Who else daily drives a beater??

[SouthernJL]

When my JL 2 dr finally arrives my beater will be my '19 Silverado Trail Boss

Maybe I should've started by defining what I consider a 'beater'.

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[631_Islander]

In 2017 I purchased a used 2014 JKU Sahara and quickly did the Jeep thing by getting it lifted, adding 35s and 4.56 gears. It was my only vehicle and my daily driver for about 1.5 years. My fiancé isn't picky at all (and more sensible) about what she drives and had a 2007 Camry. Shortly after I got my JKU, she decided it was time for her to upgrade and she purchased a used 2015 Camry.

Although mechanically decent, her 07 Camry looked a bit rough.....sun faded paint and some paint scrapes from a minor accident years earlier. We tried for about a month to sell it for around 5k and had no takers. I then decided to purchase it from her myself and use it as a daily driver instead of my JKU.

Best decision I could've made.

Although I love my JKU and feel proud when I'm in it, we all know Wranglers aren't the most comfortable rides and they thirst for gas. My daily drive one-way to work is 25 miles of boring, non-eventful highway, hardly the type of drive that allows me to bask in the enjoyment of my Wrangler. I got all the wear and tear of the mileage but no real enjoyment of the drives as a trade off. Also parking at my place of employment is cramped and I always worried about possible door dings or other mishaps that can occur when constantly parking in tight spaces not to mention I live in Atlanta and theft is always a possibility.

Driving the Camry saves on gas, makes my mundane drive more comfortable and takes the anxiety away about possible mishaps. I don't care about a door ding or 2 or if the worst happened like an accident or theft I wouldn't cry over the Camry.

I know tons of you folks have multiple nice vehicles and don't daily drive the Jeep but it's a different kind of feeling going from a beater Camry to a newer, nicer, lifted Wrangler. It feels like getting in a new vehicle on the weekends.

And last week I ordered a JLUR, eagerly waiting on it's arrival but I will STILL daily drive the beater Camry.

Who else drives a beater as their daily but has a nice JL at home?

That will be my wife and I. We have a brand new 2020 JLUR at home with everything except for ACC. It was ordered July 2019 and delivered September 2019 to us and just crossed the 6k mile mark last week.

We also have a beat up old 2009 Honda Civic Sedan that we drive a lot more. The Honda is free of major problems and has 115k miles on it. I am a huge stickler when it comes to periodic maintenance and repairs. My father bought it brand new back in the day for me and my commute to college (Stony Brook University). Got plenty of memories in that Honda as I went to my College Graduation in it and also went to my Job Interview in it (been working at the same place since I graduated in 2010). However the Honda’s body is now showing significant signs of aging but the Engine, Transmission and other essential components are still running perfectly fine even on long drives because I am very strict with periodic maintenance and repairs. There is significant rust however esp on the underbody. If the car didn’t have sentimental value to me, I probably would have either gotten rid of it by now or been driving my JLUR a lot more. Pretty sure I got plenty of folks here who can relate (you have a beater but don’t want to get rid of it due to the memories and the sentimental value it has for you). My beater was given to me brand new in 2009! Despite the body rust and cracked audio, she still runs perfectly fine even on long drives between Long Island and Philadelphia for example.

 

[SouthernJL]

That will be my wife and I. We have a brand new 2020 JLUR at home with everything except for ACC. It was ordered July 2019 and delivered September 2019 to us and just crossed the 6k mile mark last week.

We also have a beat up old 2009 Honda Civic Sedan that we drive a lot more. The Honda is free of major problems and has 115k miles on it. I am a huge stickler when it comes to periodic maintenance and repairs. My father bought it brand new back in the day for me and my commute to college (Stony Brook University). Got plenty of memories in that Honda as I went to my College Graduation in it and also went to my Job Interview in it (been working at the same place since I graduated in 2010). However the Honda’s body is now showing significant signs of aging but the Engine, Transmission and other essential components are still running perfectly fine even on long drives because I am very strict with periodic maintenance and repairs. There is significant rust however esp on the underbody. If the car didn’t have sentimental value to me, I probably would have either gotten rid of it by now or been driving my JLUR a lot more. Pretty sure I got plenty of folks here who can relate (you have a beater but don’t want to get rid of it due to the memories and the sentimental value it has for you). My beater was given to me brand new in 2009! Despite the body rust and cracked audio, she still runs perfectly fine even on long drives between Long Island and Philadelphia for example.

I don't have rust on my Camry yet but it definitely has seen better days with the scratched and sun faded paint. It runs good and I know I shouldn't care what others think but if I'm being honest we all care about appearances in one way or another. It's why we keep our hair neat, keep our houses clean, keep our lawns manicured etc.

Sometimes when I exit my Camry and others are around I'm imagining they're thinking 'Why is that grown man getting out of that rough looking car, lol'.

But as I mentioned earlier, driving the beater makes getting in the Jeep later feel more special.

 

[AlgUSF]

A Civic isn't really broken in till 100K. Mine is at 268K, so I consider it to be "well seasoned".

 

[neil]

Wife and I have 20 and 21 jlurs. We also have our 02 yukon (purchased new) w 360K or so on it. The 08 diesel mercedes has about 175K (also purchased new). I just replaced (with the help of my 11 year old) the front balls, links, bushings (sucky), struts, pitman, etc. We use either of the vehicles for horse trailers. I guess you could call them beaters in that their only worth a few thousand. The benz looks brand new, the yukon has body damage from trailer scrapes, barns, etc.

We drive our jeeps a bit, but also commute in the other 2 as well. Sometimes my jeep will stay parked with camping, fly rods, etc, and I don't wanna be just cruising around in the metro with that shit. Not pulling a horse trailer w a jeep.

 

[Crusader]

I have the ultimate beater. It's a company car, complete with insurance and gas.

 

[Slammed]

Not a beater ,but my work car is a 2010 Kia Soul. Bought it new and 145k miles of driving to construction sites and daily driving it still looks pretty good and drives great. So it’s gonna be a straight up work car and the JL will be my going anywhere else vehicle

 

[SouthernJL]

Wife and I have 20 and 21 jlurs. We also have our 02 yukon (purchased new) w 360K or so on it. The 08 diesel mercedes has about 175K (also purchased new). I just replaced (with the help of my 11 year old) the front balls, links, bushings (sucky), struts, pitman, etc. We use either of the vehicles for horse trailers. I guess you could call them beaters in that their only worth a few thousand. The benz looks brand new, the yukon has body damage from trailer scrapes, barns, etc.

We drive our jeeps a bit, but also commute in the other 2 as well. Sometimes my jeep will stay parked with camping, fly rods, etc, and I don't wanna be just cruising around in the metro with that shit. Not pulling a horse trailer w a jeep.

That Yukon isn't the the most practical vehicle but at that age and mileage it definitely qualifies as a beater!

 

[Sgt Beavis]

I’ve got a 2021 Rubicon and a 2019 Raptor. I’m seriously looking at getting rid of the Raptor and getting a beater, or no replacement at all. Frankly, I can get buy with only one car since I work from home. I can Uber to the airport when needed.

By my estimate, I could get at least $10K out of my Raptor by selling it and would save a boat load in payments an insurance. Money I can put towards the cabin my wife and I want to build on our property near Breckenridge. Resale values on Raptors are so stupidly high right now it is super tempting.

 

[Sholmberg0311]

I run a 2001 cherokee 90 miles a day round trip. All highway. My parents bought it new in 2001 . After awhile it became a third vehicle to them and they barely drove it. It sits at 125k miles . Not the best for gas but keeps the miles off my JL.

 

[SouthernJL]

Not a beater ,but my work car is a 2010 Kia Soul. Bought it new and 145k miles of driving to construction sites and daily driving it still looks pretty good and drives great. So it’s gonna be a straight up work car and the JL will be my going anywhere else vehicle

It's 11 years old, got lots of miles and no where near as 'pretty' as the JL. I'd say it's a beater

But seriously though, I guess this post was mainly to point out those of us that have a gorgeous rig sitting at home yet we are choosing to mainly drive our older, less popular, less attractive vehicles the majority of the time. I think your scenario qualifies.

 

[aro]

My JL shares daily driving duty with a 2004 Solara, which I bought in 2005 after it was a rental for one year. 215k miles on it and it runs great.

 

[631_Islander]

A Civic isn't really broken in till 100K. Mine is at 268K, so I consider it to be "well seasoned".

I just wonder if the Civic will ever die on me lol and I can justify getting a second Jeep. So far she's going strong despite having been abused by a college student (me) in her younger days. Surprised that she is still surprisingly comfortable on very long drives and gives no mechanical or A/C issues in the sunmer in those long drives ( > 3 hours)

 

[spurly]

In November 2020 I bought a 1998 Ford Ranger 2wd with the 2.5 4 cylinder and 5speed manual at a cool 188,000 miles. Guy was originally asking $3500 on facebook but when I test drove it and asked what price, he said, "I don't care, how about a $1000?" I couldn't pass it up. Mechanically it's perfect and there's zero rust but it has all the leaks. (If it's leaking oil, it has oil. -shitbox 3:19) Other than that, it's a perfect daily. I really needed something to haul shit in for home projects. Plus it helps to have a second car when the Jeep is torn apart.

Then of course I got a new job the week after buying my Ranger and they gave me a 2016 Silverado to daily, so neither my Ranger or Jeep will move for days. Lol

 

[SouthernJL]

In November 2020 I bought a 1998 Ford Ranger 2wd with the 2.5 4 cylinder and 5speed manual at a cool 188,000 miles. Guy was originally asking $3500 on facebook but when I test drove it and asked what price, he said, "I don't care, how about a $1000?" I couldn't pass it up. Mechanically it's perfect and there's zero rust but it has all the leaks. (If it's leaking oil, it has oil. -shitbox 3:19) Other than that, it's a perfect daily. I really needed something to haul shit in for home projects. Plus it helps to have a second car when the Jeep is torn apart.

Then of course I got a new job the week after buying my Ranger and they gave me a 2016 Silverado to daily, so neither my Ranger or Jeep will move for days. Lol

It's like you hit the beater lotto lol. I'm jealous.

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