Who has the oldest beater POLL

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I'll have to admit, identifying the biggest tightwad on Home Brew Talk based on 8 different categories with no way to quantify the results was a bigger challenge than I expected.

Since then, I have decided to create additional polls starting with the age of your transportation, allowing us to see quantitative results.

Lets start with the longest period of time you owned a car.

This car has to be your daily driver and not an extra car and you don't necessary have to own it now.


Me - 1988 Chevy Beretta. Drove it in the ground and finally sold it 9 years later.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE POLL.

 

[BamaProud]

1991 Chevy Silverado this picture was taken 2 years ago it . It died at somewhere just under a half million miles. I was traveling in South Alabama and it wasn't worth towing/trailering 500+ miles back home to fix it.

 

[dataz722]

I still drive a 94 Camry as long as it isn't too hot out since the AC is shot. I also have a 07 Trailblazer that I drive when I need air conditioning or to haul something/pull trailer.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

1991 Chevy Silverado this picture was taken 2 years ago it . It died at somewhere just under a half million miles. I was traveling in South Alabama and it wasn't worth towing/trailering 500+ miles back home to fix it.

Hey Bama, you should check out the biggest tightwad thread, I bet you would be able to contribute fairly easily. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f45/contest-tightwads-410978/

Anyone who drives a truck for over 20 years 500,000 miles likely still has the same pair of briefs from 1986.

 

[wailingguitar]

I think miles driven is more important than time you had the car... I mean, I used to have a '49 Plymouth that the original owner only put 72k miles on by the time he sold it in 2005. It didn't run like an old car, and it looked good inside (apart from a totally ruined headliner). Then I had a whole bunch of Volvos that saw 25-30k miles a year for years... one had 276k when I got rid of it... most of the others had passed 200k. Every one of those except one still ran when I sold it.

 

[BamaProud]

Hey Bama, you should check out the biggest tightwad thread, I bet you would be able to contribute fairly easily. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f45/contest-tightwads-410978/

Anyone who drives a truck for over 20 years 500,000 miles likely still has the same pair of briefs from 1986.

I will check it out...but I am not really that much of a tightwad (I bought a new one to drive home), I just loved that truck. After 300 or 400K I wanted to see how much I could get out of it.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Sold my '96 F150 in 2008. I did a junkyard/driveway conversion from 2WD to 4WD in 2002 and then put another 80K on it.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I think miles driven is more important than time you had the car... I mean, I used to have a '49 Plymouth that the original owner only put 72k miles on by the time he sold it in 2005. It didn't run like an old car, and it looked good inside (apart from a totally ruined headliner). Then I had a whole bunch of Volvos that saw 25-30k miles a year for years... one had 276k when I got rid of it... most of the others had passed 200k. Every one of those except one still ran when I sold it.

Being a '49, I doubt it was a daily driver.

Were looking for the guy who bought a used 1980 Honda civic in 1984 and still drives it to work every day.

 

[Yooper]

I had a 1990 suburban that ran great and never quit. Luckily, it was the exact color of duct tape so the rust holes were covered easily.

In 2009, our government had the famous "cash for clunkers" and I got rid of it for $4000 and bought a little car for $9700 with rebates and incentives.

I miss that vehicle. It ran great, seated 8, and didn't cost much at all to insure (for some reason the DMV classified it as a "station wagon").

It was only 19.5 years old, so it wasn't my oldest vehicle ever, but it was my favorite. The gas mileage, believe it or not, was 27 mpg!!!!! I would throw my canoe in it, tow a camper, and hit the road with my kids. It went everywhere and I still miss that big old bomber! Both my kids learned to drive on it, and if you can drive THAT, you can drive anything!

 

[wailingguitar]

Being a '49, I doubt it was a daily driver.

Were looking for the guy who bought a used 1980 Honda civic in 1984 and still drives it to work every day.

My point was that having a car for a long time was not as significant as how many miles you put on it while you had it. As for the '49, original owner was a country doctor around Aliceville, Alabama. It was the car that he took for his house calls for years. After he retired he and his wife pretty much just used it to drive the couple miles to church and back.

 

[stevo4361]

94 Chevy Sierra with 309k.

 

[LeBreton]

My daily driver is a '92 Volvo 240. ~270K. Odometer broke around 240K and only tracks about 1/2 the miles so mileage is an estimate.

 

[Jayhem]

I think miles driven is more important than time you had the car...

I have to disagree. Part of being a tightwad is not only keeping one car forever. It is putting as LITTLE MILEAGE on the car as possible, gas and maintenance cost money!

My daily driver is a 92 civic with 175,000 miles on it. I have had it since 2002.

 

[JohnSand]

You also have to consider the age of the car when purchased. I never bought one newer than 9 years old, nor a model later than 1987. My current is a 79 Cordoba, with only 88k (19k when I bought it). But I've owned a couple like it before this. I never quite got to 200k with any of my cars, but except this one, never paid over $1200.

 

[Frige]

I have had mine since high school. While I dont drive it everyday, it has gone though 3 drivetrains. Lord only knows how many miles are on the ol heap.

 

[Jayhem]

You also have to consider the age of the car when purchased. I never bought one newer than 9 years old, nor a model later than 1987. My current is a 79 Cordoba, with only 88k (19k when I bought it). But I've owned a couple like it before this. I never quite got to 200k with any of my cars, but except this one, never paid over $1200.

Those savings may be offset by the poor fuel economy of older cars with V8's. What does the Cordoba get, 15 mpg on a good day?

My first car was a 1989 Honda CRX HF and I got 65 mpg on the highway with that thing. Best tightwad car ever.

 

[Curtis2010]

I drive an 89 Jeep Cherokee, over 250K miles but its not a beater... rebuilt engine, rebuilt transmission, suspension and brakes all reworked...love my Jeep.

Dont recall exact year when I purchase, but would have been around 92 I think...so about 21 years...damn Im getting old!

Took it on a little road trip from Guatemala to Panama recently...great trip...plan to turn around and do it in the opposite direction in a few months.

Plan to spend some money on cosmetics and minor fixes after I get back to Guate...get it back to looking like the classic it is.

Im not a tightwad, but I do hate to waste money on depreciating assets though and cars are one of the worst cases. Ive only spent about $20K lifetime total purchasing cars for my personal use (thats over about a 30 year period)...more for SWMBOs of course...

 

[Hang Glider]

Drove an old 74 Chevy C10 for 2 odometer flips - it only went to 99,999
Drove a 79 Volvo for 200K+
Drove a 97 Dodge Stratus for 250K before I gave it to my niece in '05

Volkswagen bug was my first car, and I'm driving a Toyota Highlander (90K) and a Mini (40K) now, so only 6 cars in my 55 years...

 

[Whsoj]

1995 Toyota T100 4wd It Is a total loss truck 297,000 miles gets 17mpg
beat all to piss

 

[JohnSand]

Those savings may be offset by the poor fuel economy of older cars with V8's. What does the Cordoba get, 15 mpg on a good day?

My first car was a 1989 Honda CRX HF and I got 65 mpg on the highway with that thing. Best tightwad car ever.

Actually, because this was the 300LE, it gets only 12 mpg! Though my old 5th Avenues were much better. Lifetime, because of low purchase costs and home maintainance, I still get better mp$ than anyone I know. My first 12 cars combined cost less than my daughter's Mazda. That pays for a lot of gas.

 

[Jayhem]

Actually, because this was the 300LE, it gets only 12 mpg! Though my old 5th Avenues were much better. Lifetime, because of low purchase costs and home maintainance, I still get better mp$ than anyone I know. My first 12 cars combined cost less than my daughter's Mazda. That pays for a lot of gas.

Truth. Buying a new car is probably the worst financial decision you can make if you know how to work on cars yourself. Not much else depreciates by 50%+ in 5 years like a new car (especially domestic cars). Once the car is older it usually maintains value if well maintained.

 

[DromJohn]

My most hated car, a Chevy Citation, 1980-1990.
3 at 8 years, including the current ride, a Scion XB with no plans to retire.

 

[unionrdr]

My 1994 Ford Probe SE is 19 years old. It's a "tuner" now,but is still mostly stock appearing & in pretty good shape. 6 more years,& I can get "Historical Vehicle" plates. I like the way it looks & handles. Just need to replace 1 or 2 more sensors,& she'll be back to normal. It's got some 194K on the odometer,but doesn't look it.
http://[URL=http://s563.photobucket.com/user/unionrdr/media/PICT0009-1_zpsd2852031.jpg.html] [/URL]
*Ooopsie...make that 124K...

 

[wailingguitar]

The real winner, though he isn't a member here as far as I know is Irv Gordon. He has nearly 3 million miles on his one-owner, 1966 Volvo P1800. I wouldn't be surprised if he has done some home brewing, he is a retired science teacher.

http://www.vcoa.org/-resources/irv-o-meter

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

The real winner, though he isn't a member here as far as I know is Irv Gordon. He has nearly 3 million miles on his one-owner, 1966 Volvo P1800. I wouldn't be surprised if he has done some home brewing, he is a retired science teacher.

http://www.vcoa.org/-resources/irv-o-meter

Impressive.

One could drive 7 days a week, 10 hours a day at a steady 70 MPH and it would take nearly 12 years to drive 3 million miles..

 

[BamaProud]

Truth. Buying a new car is probably the worst financial decision you can make if you know how to work on cars yourself. Not much else depreciates by 50%+ in 5 years like a new car (especially domestic cars). Once the car is older it usually maintains value if well maintained.

True, unless you plan on driving it 15-20years...and it lasts 15-20 years with no major problems. I put every single mile (nearly 1/2 million) on the truck posted above and went over 15 years without a vehicle payment.

From that standpoint, the people that buy a new vehicle (New or used) ever 3-4 years are the one making the worst investment.

 

[whoaru99]

Current oldest is my 91 Z28 that has 47,xxx miles on it. Oldest "beater" is the 94 Chevy K1500 4WD Ext cab pickup with ~230K miles on it.

Prior to those was the 74 Monte Carlo I drove until the frame rotted, then transplanted the glory from that into a 81 Monte that I drove until that frame broke after launching over a rise in the road. Mileage? Dunno...the speedometer/odometer busted in both of them.

 

[Transamguy77]

I have a 92 Buick Roadmaster station wagon that i bought 9 years ago for $450 from the original owner with only 70k on it, it now has double that and has been all over the east cost for family visits, camping trips and a few routine paintball trips with my kids. I love it!

 

[JohnSand]

Current oldest is my 91 Z28 that has 47,xxx miles on it. Oldest "beater" is the 94 Chevy K1500 4WD Ext cab pickup with ~230K miles on it.

Prior to those was the 74 Monte Carlo I drove until the frame rotted, then transplanted the glory from that into a 81 Monte that I drove until that frame broke after launching over a rise in the road. Mileage? Dunno...the speedometer/odometer busted in both of them.

Love it!
I had a '78 Dodge Magnum with frame rot. Sagged a little, I ignored it until I opened the trunk and saw a leaf spring poking though. "What are you doing here?" It didn't answer. I bolted a 12x12 across the trunk floor, and bolted the spring to that. It broke the day I bought another car. (Perhaps a few months later)

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Looks like the results are in.

While Frige has owned his '53 for a long a$$ time, it unfortunately does not qualify because it wasn't a daily driver.

This leaves BamaProud, ChuckO, and Yooper

Bama says hes not much of a tight wad so it look like it comes down to ChuckO and Yoopers.