New car ideas?

My 96 Roady wagon is mostly driven by my wife, so I guess it is more accurate to say it is her car. She has been talking about getting something a little smaller. I really hate to see the Roady go, but obviously I want her to drive in something that she is comfortable in. Does anyone have any ideas about something interesting, still a wagon or small suv? I really don't want a new Subaru, or Kia or Hyundai, although they are all fine cars. I'm thinking a little funky and off beat, like the wagons, but a little smaller. I'd prefer American, but I'd consider something interesting in a foreign car. I'm thinking about 20k or so price wise. Put on your thinking caps!

Older BMW five series wagon, the later e39 specifically. They can be had really cheap, but insist on service records. The one I had new had a five speed manual, even.

Ive had a few Audi A6's and Volvo V70's. If all wheel drive isnt wanted, Volkswagen Passet,Jetta wagon? All I would buy again.

Ford Flex? I looked really hard at those for awhile.

[quote="sherlock9c1"]Ford Flex?  I looked really hard at those for awhile. That was my first thought, but they are pretty big. This isn't a done deal yet (selling the Roady), but if the Flex is too big for her I will need to find something smaller. It's funny, but in Europe you don't see SUV's like you do here. First, of course is that gas is way more expensive. Secondly, city streets are much narrower. So, station wagons are popular. What I have seen the most of are mid size wagons ( 3 series BMW, VW Golf ) and other makes I can't identify.

I had a 2005 Volvo sedan and loved it, so a wagon would probably be just as nice. BUT, European cars can get expensive with certain routine maintenance items (like brakes). As for American made station wagons, they are hard to come by these days. Cadillac is/was making one most recently, I believe it's called the CTS-V. It was in production up to 2014 and may still be. I've seen them up close, but never driven one; very nice on the eyes and the appointments inside feel nice too.

Chevy Malibu wagon? (if you can get a rust free one...)

Glide-Aways wrote:

I had a 2005 Volvo sedan and loved it, so a wagon would probably be just as nice.  BUT, European cars can get expensive with certain routine maintenance items (like brakes).  As for American made station wagons, they are hard to come by these days.  Cadillac is/was making one most recently, I believe it's called the CTS-V.  It was in production up to 2014 and may still be.  I've seen them up close, but never driven one; very nice on the eyes and the appointments inside feel nice too.  

The Corvette motor with 550HP is pretty nice too! Of course the $75K price tag is kinda daunting.

Wow, I forgot about the CTS wagons. I just looked on ebay, and a normal one (without the V-, 4-5 years old is in the 20-ish price range. That is what I think she is looking for. What she likes about the Roady is the fact it sits low like a car, and drives like a car, because it is a car. But, I think she just wants something a little easier to park.

A Volvo V70R might be easier to find than an "affordable" CTS wagon.  You could pick up one for about $10,000 with 60K miles, and they are barely broken in at that age.  Build quality is high.  They are fast, nimble, very nicely appointed, and very safe.  These are not the same as the standard V70 soccer-mom wagons.  Twin turbos, excellent sound system, heated seats that adjust every which way, and quality leather and wood everywhere.  Aftermarket parts are reasonably priced and high quality.

The reputation of Volvos as expensive to maintain is earned by owners who are unfortunate enough to depend upon dealer servicing.  There are millions of these cars on the road now, and any good independent shop can work on them.

I owned an 850R wagon, which was the car that became the V70R, and loved it.  The twin turbo 2.8L are screamers.

How about the Dodge Magnum? They are a little smaller than the B-body, and you can find them with HEMIs.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

How about the Dodge Magnum? They are a little smaller than the B-body, and you can find them with HEMIs.

I second this Magnum idea. I'm a GM guy but always found the Magnum interesting, and with the Hemi option, they were real runners. I'm told you can spruce up the interior with SRT and Chrysler 300 trim bits too. These were never made in the quantities the 300's were, but were basically a Charger/300 under the skin, which is also directly related to the Challenger. Lots of modification/swap pieces out there.

A clean Magnum R/T with Hemi power can be purchased pretty reasonably now. Also, remember much of the suspension, the steering column, many switches and levers including the shift levers, are from the Mercedes parts bin, and are "overbuilt" and a large step up from normal Mopar-grade components. These were designed when Dr. Z from Mercedes was running the Chryco show.

Another option, while not American, is a VW Jetta/Passat wagon. I'd avoid the 1.8T models as they had oiling issues, but the VR6 and 2.0T motors are stout, and either a Passat or Jetta is a total BLAST to drive. They are like little go-carts. Just be aware that being a VW, you will have more issues than with a Chevy or Toyota. The key to owning a VW is to find a good independent shop that is not scared of them, and ordering parts from Rock Auto. I've always liked the styling and features of the Jetta/Passat wagons, so size is the main factor, you want big, or little?

Want a couple more offbeat ideas? Again we're straying from the American theme a bit, but one of the better and lesser-know wagons is the Acura TSX Wagon. In other countries this is sold as the Honda Accord wagon. They are somewhat of a rarity here, and can be had with a stick! I like the styling on these better than the Accord, and it's just a tad smaller than a US Accord. The big plus here is I have to grudgingly admit that Hondas in general are bulletproof cars, and women totally love them. If this is for your wife, and not you, I bet she'd love it, and most-likely all you will ever need to do is change the oil on it, and do tires every 50K miles...

Lastly, if you want something that you really don't see often, that is a great sleeper, look at a Chevy Trailblazer SS. The interiors are made of recycled Legos, but these trucks are reliable and a total ball to drive. The SS used a 6.0 LS V8 yanked right from the Pontiac GTO parts box. They handle well, ride well, can tow, and have room and comfy interiors. Yes, again, GM plastics of this era leave a lot to be desired, but overall these are solid little trucks, and the SS has a loyal aftermarket following. Also, the SS was offered in both 2WD and AWD. I personally like the 2WD better...there is less to break, the truck is lighter, and smokey-burnouts are a flick of the traction-control-off button away. Be aware if you DO look at these, the 2008-09 SS models have some nice updates the '06-07 don't. Also, the SS could be ordered in LS (cloth) or LT (Leather) trim. The LT tends to be a lot nicer, with electronic climate control, steering wheel radio controls, a trip computer, and in-general nicer trimming inside.

Good luck on the hunt!

-Mike

The Magnum is typical Chrysler Malaise quality. With an interior made from defective recycled off brand Rubbermaid totes. As cool as it was, and I wish they still made them but jesus its a pile.

I'll be honest, I almost think I like my Hemi Magnum better than my Caprice wagon!

It hauls A$$ and sure feels nice on all the Mercedes parts, chassis, 5 speed tranny, ect.

Deadmanonduty wrote:

I'll be honest, I almost think I like my Hemi Magnum better than my Caprice wagon!  

It hauls A$$ and sure feels nice on all the Mercedes parts, chassis, 5 speed tranny, ect.  

Well, if you ever want to sell you Caprice wagon, let me know lol.

Glide-Aways wrote:

Deadmanonduty wrote:

I'll be honest, I almost think I like my Hemi Magnum better than my Caprice wagon!  

It hauls A$$ and sure feels nice on all the Mercedes parts, chassis, 5 speed tranny, ect.  

Well, if you ever want to sell you Caprice wagon, let me know lol.  

It lives a sheltered life! Only gets a couple thousand miles a year! Its getting headers put on now!

Deadmanonduty wrote:

Glide-Aways wrote:

Deadmanonduty wrote:

I'll be honest, I almost think I like my Hemi Magnum better than my Caprice wagon!  

It hauls A$$ and sure feels nice on all the Mercedes parts, chassis, 5 speed tranny, ect.  

Well, if you ever want to sell you Caprice wagon, let me know lol.  

It lives a sheltered life!  Only gets a couple thousand miles a year!  Its getting headers put on now!  

Nice way to start a new year!

Nobodies mentioned a HHR?

Andebe wrote:

Nobodies mentioned a HHR?

Sorry to say I forgot about those, especially considering I'm a Chevy guy. I still see quite a few on the road here in So Cal and for the most part, they seem to be well cared-for.

I would say a Pontiac G8 GT or a caprice PPV, if i was getting a newer car I'd get one of those. Plus, they are V8 RWD like the BBody. But, if you need an SUV or a wagon I'd reccomend a pre owned chevy tahoe. They are quite reliable. My family has an 01 and an 02, our 01 has 230 K on it.

The only issue with the Tahoe/Suburban is the 5.3L is so anemic stock. I had a 2010 Suburban with tow pack gears and 5.3L and 6 speed and it was an absolute turd unless it was wound up to 5,000+ rpm, thats not a truck motor in my opinion. My wife daily drives a 4 cylinder car and said the Suburban was a turd compared to her daily beater. It did handle amazing tho for a huge vehicle.

Too masculine for the wife?

I'm biased against foreign cars and front wheel drive, so for me the choices are limited.....
Last year, our third astro van (2001) hit 170k and seemed a bit tired so we started to consider newer stuff......Problem is, production of everything I'd consider cool started to decline around 2006.....
Today, only the Suburban, Tahoe, and Dodge Durango are cars I'll consider buying used in the future.....
I was looking at the Trailblazer SS, but we ended up with a straight-six powered trailblazer and love it! The 4.2 six has almost as much power as an LS and gets slightly better, but not great, fuel mileage. It's a worthy replacement for a v-8 powered vehicle.....
When all is considered, our 90's GM wagons are irreplaceable by anything offered today and that's a shame!

My brother's wife drives a 2006 or 2007 Toyota RAV4. Hers has a V6 that scoots, all wheel drive, and is plenty roomy for passengers. With rear passengers it's a little bit short on luggage space but really now bad there. Toyota reliability has outlasted my brother's heavy right foot.

Now speaking of my brother; he's driving a 2014 Chevrolet SS. It's a Holden with 415 hp and 6 speed auto. The car is very comfortable and the trunk is cavernous. Even with your wife driving it though you'd have to plan for a tire budget. :-)

First, thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm hoping this is just some fact finding on my part, and that she won't push the issue of replacing the Roady wagon. If she does insist on a new car, I'm thinking the CTS wagon, or maybe the Volvo wagon may fit the bill. They are both unusual, and not seen everyday, which is what I want. She is really completely uninterested in what she drives, and the only complaint that she has about the Roady is that it is big. And, it is! I still get a little uneasy backing the damn thing up, although driving/regular parking are fine. Strangely backing is not an issue for her, but pulling into a tight parking spot makes her nervous. I guess we will see what happens. If anyone else has any suggestions, please continue to post them. Maybe this would be a good sticky for all of us to refer to in the future?

You could teach her to do a 3 point maneuver. Turn inlike she's aiming for the spot beyond the one she wants, then cut the wheel and back up to get the front to the spot she wants and pull in. That gets the stern lined up in your slip.

One thing about these wagons is their great outward visibility, very few blind spots.

I know you said no Subaru though...but they are fun to drive, haul a lot for their size and are very easy to work on and mod.  

Both my wife and I drive Outbacks as our dailys....I actually really love my '01 LL Bean H6. I'm the second owner and it's hovering at 247,000 miles (I put a little over 45k on it this past year) I would honestly only buy a H6 in the Gen2 and 3.  The 4th Generation OB is ugly as heck...the 5th (2015) looks a lot better BUT has that generic new car front.

This is mine:

I really liked the Subaru's but the MPG is sad on them considering how small of cars they are. I made my wife look into them as the AWD would be nice in the winter, but it just wasn't worth the 15 mpg Penalty over her Sonata.