# best beaters?



## 04bimmer (May 13, 2006)

what car is the the best beater car youve ever had or in your general opinion?


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

04bimmer said:


> what car is the the best beater car youve ever had or in your general opinion?


My 89 Jimmy is a jewel...costs me $100 a year to keep it licensed/insured...goe's anywhere in the snow. However, it's a rust bucket, windshield leaks, right window kinda works, rattles like crazy, sunroof is broken, tires won't hold air (Wheel problem, not the Michelins), AC works but bearing has been going bad for several years, "leather" seats are worn out, leaks oil and usually needs a front end alignment every 6 months. BUT WE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE! Paint has oxidized to a lovely shade of fusica too...


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## M3Mike (Jan 22, 2006)

04bimmer said:


> what car is the the best beater car youve ever had or in your general opinion?


Datsun 510


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

04bimmer said:


> what car is the the best beater car youve ever had or in your general opinion?


My 89 Jimmy is a jewel...costs me $100 a year to keep it licensed/insured...goe's anywhere in the snow. However, it's a rust bucket, windshield leaks, right window kinda works, rattles like crazy, sunroof is broken, tires won't hold air (Wheel problem, not the Michelins), AC works but bearing has been going bad for several years, "leather" seats are worn out, leaks oil and usually needs a front end alignment every 6 months. BUT WE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE! Paint has oxidized to a lovely shade of fusica too...and it's always for sale (Runs great, transmission perfect)


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## 04bimmer (May 13, 2006)

yaa ive heard those GM trannys are one of the bests..your jimmy sounds like a beater to me!:thumbup:


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

04bimmer said:


> yaa ive heard those GM trannys are one of the bests..your jimmy sounds like a beater to me!:thumbup:


The 4.3 V6 got a good transmixer...think it might be a ZF? The smaller engine got a piece of junk...I had one of those and had two rebuilt until the head gasket fried the motor...two rebuilt engines later (Don't ever buy a Dayton rebuit engine BTW) wife got rid of it while I was in Germany and bought this work of art.


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## Kzang (Apr 12, 2006)

M3Mike said:


> Datsun 510


That was my very first car that was handed down to me by my father


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## cwsqbm (Aug 4, 2004)

'92 Saturn SL - 230k miles of my abuse until I finally gave it to a friend. Even at the end, it got mid-30 mpg in town and low 40s mpg on the highway - once I got 43mpg at an 80mph AVERAGE. I remember being able to drive between Chicago and Detroit and back for under $20.


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## 04bimmer (May 13, 2006)

saturn?? i would have never thought they could last so long:dunno:


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## marc545i (Mar 5, 2006)

I've had 3 great beater cars:

My Dad gave me his 1976 BMW 2002 with 200k miles in 1988. I put another 175k miles on it, all on the original engine. It was great car.

My 2nd great beater was a 1987 Toyota Camry 5-speed which I kept until 1993. I believe it had over 100k miles. Never had to put it in the shop once! 

My 3rd was my 1990 525i with 160k miles.


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## houbmw (Apr 23, 2006)

My 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan that I just gave to the salvation army two months ago. It had 230,000 miles on it. The a/c did not work, the radio did not work, the windows did not work, I could not go in through the driver door because it had fallen off due to rust and so it was tied to the body. I had to enter through the passenger door. The body has rust all over and the paint was oxidixed. The tranmission was perfect and smooth, but the engine started to leak oil and the radiator was always giving problems. There were only two seats, the driver and the passenger seat and the entire rear section was empty. The rattling was awful, but thankfully, I now will one a 2007 bmw 530i with smg at the end of June.


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## AndrewZ (Feb 1, 2006)

1996 hyundai accent.......Oh I hated that car......92k miles and that thing crapped on me.....Of course I treated it like a 6 speed race car when it was a 4 speed automatic 4 banger


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

older civic, accord, prelude, integra, vigor ... hell, any old honda:thumbup:


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## HugH (Apr 26, 2006)

*Best Beater?*

'91 Lexus 250! Dead reliable and no major repair bills. Just this past Sunday we went to the Texas Rangers game. The $25 vallet parking is free for Lexus owners. We drove in and out in no time. Now my wife is trying to change my mind, she loves Lexus cars and hates Bimmers. To her, driving our BMW is like driving a truck! I already had her convinced about ED, but now It's going to be a hard sale. She could care less about going back to Europe on vacation! She likes driving that old Lexus much bettter than our 04 3series. Since we are now retired, we are down to one car, the Bimmer. I can't imagine giving it up for a Lexus!


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## PotatoAddict (Nov 23, 2005)

When in the 11th grade, my parents got me a new 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport XS from Norco Mitsubishi. Got so many compliments at school. Started with 96 miles then traded it in @ 46000 miles to Toyota of Orange (where "You won't get a lemon") for a new 2005 Toyota Corolla starting at 7 miles because of its 36 MPG. Then, I nearly traded it in for an Audi and that made my parents really mad. So, as a punishment, my mother took away the Corolla... and bought me a new 2006 BMW 525i at Irvine BMW. 

Out of all those cars, I would consider the Corolla to be my beater car. With I-4, approx 130 HP, 4 speed auto, I was always finding it gasping for air. I even treated it's auto like a manual by shifting between D, 2, and 1 gears to hold each gear until it reached near red on tachometer (it keeps shifting up too early, stupid auto).

Hmm... I wonder what my next car will be... J/K.


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## Penforhire (Dec 17, 2005)

1972 240Z. I loved that car... right up until the body rusted through, the driver's seat almost fell through, and I saw the pavement flying by underneath! No reputable body shop wanted to touch it at the time (cost more to repair than car's value).


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## domiguy (Apr 10, 2006)

1982 Toyota Supra. I got it for just $500 in '97 and she served me well, although she was suffering from misterious water leaks here and there plus a piece of the frame kept breaking even after getting it soldered back a few times. Otherwise, no repairs, and it was a stick shift 

It was also great for hauling me and my freinds stuff from/to college dorms because it was a hatchback and it had fold down seats. It's amazing how much stuff we would fit in the car.

And I was able to sell her again for $500 in 2000.


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## M3Mike (Jan 22, 2006)

Kzang said:


> That was my very first car that was handed down to me by my father


They were so cool ! :thumbup:


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## 04bimmer (May 13, 2006)

So, as a punishment, my mother took away the Corolla... and bought me a new 2006 BMW 525i at Irvine BMW. 

id let your momma spank me anyday!-:bigpimp:


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## cwsqbm (Aug 4, 2004)

PotatoAddict said:


> Out of all those cars, I would consider the Corolla to be my beater car.


Its not a beater unless you make a fairly long list of things that are wrong with it. At the end of my Saturn's life with me, I gave a full page list of things that were wrong - no A/C, bad chip in computer that controlled A/C, emissions and cooling fan (wired to manual switch), no horn, no radio, and headlights occasionally cut out but the old "hit it in the right spot" always worked.

My current beater truck had no radio (fixed with cheapie CD player), no A/C, mangled rear bumper, and crappy suspension. I love it because I don't worry about it - it always starts and never leaves me stranded. That, and it cost less than the insurance on the BMW.


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## joe joe (Apr 6, 2006)

1996 Volvo 850 turbo 183k miles, runs like a champ!


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## cwsqbm (Aug 4, 2004)

04bimmer said:


> saturn?? i would have never thought they could last so long:dunno:


The first generation Saturns were good if boring cars. They were as good as the cars they were designed to compete against - early 90's Hondas and Toyotas - and shared almost no parts with other GM brands. The problem is the rest of industry evolved, yet when my Saturn was 10 years old, I priced out the same model that had the same engine, suspension, chassis, etc. The new Saturns are junk by comparison and share parts with the rest of GM. I'd rather have a Cobalt than a Ion.


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## 04bimmer (May 13, 2006)

wats the difference between an ion coupe redline and a cobalt ss?


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## Vornado (Feb 20, 2006)

04bimmer said:


> wats the difference between an ion coupe redline and a cobalt ss?


The cobalts like a rock while the saturn came from uranus?


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## avincent52 (May 22, 2006)

I'd look for an Acura Integra. I had mine for 16 years 110K miles, and aside from the alternator and a radiator, it never broke down or needed anything besides maintenance.
Parts are cheap, readily available, and they're easy to work on.
And all the little stuff works--power windows, sunroof, the upholstery has no tears and little wear, and the dash lightbulbs have never even needed to be replaced. 
That's why every kid wants one to be Fast und Furious.
Sold mine to my brother for a grand when I got the BMW.
Good fun to drive in a 5 speed too.
Allen


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## Scott ZHP (Jul 17, 2003)

HW said:


> older civic, accord, prelude, integra, vigor ... hell, any old honda:thumbup:


92 Honda Accord EX. 101k miles, still runs like new. Wife wants to sell it to clear some driveway space. It's my snow/dump/lumber hauler. Cant bear to see it go.

Absolutely everything still works, even the AC is cold. Just replaced front struts/springs and it had a timing belt/waterpump at 90k. Will probaby run forever.


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## mattdk318i (Nov 30, 2004)

1986 Volvo 240 DL 4 speed with 5th overdrive 378,000 miles. I will never say any thing bad about a volvo. The old ones at least. Those engines are bullet proof. However every Bushing and mount were shot. When you hit the gas the shifter would lean sideways in your hand. sigh, fun times


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## domiguy (Apr 10, 2006)

.


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## apar330i (Aug 19, 2002)

90 Acura Integra. It had 126K when I sold it. Very reliable car but didn't drive very much so I let her go.

In High School I had a '69 VW Bug. Beat the hell out of it and it still got me there and back.


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## 1993BMW318i (Apr 10, 2006)

My 93 318i with 97K miles is my beater! Well, maybe beaters is not the best choice of word. Daily driver is far suited for a wonderful car.


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## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

1986 325es. I wanted an "is" but couldn't find one at the time. Car has been just amazing with 25+ MPG. No A/C and a small amount of rust and it failed emissions this year, but I love that car.


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## e60lover (Dec 28, 2005)

1996 Nissan Sentra GXE. The most ugly color ever; that 90's eco-box turquoise green. Though it still started without an oil change for about three years untill the day last month that I drove it to the Mazda dealer and traded it in for my new '06 Mazda3 (which I LOVE) and is not a beater at all. So I have no beater anymore. 



-e60lover


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## DJ_INHALE (Mar 15, 2006)

1978 300 D benz (bro has one 412k miles on it) same engine

enterior looks good. thing is a tank


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## Bmwcat (Jul 30, 2004)

1989 Honda Civic hatchback. Bought it new back in '89, sold it in 2004 when I bought the Bimmer. No A/C, but ran great and always started. Waay back I drove a '68 Dodge Dart with a slant 6 engine..need I say more??


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## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

'94 Corolla, 155k miles, ice cold AC, 5 speed, Sirius. What more do you need?


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