But...but...
Wagon superiority thread
- Thread starter TiGeo
- Start date
Is that one is a station wagon, and one isn't.
Station wagon. 1) it's a car. 2) it's a car that is based on (as in the same exact car....not sharing parts or platform) a sedan (or sometimes a hatch) in the lineup. 3) A/B/C/D pillars. 4) rear cargo area/window extended back "far enough". Basically, not a 4 door hatchback, not a CUV/SUV, not a van. There are no participation trophies in station wagon club. There are entire FB groups dedicated to this argument.
Wagon, estate car, combi - it's all the same and the designation varies with location A wagon takes you from the train station to the estate, an estate car takes you from the estate to the train station, and a combi carries people and cargo. It's all the same thing.What about Saab's CombiCoupé bodystyle? My 900 turbo 16S could haul more cargo than many wagons.
Had to get a sedan to make co-students rent a van when moving instead of calling me.
In a wagon/estate car/combi you sit low like in a car. In a minivan you sit higher. The lines get blurry and the classifications are dependent on the manufacturer. And don't get me started on the VW Bus/Transporter/Kombi.
Opel used to call their wagons caravans, for example, the Olympia and the Rekord. As a side note, the Opel Rekord C was actually sold as a Chevy Opala in South America and as an Opel Commodore in the UK. Like the German and UK variants, it was available as a sedan, a coupé, and a 3 and 5-door "caravan." I used to see those Rekords all the time when, as a kid, I lived in the UK for a couple of years. When my son was little he thought the word was carryvan rather than caravan. 
My point is automotive nomenclature is rather willy-nilly. By the way, despite my earlier flippant comment regarding wagons, I really do like them.
1/43 Minichamps model of an Opel Rekord Caravan (C-Series, 1966-1971). Note this a two-door wagon. By US standards it's a mid-sized vehicle. A very humid day, apparently.
My point is automotive nomenclature is rather willy-nilly. By the way, despite my earlier flippant comment regarding wagons, I really do like them.1/43 Minichamps model of an Opel Rekord Caravan (C-Series, 1966-1971). Note this a two-door wagon. By US standards it's a mid-sized vehicle. A very humid day, apparently.
And still....100% station wagon. That's COOL!Opel used to call their wagons caravans, for example, the Olympia and the Rekord. As a side note, the Opel Rekord C was actually sold as a Chevy Opala in South America and as an Opel Commodore in the UK. Like the German and UK variants, it was available as a sedan, a coupé, and a 3 and 5-door "caravan." I used to see those Rekords all the time when, as a kid, I lived in the UK for a couple of years. When my son was little he thought the word was carryvan rather than caravan.
1/43 Minichamps model of an Opel Rekord Caravan (C-Series, 1966-1971). Note this a two-door wagon. By US standards it's a mid-sized vehicle. A very humid day, apparently.
these have aged well in my opinion. Overlooked in their time, they are really cool now! A stick with short final drive would be a HOOT!
Basically a Mazda MPV or similar. Did these have sliding doors....I can't remember. They are quite cool vehicles.
They had super large hinged doors. I think sliders would have been slick if they could have pulled it off. I JR supercharger on the little I4 with some hardened internals, stiffer sway bars, keep the stock exterior, could make for a fun sleeper.
The minivan* you want is that first gen Toyota Previa with the Supercharger and a manual.....or the '80s Dodge Caravan with the turbo 4 from the Laser etc. with a 5-speed.
*minivans aren't station wagons
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I remember the Renault Espace from the mid to late '80s. It came out around the same time as the Dodge Caravan.
Ah, the Renault Espace... That reminds me of the dream minivan: The Italdesign Columbus. V12, center driver seat like the OG McLaren F1, a buttload of space inside... That'd be my forever vehicle.
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Ok, I think that's enough minivans on the wagon thread. Sorry, I just absolutely had to bring up the Columbus, after the Espace was brought up.
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Oh, my Force! That's far out.
Here is a classic wagon - 2002 Volvo V70XC. AWD. Durable. Practical. Versatile. Rides well. Handles well. Upgraded the brakes and it stops very well. Note the roof rack and crossbars. My wife’s daily driver.
Oh, by the way, that is what a 295,000 mile Volvo, kept near the ocean and routinely splashed through salt water, looks like.
Look closely, and you will see some door dings, small dent in the hood, and a bit of paint fade near the roof, and some fade in the wheel clear coat, but overall? Still looks good. No cracks, rips or tears in the interior, despite all the miles hauling dogs, home projects and everything else. A bit of wear on the driver’s seat bolster. Volvo uses good leather and good plastic in the car.
Her mechanic, not a “trained technician”, follows Volvo procedure and maintains it meticulously. Part of why it still drives like new. Everything works. Everything. No apologies or excuses.
Oh, by the way, that is what a 295,000 mile Volvo, kept near the ocean and routinely splashed through salt water, looks like.
Look closely, and you will see some door dings, small dent in the hood, and a bit of paint fade near the roof, and some fade in the wheel clear coat, but overall? Still looks good. No cracks, rips or tears in the interior, despite all the miles hauling dogs, home projects and everything else. A bit of wear on the driver’s seat bolster. Volvo uses good leather and good plastic in the car.
Her mechanic, not a “trained technician”, follows Volvo procedure and maintains it meticulously. Part of why it still drives like new. Everything works. Everything. No apologies or excuses.
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I've often thought about picking up one of these. They seem like tanks, even with 2-300k miles they are still going strong as long as the timing belt gets changed on time. I'll probably stick with an alltrack though, for fuel efficiency purposes.
Timing belt, PCV system, lower control arm bushings. All weak spots in this engine/chassis combo.
That said, yes, they seem to run for a long time. Compression on this engine is still good. Reliability is still good.
But, they are not the best on gas. Fairly heavy car, with an AWD system. It gets high teens in the city, low 20s on the highway.
The FWD version gets closer to 20 city, 26-28 highway. The XC90, a bigger, heavier car, with a similar powertrain, gets about what this car does. Not great by today’s standards, but durability, and safety, matter to me at least as much as MPG.
Me: coming in here thinking my minivan is a wagon…
Me: leaving after finding out my minivan isn’t a wagon…
Me: leaving after finding out my minivan isn’t a wagon…
AHHAHAHA
