When most folks think of New York City, they think of high fashion, expensive shopping, and overall luxury. Most wouldn’t think to consider used cars so road-worn their owners gladly identify them as “beater cars.” However, there’s a small collection of folks in NYC that represent precisely that. The New Day Motor Club is a collective of like-minded people that cherish their beaters wholeheartedly.
New Day Motor Clubs drives and sells beater cars in New York
Inside the downtown NYC cult of the beater automobile: https://t.co/RefWakMbY2 pic.twitter.com/K7HfjNe7n4
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) March 29, 2022
GQ covered this extraordinary gathering of people in a recent article, and, frankly, if it doesn’t leave you wanting to drive a beat old car, nothing will.
In a world where used cars and gasoline are constantly soaring to all-time highs price-wise, it’s hard not to be curious about a $500 beater. So, seeing the New Day Motor Club trudging around one of the most iconic cities in the world with ratty old cars is nothing short of a sigh of relief. This collection of Geos, Suzukis, and other economy relics of the 1990s is pure inspiration.
Geo Trackers and other small cars are staples of New Day Motor Club | David Cooper/Toronto Star via Getty Images
New Day is the brainchild of Louis Shannon and Ary Warnaar. These two New Yorkers are living their best lives as the runner of a downtown art gallery and guitarist, respectively. When they aren’t occupied with their day jobs, though, you just might find them in a shipping container in Brooklyn tucked between a Thai restaurant and a pharmacy. Or, as they know it, the New Day Clubhouse.
Inside the clubhouse, you’ll find an array of New Day branded merchandise like hats, shirts, and even blankets.
“We’re obsessed with the imagery and the branding of motorsports, and New Day definitely has a branding impulse behind it. It helps us express the vocabulary of the world that we like,” Shannon told GQ.
Warnaar went on to add that they dream of one day having the New Day logo appear on an F1 car. This may sound a bit far-fetched, but their merchandise is quite sought after in overseas markets like Tokyo.
Who keeps the beaters’ hearts beating?
NYC traffic looks pretty bland | Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
The New Day Motor Club is seemingly relatively tight-knit. They have a mechanic named Chris Cheveyo and offer friends help in obtaining, insuring, registering, and repairing their beater cars. This is certainly no easy task. When GQ asked Cheveyo the most common issue with these cars, they got quite a response.
“Everything. They’re so old. They were not built to last; it was just, like, a fad,” said Cheveyo. “Finding parts and keeping these things running is a job in and of itself.”
The great news is that being a New Day Motor Club member doesn’t cost you a dime. All you need is a beater car and a New Day windshield banner. Then, you just might find yourself hanging out in the clubhouse with a beer in your hand.
So, if you find yourself in New York City and spy a ratty multi-color Ford Festiva cruising around with a bunch of stickers down the side like a Nascar, you just might be looking at one of the New Day members’ cars.
Ultimately, we could all learn a thing or two from the New Day crew. We’re all in this world together, right? Why not lend a helping hand when needed and come together over some common ground. Check your fancy sports car keys and attitude at the door and grab a beer.
Keyword: Beater Car Club of NYC Turns Its Back on Expensive Transportation