Watched an episode of Jerry Seinfeld Driving in Cars with guest Alec Baldwin. The part that was interesting was their discussion about owning a venerable 'beater' -- they used a different term for it -- but basically this is a vehicle that you take care of, but really don't care about.
From my past, my fave all-time beater was a Ford Pinto. Yup, a good ol' fireball on wheels! It was a total mess -- leaked everywhere! Every door, window, hatch, etc just poured water at the slightest mist of rain. The doors would no longer open or close properly, so everything had to go in and out of the passenger door. Eventually it got so bad that I just left the passenger window open so I could climb in and out because none of the doors worked anymore.
The most valuable thing in the car was the battery.
It had strangely comfortable bucket seats, more pep than one would imagine, and occasionally could chirp the back tires! Woohoo!
Its best attribute was simply that I didn't give a flying fuck about this vehicle. It got serviced to the best of my mechanic's ability to keep this POS rust bucket running. So it would start, stop, go around corners and generally find another body part to toss off with utter disdain when it felt like it.
And that made it fun to drive.
No one -- absolutely no one -- ever tailgated me! Even asshats in lifted trucks kept their distance, demonstrating a modicum of self-preservation in an otherwise vacant skull.
I drove that thing with absolute abandon. It was a perfect car for drifting before drifting became a thing, and I entered more parking lots sideways than I did straight. Never had to question whether I'd fit in that parking spot because the doors didn't open anyways. If there was room to climb out the window that was room enough!
Door dings? Music to my ears. They just knocked more rust and redundant parts off the shitbox.
The end didn't come with a bang, but a whimper. I injured my back and climbing in and out the window was simply too much pain. I gave the car to someone who had a Pinto as well, to salvage whatever decent parts could be salvaged.
I still drive a beater of sorts. Newer, nicer, much safer and comfortable (doors that actually open and close are such a luxury!) it is still a vehicle that I always care for, but really don't care about. Even though I can afford to pay cash for a new Corvette, I don't know where I would drive it and definitely don't know where I'd park it!
What's your favourite ride?
From my past, my fave all-time beater was a Ford Pinto. Yup, a good ol' fireball on wheels! It was a total mess -- leaked everywhere! Every door, window, hatch, etc just poured water at the slightest mist of rain. The doors would no longer open or close properly, so everything had to go in and out of the passenger door. Eventually it got so bad that I just left the passenger window open so I could climb in and out because none of the doors worked anymore.
The most valuable thing in the car was the battery.
It had strangely comfortable bucket seats, more pep than one would imagine, and occasionally could chirp the back tires! Woohoo!
Its best attribute was simply that I didn't give a flying fuck about this vehicle. It got serviced to the best of my mechanic's ability to keep this POS rust bucket running. So it would start, stop, go around corners and generally find another body part to toss off with utter disdain when it felt like it.
And that made it fun to drive.
No one -- absolutely no one -- ever tailgated me! Even asshats in lifted trucks kept their distance, demonstrating a modicum of self-preservation in an otherwise vacant skull.
I drove that thing with absolute abandon. It was a perfect car for drifting before drifting became a thing, and I entered more parking lots sideways than I did straight. Never had to question whether I'd fit in that parking spot because the doors didn't open anyways. If there was room to climb out the window that was room enough!
Door dings? Music to my ears. They just knocked more rust and redundant parts off the shitbox.
The end didn't come with a bang, but a whimper. I injured my back and climbing in and out the window was simply too much pain. I gave the car to someone who had a Pinto as well, to salvage whatever decent parts could be salvaged.
I still drive a beater of sorts. Newer, nicer, much safer and comfortable (doors that actually open and close are such a luxury!) it is still a vehicle that I always care for, but really don't care about. Even though I can afford to pay cash for a new Corvette, I don't know where I would drive it and definitely don't know where I'd park it!
What's your favourite ride?
