Yes if you have two main vehicles that are old. You get a backup when one is down. If new ones otherwise what a hassle .
Is it worth having a third car as a 'beater'?
- Thread starter Ausfahrt
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To the contrary, if you can extend / double the life of your nice $50,000 car, by driving a $3,000 beater when appropriate (salty roads, short trips in town, etc.), the economic benefit of having a beater is obvious.
Bingo!
It's really nice to still have an old, excellent condition, paid for, reliable vehicle that costs almost nothing to maintain, still has low miles for the age. Because "beaters" took the dirty jobs.
Be like the French. For them cars don’t matter and all they drive are beaters. At the end of the day, no one is impressed with the car you drive. If you think your nice car is important in this life, it’s not. Everyone and everything is temporary.
I certainly could afford to keep the 1999 Grand Marquis, so it wasn't an issue of affordability or sustainability. It was an issue of what could I do with $700-$800 a year it cost for tags and insurance just to have a car hanging around.
Sold it in August of 2020 (for more than I paid for it about 5 years before when it was in service as my youngest daughter's car.
I could rent a car should I need one if either my or oilBabe's car was in the shop.
No rentals needed in the past close to 30 months, so I'm about $2k ahead give or take.
I still see it at a customer site. One of the security guards bought it and is still working there. Saw it just last week. Still has the High School and College parking permit stickers on it from when my daughter drove it, so I know it's our car.
You said 'beater'...definite yes, if you going to be a DIYer or learn to be one. A 'beater' vehicle can be a great learning platform. And having a beater to work on/tinker with affords you screw ups and mistakes that you can learn from with out leaving you stranded.
Nothing like punching a hole in a radiator with a screw driver (that slipped) while working on a power steering hose on a Sunday at 8pm when everything is closed and you have to go to work the next morning...
Nice to always have a backup.
Nothing like punching a hole in a radiator with a screw driver (that slipped) while working on a power steering hose on a Sunday at 8pm when everything is closed and you have to go to work the next morning...
Nice to always have a backup.
For me? Yes. A car and a beater is cheaper than a car payment. I have a truck to haul stuff & going to the desert, s2000 for fun, CRV for getting to work, going to Walmart and not worrying about idiots dinging it. CRV will be my sons soon.
I needed to have a beater car for years.
I drove 130 miles a day round trip to work.
If I had a car unexpectedly go down, I needed to have something I could jump in and go.
I also had use for (still do) and wanted a pickup.
Therefore I combined use and want and Voila!
A pickup that is somewhat of a beater.
I'm retired. I still have it. I like it. It ain't going anywhere.
Therefore, I have a family car, my DD, my fun car, and my pickup.
I have all four of them , because I can.
I drove 130 miles a day round trip to work.
If I had a car unexpectedly go down, I needed to have something I could jump in and go.
I also had use for (still do) and wanted a pickup.
Therefore I combined use and want and Voila!
A pickup that is somewhat of a beater.
I'm retired. I still have it. I like it. It ain't going anywhere.
Therefore, I have a family car, my DD, my fun car, and my pickup.
I have all four of them , because I can.
Some y’all really have costly-to-own/insure beaters. My vehicles with just liability are maybe $200/year to insure and $81/year to register/inspect.
When I lived in the rust belt, I had sub-$1000 economy cars as winter beaters. They served me well and lasted 3-5 years each, protecting my ‘84 Chevy C10 from death by salt.
Recently there’s been a shuffling of the deck due to an inherited “nice” vehicle added to the family fleet. The “beater” is the now 2003 Corolla (purchased new by my wife) that currently has 205,000 miles on it, and it will be my commuter car. My wife (who works from home 95%) will be driving the well-preserved 2004 Dodge Ram regular cab short bed with 107K. The “nice” vehicle is the 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie, which is the long trip/substitute vehicle if the main two are down.
My previous commuter (2000 Town Car) and long-trip van (‘85 GMC ) will be going away.
I also have some 1974-79 vintage vehicles I could press into service if need be. My ‘79 Bronco was useful during Texas snowmageddon two years ago and going to hard-to-access campsites.
When I lived in the rust belt, I had sub-$1000 economy cars as winter beaters. They served me well and lasted 3-5 years each, protecting my ‘84 Chevy C10 from death by salt.
Recently there’s been a shuffling of the deck due to an inherited “nice” vehicle added to the family fleet. The “beater” is the now 2003 Corolla (purchased new by my wife) that currently has 205,000 miles on it, and it will be my commuter car. My wife (who works from home 95%) will be driving the well-preserved 2004 Dodge Ram regular cab short bed with 107K. The “nice” vehicle is the 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie, which is the long trip/substitute vehicle if the main two are down.
My previous commuter (2000 Town Car) and long-trip van (‘85 GMC ) will be going away.
I also have some 1974-79 vintage vehicles I could press into service if need be. My ‘79 Bronco was useful during Texas snowmageddon two years ago and going to hard-to-access campsites.
Is it worth buying as car to use as a beater?
VS
Is it worth keeping an existing car and using it as a beater when you get your next new car?
That and how salty are the roads where you live?
That and can you work from home and avoid driving on salty roads?
VS
Is it worth keeping an existing car and using it as a beater when you get your next new car?
That and how salty are the roads where you live?
That and can you work from home and avoid driving on salty roads?
No! 1 car per job. Home Depot for a Truck. Ymmv
It has been normal for me to have many vehicles. It becomes a time consuming monster. So all 5 motorcycles went first. Than the toys. Down to 2 cars and 3 trucks (F150’s) . Two trucks are used mostly for work.
Or - buy a nice car and enjoy it.
I enjoy dinners out. A nice glass of wine. A good whiskey. Vacations. Ski trips. And, oh yeah, almost forgot…
A nice car.
This is a legit thread question but, as mentioned by others, particular circumstances rule the topic.
There are needs, wants, neurotic obsessions and budgets.
Some people I know have real nice beaters.
In 1968 I drove to a high school prom in her family's beater....a 1966 Oldsmobile Toranado.
What is a beater?
I knew a construction guy who worked in city neighborhoods which were resurrecting. He had and needed a true beater.
There are needs, wants, neurotic obsessions and budgets.
Some people I know have real nice beaters.
In 1968 I drove to a high school prom in her family's beater....a 1966 Oldsmobile Toranado.
What is a beater?
I knew a construction guy who worked in city neighborhoods which were resurrecting. He had and needed a true beater.
My issue is the drivers around here are a split second from totaling whatever you’re driving-and likely fleeing the scene after they destroy your car (it literally happens every other day here in the city), due to no license, no insurance, outstanding warrants, drugs, they don’t just give a (insert censored of your choice here). So an inexpensive, functioning airbag equipped beater is a necessity here, if you have something nice-you head straight to the interstate & don’t drive it here! Almost got a head-on in the Corolla last night, just sitting still at a light waiting to turn left-idiot basically turned right into my front end at around 30, swerved clear inside of 2 or 3 feet!
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Well, we have an old 2003 Ford Taurus that is now our old "third", beater.
Thing is, I just had all new struts and shocks, a new front wheel bearing and, a new alternator plus a new set of tires all done. And, a new oil and radiator fluid change.
I have more in it than it's worth! Lol.
Kinda wanted to keep it, ya never know when it might be handy but, the xtra insurance
and maintenance is just another expense that we really don't want or need.
So, kinda in between a rock and a hard place at this time. We'll see.
