what do you need in your daily driver?

So I'm getting to get started on my ole truck and while I'm still a ways out, I'd like to know what things in a daily driver are important? What are those little things that make your car work right for you? I know the obvious like brakes, tires and so on, but what are those little things that you can not live without? For some it's a radio. For others it a certain steering wheel. So what ya got? If you got pics show'em. Thanks.

 

I need a roof rack, good mileage , reliability, a bed capable of hauling 4x8 sheetgoods, a heater , trailer hitch, and some kind of basic cupholder. I've used this as my daily for 25 years since I bought it new.
I just bought a new truck but It doesnt suit me well. Glad I didnt sell the old one.

 

A manual transmission, Cupholder, radio with aux input (cassete adapter is what I usually run). A 3 spoke wheel a few inches smaller than OE. Trailer hauling gear if a truck, as well as a instrument panel that is easy to see.

 

For me, I need good heat, decent wipers, a decent stereo, and I need to be able to comfortably cruise at 75 mph and get at least 20 mpg. Unfortunately, that precludes my old cars as dailies at the moment due the the milage and speed requirement, but I'm hoping a T5 conversion in the ear future will solve that.

 

auto lamps, speed control, heated seats, ac, cd player, cup holder, 4x4, delay wipers. i dont believe i could daily drive an older vehicle. i've spoiled myself by working at a new car dealer and getting a new truck every couple of years. my hat is off to those that daily drive an older traditional vehicle. especialy in the colder snowy climates.

 

I see alot of cool rides but I wonder how many could actually be used daily. Or atleast be useful and comforable at the same time.

 

an Ark!

 

I might need one of those myself, ha..

 

Good wipers, good heater and defrost. Don't care about radio, but lots of gauges to look at while I'm driving seems to keep me amused.

 

for awhile I was driving my 66 everyday.... as the rear main started to go it was put back in the garage for a little motor work.
44 year old wipers.... SUCK! But the one thing that I would say is my only MUST at this point is some sort of noise deadening material on the doors and in the cab. So buy a little dynomat for your project. Ive got nothing.... I love the sound of a flow.... but when I get to work my ears are still ringing a little... ESPECIALLY anytime the windows are up!

 

I've really pondered on the exhaust actually. I like a good sound but on a driver sometimes really can be a pain. My ot truck had a really loud exhaust and man it drove me nutts for awhile. I had fixed and I like being able to hear myself think alittle. I've figured on a radio but that's the least of my worries.

 

A/C, Manual Trans, and Torque. Cruise and Tunes are nice, too.

 

Big ass motor, cup holder, ashtray!

 

It has to be rock solid dependable and trustworthy.Everything else is optional.

 

Navigation device, a redhead female type with a Thomas Bros Map book.

 

How about a real SOHC motor (427 FE) to go under my hood??? I've seen pics on another thread where someone stuffed one in his newer Mustang...

 

gas, a good battery, tires that hold air. Brakes are nice

 

12V outlet to charge the cell for when she breaks down :O)

 

HEAT. I am a big old puss when it comes to cold. Ive got a bitchin heater on this one and it could be a daily right now if I desired.

WIPERS. Ive driven from Mojave to Merced twice now without wipers and while not horrible when Rain X is applied, the lights play hell on all those rain drops.

SOUND. I think both a decent exhaust AND sound deadener are important in a daily or frequent driver. I drove a straight 6 Chevy on a couple of hundred mile plus runs with straight pipe and steel floors.... its cool around town but can wear on the nerves over that distance. It still important to sound good though...

WINDOWS. Spend the money on decent glass and new seals. Theres nothing quite like that mildew-ey smell of a leaking window seal.

STEREO. Even a cheap CD player bolted under the seat with single boxed speaker on the other side is enough sound to keep me entertained. Its nice to have some radio or music.


I live in a pretty "mild" climate. I can go with out AC when its hot here but I gotta have my heat for when its cool. These are just a a few things I think are important.

 

i dont use my wagon as a DD , but after i put in a different engine and upgraded the suspension it was great to drive. but the biggest difference was after i re-did the interior . having a nice sparkley dash , new carpet , new gauges made the driving experience a whole bunch more enjoyable.

 

what willowbilly3 said. peace

 

Like willowbilly3 it's good clean gas. None of that ethanol crap they are pushing on us.

 

built my '39 gmc to drive daily, year round [except when i needed my plow truck] at first it had vacuum wipers, no turn signals and no defrost. i drove it a couple years... then installed electric delay wipers, turn signals, and bigger heater with defrost. also after running through a stop sign with a cord+ of oak i put disc front brakes.

 

It's sacrilege, but I like a dern cruise control.....But also a must for the Texas Summer Heat...A/C

 

a gas pedal clutch pedal and a steering wheel. thats it for me!

 

Stick shift, lots of gauges, good wipers, radio, and good handeling. Heat optional, it's only cold and wet for 11 months out of the year here.

 

I drove my 55 Chevy Wagon for years as a daily deal, just not when it snowed.

It was okay, it's got good brakes, a 350/700R4 combo so it was very drivable.

I had it repainted and since the outside looked so good I started to look at other stuff. The weather beat up the windlace pretty well, some water got and that didn't help the carpet much. Nothing major but contrasting the great paint, it really showed.

The hard weather is a chrome killer too. Especially anything that is driver quality chrome. They don't make it to handle the elements, so the door handles, etc look kind of beat.

If I had the dough I'd buy a beater to drive in the bad weather. Now I use a mid-90's Buick for the slop and dive the wagon only when the sun is out. Cold is okay but old cars and rain and snow...not so good.

 

the one thing i need in my daily is a set of subs in the trunk ha. well its nice to have em. it sounds funny comin from such a small older car ha. no what i really need is something that is loud!

 

AC, a great heater/defroster, intermittent wipers, very bright headlights, a comfortable ride, ashtray, tilt wheel, automatic, self-cancelling blinkers, QUIET exhaust, good gas mileage and above all, something I don't have to fuck with everytime I get in to start the thing to go anywhere. Inconvience I'll leave for the hotrod. I HAVE to drive the daily, I WANT to drive the hotrod.

 

I've got disc brakes and a comfortable seat. '65 Impala wheel on a tilt column. Automatic trans behind a straight six. Eshaust is a little throaty, but not too loud so i han live with it. Additions I will include for the future are electric wipers, a good heat and a/c system with defrost and some tunes. Weatherstripping and some sound deadener will be nice. Cupholders are taboo here on the HAMB, but I think I may add one of these in the future too.