Who else drives a beater even though they make good bread?
I'll start, 1st Gen Toyota Highlander Limited AWD 175k miles, own outright. Its actually a sweet ride. Leather, AWD, heated seats, sun roof, impeccable service history, slight purr (might muffler delete). Could probably buy ten of these things over, but love having no car payment and love the reliability of these old Toyotas. I personally enjoy the fact that some people look at my vehicle and assume I'm struggling financially. It also helps keep me humble. Some day Ill splash on a nice whip but until this old Japanese work of art croaks, Ill be driving like I stole it. Who else drives an old high mileage car? How many miles? Any stories you have of people commenting on your ride? I feel like there is a certain stigma in this industry where you have to present yourself as a high earner through tangible items like cars, apartments, watches, ect... meanwhile I'm in my 20's and constructing a bond portfolio that'll pay me 3x my salary through retirement on top of 401k/Roth.
I drove a 2001 4Runner until 350K miles. Thing was a beast. I miss it so much - threw the roof rack on, 3" lift, and some meaty tires. I upgraded to an Audi and then a BMW, but often wish I could go back. I love driving cars until they break, and the added benefit of not having a car payment is ideal.
The more money I make, the more frugal I seem to become. I think it's a great way to go about life. There are still plenty of things I splurge on, but those are things that bring me joy and happiness, not for others to think I'm something I'm not. It's a great mentality to live by, so +1 for the commitment. Highlander is a great beast.
Hey buddy I test drove both a 540i and M2 the other day. M2 was delightful but I prefer the 540i interior. Def not as “fun” per se, but I was up to 90 on the interstate in a matter of seconds and don’t even notice in the 540i. The sales guy went “these may be too much for a guy like you” which pissed me off. I was wearing sweatpant joggers and a t shirt. Told him thanks and that I would be moving forward, but at a different dealer.
He said 8-10 weeks once I submit my order, but I didn’t trust a thing he said. Dude had no idea what he was talking about inside the cars.
Nice! Glad you got into both for a bit of a spin. Two different beasts entirely. If you recall, before the M2 I had a 335i which was zippy, but nowhere near the power of what I have now. It was also a lot more practical - there is literally zero reason for me to drive an M2, besides the fact that I want to. Made my peace with it, and it's a beautiful damn machine. But I certainly wouldn't have passed a look on a 540i, either - was considering an M340i and an S4 for the replacement.
On a secondary note, the dealer rep is most certainly an asshole if he spoke to you like that. I've never caught flack during my test drives, but I certainly didn't go above and beyond to 'dress for the dealer', as it's such a stupid fucking exercise to do. If you don't think I have the money, then you'll know soon enough when you run my credit and verify my bank information. Regardless, just because I choose not to wear a three-piece suit to a test drive means nothing - this is why so many people hate dealers, and you see segments like Carvana becoming more and more prevalent. Sorry you had that experience.
How did you like the 540? The interior is truly beautiful. I know you're on the lookout for a 911 (aren't we all?) but I certainly don't think something of the caliber(s) you test-drove would be a bad intermediary while we wait for prices to come down! Best of luck to you and your car search. Keep me posted!
2009 Toyota Camry with 185k miles. Toyotas are incredible. My mechanic said it should last well into the 200k+ miles and swears by Toyota Camrys and Honda Civics. At it's current resale value, I could pay for it with one month of savings, but every month that passes where I don't buy a new car, I equate it to an extra ~$500 of savings. I will likely buy something newer in the next year or two (I'm late 20s now, so by the time I'm 30), but that won't be anything outlandish and I will try to get 150k+ miles on that as well. The car after that... maybe I'll splurge a bit.
Similarly, I don't find enjoyment out of most luxury products. If I spent $30-$40k on a new car, sure my life would improve a bit, but I don't think that materially.
I don't have any specific story on someone commenting on my vehicle, but people seem to comment often that I should upgrade because I can "afford it." I try to keep what I buy vs what I can afford dramatically different.
See man I was in exact same boat as you but my Camry fucked up. My dad even offered to get me a nicer car starting out and I said nah this Camry is enough. Now need to sell it as I’m getting sick from breathing in the mold that’s accumulated in the A/C. Active lawsuit going on against Toyota
Yeah, I saw the lawsuit. Fortunately, I don't have the issue, but that's a bummer that yours does. Hopefully there is a resolution - I still stand by the vehicles.
I also haven't had anyone specifically imply that my ride is embarrassing or anything like that, but plenty of people on the floor are always talking about buying their kids new A4's (and similar) when they turn 16. My dad bought my siblings and I a 1999 Ford Explorer 220k+ miles off the side of the road for $500. That thing was such a piece of garbage and the transmission blew up a year later. As frustrating as that was, it taught me that cars can be a money pit (unless you're a huge car person and it's worth it to you) and that I needed to perform diligence when buying anything expensive (investments included). Priceless life lesson I can only appreciate years later.
My mom gave me her Honda Civic for free when I moved back to the south from NYC. I thought about getting a BMW M3 or Lotus Evora, but tbh was afraid of the maintenance bills and unexpected things breaking. I haven’t ever had any problems with the Honda and it is quite sentimental to me. It is a relic of my Mom. It has 87K miles or so on it so still has a lot of life in it.
I'm probably in this camp. The fact that money was tight growing up has always stuck with me - so the idea of driving a brand new Audi/BMW/Maserati with a huge payment like most of my colleagues do (even the younger ones!) just doesn't resonate with me.
I've been driving an old Land Cruiser (130K miles) that I got for a steal (~$10K which is maybe a few % of what I earn) for the past few years that I absolutely love it. It's actually pretty nice for its age and checks all the safety/convenience boxes, and gets a ton of nice comments from folks who are also into older boxy trucks/SUVs.
New cars just don't do it for me - they all kind of look/feel the same, seem cheaply made from the same parts (except the badge on the hood). Once in a blue moon, if I'm going on a special trip that warrants it (think traveling the coast of CA or around Napa), I'll rent a Porsche or do a track day - more than enough to get it out of my system (without all the bills and headache that comes along with ownership). Maybe one day if I hit it big I'll buy a used 911 but until then I'm more than happy to fly under the radar.
That said, I'm sure this all changes the minute I have kids...
If it's an FZJ80 gen, I will absolutely hate you out of jealousy. Not really obviously, but those things are unicorns now and if that's the kind you have, only having to spend $10k to get one and it's only 130k miles?! If we want to talk about beaters, look up the UN/NGO ones in Africa that have over a million miles and going on them still on the original engine and gearbox. Plenty more stories of them going over a million km in AUS (which is still 620k miles). The FJZ80 was so robust the one good thing Venezuela did was keep making them until 2003 when they stopped manufacturing that gen everywhere else worldwide in 1998 to replace it with the 100 series.
I wish, its a 100 series. Love the FJ80s but they're impossible to find in decent (non-rusted out) condition
Would give my left nut for a mint, triple-locked diesel 80 with no rust. Dream vehicle for sure. 105 series would be sweet too, but good luck finding one.
Love that they're reliable to begin with, but I also just love wrenching on Toyota's. All things considered they're pretty simple to get the hang of.
Wouldn't pass up a chance to grab a FJ45 either. Paul's from FabRats (on YT) is so badass. GM 6.0, dual cases/twin sticked, fully caged, hydro assist, lots of RCV axle goodies, long travel ORI's...ugh it gets me excited.
I'll just have to make due with my 4Runner for now.
2008 Toyota 4runner with 147k miles. Perfect for skiing/mtb. Plan on storing it at my parents during 2 year analyst period and grabbing it when I move out west. Love it and have virtually no problems with it. Only wish i got the v8 to tow.
2008 Toyota 4runner with 147k miles. Perfect for skiing/mtb. Plan on storing it at my parents during 2 year analyst period and grabbing it when I move out west. Love it and have virtually no problems with it. Only wish i got the v8 to tow.
When I was a lumberjack in the snow covered forests of Canada, we drove around in a Highlander and packed 5 big guys in it and all of our chain saws. I'll never forget the rides in the mornings with that Highlander with all our gear on bumping around.
Anyone fans of old Land Cruisers?
FJZ80 or bust for me. Especially if you can snag one from Canada or Mexico with the turbodiesel. Not that the standard gas engine isn't anything to sneeze at either. Install some ARB bumpers, the extended add'l 60 gallon fuel tank, the custom drawer system in the back with a fridge, stove, solar shower etc, and then let them bring on the zombie apocalypse.
Top 3 bucket list goal is to take/build one and drive it from somewhere as far north as at least Anchorage all the way down to the end of Patagonia along the coast.
Ah the classics. Aesthetically pleasing to look at old school Land Cruisers
Not a beater, but very modest. I have a 2015 Civic that my parents got me for getting a full ride to college. I will drive that thing until the wheels fall off.
They are reliable AF right?!?
What is considered “good bread”? I have enough savings to buy a Mclaren but I don’t own a car. Just walk to most places or take public transportation along with the homeless crackheads
Have a Porsche Cayenne now, but used to own a 2006 Toyota Highlander and I loved it.
I love the drive of my Cayenne, but the one thing I miss more than anything is that I had piece of mind with my Highlander, not having to worry about dings or scratches, not having to worry about the cost of oil changes, maintenance, or insurance costs.
If I could give any one a life lesson here on cars, they may provide you some joy, but they will also provide you with plenty of stress as well.
Kind of agree, but you negate this by having more than one "good car". Insurance covers 99% of it anyway.
I still drive my 2003 Toyota Sequoia, 265k miles. I learned to drive in it lmao. Was in a wreck in college (not my fault). Parents gave it to me so I could finish school and work my 3 jobs. Had it for almost 10 years now. I plan on getting a 3-5 year old Toyota 4Runner or Sequoia if I can find a good deal when it goes. I'm just not a car person. Getting Bluetooth will be a massive upgrade for me lmao.
Love this. I'm currently running the ol' MP3 converter through static radio. Still have a cassette tape player! Yahtzee!
Same! I used to run through them like 1 per quarter, but the one I have now has lasted like 3 years. Probably because I am on my airpods talking to people on my commute home a lot of the time. One of the best life hacks I ever learned. Spend your commute talking to friends or family on the phone for 5-10 minutes. I know it makes my grandma's day when I call her out of the blue.
i wish i still whipped my 2002 altima with the hand crank windows. recently bought my moms 2014 subaru in #straightcashhomie so she could glow up hahah
Had an older Jeep for my first car skidded out on gnarly winter storm a year into having the car and had some damage on the passenger side. Never thought it was worth it to fix but was always funny pulling up to a professional setting in a beat up vehicle but man did I love that car. So many road trips and moved multiple times in that thing. Never had to worry about street parking / barely any maintenance but a few weeks ago it started shitting out and had to get rid of it.
Just got an X3 and its definitely nicer in every way but already miss that old Jeep a bit. Was nice not having a car payment especially when deal fees are drying up but now RIP to that haha.
I ride subway. does that count?
Got a 15+ year old hand-me down German beater with 260k+ on the odometer (the odo no longer lights up). No check engine light, and got new tires. If I keep stacking this money up I’ll need a ladder by summer. Definitely going to get something new and fast soon, but not having a car note for years really put me ahead of the game. I’m too much of a car guy though, and I can comfortable afford a decent car note now.
I drove old, heavily depreciated cars for a long time. They were nice but I’d pick them up for like 2 weeks’ pay. Finally splurged this year on a ‘16 GX460 which was a grand total of 10% of salary.
I drove a early 2000’s Nissan to about 250k miles. Before that I was in high school and drove a 90’s Honda. I’ve since upgraded and I miss the beaters and older more mechanical cars.
I don’t know if I would drive a beater again, but it was honestly a joy. I loved people seeing me drive a beater personally, and I loved the fact that a scratch didn’t matter
Calling IlliniProgrammer
lol I remember stories about his trusty rusted civic
I love me some late 80's early 90's Mercedes Benz.
Used to have 1986 W124 230E in completely mint condition (all the suspension, interior, even the wooden trim are in impeccable condition), put on close to 200k kilometers. Never should've traded it for 2001 W210 E260 (got it because i thought i could flip it for a profit) with less than 20k kilometers on it.
My dream is to build a sleeper Charger with (yes i know it's blasp-HEMI, get it?) LS3 + nitrous on it, patina'd body with monster drivetrain for weekend at the strip.
The Toyota 4Runner is like driving on god mode. If you have extra cash, look into Land Cruisers, as there is a massive following and plenty of clubs and meet-up dedicated to this marvel of engineering (I like the 80 Series).
Moving comment to it's own, because the LC has won smack down hands down a this point.
Have family in a 3rd world / developing country and they refuse to drive anything other than a Land Cruiser. Have a few older Land Rovers (‘80s or ‘90s) but the Land Cruisers are the main movers. Reliability is non-negotiable in places like that as you do not want to be breaking down. You break down, you’re probably getting robbed or worse.
For those who drive beaters and are thinking about upgrading to higher end sports / luxury cars, if you consider yourself frugal I would say it is 100% not worth it. Even if you make materially more than when you got the beater, the increased stress and costs make it annoying. I have owned multiple mid tier German vehicles (BMW 5 series, M3s, and Mercedes E class) and even when finding them at exceptionally low prices, I still wish I was driving my '99 A6 avant with a salvaged title. There is something special about not worrying at all about your car, being able to street park it instead of finding places with parking, and knowing if the car was totaled tomorrow you wouldn't be devastated in the slightest.
Im currently driving what I thought was my dream car but the depreciation / insurance / monthly payments make me wish all this capital was going straight into the equity markets. Idk, I always thought of myself as frugal and this car has been a contradiction and a mistake. Just one POV. FWIW, huge car enthusiasts who enjoys tracking and spirited driving.
Glad to see your comment - have seen lots of people echo your sentiment when I’ve told them I’m getting a new car, but I’ve decided that I want it and plan on getting it. We’ll see if I end up feeling like you in 2-3 years lol
I appreciate it man, and I hope you absolutely love your new car. One thing I didnt mention in my original post was that I was dead set on getting a sports car, and that it was simply something I had to do. I dont regret making the decision, as I am one of those people that refuses to position myself to always wonder if I should have chased after something I wanted, so I hope you love it and get a lot of good use out of the 540i (or whichever model you end up with).
The newer Benz model (>2004) are a nightmare to maintain and find parts for. Also their electrical systems make them finicky and prone to annoying errors (nothing that would make it undrivable tho). Might want to check out the older models (300E W124 are the easiest to maintain, have a lot of parts you can cannibalize from other models).
But you nail the point of owning a reliable vehicle instead of an amazing vehicle. Even though I love cars and tuning them up, I see no point of having one that costs me more than 10k. 90% of my driving are commuting to and from the office, anything that gets me there as efficient and comfortable as possible will do. Besides, all the new electronics/gizmos would straight up confuse me and meant more things to go wrong/fix. The only new tech i tolerate are Bluetooth audio and parking sensor + camera.
Love your post, and couldnt agree more.
Hope we both get to the point where we can buy a car we drool over but that also accounts for a very immaterial portion of our NW / salary.
When I was younger I didnt understand why people making 200k didnt all drive cars that were 50-75k+, and now I do. Just because you can doesnt mean you should. I say this even after purchasing cars where I paid 33-50% in cash and where the total financing over 2-3 years was less than 33% of one year's pre-tax salary. Even though I never had to worry about having adequate funds on hand for debt paydown / general life expenses, it still felt superfluous.
My family is a group of people with relatively successful careers and modest cars. I think it is part of the way I grew up.
My sister is a retired O-6 Navy Pilot who currently flies as a Captain for the airlines as a 777 pilot, so she gets paid. But, she just drives a Honda Civic. Her husband has always been a lower rank than her in the Navy and at the airlines, but he is also a Captain as an A320 pilot and he drives a Porsche Macan. Nothing crazy, but it really pissed my sister off that he bought that car.
He is a grown adult though and can do what he wants with his money. What he really wants though is a 911 Turbo S. My sister hates the thought of this, but again he can do what he wants. The current deal is to give the Macan to their son when he graduates college in 2024 and then my brother in law will buy the 911.
I got a beater in college and it has treated me well. It's a 09 scion TC which is essentially a Corolla coupe. Has 185k miles (70 or so which I put on it) and hasn't had any issues. I got tints and new wheels for it and besides the axle failing and being replaced, no major issues.Don't really want to get a nice car anytime soon.
Factoring in the high interest rates rn, insurance (I totaled a car before, waiting for that to roll off my record), and maintenance it just doesn't seem worth it to spend 1k+ per month on a car. Even if I do upgrade it would be something slightly newer (maybe a mid 2010s Acura or Lexus) but paid for in cash. Guess I am a point A to point B kinda guy lol. I still splurge a bit on Turo when I travel and need a car, but that’s somebody else’s headache which makes it so much more enjoyable.
did you total your scion TC driving 100 mph?
Why was my comment removed? I don't understand.
Same I see a lot of my comments in my comment history, but when I go to the thread, they don’t show up. I don’t even cuss much anymore to ensure my comments don’t get removed. Not a fan of this
I currently have a 2016 VW Jetta, 135k miles on it, own it outright. I can't say I love it, but I'm not terribly picky. It has Bluetooth for my phone and a backup camera, which is really all I care about. I wish it had better lumbar support though, I've taken 5 cross-country road trips with it and your lower back just kills you without some sort of support.
I'm going to try to get it to 200k miles and then, depending on where I am in life, either a nice luxury sedan or a Volvo SUV.
Who else still drives older Volvos?
Still drive a 2006 Volvo XC90 with 150k miles. Absolutely love the car and want to drive it as long as possible. It's so reliable and very infrequently needs repairs. Also great for snow driving.
I definitely get the Volvo love. Still want me a V70R or 850T5-R to help finish out my list of sleeper wagons.
2002 v70 only up to 150k miles. We will see how long she lasts, but has been great to me so far.
I feel like a suburban mom which I personally think is hilarious. I also only drive myself around and have all of the passenger seats flipped down which provides a ton of space. Lmao I feel like I could fit a coffin back there….could perhaps moonlight as a hearse driver on the weekends
My mom's family had a Volvo when she was in high school and she and her siblings still talk about how amazing that car was. If I ever decide to upgrade to a luxury car it will be a Volvo.
I like the old 80s and early 90s sedans. I want to drive a 1990 Ford Crown Victoria ltd
The BART’s been pretty reliable
Not a beater necessarily, but a pretty old A4. It was the first car I bought, not new (3-4 years old). It is now 15 years old. Other than one of the rims being scraped, it still looks decent. At this point, I'm committed to driving it until it needs major work.
2016 Ram 1500 but only 32k miles. Never thought I'd get a truck but my stress relief hobbies involve chainsaws, axes, and sometimes large piles of wood lol so the truck comes in handy.
Before that I had an old 2003 350Z that I loved dearly. Will get the new Z at some point I'm sure even though I'm sure it will be a fairly different car than my old Z. Glad someone still makes manual sports cars.
This guy gets it. With best in class payload and a highly-capable HEMI 5.7L V8, the Ram 1500 is the best you can get. Drive that thing until the transmission gives out at 165,000 miles. I hope you got the 3.92 ratio.
Yeah it's the 3.92 4x4
I drive a 1991 Camaro RS I bought off craigslist in high school. Spent a whole summer using it when I was a delivery driver for Jimmy Johns in college - that baby is so reliable. The rare occasion breaks down/has an issue, it is so cheap to fix given the availability of replacement parts from old 3rd gen F bodies. Mechanically speaking, modern dishwashers are more complicated, so I've been able to do almost all the maintenance myself.
Best 5 grand I ever spent.
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Land Cruiser/4Runner
My 95% confidence factor has now risen to 96%+ for the LC being the pinnacle vehicle.
I wouldn’t say I make “good bread” but earn around $200k per year and will drive my 2015 civic until it implodes on itself
I own a 22 Lexus NX 350 (Atomic Silver) and a 2021 Cadillac CT4V (Velocity Red)
LAND CRUISER >> DEFEDNDERRRRR FOR LIEFFF
Drove a v8 4Runner for years that got snarky comments from coworker, family and friends. It had no modern features. Moved to a GX460 - basically same frame and gas mileage w better interior and safety features (17 years newer). Tbh size and reliability matters. You can’t go that fast anywhere anyway.
New thread: The LandCruiser is the de jure, default, nee`, epitome of automotible design, reliability and longevity at least before the 200 series.
Sorry Defender 90/110, Jeep XJ/YJ/whatever else J, but you still take a distant place back to a 'yota 4Runner/Taco/Hilxux/PreRunner or proper Mtsu Pajero/Montero (I'll let you look up the slang for Pajero, and it's not SFW just FYI). A Nissan Patrol? Try as it might, or not try for that matter, you're relegated back with the Defenders, Broncos and Jeeps.
Yes Chevy, Ram and Ford we see you in the back. Stay there because that's where you belong. And I mean that seriously. I want you to make me a stupendous work truck, not some Moab or million mile legend.
I know what the slang means. Pajero Evo checking in.
Good choice of vehicle. But saying you know what the slang really is, are you leading me into the two guards parable?
I drive a Rav4 which I quite like (though it's not really a beater) though all of my coworkers drive much better cars than I do (software sales so the parking garage is filled with BMWs...)
No intention of buying anything nicer; your lifestyle is like a ratchet, it moves only in one direction, and if I upgrade to a Lexus I know there's no going back. I've managed to avoid lifestyle creep in this area long enough so I don't want that to change.
I still drive the car I bought from uni, it's got 400k+ mileage on it and everyday Im thankful that it still runs well.
What kind of car? Hoping to get mine to 300k+....did you put much money into it maintenance wise?
I always had beater cars as daily drivers, normally I rebuilt the engines/drive train and keep the interior in shape. Don't care too much about the outside except for the detailing I do myself.
other than that, the nicer rides are for events, weekends and vacation/road trips.
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