Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Topic: Winter beater, or what to do for three months? (Read 2888 times) previous topic - next topic

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

September 19, 2012, 11:08:46 PM

So I've got an interesting conundrum. We have three cars, the Thunderbird that is my toy, my DD 2011 Focus, and my girlfriend's DD the 2012 Mustang. We would like to not drive the Mustang in the winter, or basically early December to early March, to keep it out of the salt and snow. She likes the car and wants to keep it nice for a long time, which means no salt exposure to rust it out. The other 9 months of the year the weather here is fine for daily driving the Mustang.

The logical thing to do is to buy some sort of winter beater so the Mustang can sit in the garage with the T-bird for 3 months. I would be driving the beater as I have a 3 mile round trip commute and the girlfriend would drive the Focus as she has a 27 mile round trip commute. Here's the thing with buying a beater: the other 9 months of the year we won't use it. It will just sit in front of the house not moving.

So what do you think is the best course of action here? I thought about just renting an extra car when we need it or signing up for zip car (an hourly car rental service) instead of buying a cheap beater. Do you think we would be better off buying a beater (which will sit for 9 months a year) or just renting a car when we need it? Thoughts?

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #1 – September 19, 2012, 11:20:24 PM

I'd buy a cheap beater and then dump it in the spring... rinse and repeat.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #2 – September 20, 2012, 12:06:35 AM

Quote from: Crazy88;398687

I'd buy a cheap beater and then dump it in the spring... rinse and repeat.

:iagree:

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #3 – September 20, 2012, 12:06:57 AM

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #4 – September 20, 2012, 09:04:52 AM

It sucks living in the salt belt and not wanting to drive cars you care about in the winter, but also not really wanting to drive a car you don't care about, period.

I'd say a beater for the season, then dump it. You most likely won't make any money on the deal, but you won't have to drive something in the winter weather that you'd rather keep in the garage.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #5 – September 20, 2012, 09:16:22 AM

Pick up a cheap subie, rock it all winter and throw it away. Won't win any beauty contests, and won't make you popular, but they're good at what they're for. IF it survives, maybe wash it off and put it away for next, or sell it, maybe crush it with a large truck. Your call.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #6 – September 20, 2012, 11:56:31 AM

Honestly, it's been a while since I've seen salt on anything other than my eggs. I am very aware of what salt does to a vehicle. A couple of issues popped into my head when I read this. One is safety, most women know only a little about cars. If you decide to go this route, just make sure she has a cell phone and realize that most beaters are not well maintained. Which brings us to issue #2. You may have to put a little money and time into it so it will take care of your girl. Once you do this, you might not want to get rid of it so fast. If you have a place to park it, you might just keep it as a back up. Here we have a lot to consider, insurance, emissions, registration, it all adds up.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #7 – September 20, 2012, 12:08:02 PM

Quote from: 86cougar;398703

Honestly, it's been a while since I've seen salt on anything other than my eggs. I am very aware of what salt does to a vehicle. A couple of issues popped into my head when I read this. One is safety, most women know only a little about cars. If you decide to go this route, just make sure she has a cell phone and realize that most beaters are not well maintained. Which brings us to issue #2. You may have to put a little money and time into it so it will take care of your girl. Once you do this, you might not want to get rid of it so fast. If you have a place to park it, you might just keep it as a back up. Here we have a lot to consider, insurance, emissions, registration, it all adds up.

He'll be driving the beater. She'll be driving the Focus.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #8 – September 20, 2012, 04:29:31 PM

My mistake. Salt sucks! I've bought new cars and driven them into the ground, resurrected them, drove them until dead, then gave them to charity (many miles and years later). The beater I've driven was once my pride and joy. At the rate the automotive industry is going they will be selling all plastic cars (-500 lbs. of computers) soon. I really don't know how you guys do it!

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #9 – September 20, 2012, 04:52:53 PM

Quote from: 86cougar;398722

. I really don't know how you guys do it!

Its real easy.... I dont know anything different. Been here my whole life.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #10 – September 20, 2012, 05:42:25 PM

Get a ranger or something you can use to hall stuff or a trailer for the bird. Then it will be worth while to keep around

Good luck

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #11 – September 20, 2012, 09:27:29 PM

A work truck...I like that idea!

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #12 – September 20, 2012, 09:46:46 PM

I'll look over the next two months or so for something. It's not like there is a lack of beaters to chose from in my area. The problem is finding a beater that isn't beat to hell already

. I had never thought about selling the car after the winter. Depending on what I buy and what shape it's in I might even be able to make some money on the deal. I don't know about a work truck. If I buy a pickup then I'm going to have to help people move stuff;).

I did look into renting something and it turns out that even with the cost of registration and insurance it is still cheaper to buy a beater then rent a car for a few months. What ever I get will probably be a FWD and small, with a 4 banger. Unless I get a great deal on a panther. I don't mind RWD in the snow as I had a MN-12 T-bird as a DD for 4 years. A 4 banger would be better on gas.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #13 – September 21, 2012, 12:59:39 AM

My vote: 4.0 explorer, or even a 5.0 version (or Mountaineer)

Pros: easy to work on, brakes, oil change ok to drive, etc
cons: py mileage (5.0 especially, but can pull a decent trailer if needed), and did I say that it's 5.0 compared to 4.0? Plus you have a short commute...

Buy a rusty but reliable Mounty/exploder, get it dirty, salty, dented, whatever...put it away at spring..do it all over again when cold wet white falls from the wild blue yonder.

ANd the Mountaineers are AWD, as opposed to selectable 2wd/4wd like some of the Explorers...just get in, drive, and arrive. No fuss.

Of course, I'm biased as hell...plus it beats a truck, AND it has a backseat for those double date nights lol

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #14 – September 22, 2012, 12:32:40 AM

My crownvic wagon has been going well with amtinance in the last 3 years only in the $500 range.

I personally prefer cougar/birds as beaters. Good reliable cars, still fairly cheap, and you can junk them for $350 if they die on you. And they do well in snow, considering rwd.