Winter is coming

"mcseanerson" (mcseanerson) 08/18/2014 at 12:15 • Filed to: None

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From the way people around here are talking we might see snow as early as September and I'm still on summer tires. This is my DD and I am debating if I should buy winter tires or a winter beater. My main concern is I think my main bearings might be going and I can't afford to replace and/or rebuild the motor until I get my tax return. Car still puts down good power and has been making this noise for a couple months and for all I know it could be typical BP lifter tick.

What say you oppo, Winter tires or Winter beater?

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Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:17

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You can't afford an engine rebuild but are entertaining the thought of purchasing another vehicle? With registration, tags, taxes (depending how much you like paying taxes...) and insurance? Just get some winter tires, mang.

macanamera > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:18

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I don't know about the noises your car is making, but I have driven a Miata on dedicated winter rubber in a few inches of snow, and it was incredible.

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 12:18

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Winter Beater. Emphasis on the beater. A winter beater would cost the same as winter tires.

No Prius Needed > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:19

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Get something like this http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/4567197746…

crowmolly > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:20

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Since you appear to be in VA winter rubber might be just fine. If you were in New England I'd say otherwise.

What makes you think you have bad main bearings? Oil pressure needle?

Desu-San-Desu > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:20

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Where do you live that you guys might be getting snow in a month? o.0

mcseanerson > macanamera 08/18/2014 at 12:21

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I'm sure it would be, I'm just concerned my engine might fail mid winter and I'd be out a ride. Push comes to shove my wife can drive me the roughly ten miles one way to work and drop me off in her Jeep if the Miata motor does die. One thing I'm considering with winter tires is buy them now and buy a beater car with 4x100 bolt pattern later.

mcseanerson > crowmolly 08/18/2014 at 12:23

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Also I am in Ohio, Previous owner took better pictures than I have so far. It's just noise so far that I'm worried about. My Miata doesn't have a real oil pressure gauge.

mcseanerson > Desu-San-Desu 08/18/2014 at 12:25

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Southern Ohio. Sounds nuts to me too but that's what people say is coming.

mcseanerson > No Prius Needed 08/18/2014 at 12:27

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That's not a beater. This is a beater.

Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:29

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I would avoid driving a car that cost $400, but that's just me. Granted, my winter "beater" is a 2005 Pilot...

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 12:31

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This would just be a work and back car. We have another vehicle my wife drives. If I bought a winter beater I'd probably fix it up just enough to be a halfway reliable DD and turn the Miata into a dedicated racer.

Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:33

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Steal the wife's car and drive it instead.

I had a 1988 Cherokee that I fixed up to DD comfortably. Springs, coils, shocks, injectors, plugs, plug wires, fluid flushes, clutch, etc. By the time I was done I had nearly double my initial purchase price into the shit box just so it was a reliable driver (this doesn't count the three headunits it managed to chew through). Save yourself the headache - sell the quesitonable Miata and use proceeds to buy better less questionable Miata with winter tires.

CAR_IS_MI > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:34

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Hrmm... It's 100* here today...

Winter tires seem to be less expensive than a winter beater, which means more money in your pocket for a hypothetical rebuild.

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 12:42

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Wife's car is a WJ Grand Cherokee. I don't really care for suvs on the highway in the winter. I'm fine with my Miata and I'd rather build it up whether that's a logical decision or not.

mcseanerson > CAR_IS_MI 08/18/2014 at 12:43

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I would spend about the same on either winter tires or winter beater.

CAR_IS_MI > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:45

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So thats either expensive tires or a really cheap beater... I still say tires.

mcseanerson > CAR_IS_MI 08/18/2014 at 12:46

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little bit of column a, little bit of column b.

thebigbossyboss > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:53

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"snow as early as September"....

Really? I've lived in Canada for 25+ years now...and I have been snowed on every month except June, July, and September.

jariten1781 > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:53

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Winter beater would still need winter tires! Probably new tires of some sort regardless.

Therefore I vote tires.

crowmolly > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:53

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Ah, gotcha.

I don't know if I'd fret it with a diagnosis based on noise only- although I haven't heard it.

Probably worth throwing a gauge on there (even temporarily duct taped to the dash) to see what it looks like.

FromCanadaWithLove > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 12:57

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I'd go with the tires. If you're Miata dies (it won't), you could always put the tires on a different car. If you get a beater, it will still need show tires. Trust me.

Also, top-down hooning in the snow is the best.

Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 13:11

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She has a WJ!? Definitely steal it and drive it!!!

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 13:21

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I hate the WJ in the winter, it catches the wind like a kite. Also got me sideways on an offramp I tried to baby braking into and it just wasn't having it.

mcseanerson > thebigbossyboss 08/18/2014 at 13:22

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Typically where I'm at we get ready for snow after thanksgiving but everybody is saying this winter is going to be intense.

mcseanerson > crowmolly 08/18/2014 at 13:23

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Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 13:24

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Ah. Guess I'm used to it from my old XJ. Still, I'd love a WJ haha.

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 13:27

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We have been having tons of problems with ours. Replaced the head gasket and the radiator and the cats appear to be done. Day after the head gasket was done the window regulator failed. The heater core has been going bad for some time and will need to be replaced before winter and she also needs new stock wheels and some decent tires. New hub assemblies and shocks wouldn't hurt either.

thebigbossyboss > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 13:41

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Are you still in Virginia? ...If you're down there....and I am up here....this doesn not bode well for me. I saw one tree by my house the leaves started to change already. Hell no!

mcseanerson > thebigbossyboss 08/18/2014 at 13:42

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Southern Ohio. Everyone says we're getting snow early this year and we are just south of the rust belt.

707Miata > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 13:48

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Depends on if your state salts your roads. I had originally planned to get snow tires for my miata, but after working on the underside of the car, I'd rather not have any more trouble removing bolts than I already do

thebigbossyboss > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 13:49

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Oh I see. Another harsh winter will be tough. Last year we had snow on the ground from about Nov 20th-April 14th or so. The river was frozen until April 9th.

We will see how we do this time. Our average temp in Jan is only 13 degrees F.

mcseanerson > 707Miata 08/18/2014 at 13:53

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I street park and already have rust. The benefit of owning a low buck Miata is you just don't sweat it that much.

CB > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 13:55

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Winter tires. Also, buy them and put them on as early as is appropriate.

Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 14:08

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Hubs and shocks are pretty easy from what I remember on my XJ (the WJ used similar drivetrain components). Window regulators are always a PITA. Radiator shouldn't be too bad, and I'd honestly just empty out the cat and put it back.

The thing is, unless you find a really nice example, any winter beater is going to be in the same condition as your WJ.

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 14:22

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Winter beater would be in place of the Miata. Wife still needs her WJ everyday.

Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 14:26

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Right - I got lost in conversation about wanting a WJ haha. Hmm. Definitely needs to be something FWD or AWD. May I suggest then an older Outback or Impreza wagon?

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 14:29

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I worry about one of those as a beater because those are interference motors and to do the timing belt you pretty much have to pull the motor. In my mind a beater is something that's lucky to get a walmart oil change.

Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 14:35

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Then you need something dead-simple. Pick up a Civic or (worse) an older XJ with the 4.0L.

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 14:38

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I don't like used Hondas or Toyotas because they're typically overpriced and the cheaper ones are usually not taken care of. An old Nissan would be perfect though.

Party-vi > mcseanerson 08/18/2014 at 14:47

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Maxima or Sentra would fit the bill nicely. I know that older Sentras get awesome gas mileage.

mcseanerson > Party-vi 08/18/2014 at 14:48

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Yeah I had a Pulsar with a 1.6 for my first car and it was awesome. Loved to rev and got great gas mileage. Basically the opposite of the 2.5 they make now.

707Miata > mcseanerson 08/19/2014 at 00:42

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This is true