New car prices are rising higher and higher each year. It’s no surprise that many people now have their eye out for a good bargain on a set of wheels. If you want to buy a car with as much bang for your buck as possible, it might be worth looking at the beater cars available near you.
Beater Car Meaning
So what’s a beater car exactly? A beater car is a cheap, reliable car that isn’t the best looking of the bunch. There’s no strict definition saying what exactly a beater car is. Beater cars range from sporty coupes to trucks to hatchbacks. They come in various shapes and sizes. Ultimately, it’s what’s inside that matters. Beater cars have solid drivetrains and are mechanically sound. The same can’t often be said about their cosmetics, however. A beater car’s more humble appearance often pairs with a high mileage count to bring its price down to a very budget-friendly number. In the end, that price is precisely what makes a beater car desirable.
Beater Car Benefits and Drawbacks
As you can imagine, there are a few benefits and respective drawbacks to purchasing a beater car yourself.
Benefits
A beater car’s price is its biggest benefit, followed closely by its reliability. Spare parts ought to be easy to come by as well. Beater cars get the job done and can get you from point A to point B with little fuss, making them great daily drivers.
Drawbacks
When you purchase a beater car, you need to be ready to have it repaired. It won’t be in its best condition, hence the name. In addition, it might come with its own range of mechanical problems that you’ll need to have fixed before you drive it. Those issues will plague you later on down the line too if you don’t check for and repair them right away. Finally, you can’t expect to resell your beater car for much money down the road.
Best Beater Cars
The best beater cars list is forever changing as the years roll by. In general, if you’re looking for a good, compact beater car, some good options are the Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic. The mid-sized Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat, and Honda Accord are also good if you’re itching for a bit more room. For even more space, you can purchase beater cars like the Nissan Maxima and Chevy Impala.
You can always do research on the longest-lasting cars on the market if you want an updated list of the best beater car models to go out and buy. Just remember, when trying to find a good beater car, you’re looking for reliability and affordability, not appearance.
Beater Car Prices
Speaking of affordability, how much should you expect to pay for a decent beater car? You can likely nab yourself your own beater car for around $2,000 to $8,000.
Buying a Beater Car
Don’t let the price get the better of you, though. Remember, you want a cheap, good car, not just a cheap car. You might need to search high and low for a good beater car, starting at junkyards and online marketplaces. It gets especially tricky if you’re looking for a beater car with no current issues. Here are some steps you can take when looking for a good beater car:
Check the VIN
Start by checking the car’s VIN. By doing this, you can find out if the car’s been through anything catastrophic like a major fender bender or a flood. While cars with these types of history can still be fixed, it can be difficult to identify if the car’s been repaired properly. If you aren’t an experienced mechanic, it’s best to avoid cars with difficult histories.
Examine History Report
Speaking of history, it’s best to also check the car’s history report, which you can get after you search its VIN. The history report can confirm whether the vehicle’s been through regular maintenance. Regular maintenance is the key to a reliable beater car, and you always try to get one with a good maintenance history. Otherwise, you might end up paying more to repair the vehicle than how much you paid to buy the vehicle.
Test Drive the Car
Even when everything on paper looks good, be sure to test drive the beater car. Issues might arise that aren’t recorded in the vehicle’s history report. Experience driving the car yourself before writing that final check.
Beater Car Maintenance
Remember that maintaining your beater car is essential for keeping it running properly. No matter how good it was when you bought it, the car will break down without proper care. Here’s what you should prioritize:
Critical Components
The car’s braking system, steering system, tires, and mirrors should be your top priority. Basically, spend your money fixing anything in the car that could make you lose control when it fails.
Engine-Related Parts
If your beater car’s engine or its connected systems fail, it can leave you stranded. While this isn’t as immediately life-threatening as losing control of your vehicle entirely, it can still cause trouble. This is especially if you’re out in a dangerous part of town or on a long stretch of uninhabited road. Radiator hoses, fuel lines, timing and accessory belts, and constant velocity (CV) joints and fans are all engine-related parts you need to keep an eye on and maintain.
Other Maintenance Tasks
Finally, there are the maintenance tasks that will keep your beater car running for as long as possible. These include oil changes, transmission fluid changes, and coolant top-ups. While these are still important to track, if you had to make a choice on what to prioritize, this set of maintenance tasks falls behind the critical components and engine-related parts in terms of urgency.
Beater Car Uses
There are a few reasons you might want to buy a beater car. The most obvious of these reasons is that you need a car for your daily commute and are looking for one that isn’t too expensive. Beater cars make for excellent daily drivers.
Next, you might be looking for a project car, something with easy-to-find parts that you can start your auto repair journey with. Alternatively, maybe you need it for parts and plan to strip it down.
Finally, if you’re looking for an off-road or track vehicle that you basically “beat up,” a beater car is a good buy.
Whatever your reason for buying a beater car, remember to keep our beater car buying tips in mind. While they don’t cost much, you still don’t want to be cheated when buying one. A good beater car will serve you well. A bad beater car will make you wish you’d bought something prettier instead.
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