Winter beater

[careyk]

Well I ran it by my wife this morning that I would like to buy a winter beater for our frigid -30C, icy slushy, slippery, sandy roads in winter. I know it is only a PT but it is more than that to me. I would like to keep it stored in my garage in winter. I don't want to chance it and get rock chips, salt, etc...and risk a winter slippery accident. She was not for it this morning...However a man across the street from me is selling a 92 Toyota Corolla 4dr LE with 200000km...about 120000miles for 500$.....my wife knows this is a great deal and has given me the go ahead...we are just waiting to see if he will let my brother in law who is a mechanic check it out. He is the original owner. His daughter was driving it but she just got a silver Celica GT. I saw the Corolla parked in a space between 2 houses and left a note on his mailbox asking him to email me if it was for sale...I was surprised he only wants 500$ for it. It has a new battery, starter, 4 yr old tires etc.. From what I have seen these cars here are selling around 1000 to 2000$.....I hope everything works out for the best so my PT can hibernate thru our awful winters. Any opinions?

[ucantcme]

If the car runs, no major problems, why not!

$500 is really nothing to lose. It'll prolly be better on gas than the PT, lol.

[CREWZIN]

Sounds like a good plan. Will keep your PT out of winter weather. Now in my case, the PT IS the beater/daily driver to keep the Vette out of the winter/bad weather.

[bobs turbo pt]

go for it !!

[cleverklutz]

Watch for rust on that thing. I've had beater cars too, and they all get parked because of being rusted out. If AB is like MB, you need to have a safety inspection before you can get it on the road, if it's rusted out, no go. Make sure to jack it up and crawl around underneath to get a good look see. Poke at stuff with a screwdriver, it shouldn't go through the floor or frame anywhere!

Another suggestion is a good set of snow tires, preferably studded. I run Cooper Weathermaster ST/2's and they are great! My old Dynasty with those tires on would plow through 3 foot high snow drifts and be able to do 120km/h down glare ice with high winds!

Ben

[ucantcme]

Originally Posted by cleverklutz

Watch for rust on that thing. I've had beater cars too, and they all get parked because of being rusted out. If AB is like MB, you need to have a safety inspection before you can get it on the road, if it's rusted out, no go. Make sure to jack it up and crawl around underneath to get a good look see. Poke at stuff with a screwdriver, it shouldn't go through the floor or frame anywhere!

Another suggestion is a good set of snow tires, preferably studded. I run Cooper Weathermaster ST/2's and they are great! My old Dynasty with those tires on would plow through 3 foot high snow drifts and be able to do 120km/h down glare ice with high winds!

Ben

Ha....Now that's something I can't even think about doing!

[Hooligan]

Originally Posted by ucantcme

Ha....Now that's something I can't even think about doing!

Studded tires are not legal in Michigan.

[ptborder]

I bought a 90 Corolla, one owner, 225,000 miles. Looked and ran like new. Drove it about 8 months, headgasket went out. Prices at a garage ran almost 1,000 for a new head, valve job etc...so I sold it for 250. Then I checked on the internet, just for fun....found a japanese take out(less than 40,000 miles, something about their smog law over there), complete from flywheel to injectors, pulleys, exh. manifold....fits Corollas for about a gazillion years...$175 outright, 100 shipping from Cali. Sob....
With 120,000 a Toyota is just broke in. And if you do need a engine or a tranny....check the net.

[CruisnHskrJim]

That sounds like a good plan to me. I would do it in a heartbeat if I had a 3 car garage. Beaters don't always start well on real cold mornings in Nebraska.

Jim