Daily Driver? or "I paid for the car might as well drive it!"
12-11-11, 10:24 PM
#46
Having a daily driver is good. When I had only one car, I used to daily drive my NSX. I enjoy driving is so I didn't care how many miles were being put on it. I even used to park it on the street at times at work. I have insurance so whatever happens, happens. That said, I bought a used 2001 Camry with nearly 100K miles on it. This car I don't care what happens to it at all. The plus side is now that the Camry is my primary car under my insurance, the NSX moved to pleasure/weekend car and thus the fact I only have liability on my Camry my total insurance cost is actually slightly less than when I had the NSX only. Multi-car discount and the fact that the premium for the NSX dropped a lot due to it now becoming the weekend car is responsible for that.
However, I still drive my NSX to work and try and drive it at least 2-3X a week. So I think if you continue to drive the IS-F a few times a week, then use the beater the rest of the time you get the best of both worlds.
However, I still drive my NSX to work and try and drive it at least 2-3X a week. So I think if you continue to drive the IS-F a few times a week, then use the beater the rest of the time you get the best of both worlds.
12-12-11, 02:15 PM
#47
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Do you know it's going to be really difficult to find a reliable beater for $1500 dollars, don't you?
You also have to pay for insurance, and maintenance can get rather expensive on a car in that price range. If you can afford to drive your car do it, if not, maybe you should sell it, and get a more practical car.
You also have to pay for insurance, and maintenance can get rather expensive on a car in that price range. If you can afford to drive your car do it, if not, maybe you should sell it, and get a more practical car.
I live in Arkansas, cheap cars are a dime a dozen here. We have an extremely large retirement community about 45mins away from the city where there are a TON of low mileage, one owner cars that are sold through estate sales (sounds terrible I know, but its a gold mine). Insurance is no biggie... we have such a HUGE policy with our toys that it will be less than $25/month for a little car. Not worried about maintenance either with a Honda/Toyota. Parts are so cheap and between me, the bf and my brother we've all rebuilt/repaired just about anything.
Affording my F isn't the problem at all... I want to keep it in best possible condition for Rally's or whatever else I want to use it for. She just doesn't deserve the daily beatings she's currently subjected too.
But... It's official, we're selling the 94 Blazer we have and going to buy something more practical for a beater. Anyone want a Blazer?
12-13-11, 10:39 AM
#48
Pole Position
My fully built and modded SC was retired to night and weekend usage in order to preserve it. I only take it places where I know that I can park it in a safe place.
So I got a DD, but not a beater. First one was a Mini Cooper S, second was a VW GTI. Both brand new. Both Modded! Double your pleasure, double your fun.
Both excellent choices. Since they are both very different from the SC, it's always a fresh and new experience when you get into one from just driving the other.
I drive the SC almost daily still but not to work or malls, or through traffic. The DD's are more comfortable and most importantly, REPLACEABLE.
The SC is not.
So grey area indeed. You do what feels best for you. For me, I like my comfy dailies. They are fast, fun, and the peace of mind of not subjecting the SC to certain abuse is very appealing to me.
I consider the DD as a supporting mod to the SC. Some mods make your car faster while a DD is a mod to make your car last longer.
So I got a DD, but not a beater. First one was a Mini Cooper S, second was a VW GTI. Both brand new. Both Modded! Double your pleasure, double your fun.
Both excellent choices. Since they are both very different from the SC, it's always a fresh and new experience when you get into one from just driving the other.
I drive the SC almost daily still but not to work or malls, or through traffic. The DD's are more comfortable and most importantly, REPLACEABLE.
The SC is not.
So grey area indeed. You do what feels best for you. For me, I like my comfy dailies. They are fast, fun, and the peace of mind of not subjecting the SC to certain abuse is very appealing to me.
I consider the DD as a supporting mod to the SC. Some mods make your car faster while a DD is a mod to make your car last longer.
12-13-11, 01:00 PM
#49
If it weren't for my dog going with me EVERYWHERE... and that is not debatable, I wouldn't mind driving my F everywhere. Living in the South we don't see snow a whole lot but with the slightest bit they throw gravel/salt down everywhere. So it's just those few times where the weather is terrible or when friends want to take my car somewhere (and there's dog hair in the back seat) that I really wish I had a Daily to do all the "dirty work". The Boyfriend has a H2 that the dog can't get in and a GTR that NOTHING is allowed in. LOL... so we are looking really for a Daily for all purposes.
Scott hands me note that has directions to "VINYL WARS".
See the whole video of me and Scotts meeting at this link http://www.anyclip.com/movies/the-fa...ous/i-want-in/
12-14-11, 07:04 PM
#52
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If I had a sports sedan, it would be an everyday driver. If I had an attractive sports car (I do), I would not want to use it to commute because of the wear and tear sitting in traffic.
So after a year of DD-ing my 2-seater, I finally got a beater (relatively speaking) to commute with.
So after a year of DD-ing my 2-seater, I finally got a beater (relatively speaking) to commute with.
12-16-11, 11:21 AM
#53
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I could NEVER drive a 2 seater or even a 2 door everyday. My is300 was the first 4 door I had ever owned and I haven't looked back since! I enjoy my F being a really fast grocery getter
12-16-11, 07:59 PM
#54
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My take: Cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed, not purely oogled with your eyes....
But, I have 3 cars, for both functional and lazy reasons.
See, I live in an area of they country that gets snow (Northeast).
So I have one vehicle for pure utility and snow days (early 90's Ford pickup). Then, I have a 'rainy day' car, for days that there's even a threat of rain (grey 2000 Lexus ES300).
And then I have a car I drive every day that there's no threat of precipitation, my 2001 GS430 that basically looks damn-near showroom clean. Why? I never have to really clean it. I just dust it off. I HATE cleaning my car, because I am completely **** about it....so I can't just clean it, it's always a complete detailing of the car. So to minimize hours of detailing, I just never drive it in the rain. I just take the ES.
Every time I drive my GS, it's always an event. It's always crystal clean, I always feel 'special' driving it....and I get constant comments about the car's appearance, especially once I declare the age and miles (a 2001 with 225,000+ miles!). About once every 4 months, I get caught in an unexpected rain shower, or because I'm out of town and don't have my "spare" vehicles, the GS will get rained upon. The first opportunity on the next sunny day, it gets detailed. So basically, I clean my GS about 3 times/year. At all other times, I'm just maintaining it's already clean appearance by wiping off dust, or cleaning off bugs in the summer. In Maryland, we get many more sunny days than rainy, so my Lexus gets driven A LOT.
This is about as dirty as my car gets, and I drive it A LOT:
But, I have 3 cars, for both functional and lazy reasons.
See, I live in an area of they country that gets snow (Northeast).
So I have one vehicle for pure utility and snow days (early 90's Ford pickup). Then, I have a 'rainy day' car, for days that there's even a threat of rain (grey 2000 Lexus ES300).
And then I have a car I drive every day that there's no threat of precipitation, my 2001 GS430 that basically looks damn-near showroom clean. Why? I never have to really clean it. I just dust it off. I HATE cleaning my car, because I am completely **** about it....so I can't just clean it, it's always a complete detailing of the car. So to minimize hours of detailing, I just never drive it in the rain. I just take the ES.
Every time I drive my GS, it's always an event. It's always crystal clean, I always feel 'special' driving it....and I get constant comments about the car's appearance, especially once I declare the age and miles (a 2001 with 225,000+ miles!). About once every 4 months, I get caught in an unexpected rain shower, or because I'm out of town and don't have my "spare" vehicles, the GS will get rained upon. The first opportunity on the next sunny day, it gets detailed. So basically, I clean my GS about 3 times/year. At all other times, I'm just maintaining it's already clean appearance by wiping off dust, or cleaning off bugs in the summer. In Maryland, we get many more sunny days than rainy, so my Lexus gets driven A LOT.
This is about as dirty as my car gets, and I drive it A LOT:
12-18-11, 02:13 AM
#55
I think it's a gray area. If your commute is 10 miles on the freeway with no traffic, and you park in a nice place for work, then sure, why not drive it all the time. But say for example like me, driving 80 miles round trip in the traffic per day, then parking in a pollen-infested open parking lot, then it's a totally different story.
I've always had a beater. I like the idea of having a car for getting from A to B, and another one for pure enjoyment:
1. You can take it everywhere and no one will mess with it
2. You can sit in traffic and have decent gas mileage
3. You can commute in peace and not worry about hitting road debris or slamming your 4k rims into a pothole
4. You can park it anywhere and squeeze into tight spots, and not sweat it if it gets hit or dinged
5. You don't have cops finding a reason to pull you over
You see, after a long day of work, all I want to do is to get home. The last thing I want to do is to worry about all of that stuff ruining my toy. Sitting in an IS-F going 2mph amongst anxious and angry drivers is not enjoyable. What makes me happy is that I have a beater doing all the commute dirty work, so I get to use the IS-F when I'm running errands and going out for a drive during the weekends, when the purpose of driving is to enjoy driving itself, and not trying to get from A to B.
And who says a beater has to be a piece of junk? All my beaters have comfy and immaculate interiors, but the exterior is intentionally crap so it doesn't draw any attention. The wifey bugs me because my beater is so filthy on the outside, but it's by design. And also I'm able to focus more time to cleaning my toy instead.
Lastly, if you need to show off that you have a nice car on your commute, then I question whether you're a true enthusiast.
I've always had a beater. I like the idea of having a car for getting from A to B, and another one for pure enjoyment:
1. You can take it everywhere and no one will mess with it
2. You can sit in traffic and have decent gas mileage
3. You can commute in peace and not worry about hitting road debris or slamming your 4k rims into a pothole
4. You can park it anywhere and squeeze into tight spots, and not sweat it if it gets hit or dinged
5. You don't have cops finding a reason to pull you over
You see, after a long day of work, all I want to do is to get home. The last thing I want to do is to worry about all of that stuff ruining my toy. Sitting in an IS-F going 2mph amongst anxious and angry drivers is not enjoyable. What makes me happy is that I have a beater doing all the commute dirty work, so I get to use the IS-F when I'm running errands and going out for a drive during the weekends, when the purpose of driving is to enjoy driving itself, and not trying to get from A to B.
And who says a beater has to be a piece of junk? All my beaters have comfy and immaculate interiors, but the exterior is intentionally crap so it doesn't draw any attention. The wifey bugs me because my beater is so filthy on the outside, but it's by design. And also I'm able to focus more time to cleaning my toy instead.
Lastly, if you need to show off that you have a nice car on your commute, then I question whether you're a true enthusiast.
In OP's case she has a dog, so I'd say go for a DD - would hate to see the IS-F's seats get chewed on and heaven forbid it poops all over it.
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