Beater car...

[Gizm0]

Hey guys, I'm looking at buying a beater car to go to work and back, drive around in the winter time, and avoid putting miles on my bimmer to quickly. Budget is $1500 max.

I found this 1993 Honda Accord with 238k miles. I know that's a lot but from researching online, the F22A engine seems pretty bullet proof. Plus the car has a 5 speed manual tranny which should be stronger than AT. I'm a DIY guy so I can replace pretty much anything that breaks on it, except for engine internals.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/EX-/2...#ht_971wt_1165

Has anyone here ever owned a 4th gen accord?

[KingOfJericho]

I would try craigslist for a better deal. eBay isn't always the best place for a bargain.

[aquaman14]

I had one in white with that exact interior color. haha...it had 170k+ miles on it before I traded it in for something newer. It was an automatic. Didn't have any problems with the transmission or engine. Had to replace the cap and starter but nothing too major. I'm looking for a beater car too and probably go the honda route.

[drob23]

Originally Posted by Gizm0

Hey guys, I'm looking at buying a beater car to go to work and back, drive around in the winter time, and avoid putting miles on my bimmer to quickly. Budget is $1500 max.

I found this 1993 Honda Accord with 238k miles. I know that's a lot but from researching online, the F22A engine seems pretty bullet proof. Plus the car has a 5 speed manual tranny which should be stronger than AT. I'm a DIY guy so I can replace pretty much anything that breaks on it, except for engine internals.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/EX-/2...#ht_971wt_1165

Has anyone here ever owned a 4th gen accord?

Wow, when you said beater I was thinking you meant focus or civic or jeep with 90k miles but this is impressive. Almost less than a set of new snow tires or a single forged wheel

Definitely better off going with craigslist and swoop from someone who needs to sell ASAP. Try and buy from an old lady Personally, I'd go for something more around 3k-5k so you don't have to pay a tow truck or deal with nonfunctional ABS. You'll also want to take it to a local mechanic beforehand so you don't buy a 2k car with 3k worth of repairs.

[Jamesons Viggen]

I have done the beater thing and currently looking at $1500 to rally with some friends.

I had a Maxima 5spd for a beater, great car.

Just go on CL and look at any car with a 5spd for unto $2400 and be confident in offering $1500 cash. I negotiated some pretty nice cars this week including a 91 e30 318is and a 91 MR2 both down from $2500 to $1500.

[5soko]

I had a 1992 in black with AT tranny. Bought it with 110K miles, and sold it last year with 200K.

Most reliable car I have ever owned!!! over the course of that 100K miles the repairs:
Front wheel bearings,
radiator+ top hose,
AT control module,
valve cover gasket and lower/upper o ring plug gaskets (known to fail on this car),
Front springs + shocks,
front driver side window mechanism,

otherwise no major failures, just regular wear and tear items like oil changes, tires, brakes, plugs, filters.
Stay on top of the maintenance, adjust the valves, and the thing spends no gas!

[nicknaz]

should be good to go. I had 2 honda beaters... a 91 Integra LS and 95 Integra GSR both $1200. The GSR was amazing until it got stolen

[Bingobimmer]

Thinking about doing the same thing. With the gas mileage and reliability their hard to beat.

[F1Venom]

I don't get how someone can afford a 335i then be ok with driving a $1500 car as a beater. Even for a beater, I'd look for something maybe 1/3 the value of the car I'm "conserving." But yeah, go on Craigslist as I'm sure there are plenty of deals to be found, and look for Japanese as they're more reliable.

[NemesisX]

Originally Posted by F1Venom

I don't get how someone can afford a 335i then be ok with driving a $1500 car as a beater. Even for a beater, I'd look for something maybe 1/3 the value of the car I'm "conserving." But yeah, go on Craigslist as I'm sure there are plenty of deals to be found, and look for Japanese as they're more reliable.

Yeah I don't get beater culture in general. If I'm driving a $1500 used car 5 days a week, then that's my car. I don't see the point in spending another $50k on a 335i only to keep in the garage and drive it on weekends.

Leasing a 335i (while mostly driving a beater) is even worse, actually. You're paying for the privilege to garage a rented vehicle.

[Meeni]

Even more so that cars depreciate (and self damage) over time, even if you add no miles to them, it doesn't matter (or only as an adjustment). If I get an enjoyable comfortable car, it is to enjoy it, not so that it takes space in my garage, while I'm lugging myself around in a POS.

Now, that being said, the car the op wants to use is reliable and probably a good fit for his intended purpose.

[5soko]

Originally Posted by F1Venom

I don't get how someone can afford a 335i then be ok with driving a $1500 car as a beater. Even for a beater, I'd look for something maybe 1/3 the value of the car I'm "conserving." But yeah, go on Craigslist as I'm sure there are plenty of deals to be found, and look for Japanese as they're more reliable.

Originally Posted by NemesisX

Yeah I don't get beater culture in general. If I'm driving a $1500 used car 5 days a week, then that's my car. I don't see the point in spending another $50k on a 335i only to keep in the garage and drive it on weekends.

Leasing a 335i (while mostly driving a beater) is even worse, actually. You're paying for the privilege to garage a rented vehicle.

For me a beater is this:
using the car to sit in 2 hours worth of traffic everyday in the middle of summer with the AC on blast, or in the middle of shitty winters,
driving in horrible weather ( rain, snow, ESP. Salty roads!, etc.)
Parking around NYC, leaving destroyed bumpers and taxi door dented side panels, side swiped mirrors
getting some good MPG around town and sitting in traffic
daily commute potholes
Car that gets washed once a year

In NYC, for a daily driver, nothing is worth more then say $2-5K. They get destroyed within a few years. The abuse of sitting in traffic, wasted gas, the winter corroding salt of the undercarriage, and body damage during parking. I wouldn't want a car that's costs 20-30K doing beater work in NYC. Its a waste of money. IMHO. In Cali. a more expensive daily driver or beater makes a lot more sense.

All of these things I use my beater to do while my babys stay in the garage not doing any of the things I listed.

[Gizm0]

I know I'm going really low with the $ amount for the beater, but that's the point of a beater car.

I'll still drive my BMW often, but this will be the car used to drive on the snow, use as a car for some of my business trips (I put about 1500 mi./month on my car for my job, reimbursed at $0.565/mile), put my mountain bike on the trunk rack, go on trails and leave in the middle of the woods while I go hunting, etc...

I've been looking on craigslist, and there are some pretty good deals on there too... I'd like an older Jeep Cherokee if I can find one in decent shape for a good price.

[Jamesons Viggen]

I love beaters(my beaters were still nice enough though-photos attached)




I loved that it was a possession that did not own me. I did not care if someone bumped it, dented it, could take it to the city, could give two poops about it as long as it ran. It was a great feeling to not care about a car. I paid $600 for it and sold it for $1200 in less than 5 mins on CL a year later.

[Gizm0]

I love maximas... Great beater

[b0bab0i]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

I love beaters(my beaters were still nice enough though-photos attached)




I loved that it was a possession that did not own me. I did not care if someone bumped it, dented it, could take it to the city, could give two poops about it as long as it ran. It was a great feeling to not care about a car. I paid $600 for it and sold it for $1200 in less than 5 mins on CL a year later.

That interior is CLEAN for such an old car.

[NemesisX]

Originally Posted by 5soko

For me a beater is this:
using the car to sit in 2 hours worth of traffic everyday in the middle of summer with the AC on blast, or in the middle of shitty winters,
driving in horrible weather ( rain, snow, ESP. Salty roads!, etc.)
Parking around NYC, leaving destroyed bumpers and taxi door dented side panels, side swiped mirrors
getting some good MPG around town and sitting in traffic
daily commute potholes
Car that gets washed once a year

In NYC, for a daily driver, nothing is worth more then say $2-5K. They get destroyed within a few years. The abuse of sitting in traffic, wasted gas, the winter corroding salt of the undercarriage, and body damage during parking. I wouldn't want a car that's costs 20-30K doing beater work in NYC. Its a waste of money. IMHO. In Cali. a more expensive daily driver or beater makes a lot more sense.

All of these things I use my beater to do while my babys stay in the garage not doing any of the things I listed.

Good point. I guess in a place like NYC a beater car might make sense because you guys get crazy weather. Down here in Texas, it's anywhere form 50 to 100 degrees F all year round. We don't get snow. We have great, clean, wide open roads.

[W///]

I absolutely need a beater, to do these things:
- Leave it overnight in a parking lot if I have to (airports, downtown ect...)
- Bad weather (only really bad thunderstorms. Because people forget how to drive as soon as the roads are wet)
- Take my 2 dogs out
- Grocery shopping, supplies, ect... no problems fitting in an SUV vs a 2 door coupe

I've got one that looks just like this. Paid $3k for it


I love it actually. So nice to just put the car in Drive and go. Ok so the fuel mileage is pretty much identical to my M3, but at least it takes regular vs premium

I also couldn't care less how it looks. I bought it in December, and just washed it for the first time last weekend.

[Jamesons Viggen]

Originally Posted by b0bab0i

That interior is CLEAN for such an old car.

Yep, 160k and had original floormats and almost looked new inside. Loved that car, would like a '93 SE with a DOHC/LSD combo. Mine was a 160hp SOHC-still fun with the 5spd.

[5soko]

Originally Posted by NemesisX

Good point. I guess in a place like NYC a beater car might make sense because you guys get crazy weather. Down here in Texas, it's anywhere form 50 to 100 degrees F all year round. We don't get snow. We have great, clean, wide open roads.

That's sounds GREAT! Something like a modded E93 as a daily driver would be nice out there. There are def. places that make a lot less sense to have a beater of any kind that's for sure. I know in cali wasn't much of a reason compared to NY.

In NY to even enjoy a drive, has to be after rush hour, have to hope the weather is nice, and have to drive about a hour out to get away from idiot drivers and these horrible roads.

Yea my girls only come out after rush hour during the week if weather is nice and on weekends