The wagon appreciation thread

Compared to the PT cruiser, reliability and quality wise, are the HHR better or worse or same?

mr2s2000elise said:

Compared to the PT cruiser, reliability and quality wise, are the HHR better or worse or same?

I bought one used and welded a big sliding drawer into the back to use as a service truck. With two big guys squeezed in the front and over 1500 pounds in the back that thing went all over British Columbia as fast as it would go. It never faltered for the three years we had it and never did worse that 30 mpg. It was about eight years old when I got it.

mr2s2000elise said:

Compared to the PT cruiser, reliability and quality wise, are the HHR better or worse or same?

The PT Cruiser was a Neon underneath, if memory serves.  So reliablility wasn't all that great.  The HHR is Cobalt, so it's typical GM.  It'll develop rattles and crap, but will run forever.  They have a known design flaw in the front suspension that causes sway bar links to go bad and knock around.  Mine is doing it, my last one did it.  I just turn up the radio.  I put about 60k miles on my last one (sold it at roughly 130k miles) and it never needed anything beyond oil changes, brakes, tires.

I'm only 5'9", so I have plenty of room up front.  I love that the cargo area is so usable.  It's huge, and when you fold the back seat down it's amazing.  Took it to Charlotte a few weeks back with both of my boys.  We had their lacrosse bags, sticks, clothes, food, etc...and it all fit in with ease.  My older son plays defense, so his stick is 6' long.  No problem, just folded half of the rear seat and we were good to go. 

View out the rear hatch is a bit sketchy and the huge pillars back there make for blind spots, but I have to give GM credit.  They must have recognized it and the side mirrors are fantastic, they really show everything. 

Only plan to do cosmetic mods.  Find SS wheels if I can, or some other aftermarket that looks appropriate.  Add the factory rear spoiler and roof rack.  Black out the side and rear windows.

Thanks for the info ! 

mr2s2000elise said:

Always want  AMG e63 or Jags new wagon. But then I realiaze I like reliablilty and 650 mile gas tank range. 

 

 

 

How do you like that TSX?  I drove a 1st generation TSX sedan for a few months and it really impressed me.

Nitroracer said:

mr2s2000elise said:

Always want  AMG e63 or Jags new wagon. But then I realiaze I like reliablilty and 650 mile gas tank range.

 

 

 

How do you like that TSX?  I drove a 1st generation TSX sedan for a few months and it really impressed me.

Bought it new. 2012. Has 120k trouble free miles. Love it. Have had honda wagons since the mid 80s and this is the best one. All the other ones were stick shift but under powered. Only thing wrong with is, that it's a gimpomatic. But good power, great space, great suspension. Fantastic car. 

This 1958 2 door Dodge Suburban Spectator is on BAT right now. It's awesome! 

This seems like as an appropriate place as any for this.   Gotta keep it off the book of faces for now but I'm too excited not to share.

For years my dad has wanted a Corvair Lakewood wagon.  Looking at them for him is what led to me getting a 63 Monza convertible.   Never could quite find the right mix of affordability and condition.   Dad is old, he can't maintain wrench anymore so I wanted a car he could just enjoy.

We almost lost him earlier this year so I really wanted him to finally have his dream car while he still can.  Finally the right car showed up and with mom's help we bought it for him for Christmas.

She's a 62 Corvair Monza Wagon (technically not a Lakewood as the name was dropped for 62)  Mechanically near perfect, owned by an old corvair mechanic, rebuilt motor (to later 110hp specs) rebuild PG transmission, rebuild differential, new brakes and dual circuit upgrade on the mastercylinder.   

Body is a 5 footer, not too bad, a few blemishes and some mild rust that will need addressed eventually, but I was much more concerned that he had a car he could drive without worry.  It finally arrived at my house yesterday and we plan to give it to him over Thanksgiving when the family is all together.

I came here to question why people would even drive these things.

I'm kidding. 

Really though, is the Mercedes R series a wagon or a van?

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

What about part availability? I would absolutely love one after owning an absolute realiable K24 Accord, but if it's anything like my 5 series, finding rear-end parts require me to hop on the UK eBay and hope a Lithuanian seller is willing to ship.

Other than that, they seem like the near-perfect somewhat new wagon.

yupididit said:

I came here to question why people would even drive these things.

 

 

 

 

I'm kidding. 

Really though, is the Mercedes R series a wagon or a van?

It's a van. Idc what Mercedes says or what every dealer lists it as.

It's a van.

In reply to JThw8 :

That's really cool.  I'm sure your Dad is gonna love it.  Nice color combination and wheels too

Indy-Guy said:

In reply to JThw8 :

That's really cool.  I'm sure your Dad is gonna love it.  Nice color combination and wheels too

Dad's a bit of a stickler for factory correct so he may hate the wheels.  If so I'll swap with my convertible for him.  But there's quite a few not stock things about it so I hope he'll just appreciate it as a good driver and not a show car.

FuzzWuzzy said:

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

What about part availability? I would absolutely love one after owning an absolute realiable K24 Accord, but if it's anything like my 5 series, finding rear-end parts require me to hop on the UK eBay and hope a Lithuanian seller is willing to ship.

Other than that, they seem like the near-perfect somewhat new wagon
 

0 part availability problem 

JThw8 said:

This seems like as an appropriate place as any for this.   Gotta keep it off the book of faces for now but I'm too excited not to share.

For years my dad has wanted a Corvair Lakewood wagon.  Looking at them for him is what led to me getting a 63 Monza convertible.   Never could quite find the right mix of affordability and condition.   Dad is old, he can't maintain wrench anymore so I wanted a car he could just enjoy.

We almost lost him earlier this year so I really wanted him to finally have his dream car while he still can.  Finally the right car showed up and with mom's help we bought it for him for Christmas.

She's a 62 Corvair Monza Wagon (technically not a Lakewood as the name was dropped for 62)  Mechanically near perfect, owned by an old corvair mechanic, rebuilt motor (to later 110hp specs) rebuild PG transmission, rebuild differential, new brakes and dual circuit upgrade on the mastercylinder.   

Body is a 5 footer, not too bad, a few blemishes and some mild rust that will need addressed eventually, but I was much more concerned that he had a car he could drive without worry.  It finally arrived at my house yesterday and we plan to give it to him over Thanksgiving when the family is all together.

That is so totally super cool! I bet the reveal is going to be awesome!

Mine.  1989 BMW Touring 320i.  Euro S50 swap.  E36 M3 front brakes, track suspension, etc.  Awesome.  

Dirty after having returned from a Classic Car Adventures rally in Colorado.  

[URL=http://s61.photobucket.com/user/greggearhead/media/BMW/DSC_0769_zpsqjqckkxj.jpg.html][/URL]

VW EV Wagon?

I still want an EV van, but I definitely don't hate it.

greggearhead said:

Storz said:

These two pictures comprehensively prove that being rich and powerful doesn't give you any soul.

Ian F said:

VW EV Wagon?

I still want an EV van, but I definitely don't hate it.

If this is the EV wagon (I think they want people to call it a CUV) that we are getting instead of the ID.3 that's ok with me. Hopefully with an non all white interior.

In reply to HFmaxi :

Depends on who they are marketing the car to.  The advantage of calling it a wagon is it can be more upscale in both content and price than a comparative CUV.  VW was among the last to embrace the CUV craze.  Wagons still run deep in the corporate culture.

Got thinking about my sold '09 SAAB AERO; 6 speed, v6 turbo, awd..... GM electronics. Was a fun car when it wasn't eating coil packs.

Saron81 said:

This 1958 2 door Dodge Suburban Spectator is on BAT right now. It's awesome! 
 

When I was a kid my mother had a '58 Dodge four door sedan.  It wasn't nearly as cool as the Suburban Spectator wagon version.  

First car memories were in the way back of a 1970 hunter green Plymouth Belvedere.  An nearly stole 3rd base with Fiona in the back of said Plymouth in the early 80's, and it would've been a stand up triple had her mom not come looking for her.  Wagons are damned practical.

Fast forward to 2015, I had a few days to kill, found an 02 Audi S6 wagon with 60K miles on a trade in at a dealer in Colorado Springs.  Jumped a one way flight from Sacramento.  Drove the car for nearly an hour when at a stop sign, the transmission slipped. Boo.  Their Achilles heel.  I was planning to 6 speed swap t eventually, but not from day one.  Plan "B": Got a sweet deal on a 09 A4 and drove it back through a blizzard. 

Anyway, much love for this 4.2 liter V8 goodness...and the timing BELT is in the front.   Pretty easy job (once you remove the bumper).