What is a beater?

[imagine]

I have heard it over here in money management debt deduction. I have figured out it is a car but what makes a car a beater?

[Greebo]

It's a cheap car that runs well but looks like **** and you can beat the **** out of it and don't care, long as it gets you from point A to point Debt Free.

[krbshappy71]

Its my car. 199,000 miles on it, no AC, can't roll down the back window farther than 1/2 or it will get stuck, numerous dents and paint job is ugly.

But, in the winter it started in 10 below zero weather, its required money to keep it running but less money than my car payment was every month for years, and has humbled me into realizing that when I screw up sacrifices have to be made. If I don't want to drive the beater the rest of my life I had better get my act together.

[Contrary Housewife]

It's our 1998 Saturn wagon with 186,000 miles on it that DH drives to work when the roads are icy because it has plastic body panels and we'd rather have that car get hit in an accident than our new one. It's not in such bad shape now (after we just put $1500 worth of work into it) though the upholstery is ripped up and the rear wiper doesn't work. Until quite recently it had no heat.

[imagine]

It's a cheap car that runs well but looks like **** and you can beat the **** out of it and don't care, long as it gets you from point A to point Debt Free.

So do you do the regularly scheduled maintenance on a beater or do you just don't care because it is disposable after your out of debt?

What would a paid for car be that you lovingly get the oil changed faithfully and pay for some repairs as needed although you did tape the side window back on when it broke off?

[Greebo]

What is this concept of a "disposable car" you mention?

Always take care of your transportation. Being a beater doesn't mean you don't need it to be in good running condition.

[imagine]

What is this concept of a "disposable car" you mention?

Always take care of your transportation. Being a beater doesn't mean you don't need it to be in good running condition.

I couldn't imagine a disposable car that is why I was checking to see what "beat the *** out of it" meant.

So let me see if I get this straight - a beater is a car that runs well and you make sure it keeps running well but you don't worry/care about the prettiness of the car like paint peeling/ faded seat cushions. You also don't worry/care about the fun functions like windows going up and down or the rear defroster working or the radio working or if the cruise control is working. You would see lots of beaters in the high school parking lot.

Do I understand now?

[Shelli_wnj]

A beater is something you are constantly working on but gets you from point A to point B for FAR less than a car payment. My husband's '97 dodge dakota is a beater - no heat or air, replacing small parts at least once a month, old enough that he can work on it without specialized computer equipment, with about 200,000 miles on it, that we won't get rid of until it blows up somehow or we have enough money to pay cash for another car.

[MaryCarney]

When I was a kid in NW Indiana, a beater was the car your dad drove to work in the steel mills or refineries. The pollution in the parking lot was so bad it ate the finish off any car parked there, so you had a 'family' car and a 'beater'. The only place you EVER went in the beater was to work and back.Even the plant managers drove beaters to work.

[Greebo]

So let me see if I get this straight - a beater is a car that runs well and you make sure it keeps running well but you don't worry/care about the prettiness of the car like paint peeling/ faded seat cushions. You also don't worry/care about the fun functions like windows going up and down or the rear defroster working or the radio working or if the cruise control is working. You would see lots of beaters in the high school parking lot.

Yeah that's about right. DR called his own Beater the "Bondo Buggy" cause it was more Bondo than paint.

[Nishu]

A beater doesn't have to run well. You guys have ridiculously high standards for these poor things.

Generally speaking, a beater is old and ugly, and not ugly in a full-of-character way either, just ugly ugly. When I think of a beater, I think of a car so decrepit that even though it runs, there's no chance of selling it. It is essentially worthless aside from it's immediate value of getting you from one place to another.

Urban Dictionary: beater

I love this thread, btw.

[pollypurebred39]

Apparently my car does not even qualify as a beater it's so dilapidated. Twice in the last 4 years my car has sat in the driveway. The first time for 9 months, the second time, still ongoing, over a year now. The cost to fix far outweighs it's worth. Frankly, in the last 4 years we've put far more money into it then it's worth. I have to wonder in the wisdom of owning a FOR REAL beater if you can't fix it yourself.

[zakity]

Our beater (the Nissan) has 368,000 miles on it and gets really good gas mileage. Things still work on it because DH keeps them working (junkyards are our friends). It looks pretty decent for a beater car, it definately is a 20+ year old car though. The thing just won't die. Though, it is a 2-door and the guys don't all fit in the back seat well any more (we keep threatening to bring butter along to grease them up to get them in and out). We have started taking the Jeep as the "family" car instead of the Nissan because of them not fitting.

[frugalfranny]

[QUOTE=pollypurebred39;1485171I have to wonder in the wisdom of owning a FOR REAL beater if you can't fix it yourself.[/QUOTE]

Which is why I say that I am looking for a "good beater" or a 'well running/cared for beater' when I discuss a used pickup.

[ladykemma2]

i take real, good care of my beater KIA sportage. runs like a champ, but the heat doesn't work, it's scary to roll the windows down (squeal), and it looks ready for the junkyard.

starts up reliably every day.