Daily Beater - $5k or less

[Joe G]

Hello fellow e30 degenerates. I don’t think I’ve been on r3v in a few years…but since I need advice on a quasi-frivolous car purchase, I knew where I needed to go for the right input. I’m looking for a daily knock around car that is reliable, relatively cheap to maintain and can haul dogs, handle Home Depot/plant store runs, etc. Been thinking Jeep Cherokee (90s), Ford Ranger-esk trucks or various wagons, and want to keep it under $5k. I daily a 997 and drive that 70% of the year, barring ice/snow/salt being on the road, and the new beater will likely never do more than 50-100miles of driving in a single go, for whatever that’s worth. I really want to stay away from carbureted stuff bc winter and yeah. AWD is preferred, but not mandatory. Do your thing, r3v. Help me buy something silly.

[roguetoaster]

Get a Highlander with typical broken A/C and ride that until prices improve. It's not a bad vehicle and you can pretty much neglect it forever.

[2mAn]

Get a CRV with the K24 bruh...

[rcsoundn1]

here for the replies, but I just need a cheap reliable DD, im in the south so no 4WD for me.

[AWDBOB]

AMC eagle with a quick and dirty microsquirt conversion, what could go wrong?

Serious answer....... CRV like 2man said. My sis took a CRV over 300k with frequent trips from west to east coast. She purchased a newer CRV and left the old one to my brother, who has now been its steward to well over 350k, still on original motor. Reliable, cheap, affordable.

[Joe G]

CRV and Highlanders have been looked at…but since I’m a moron I’m going to checkout a Benz W124 wagon, and bonus it is the AWD variant. $3500, supposedly a strong runner with no rust. If it’s a bust, I’ll go CRV or Yota.

[Ritzace]

+1 for a crv, I got the family crv that just hit 200k and we've had it since new (2004). K24, stick, if you can find one, AWD, AND the first two generations have a fold out table in the back!

[varg]

In for results. $5k or less for a car that isn't falling apart is a tall order in today's market and I'm curious to see what comes through. I'm not the one for answers on this, I'm an idiot who is building a big turbo E34 wagon with as a DD.

[82eye]

Get a CRV with the K24 bruh...

there's an even cheaper sketchy one here that sorta qualifies ...











already presented in winter beater duty with the "craced windshield" mod conveniently completed, so you don't have to cringe when it inevitably happens.


edit : i actually want it. i would winter beater and daily that crapcan til the mirrors fell off.

[82eye]

CRV and Highlanders have been looked at…but since I’m a moron I’m going to checkout a Benz W124 wagon, and bonus it is the AWD variant. $3500, supposedly a strong runner with no rust. If it’s a bust, I’ll go CRV or Yota.

also a good choice.oddly the benz would be the only one here not getting a market brand hike in value.

most wanna just drive it like an appliance. the benz suffers the resale value cause they actually need decent regular maintenance. i'd get the wagon over the crv too. hell i'd get any decent wagon over the crv.

[packratbimmer]

Toyota sequoia 4.7 V8 - pretty much the same as 1st Gen tundra except for coils in the back. 6,500 towing 2WD and a little lower for 4WD. Best deal in the USA with reliability.

[Joe G]

So I did this. $3500 NO RUST ~150k miles (broken odo, duh) -trans solenoid is bad, shifts like poop at the wrong times -needs front drive shaft flex disk to reinstall front driveshaft to get AWD back in action (allegedly) -blower motor is shot -seats don’t work (prob fuses?) -sunroof tilts, but doesn’t go back well at all -leaks some oil -speakers decide which ones wants to work and when But so far it’s fantastic. I missed silly old beaters.

[2mAn]

Excellent!

I expect a thread with all the joys of fixing an old neglected Benz wagon

[Northern]

AMC eagle with a quick and dirty microsquirt conversion, what could go wrong?

I think I get this reference...

I guess I'm too late, but +1 for the CRV for the logical choice. I'd say Rav4 but I think the resale holds too well so you'd be pitting it against a newer CRV.
I would personally look for an E91 w/ sport package but the 300E (?) is great as well.

[eLKuRLy]

What do you mean by "Cheap to maintain?" Are you doing maintenance or dropping at a shop?

I have been looking at both Honda's and Toyota's as well and keep in mind the cost and time (if DIY) as some have timing belts and others timing chain.

https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/honda-use-timing-belts-or-chains/

https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/toyota-timing-belt-or-chain/