My first car was 2 wrecks. Ya, Dad was the Auto shop teacher, he took 2 wrecked Corvairs, cut them in half and put them back together to make one. It was a 1961 4 door Corvair 700 automatic transmission. But I didn't complain, it got me there and was transportation. The car was a class project, was given to my Dad by a junk yard, so he gave me my first car.I even upgraded to a 63 Monza 2 door 4 speed, and even went drag racing with it. My other brothers got a 68 Camaro and another brother got a 68 Chevelle 2 dr coupe. One brother got a 69 Corvette LT-1, but he traded the Chevelle in on it and my last brother bought it from him. Since then have owned quit a few different, interesting cars. Big difference today from the HHR, but , like I said, it's transportation.
Does that qualify as a beater?LOL

 

my first car was a 62 Chevy II Nova that had lil over 1000 miles on it and i bought it in 67. it was not a beater but i did fix it up

i have only owned 4 new vehicles in my lifetime of driving.
1981 Dodge D-50 turbo diesel
1980 Honda CB 400T Hawk
1990 Chevy G20 conversion Van- wifes
my 06 HHR

 

You're doing pretty good. My first car was a beater out of the junkyard that I spray painted with rustoleum baby blue on the top and midnight blue on the bottom (try to picture that). A 1968 Pontiac Catalina that my friends nicknamed "tank". It got that nickname because of the nice pontiac point in the front and when I rear ended a much newer car (this was early 80's). Substantial damage to the car I hit, but not a scratch on my Catalina. The car I rear ended got a nice v shaped bumper after I hit it. They don't make cars like that anymore.