"cool" beach car suggestions

[vlocci]

HELP!

I'm in need of a car for my wife to leave at our beach house and am looking for suggestions. It will see less than 1K a year as it is a small island and we have my Defender 110 for hauling the family around. Needs to traverse a decently maintained mile long dirt road to and from the house. No manual trans as she simply doesn't want to deal with it. This is for running errands and into and out of town trips. Kinda-sorta reliable would be nice, but I'm happy to fix what breaks

Criteria:
-<12K purchase price
-Short wheelbase for easy parking
-automatic trans
-able to fit a pair of child seats in the back

A Jeep Wrangler fits all the criteria, but is pretty generic. I'm toying with increasing the ride height on a salvage title 996 C2 that has been in the back of my shop for a year as something cool but getting to the rear seats with kids seats is annoying.

Early bronco is out of my budget, and the land rover defender 90 market is equally hot and trucks at this price point are junk.

What am I overlooking that is not a boring appliance of a vehicle?

Vin

[stevej37]

[rcooled]

Yeah, it's just an appliance, but it fits your other criteria to a "T". And you'll never have to worry about your wife & kids being sidelined by one of these either...they're practically bulletproof. Plenty of 'em out there for sale too (2WD & 4WD), and the older ones are very DIY friendly.

[BeyGon]

I know a few people whose beach wagon is a Volkswagen Thing. I like them. They sure do.

[vlocci]

Forgot about them. Will start looking tonight

[dad911]

Things available in an automatic?

Chevy Tracker. We have one, leave the top off. a few grand, small, reliable.

[Bill Douglas]

Please quiz YellowPeril about the love of Toyota Yaris's. If not a Yaris, then an Echo (a bit smaller than a Yaris) or a Corolla. Anything fancier and you will end up walking due to reliability issues.

[vlocci]

Gents
I am asking you to spend my money on something less than practical and defined by being cool first and reliable second. I'm disappointed that the suggestions have included Chevy and Honda products. �� By extension we all should likely be driving Toyota's and not old 911's

Sunday evening was the wrong time to make such a request! Hopefully by irrational brethren will chime in tomorrow.

[Seahawk]

Late '80's Bronco II or a '90's 4Runner. Clean either one up and it is perfect.

[thamlin000]

Unique and classic: Jeep Wagoneer.

[Paul K]

As was mentioned on the Defender Source, I'd go with either a Range Rover Classic or a swb Gelandewagen. Or a Bronco...

[berettafan]

I thought bronco 2 as well.


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[berettafan]

But would go wrangler.


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[pavulon]

[Jim Richards]

https://worcester.craigslist.org/cto/5938496153.html

[dad911]

Well, the tracker is a rebadged suzuki....

Since you are considering a 996 c2..... How about an early Cayenne 'S' ?

[fastfredracing]

[vlocci]

That fantasy island car is so absolutely awesome I'm speechless. What exactly do I search for on bat?

[harvardma]

1965 ZAZ 965A Zaporozhets Boxborough, Massachusetts | AlphaCars

[72doug2,2S]

The American Icon, no question. If no auto, teach her. I'm thinking about one of these for my DD.