Winter Beater Picture Thread

It's the season for winter beaters, so lets see what you have!

If you can reply with:

Make/Model

Mods/Winter Mods

What gear you carry

How you came to own said beater and how you like it

Florida boys open thread, smile, then leave. 

In reply to Stampie :

Yup.  I washed my truck today.  It was hot.

Same as my summer beater... 

I drive all my cars in the winter (though the Porsche only when its nice). Actually the e30 rally car sits on snow tires all winter though under a cover and I'm usually too lazy to drive it in our occasional weak snowstorms. 

So....winter beater? Same daily driver (2018 GTI w/LSD and all-seasons), and I usually drive the Sequioa on the weekends. I don't carry any special equipment unless there's snow on the road and then I'll throw a shovel and some other cold-weather stuff in the back (it's pre-packed in a bin). 

Honestly, modern cars seem to be much better rust-proofed than old stuff - so unless you live in a serious winter/salt/rust zone like up North, there's really no reason to have a winter beater. My 2009 WRX went 180k over 10 years in plenty of winter weather, rarely washed, and never had any rust issues. 

No pictures but I have a 1988 BMW 325iX.  Why?  It's all wheel drive.  This is the 3rd iX I've owned; the first one was pretty beat and rusty when I got it, and it finally just wore out.  The second was nearly mint, but it got totaled by someone running a stop sign.  This one is the best of the bunch - low miles for its age (~120k ) and it spent most of its life in Georgia so it's pretty much rust free.  Never had to use them but I have a set of jumper cables and a tire inflator in the trunk.

2001 Neon RT 

Winter mods: Snow tires, oil pan heater, oil coated and wd40 wheel wells. 

Mods: gutted cat, custom axle back, heated seats, mopar sts, few comfort mods

Carry: tools, common failed sensors, coolant, oil, floor jack, full size spare. 

Same as for other seasons. 15 Nissan Versa Note.

Not exactly a winter beater, but it does sort of get used that way from time to time. Very capable so far, and fairly entertaining. 1989 Saab 900S. Studded snows, Fluid Film around the wheel arches and suspension mounting points, tool roll, gloves.

96 Buick Offroad Master

Mods: Lift and big ol tire. 

Tools and gear: Ice scraper, extra jacket, insulated bib overalls, extra fluids, basic hand tools, tow strap, sleeping bag.

Like it?: Love it! This beast is a total hoot.

All year driver: 94 Mazda B4000.
Mods:  A magic button on the dash that engages a mystical 4-wheel-drivealator
Good A/T tires

Since this photo I have upgraded to 16" wheels from a later Ranger and a lumber rack.

In reply to Zachary :

That's awesome

Stampie said:

Florida boys open thread, smile, then leave. 

Sort of? I still own my last winter beater. 1993 Corolla I bought outside of Baltimore off of another grmer and drove it for one mn winter before moving south. I carried a snow brush and my cell phone. 

1996, 4.0, AX15, NP231, Cooper Evo Studded

3 years

33000 miles

5 cross country journeys

90 ford ranger. 2.3l 2wd with an autotragic. Had to go way back too even find a picture of it. 400 dollar truck with some new parts on it. Only thing close too a mod is side exit exhaust and 15 inch explorer wheels to make used tires easier to find. 235/75r15 discovery at2s for rear tires so it pretends to move in the snow 

if we actually get snow or sleet i will drive my 99 Land cruiser with 430,000 miles.  Has 285/75r16 General Grabber X3  M/T's  otherwise its stock. 

Any other time I will be driving the N on its P-Zeros... 

Picture from Thursday. '04 Sentra with VQ35 swap, stock gearset and helical LSD in a Maxima housing. Heated seats, remote start, hankook winter's.

Actually not the greatest car in winter, too much weight and torque for the 205s I think.

far left, 2001 Sonoma RWD, posi, winter tires, about 250 lbs in bed.

Stampie said:

Florida boys open thread, smile, then leave. 

As a recent transplant I will agree but with a picture to rub it in 

Winter is not what you want a beater for.  Freezing to death because your car is a POS and died in the middle of nowhere sucks.

I'm also not rich enough to buy a new $2k beater every year just to throw it away, and a "beater" is something that isn't gonna last very long.

In reply to Knurled. :

My 1k (5 years 120k ago) beater has never left me stranded. 

Professor_Brap said:

In reply to Knurled. :

My 1k (5 years 120k ago) beater has never left me stranded. 

Would it pass emissions?  The floor for cars that do seems to be about $2k.

Knurled. said:

Professor_Brap said:

In reply to Knurled. :

My 1k (5 years 120k ago) beater has never left me stranded. 

Would it pass emissions?  The floor for cars that do seems to be about $2k.

Until you brought up emissions I was also confused. I have about 800 invested in the ranger and this is my 3rd winter driving it daily and it always gets me too and from work. Zero percent chance on emissions though. Iac disconnected with the idle set manually and the guy who was going to scrap it cut out the valueable part of the exhaust! 

Knurled. said:

Winter is not what you want a beater for.  Freezing to death because your car is a POS and died in the middle of nowhere sucks.

 

I'm also not rich enough to buy a new $2k beater every year just to throw it away, and a "beater" is something that isn't gonna last very long.

Bet you're fun at parties.