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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » suggest a sedan or wagon.

Jan. 5, 2011 11:22 a.m. thunderzy New Reader

I am looking for suggestions for my next project car. I am about to have my first child and would like a sedan or wagon that is sporty and fun. I want a vehicle that will be driven on occasion, looks nice, gets down the road, can fit a child seat, and haul cases of groceries every once in a while. My family owns supermarkets, and about 10 times a month I am moving cases of product from one store to the other. I would like performance to be based on quickness as opposed to speed. I already have a 79 firebird that moves fast in a straight line. The idea for the sedan/wagon project is to build a fun street, road course, baby hauler. Keep in mind it will not be a daily driver. My daily driver is an 04 Silverado SS, which also has plenty of punch.

Parameters $3500 MAX RWD or AWD Sedan or wagon MANUAL!!!! (auto stick, paddles, and smg do not count) Large internet and information community Large aftermarket support Readily available used parts Relative ease of DYI work

Vehicles that show promise Subaru impreza Subaru legacy BMW 3 series Volvo (wagons only here)

I am hoping the GRM community can point out vehicles I am over looking or suggest a particular model given the parameters.

Thanks Zack
Jan. 5, 2011 11:38 a.m. Strike_Zero HalfDork

BMW E36 or E34. While the M50 is a riot in the E36 (3 series), it may not be as "sporting" in the larger E34 (5 series). All the E34 wagons were auto IIRC . . .

I took my 530i to a HPDE. I packed a small tent, 10x10 canopy, three coolers, two helmets, two tool boxes, fluids, an overnight bag (mine), a suitcase (Mrs. Zero), a 5 gallon air tank, three chairs and Mrs. Zero . . .
Jan. 5, 2011 12:05 p.m. MadScientistMatt Dork

I have an E36 convertible, and unless the sedan has a much larger back seat, would recommend scratching that one off your list. You can't fit a rear-facing child seat in the back seat of one without shoving the front seat all the way forward. An E34, on the other hand, seems like it would be a decent choice.

BMW, Volvo, and Subaru all have fairly reasonable choices that fit the bill.

Now, for some "unreasonable" choices that would also meet all the requirements you stated. Most would be tough to find in the Rust Belt, and some are tough to find period. And most of them have rather sketchy child safety, to put it mildly.

Corvair.

Dodge Dart / Plymouth Valiant, or the later Aspen / Volare can still be found as wagons.

Ford Maverick / Falcon, or Mercury Comet.

Chevy Nova. The '80s era Chevy Malibu could also be had with a stick shift, though it's very rare.

Ford LTD LX - a two year oddity in the '80s, basically a four door 5.0 Mustang.

Toyota Cressidas might be findable with a manual if you're good at finding four leaf clovers.

'80s era Nissan Maximas - not sure when these went FWD, but the older ones are basically a four door 280ZX.
Jan. 5, 2011 12:06 p.m. tuna55 Dork

Don't use a project as a kid carrier. While it's no big deal being on the side of the road, or under the car before work by yourself, it sucks when there is a kid belted into a carseat. I can't stand owning a psuedo project as my kid car and am dying to get a real life DD. Mine is a Volvo wagon. It's fun and fastish, but local parts availability and a shockingly large amount of parts failures have me wishing for a beige camry for a DD.
Jan. 5, 2011 12:09 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork

BMW wagons are nice, but they're hard to find with manual transmissions.
Jan. 5, 2011 12:10 p.m. That idiot who can't spell SuperDork

How about a Wagovan?
Jan. 5, 2011 12:13 p.m. 1988RedT2 HalfDork

Of all the cars I've owned and later sold, I miss my Volvo 945T the most, even though it was a slushbox. I think the 740 is easier to find with a manual. There are still nice examples out there if you are patient.
Jan. 5, 2011 1:47 p.m. thunderzy New Reader

Thanks for the replies. Cant tell you how much I love the "unreasonable" suggestions. The power wagons are cool, but I already have a muscle car and would like something more nibble. Even though a Chevy Nomad or Bel Air are 2 of my all time favorite cars. I simply do not have the resources or money for a project like that. The nissan maxima wagons seem interesting, Datsun 810 are probably out of the question. Ford LTD LX is probably little too rare, although FoMoCo parts bin make it accessible.

Tuna 55, this will definitely not be a daily driver. As I mentioned above. I already have The Silverado and a 79 firebird (that I may or may not be getting rid of).

Volvos are sweet, but models with manual trans are hard to come by. Plus they seem to be quite large. I haven't done any comparisons or even checked the wheels base on them or anything. They just look big and long. I do like their clean styling and performance potential.

It does not have to be a wagon, but has to be at least a 4 door. I threw wagon in there because I like the way they look and are not very common on the "scene". How come no one mentioned Audi? What the heck is a Wagovan?

Keep em coming.
Jan. 5, 2011 2:32 p.m. gearheadshirts New Reader

e30 BMW Sedan. Could come in well under your spending limit leaving room for improvements.
Jan. 5, 2011 2:46 p.m. That idiot who can't spell SuperDork

Wagovan is the Honda Civic wagon of the '80s. It was available in AWD.

See this thread for ideas.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/awesome-civic-wagon/30389/page1/
Jan. 5, 2011 2:49 p.m. Greg Voth HalfDork

Volvo Wagons (at least the 240) are not that large. My 245 has is 64" wide, 9 foot wheel base and just under 15 feet long.

Its a lot of fun with the 5.0 T-5 combo and gets more looks than anything I have been in when people hear it. Currently the front end is apart while I am fixing the rust that was under the windshield.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/3157/
Jan. 5, 2011 3:33 p.m. superblackser New Reader

Depending on "where from" $3500 will buy a decent E36 sedan, but it's not the most cost-effective car in the world to maintain and buying the best shape one to start with matters a lot. $5k will get you a much better car, hopefully not one you have to put another $1000-2000 into the first year you own it. You definitely get what you pay for in the used E36 market, often owners are selling them after putting a lot in for repairs, then balking at yet another $1000+ dealer bill.

As mentioned good luck finding a BMW wagon in an MT, it's already a low volume seller. Personally I'd get a 5-series for the room, you may even be able to find a decent 540i if you don't mind high miles. Up your budget about $1k, it should pay you back in a better first 1-2 year's TCO. Bigger car inside and in the trunk than 3-series and how it looks from the outside, buckets o'power stock, more to be had if that's not enough :D

Unfortunately too many Japanese marques went FWD only in wagons unless you dip back further into the past. Late 1980's Maxima Wagons are nice rides, but hard to find in decent shape. They also had a fair amount of techno-glitz like combination keypad door locks, other stuff likely to break.
Jan. 5, 2011 3:36 p.m. superblackser New Reader

gearheadshirts wrote:

e30 BMW Sedan. Could come in well under your spending limit leaving room for improvements.

Also being pre-OBDII, a lot easier to maintain. Hard to find car better supported by the AM in a sports RWD sedan. Just check the room inside meets the hauling need, it's not bad but may not meet expectations if considering wagons...
Jan. 5, 2011 5:54 p.m. iceracer Dork

Focus wagon.
Jan. 5, 2011 6:24 p.m. white_fly New Reader

I love V8's and I love RWD so E34 540i.
Jan. 5, 2011 8:35 p.m. JohnW Reader

Volvo 245 or 745. Hard, but not impossible to find with manual transmissions.
Jan. 5, 2011 8:40 p.m. PubBurgers Dork

I have a 740 Turbo wagon that just got retired from DD to backup car. It's very large but reasonably quick, can fit a small house in the back, and I love boxy cars. Mine has 270,000 miles, still has no rust here in the salt belt, and keeps on truckin.

Just bought a Focus wagon as a DD. I really like the car, but it's got no soul. It's also FWD and probably won't fill the "quick" requirement.

Had a Civic wagon until recently. I liked it but it's really more of a four door hatch. Not meant for hauling tons of stuff, at least with a kid in the back.

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