I Like Station Wagons, I cannot Lie!

[Trail Ryder]

Originally Posted by willnevergrowup

I like my station wagon!!



If something happened to this one I would go buy another one.

Is it really reliable? How are the maintenance costs? Recently, or even in the past, I have not been impressed with Chrysler Quality.

Since we now have a dog, I would like to eventually replace our 2004 Ford Taurus SES with a nice, used wagon, but can’t find anything that stands out and says buy me. My requirements are:

- Fun to Drive
- Decent Looking
- MPG Targets: 25+ City / 30+ Hwy
- Uses 87 Octane or maybe diesel
- Reliable
- Decent Rear Cargo / Canine Room
- Factory Roof Rack, mainly for Skis
- And would prefer American made

A Ford Focus Wagon would seem to fit my requirements, but finding one with leather and 5-speed manual, is tougher than a locating a needle in a haystack.

I assumed that the Dodge Magnum Wagon was a piece of crap, but maybe I’m wrong. Please enlighten me.

A BMW 3-Series wagon would be great but it has a very small cargo area.

Audi or a VW Passat seems to have some ridiculous maintenance cost, plus the need for premium unleaded. What’s the word on Jettas?

I would consider a Subaru Legacy / Outback, but the wife is afraid of being hit on by lesbians.

It seems like recent Volvos have reliability and maintenance cost issues.

Any word on a Benz or Saab?

Too bad that there wasn’t sporty wagon versions of the Ford Fusion or Chevy Malibu.

[SourKraut]

Originally Posted by Trail Ryder

Audi or a VW Passat seems to have some ridiculous maintenance cost, plus the need for premium unleaded.

My 2003 Passat wagon has been basically bulletproof up to 72K miles. It (1.8T) will run on regular unleaded but it does run a little better on 91 octane. A workmate has 150K miles on her 2003 Passat wagon with minor/no issues. I do my own oil changes now for $30 bucks between oil/filter and there really isn't that much maintenance. Unless you let the dealer talk you into all the inspections which turns an oil change into a $200-$400 raping. I'd buy another vw if the dealers weren't such pricks in CT.

I'm putting new rotors and pads on all four corners this weekend (<$300 in parts). The dealer told me I needed rear brakes at 35K miles to the tune of $400 and they just now started grinding 37K miles later.

[Hodag]

my college car

i loved that car
didn't change oil in it for 50k miles, just added when it was low
last I heard it was still running

[Trail Ryder]

Originally Posted by SourKraut

My 2003 Passat wagon has been basically bulletproof up to 72K miles. It (1.8T) will run on regular unleaded but it does run a little better on 91 octane. A workmate has 150K miles on her 2003 Passat wagon with minor/no issues. I do my own oil changes now for $30 bucks between oil/filter and there really isn't that much maintenance. Unless you let the dealer talk you into all the inspections which turns an oil change into a $200-$400 raping. I'd buy another vw if the dealers weren't such pricks in CT.

I'm putting new rotors and pads on all four corners this weekend (<$300 in parts). The dealer told me I needed rear brakes at 35K miles to the tune of $400 and they just now started grinding 37K miles later.

Good to know. I was basing my Audi/Passat opinion on other FF comments on this site, mainly regarding ball joints and timing belts.

What kind of MPG do you get?

Also, I've heard that the latest generation Audi/VW brakes require some special "dealer only" tool to disable the e-brake during regular brake service. Any truth to that?

Thanks.

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by Pokeyman

Sweet!

An E39 528i with a clutch is on my short list.

Mine too. Just TRY findin one with a manual tho! Rare as hen's teeth!

M

[Galen]

Originally Posted by Hodag

my college car

i loved that car
didn't change oil in it for 50k miles, just added when it was low
last I heard it was still running

I had an '88. Great car. 28mpg no matter how I drove it. Whatever didn't fit inside went on the Thule roof rack. Fun to drive in snow when everyone else was getting stuck. Just needed a little more power. Replaced it with a similar vintage Land Cruiser. Now, that's a wagon!

[Hodag]

Originally Posted by Galen

I had an '88. Great car. 28mpg no matter how I drove it. Whatever didn't fit inside went on the Thule roof rack. Fun to drive in snow when everyone else was getting stuck. Just needed a little more power. Replaced it with a similar vintage Land Cruiser. Now, that's a wagon!

what are the odds
I went with a 80 series wagon

[SourKraut]

Originally Posted by Trail Ryder

Good to know. I was basing my Audi/Passat opinion on other FF comments on this site, mainly regarding ball joints and timing belts.

What kind of MPG do you get?

Also, I've heard that the latest generation Audi/VW brakes require some special "dealer only" tool to disable the e-brake during regular brake service. Any truth to that?

Thanks.

I get 27 mpg in mixed driving with the 1.8T and manual transmission. You could get 30 out of it if you drive mellow (<75 mph) on the highway. The new ones do have an electronic e-brake button on the dash so that may be the case. Mine has the old fashioned mechanical e-brake lever. The front brakes on mine have sensors to tell you when they are nearing the end of the pad and the light just came on which is why I chose to just put rotors/pads at all four corners.

[Tifighter]

Originally Posted by Nailhead

Or this -

I had one of those. Worst climate control ever.
IIRC, I had it sometime between this one-

And this one-

among others...

[GP640]

Ever try replacing the heater fan in one of those Audi 5000s?
Unbelieveable, stupid, backward thinking moron that did that design is probably working in GM's accounting department now.

They did drive pretty nice compared to others of the same era though.

[P B G]

Most cars have impossible heater fans, requiring anywhere from pulling the whole dash, to basically needing to remove the engine to clear it on the firewall.

[Tifighter]

Originally Posted by GP640

Ever try replacing the heater fan in one of those Audi 5000s?
Unbelieveable, stupid, backward thinking moron that did that design is probably working in GM's accounting department now.

Funny thing is that the auto climate control that Audi used on the 80's/early 90's was sourced from GM. Wasn't until the 92+ 100's that they used their own VW/Audi design. Not that Audi is off the hook; my 90 quattro 20V used to turn on its high beams whenever I would signal a right turn...

[Jim Z]

This ad says not for sale, but it sold the other day for a ridiculous amount.

http://enthusiastauto.com/qsearch/?i...orm_display=51

[GP640]

Originally Posted by P B G

Most cars have impossible heater fans, requiring anywhere from pulling the whole dash, to basically needing to remove the engine to clear it on the firewall.

Most cars have fans that last. That Audi required removing the entire heater box assembly which was split length-wide instead of transversely at the firewall.

The mid 80s 5000s were great. I did see a quattro wagon bury itself in winshield deep snow once. That aerodynamic shape worked great.

[B-Rod]

oooh! I'm a fan of wagons too. I lusted after an Austin Cambridge wagon when I was 14.



510 Wagon are also uber cool.