week, it had accumulated minor cosmetic blemishes over the years, most notably a couple of scratches and door dings, and some rock chips in the paint. The windshield showed similar wear until I replaced it last year - the pitting diffused the sun enough to make it difficult to see when driving toward the sun. The previous owner had a roof rack on it and definitely used it. Someone in a large SUV did the parallel-park-by-feel thing a few years ago, with its front bumper leaving just enough of an impression on the rear hatch to see. The ball joints are a little loose, the corrosion underneath becomes a little more noticeable with each passing Midwestern winter, and I keep waiting for the original clutch to give up the ghost.
Hail is what ultimately did in the xB's predecessor, but I'm going to keep this one going as a daily driver, at least for another couple of years. At that point, I may demote it to winter duty and buy something nicer for the rest of the year, or I may buy another beater to fit a different function.
Before this week, it had accumulated minor cosmetic blemishes over the years, most notably a couple of scratches and door dings, and some rock chips in the paint. The windshield showed similar wear until I replaced it last year - the pitting diffused the sun enough to make it difficult to see when driving toward the sun. The previous owner had a roof rack on it and definitely used it. Someone in a large SUV did the parallel-park-by-feel thing a few years ago, with its front bumper leaving just enough of an impression on the rear hatch to see. The ball joints are a little loose, the corrosion underneath becomes a little more noticeable with each passing Midwestern winter, and I keep waiting for the original clutch to give up the ghost.
Hail is what ultimately did in the xB's predecessor, but I'm going to keep this one going as a daily driver, at least for another couple of years. At that point, I may demote it to winter duty and buy something nicer for the rest of the year, or I may buy another beater to fit a different function.
2002 Chevy Prizm (prison)
- everything rattles
- loud inside
- paint fading
- little dents / scratches everywhere
- carpet needs replacing
But loved how cheap/easy to own and maintain, and average 37 mpg
- everything rattles
- loud inside
- paint fading
- little dents / scratches everywhere
- carpet needs replacing
But loved how cheap/easy to own and maintain, and average 37 mpg
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My Citroen Berlingo Multispace is pretty much a beater.
Only had one owner before me, but it was used for school runs, shopping etc and has lots of car park dents and bumper scuffs.
It does have a genuine 39800 (give or take)
Mechanically it is solid and brig based on a van it is fairly robust.
It only cost £1000 in November last year.
Used it to move house, do runs to the dump. I might even wash it. No rust on the body whatsoever and had never even had an advisory on the annual MOT inspection
Only had one owner before me, but it was used for school runs, shopping etc and has lots of car park dents and bumper scuffs.
It does have a genuine 39800 (give or take)
Mechanically it is solid and brig based on a van it is fairly robust.
It only cost £1000 in November last year.
Used it to move house, do runs to the dump. I might even wash it. No rust on the body whatsoever and had never even had an advisory on the annual MOT inspection
My Nissan Altima is with 336k miles.
Power locks don't work, passenger side key hole doesn't work at all, sometimes the trunk and drivers door locks stick, which means I can't get inside the car or trunk randomly (had to remove everything from trunk)
Needs lots of front end work (tie rods, ball joints, shocks, tires, brakes soon) vibrates like crazy above 60 mph
Hard to get into gear sometimes, especially reverse when it's not warm outside, or at a stop light when first gear wants to be a pain
Clutch slips some
Oil leaks slowly out of every hole (ATP 205 helped a lot though, no drips on ground but moist engine)
Exhaust is rusty everywhere
Hood sticks, have to have two people to open it.
Gas tank lock sticks have to wedge a screwdriver in it before you pull the lock
Reverse lights won't come on unless you hit the gate just right
Sunroof leaks if snow sits on it
The paint is completely gone from the hood
Parking brake doesn't work very well anymore
Has a random intermittent parasitic that will drain it dead overnight rarely (only happened twice in past year)
But it keeps going forward, hot heat cold ac, power windows and radio work fine
It's currently parked though awaiting a headlight assembly due to a recent accident involving the removal of the bumper cover, fender and headlight due to being clipped by a semi. I ripped the fender off and drove it home.
Here's what it used to look like before the accident
Power locks don't work, passenger side key hole doesn't work at all, sometimes the trunk and drivers door locks stick, which means I can't get inside the car or trunk randomly (had to remove everything from trunk)
Needs lots of front end work (tie rods, ball joints, shocks, tires, brakes soon) vibrates like crazy above 60 mph
Hard to get into gear sometimes, especially reverse when it's not warm outside, or at a stop light when first gear wants to be a pain
Clutch slips some
Oil leaks slowly out of every hole (ATP 205 helped a lot though, no drips on ground but moist engine)
Exhaust is rusty everywhere
Hood sticks, have to have two people to open it.
Gas tank lock sticks have to wedge a screwdriver in it before you pull the lock
Reverse lights won't come on unless you hit the gate just right
Sunroof leaks if snow sits on it
The paint is completely gone from the hood
Parking brake doesn't work very well anymore
Has a random intermittent parasitic that will drain it dead overnight rarely (only happened twice in past year)
But it keeps going forward, hot heat cold ac, power windows and radio work fine
It's currently parked though awaiting a headlight assembly due to a recent accident involving the removal of the bumper cover, fender and headlight due to being clipped by a semi. I ripped the fender off and drove it home.
Here's what it used to look like before the accident
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Originally Posted By: yesthatsteve
I think the xB in my sig attained beater status this week, thanks to Tuesday's hail. Up to then, I hadn't really looked at it that way.
Before this week, it had accumulated minor cosmetic blemishes over the years, most notably a couple of scratches and door dings, and some rock chips in the paint. The windshield showed similar wear until I replaced it last year - the pitting diffused the sun enough to make it difficult to see when driving toward the sun. The previous owner had a roof rack on it and definitely used it. Someone in a large SUV did the parallel-park-by-feel thing a few years ago, with its front bumper leaving just enough of an impression on the rear hatch to see. The ball joints are a little loose, the corrosion underneath becomes a little more noticeable with each passing Midwestern winter, and I keep waiting for the original clutch to give up the ghost.
Hail is what ultimately did in the xB's predecessor, but I'm going to keep this one going as a daily driver, at least for another couple of years. At that point, I may demote it to winter duty and buy something nicer for the rest of the year, or I may buy another beater to fit a different function.
Did you have comprehensive coverage on it? The insurance value might surprise you. They said my 2000 Camry was worth $3500 when it was totaled last month.
I think the xB in my sig attained beater status this week, thanks to Tuesday's hail. Up to then, I hadn't really looked at it that way.
Before this week, it had accumulated minor cosmetic blemishes over the years, most notably a couple of scratches and door dings, and some rock chips in the paint. The windshield showed similar wear until I replaced it last year - the pitting diffused the sun enough to make it difficult to see when driving toward the sun. The previous owner had a roof rack on it and definitely used it. Someone in a large SUV did the parallel-park-by-feel thing a few years ago, with its front bumper leaving just enough of an impression on the rear hatch to see. The ball joints are a little loose, the corrosion underneath becomes a little more noticeable with each passing Midwestern winter, and I keep waiting for the original clutch to give up the ghost.
Hail is what ultimately did in the xB's predecessor, but I'm going to keep this one going as a daily driver, at least for another couple of years. At that point, I may demote it to winter duty and buy something nicer for the rest of the year, or I may buy another beater to fit a different function.
Did you have comprehensive coverage on it? The insurance value might surprise you. They said my 2000 Camry was worth $3500 when it was totaled last month.
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