Winter Beaters

General Discussion
#1

Lets see yours! (I know some of you will post your daily driven audi’s, but how about some actual dedicated winter cars)

I was contemplating picking up a beater this year since our winter salting gets pretty bad up here. Also to use for wallmart runs. I have at least three dings on my door from wallmart trips.

The cheapest thing I’ve found so far that’s also cheap on insurance is a late 90s or early 00s subaru outback with a 2.2L instead of the 2.5L - to avoid having to deal with the headgasket issues. Also comes out to a third of what I pay for the RS4 in insurance too.

I initially looked at a late 90s or early 00’s civic but the insurance for those come out to just under double of what I pay for the RS4. Same with a corolla.

But at least with a corolla, people around here will be afraid to drive within 15 feet of you. Double points if it’s beige.

#2

'Nuff said… :slight_smile:

http://www.catyphotography.com/images/audi/audi8-med.jpg

#3

After axel and h8s picture anything else anyone post will just be shitty. Way to ruin the thread axel

My winder beater is a big durmax diesel truck. Great in the snow

#4

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5158/nineyfoessfo.jpg

Here’s mine. The 1994 Audi S4. I’ll probably sell it in the near future. It doesn’t make too much sense economically. The money I’ve spent with it on the road (insurance, tags, fuel), I could’ve gotten a full respray (cheapest quote for an 8E car about $3.5k at the local Audi collision centre).

Yes insurance is cheaper for the beater (one way/3rd party only) but that’s an additional insurance cost on top of whatever you’re paying. For me it was an extra $900/year. At that rate I’d have a chain service before long!

Luckily the C4 S4 platform uses 5x112 so I could use existing wheels, but that should be factored in as well.

I reckon it’s better to pocket the change from having a beater and put it into your RS4. Having said that driving the 94 S4 has been an absolute blast in the big snowstorms!

On the flipside, you’re putting less wear on your $1000+ set of RS4 tires but then again you’ll need a whole new set for the Corolla.

#5

That makes more sense to have a truck in the family… then you can tow your modded VW/Audi to the strip and tow it back yourself if it breaks lol. Diesel FTW

#6

I will be buying my uncle’s 1996 Honda Accord Coupe with 85k miles on it in a couple months. Cobra is hibernating. I will actually save about $1400 a year in fuel costs if I drive it a lot and insure the cobra as a pleasure car.

#7
  1. Nice. Ex? V6 or 4cyl?

My mom had one forever. A 95. The one that looked like a b5 or b6 s4 in the rear.

#8

It’s an LX I believe. It’s the 4 cyl with VTEC. It looks like this. Same color but no park bench

http://www.2040cars.com/Honda/Accord/1996-honda-accord-ex-2-door-coupe-392450/

#9

Can’t post pics here - is it because I can’t snatch the pebble from a hand (a young grasshopper)?

I get
“The upload folder is full. Please try a smaller file and/or contact an administrator.”
when trying to load a 67kb file…

#10

Use imageshack - simples

#11

http://home.comcast.net/~datadatum/Brake.jpg

From when I lived in Chicago. (Still have the car, but now track built since winter doesn’t really exist in Florida).

#12

My daily beater/winter beater is a 2000 A6 2.7T 6mt. Almost cracked 248K miles.

The winters are not bad at all here. We might get snow but it usually doesn’t stick or melts off by the afternoon.

Please don’t remind me. I had been looking at trailers and now I am going to look again.

#13

Either one of my b5’s of course :smiley:

#14

So I’ve changed my mind and will be purchasing a winter beater, any suggestions and recommendations based on past experience? Also, where did you find your beater? I’ve sent a few emails out through Autotrader and have received very shady responses (i.e. out of the country please wire funds and vehicle will be shipped no charge to you, etc.) and when I don’t comply with their requests I’ve noticed a massive influx of strange advertisements such as “Russian mail order brides” and “cheap car loans”… I get the car loan thing but mail order brides?

I probably should include that I’ve been trying to keep the budget down around $10k… It’s a beater after all… ;D

#15

Subaru Outback, period.

http://www.edmunds.com/subaru/outback/2005/

Reliable, tough, ground clearance, cheap parts, hold a shit ton of gear.

#16

^^ugly, awful sounding, haggard.

Not worth it. Life is too short.

#17

^^ My mom drives one. 'Nuff said :slight_smile:

#18

Is she an engineer? Or a teacher?

Must be one…that’s who drives subarus.

#19

Holy shit $10k is deffo not a beater in my book lol - that’s relative luxury! We got my mother a clean 2003 A4 1.8T auto for way less than that.

What cars have you owned in the past? One of the reasons for choosing a B6 A4 in that price range is that I know enough about them to make an informed decision on purchase.

What sorts of vehicles are you considering? SUVs, pickups? Compact? Sedan? Anything goes? Cheap, reliable, fast. Pick two lol.

#20

If I needed a winter beater it would be

a) AWD
b) Honda/Acura/Toyota/Lexus

Likely a Lexus RX330 or something like this 2004 with 128,000 kms for $13,000.
http://wwwb.autotrader.ca/a/Lexus/RX/MISSISSAUGA/Ontario/19_7426376_/?showcpo=ShowCPO