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Post your winter beater and if you don't have one, how much would you spend on one?
I am trying to get some ideas for myself in preparation for the next snow season and I thought it would be fun to see what others had or have on their minds.
My daily beater is 97 Sidekick Sport 4X4 with close to 200K. Never been stuck. Starting to rust pretty bad. I like owning a beater because I can park anywhere, never have to wash it, cheap insurance, no payments, and I know what I got. It aint much, but it's mine
It all depends...I once sold a $30,000 winter beater to a gentleman that drove up in a six figure Mercedes Coupe, and I've seen them as low as $500 get-around cars. When I lived in Minneapolis and worked at a Toyota dealer, many people upon buying a Prius wouldn't trade in their old Jeep GC or Ford Explorer, preferring to keep it for winter weather.
The most common choices that I saw were older Jeeps and older Subaru's, but anything with awd and a little bit of ground clearance passes; some people would even have older front wheel drive sedans.
I'll bend your challenge a bit. I don't have one, my P-car w/AWD is good in the snow (plus we don't receive much where I live), but may in the future.
There are however upstream requirements and ongoing needs that may or may not help with the discussion topic:
- Requires space to store it. A problem for most in urban and suburban environments.
- Cost to purchase, and depreciation over time.
- Estimated number of times will be used per winter season: could be solved via other means.
- Probability of breakdown when needed most is...?
- Ongoing maintenance, insurance, and consumables
Where I live (Pacific Northwest, Seattle metro) such a vehicle would be as much "off road" as "winter beater," since fortunately we don't see much snow but have plenty of interesting mountain roads to explore. Call it dual use, then, which may change the paradigm.
When we do see snow, it doesn't stick long. Those few times per season, or (more likely) per decade it does stick, and in large quantities, we are paralyzed. That's when it is "needed."
Thus the decision becomes a risk assessment, plus an expected value of return calculation. If that makes sense: cost of being able to go places vs. stay home.
To the point, the one vehicle I considered that hits all the marks above, with compromises, is Toyota FJ Cruiser. One huge issue based on my personal needs is that ironically, they maintain value extremely well, thus even used examples are $15K and up (usually). That is a barrier to entry for me in particular for what amounts to "a lark." In fact one I just looked up not far away is still $17K, with high-ish miles (70K). Is what it is, being Toyotas on average they run until hell freezes over. Bad pun intended.
My winter beater
2008 Saab 9-5 Aero with 62,000 trouble free miles.. Almost died one really cold morning, but it was just needing a new battery.. I used to put snows.. But with Continental Extremecontact dws tires.. Im good.. Was once on a snowy mountain pass in Northern New Hampshire, twisty mountain roads and no other cars in sight.. I was fine.... Alas i had low speed collission with deer last week and it will be out of commission for a week for the repair, happy i forgot to remove the comprehensive on my policy.
Last edited by minibrings; 02-20-2014 at 02:26 PM..
I drive my 2013 Focus ST year-round (have a set of winter tires installed on oh-so-sexy steel rims). I've been contemplating getting a winter beater for a couple of years now, though, but with a budget of roughly $4K for one, I have found a used 4x4 Ranger, early-90s Volvo (240/740/940 or the -60 variety thereof) or an E30 BMW with AWD really difficult to come by, especially with a manual transmission. I check occasionally, though, so it may not be out of the question that someday I'll find one of those.
I drive my 2013 Focus ST year-round (have a set of winter tires installed on oh-so-sexy steel rims). I've been contemplating getting a winter beater for a couple of years now, though, but with a budget of roughly $4K for one, I have found a used 4x4 Ranger, early-90s Volvo (240/740/940 or the -60 variety thereof) or an E30 BMW with AWD really difficult to come by, especially with a manual transmission. I check occasionally, though, so it may not be out of the question that someday I'll find one of those.
For a second vehicle it is very hard to beat a PU Truck with 4-wheel drive..
I find the Mid-00's Ford Rangers 4x4 actually sell for as much or more then a similar equipped model 4.2 liter V6 or 4.6 SOHC V-8 F150 4x4 or 4.3 V-6 and the 4.8/5.3 V-8 Vortecs on the Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4.
It is almost a better bang for the buck to go for the early to mid 00's Full size Trucks then the Ranger or Tacoma.
Heck one of the best winter beater is finding a Second Gen Ford Explorer or Ford Expedition depending on your needs and family size. Compares to the Suburban/Yukon GM family the first gen Expeditionisselling for 1/3 less
Last edited by GTOlover; 02-20-2014 at 02:46 PM..
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