The ideal cruising-the-beach car?

Good morning, all! I spent a lot of time at the beach Memorial Day weekend. Along those lines, what is the ideal cruising-the-beach car?

Something topless that you don't care to see rust away and can hop into with wet sandy clothes. So basically a beater Jeep or Miata.

Samurai. It doesn't sink in so easily, has a very basic electrical system and it rusts like it's been in salt water anyway.

Check the legality of beach cruising, it's illegal to drive on some beaches because you could single-handedly cause the extinction of a sea turtle species (seriously).

Gotta be a Jeep CJ or an ACVW-based dune buggy.

Clearly the answer has to be Miata.

ACVW 'vert.

Volvo PV444/445/544.

Klayfish wrote:

Yup, but a four seater so you can take more friends.

914Driver wrote:

I ask you: What kind of man would be seen in that thing?

Exactly!

bravenrace wrote: Yup, but a four seater so you can take more friends.

Easy!

Manxster 2+2. But really, I like the idea of the Fiat 500 Jolly posted above. Simple and classic.

GameboyRMH wrote: Samurai. It doesn't sink in so easily, has a very basic electrical system and it rusts like it's been in salt water anyway. Check the legality of beach cruising, it's illegal to drive on some beaches because you could single-handedly cause the extinction of a sea turtle species (seriously).

+1 on the Samurai. But an old Beetle is also a good choice, for similar reasons. Jeeps are kind of pricey down here because of demand from beachgoers. Isuzu Rodeo's a good alternative, if you can find one. Or a Geo Tracker.

Regarding legality, there are plenty of drive-on beaches here in Daytona Beach and in St. Augustine.

But in the end, the only thing that matters is that you don't care if it rusts. Which means "anything with decent ground clearance that you can get for $800" is the right answer.

I think I'd get a Ford Ranger.

http://daytona.craigslist.org/cto/3817951318.html

T.J. wrote:

beat me to it.

Yeah a Mini Moke would be awesome

plenty of beaches to drive on here in NJ too.. at least in the "off season". They tend to frown upon driving the beaches when there are tens of thousands of people laying on them like beached whales marinading in a broth of sunscreen, babyoil, and sweat.

Beat by 2 people for the Mini Moke? I like this forum.

Early 80's Cabby/Rabbit convertible

A VW Thing. Not quite as cool as a Moke, but I still want one.

1988RedT2 wrote:

914Driver wrote:

I ask you: What kind of man would be seen in that thing? Exactly!

I would drive it. It is old enough and vintage enough that it could be pink and still be considered cool.

Now if somebody did that to a modern 500, that would be a different story

Fiesta

Toyota Tacoma, like this one:

David

mad_machine wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote:

914Driver wrote:

I ask you: What kind of man would be seen in that thing? Exactly!

I would drive it. It is old enough and vintage enough that it could be pink and still be considered cool. Now if somebody did that to a modern 500, that would be a different story

Just to blow your minds.......

A Fiat Jolly sold at Amelia Island this Spring for over $100K

No, that isn't a misquote---- it outsold the beautiful flat floor E-Type that came on the block before it, which boggles the mind.

I would say an all around vehicle for beach cruising is a Jeep Wrangler. Or at least that's what I keep telling my wife so I can get one.