Impractical Daily

So, I had a 94 Grand Cherokee with 4.0L with a 5-speed tranny. I loved that thing but it was literally disintegrating around me from rust. Then I had kids and my wife forbid me from putting them in it. Probably for the best as I’m sure I shouldn’t have been in it either. Then I got a Forester XT 5mt. Did all the modding to it and it reached the point where I didn’t want to drive it everyday anymore so I sold it. Plus I’m just not a wagon person. Now 6 years later I’ve just been driving my boring as all get out Ridgeline. Comfortable, reliable and boring. Did I mention boring? Looking to get back into...something interesting. What are things others are putting up with as they drive what they want to drive? Live in AZ with no a/c? No powering steering because of..? Just curious. 

No A/C. No heat. No airbags. No radio. No power steering. No power brakes. 

The perfect daily driver IMO.

In reply to Nick Comstock :

Yeah that’d be nice. Are there side cars that hold 2 people?

The leather interior is so soft that I can't put car parts in the back seat without permanently damaging it, and the trunk is too small to carry much of anything, and I still don't have a trailer hitch.  Sigh.

In reply to Badtz :

I've seen them. Laws vary state to state but I believe each passenger has to have their own seat.

If I had to haul anyone else around besides myself though I don't think it would be on a bike. I'm comfortable taking my own life in my hands, don't think I want to be responsible for any other lives. It's way too easy to be removed from the population through no fault of your own on a bike. 

I put up with this because I am cheap.  It has awful nvh and mediocre A/C

I drove a beetle with no power brakes, power steering, ac, interior, or radio. Did have boost though. 

Edit*  and I did it through summer in St. George UT. About two.5 months straight >105*f

I drove an alfa Milano for several years with no HVAC at all, no radio, and no high beams, and low beams that we're almost useless. It was actually surprisingly reliable other than that though, I finally sold it because I didn't want to spend my Christmas break from college dropping the transaxle and splitting the case to replace the input shaft seal, and it was leaking bad enough it wasn't going to be drivable much longer. Now I'm driving a 1996 Subaru with 460k miles that the transmission is making really unpleasant noises (I did a bunch of work to it and it's in good shape otherwise but I can't find a used transmission that isn't either broken or completely worn out), and I'm working on a Mercedes 300sdl I bought for $880 a couple months ago.

I was commuting an hour each way to a very well paying job in a Hyundai Pony with no radio, and no heat, through the winter. I realized I was being stupid because I could have been driving pretty much anything I wanted. So I scrapped it and treated myself to a well used contractors special 86 S10 4cyl 4spd manual. At least it had heat.

No A/C (yet), interior is half finished, and it's more of an inconvenient hatchback than a wagon.  Hipsters make uninterrupted travel in the city difficult. 

Normally spend my summers in a 78 zephyr wagon. Factory non a.c.  car, no carpet or sound deadener. 3.08 gears and a 3 speed auto means 55 is about the top comfortable cruising speed for the old i6. 

In the winter I drive beaters that cost me less then 1k all In. Currently an obnoxiously loud 2.3 automatic ranger. Has heat and starts every day but rides like hell.

I drove daily cars without A/C (one with a black vinyl interior and roof) and various other discomforts ~25 years ago. Reading this thread now makes me feel like an old, spoiled, lazy wuss.

Cooter said:

 

No A/C (yet), interior is half finished, and it's more of an inconvenient hatchback than a wagon.  Hipsters make uninterrupted travel in the city difficult. 

 

You are the wind beneath my wings.

I’ve daily driven a E30 with rollbar, J-stock suspension, and no a/c for a while. I’ve had more than one daily without fairly basic amenities, like a/c, radio, cruise control, and windows that roll down when you want them to.

Its fine as long as you’re alone most of the time. Tough to get passengers to go along with it. 

dropstep said:

Normally spend my summers in a 78 zephyr wagon. Factory non a.c.  car, no carpet or sound deadener. 3.08 gears and a 3 speed auto means 55 is about the top comfortable cruising speed for the old i6. 

In the winter I drive beaters that cost me less then 1k all In. Currently an obnoxiously loud 2.3 automatic ranger. Has heat and starts every day but rides like hell.

If you ever want to get rid of the zephyr let me know. There is a back story to it but it is long and sappy. The short of it is I have been looking for one for a really long time. 

It kind of has AC at least it has airbags. I find that rain is the real problem with a daily. So out here in California you can use almost anything as long as it does not leak to bad if you can stand the heat.

I used this for almost a year as long as there was no rain and was fine.

I daily drove a Europa TCS.  You want to talk adventure and not one single boring mile.  Uh... Keep the Honduh, you know, for backup.

Drive  first gen 4Runner with 450,000 mi on it. It's not fast, but treat it right, and you'll never loose any money on it. Survivors getting rarer. People dig them. My 4Runner has spent more time off road than most trucks have existing at all. 

Miata for a couple of years.

64 el Camino 

70 duster

6/8 s10

5/7 Silverado 

I miss boring. So im trying to get an e39 wagon.....

ProDarwin said:

I put up with this because I am cheap.  It has awful nvh and mediocre A/C

I knew you rocked a Saturn, but Daaaaaaamn, that thing is hot. Well done.

Edit, that's also my favorite color.

In reply to Badtz :

I drove Suzuki Samurais for years. I’m 6’-3” and 250. The Samurais all received SPOA lifts and 33” Super Swampers that were LOUD and vibrated at low speeds. I could reach down and back and touch the rear passenger tire while driving. I drove 3 seasons without doors and just a bikini top if it rained. No a/c and at times I’d have to wipe the frost or ice off the fiberglass racing seats with the thinnest padding ever. Had a factory AM/FM cassette when everyone had iPod connectivity and had to just bundle us until winter made me put the top back on. I did this for years with zero complaints.

The point is, I LOVED being in those Samurais. I loved to just drive wherever, highway, back roads, city. just buy something you love

Get something you love to drive and make it work.

dean1484 said:

dropstep said:

Normally spend my summers in a 78 zephyr wagon. Factory non a.c.  car, no carpet or sound deadener. 3.08 gears and a 3 speed auto means 55 is about the top comfortable cruising speed for the old i6. 

In the winter I drive beaters that cost me less then 1k all In. Currently an obnoxiously loud 2.3 automatic ranger. Has heat and starts every day but rides like hell.

If you ever want to get rid of the zephyr let me know. There is a back story to it but it is long and sappy. The short of it is I have been looking for one for a really long time. 

I've passed on 2 others. Any certain year or color your looking for? Mine was a gift from my wife so I plan to die with it but friends occasionally send me links too others. Sentimental value alone would kill ever selling mine. 

I used to DD my XP autocross car nack when that was my only choice. Glad I dont have to anymore.

Thanks everyone. I will definitely be keeping the  Honda for weekend family purposes but there’s just too good of cars out there not to have one. My biggest thing will be keeping the kids happy and safe but still enjoy it. 

I've been daily driving a convertible '97 Mustang GT. It's an auto car with working AC though. So not actually that bad. Driver's window is a bit broken and doesn't roll down or do a good job of keeping water out. Wind noise above 70 with the top up is pretty bad but I'm used to it now.