Foo - Station Wagon Owners, Need Help!

Hello,

I'm looking at picking up a wagon in the near future, and I've narrowed my choices to a few models; however, there are a few things that the wagon has to satisfy.

-Gas Mileage, as best as possible
-Reliability
-Ease of maintenance, meaning I don't have to go to the dealer every service (I'm more than mechanically competent)
-Being able to store bikes in the back, preferably with the front tires on, 2 bike minimum, 3 bikes would be plush
-Rear seats fold down flat
-Price point, budged is hopefully less than 4k (2500 would be ideal)
-Miles, hopefully able to get one in the low 100k's
-Trailer hitch
-Manual transmission

The wagon's I'm looking at are first the Volvo 240, hopefully a GL with a stick. Next would be a 740, but I've seldom seen the wagons with a stick shift. The 850 volvo sacrifices some cargo space, and is pretty computer reliant, though a sweet ride. I've looked at Subaru's, but right now I don't need full time awd, and their gas mileage isn't the best. Also Passat wagons are nice, but reliability is spotty, and vw parts aren't the cheapest.

Anyone offer some input through ownership, or perhaps those who have gone through my same problem?

Thanks for your help!

Pictures are always appreciated, more specifically of bikes loaded in the back of these wagons!

240! Those things rock and will last 4ever. Don't get a Vdub unless you're planning on getting something newish and a diesel. And the newer Volvos just didn't seem to have the reliability that the 240's did.

Look for a 240 turbo wagon. Rumors are that Ferrari actually stopped producing one of their cars because the Volvo beat it in tests. oh yeah...

i'd look for a first generation Honda Odyssey. only downer is lack of a standard trans.

but that's me.

of what you've shortlisted, i'd go for the 240. but good luck finding one with mileage in the low 100k range for your price range. keep in mind, the absolute newest 240 is going to be 16 years old.

dude, my subi wagon gets about 30mpg

Subaru Legacy / Outback

Like the Volvos, Saabs also make Station Wagons, Subaru's are ALL nice and usefull, and you may want to look at something like the teh volkswagon wagons.

If you can find a Honda Accord station wagon, snatch it up.

I would have said the Subaru, but they are kinda low slung. The Forrester might work.

Other than being suitable for pulling trailers, Ford Escorts easily match your description. They have a reputation of problems among people that don't take care of them, but among people who properly maintain them, they often go well over 200,000 miles. And they're cheap.

If the OP is thinking of standing the bikes up in the wagon, there's no way the Escort wagon will work. I have one, and if you like I can check it out to make sure. To the OP- to clarify- do you want the bikes to "stand up" in back, or is laying them down on top of each other okay?

If an Escort wagon is acceptable for your use, though, they are pretty dependable cars, and when they break down they are usually easy and cheap to fix. I have a 1995 wagon and a 1998 sedan (actually a Mercury tracer) that my sons drive and they've been reliable. There is also a good forum to help keep them running- Ford Escort Owners Association (I think feoa.net).

If you need any pics of how bikes fit in the back of my Escort wagon, let me know.

and when they break down they are usually easy and cheap to fix.

I can't say the same for Subaru. :crash:

By the way, about leaving the front tires on while transporting bikes, I believe that would be a job for a mini van, or perhaps a truck with a big bed. I don't think it's doable with modern compact station wagons. One of the big ass old fashion V8's, maybe.

OR, if you live across the pond, you can get a 1.8 liter diesel escort with a huge cargo capacity.

http://cdn.motors.co.uk/d/used-photos/huge/X/5/X514CNY.jpg

Boy, doesn't that UK Escort cargo hauler look practical!

Thanks for the reply. The 240's have a cult following fr what I've found, and the turbo models get snatched up quite quickly. The na wagons are plentiful and least beat on from what I've seen, also old makes some goodies to give them more juice

Edit,

That escort wagon looks awesome! I think VW even made some variants of the golf with a high roof like that. When I'm talking about storing bikes, upright would be awesome, but I'm not sure that is feasible. Basically it would be great if I could carry 2 bikes without removing the front wheels (layed on eachother), or if I could engineer a convenient way to carry 3 bikes, that would be best.

Thanks for everyone's input!

Mmm, 240.

After the nuclear holocaust, it's going to be cockroaches driving around in 240s for all eternity.

How can you consider anything other than the Wagon Queen Family Truckster??
http://www.dvdinmypants.com/reviews/H-N/images/nl_vacation1.jpg

I have an outback with roof racks and over 333,000 miles (27 mpg) on it that I'm thinking about getting rid of.... mind you, I'm just thinking about it...

How can you consider anything other than the Wagon Queen Family Truckster??
http://www.dvdinmypants.com/reviews/H-N/images/nl_vacation1.jpg

You think you hate it now, just wait until you drive it Clark!

*metallic peat is an awesome color.*

I wish I had a picture but you can fit 3 bikes without removing wheels in the back of a Honda Element. LowCel had one, I'm sure he may be able to vouch for me.

But Elements aren't really my style, also out of my price range.

Are these Subaru wagons awd? If so I have a hard time believing 27-30 mpg

Get a 1996 Passat Wagon TDi
Manual trans, old enough to be cheap, maybe.
~40 -50 mpg

Oh my bad. I should have read the price point.

I wish I had a picture but you can fit 3 bikes without removing wheels in the back of a Honda Element. LowCel had one, I'm sure he may be able to vouch for me.

If the saddle was low enough it would be possible. I keep my saddle pretty high though so I always took a wheel off.

Here are some pictures showing a little bit of bike stuff in them.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/LowCel/moving3.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/LowCel/moving2.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/LowCel/moving1.jpg

Get a 1996 Passat Wagon TDi
Manual trans, old enough to be cheap, maybe.
~40 -50 mpg

This is the first fuel efficient car in the thread.
Rare, though. There was a Jetta TDi wagon for a while too.

I had a Suzuki Esteem/Baleno for a while. Predated the taller Aerio. Basic but roomy and fuel efficient. I could stand two big mountain bikes in the back with the seatposts out and with the forks in a homemade fork clamp at the front. Very functional rack too. Never had a mechanical problem. Good 1.8 motor. I'd still have it if I hadn't moved away.

Not mine but an example...
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/clubaleno/DSCF0701.jpg
You could probably get one for a song.

But Elements aren't really my style, also out of my price range.

Are these Subaru wagons awd? If so I have a hard time believing 27-30 mpg

I've got an 01 Legacy, yes they are all AWD and 30mpg is stretching it, but I think the '01 model is close to as heavy as they got.

That Suzuki is interesting, though outside of dirtbikes the company doesn't really scream quality (I seem to remember the esteem being called a death trap).

Any and all VW tdi cars command a much higher resale value, usually a few thousand over their gas counterparts, esp. in OR. I'd love to have one, and the earlier passats have oodles of room, but they sell for way too much.

I'll have to check out some Subaru's, maybe some older legacy's, with the price being better. When did they have electronic 4wd, that is you could switch in and out of it? That would help on mileage I bet.

I just noticed that my capitalization of brands and makes is quite erratic. Apologies.

That Suzuki is interesting, though outside of dirtbikes the company doesn't really scream quality (I seem to remember the esteem being called a death trap).


Was the who said that leaning out of the driver's side window of a Hummer?:)
As I said, basic, but reliability ratings for it were high.
And I thought the crash tests for it were good.
It never let me down once.

I apologize, just recounting things heard in the past, and it was in reference to the older suv, geo tracker, style car.

I found one of the Aerio, but it was an auto. Also the seats don't fold flat, rather they fold close to flat, kind of like the Subaru Impreza.

Also, someone mentioned an Accord wagon, I haven't found any of those with a stick

Also, someone mentioned an Accord wagon, I haven't found any of those with a stickI think in order to get a manual in an Accord, you have to get a 4-cylinder model.

This might be out-of-date or model-year-specific information, though.

The Subaru switched from electronic 2wed/4wd in 93 or 94 - by 95 all thier stuff was AWD. BUT, the mileage was about the same, as I recall... I had a 91 Loyale (electronic 2wd/4wd) which got @27 mpg, which was the same as the 95 Impreza (AWD) and is the same as the 2000 Outback (with roof racks) - @27 mpg. All automatics. Take the front wheels off & you can easily fit 2 bike in the trunk of an Imprezia (one time I got 3 MTBs in the trunck - had to put the front wheels in the back seat, though!)- I sold my 95 to a friend's son when it had 268,000 miles on it, and the kid's still driving it around (last time I spoke to him in the fall it had 315,000 miles). Subaru seems to be stuck on 27.... that's why I'm thinking.... HONDA....

Subaru Outback. Great vehicle.

Honda Element will be my next car. It's an amazing vehicle.

I believe it has everything you want, and more. Like an inside that's easy to clean out (hose it off!).

Mucho dinero

I'm really trying to stay under 5k, if I could swoop in on something 2500 would be great, then invest maybe a grand in, and enjoy.

There are tons of Subaru's available, but only a limited number of 240's and even fewer Accord wagons with sticks.

Subaru's are a great vehicle, but for some reason I'm drawn towards the 240, its Euro (classic Euro that is), has that boxy design (aka brick), and has a few aftermarket parts to make it oh, so good. An older (1996ish) Legacy wagon would be nice, but for some reason it doesn't strike the same chord as the 240. I'm sure opinions will change after I am able to test drive these cars in question, but for now, I'm still aiming towards the 240.

Thanks for all the inputs, I really appreciate it.