"" (bignslow)
12/26/2015 at 22:02 • Filed to: None
0
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"" (bignslow)
12/26/2015 at 22:02 • Filed to: None | 0
| 23 |
Hey guys, I need some suggestions. My current daily driver is a 2003 Crown Vic. As reliable as it is, it’s not very practical. I was out today doing a little shopping and wanted to buy a small display case which was some 60 inches long. Unfortunately I had to leave the store without it because it wouldn’t fit in the car. The case would easily fit in most modern sedans once the rear seat was folded down. Crown Vic unfortunately lacks such ability.
Anyway, after doing some thinking a station wagon is looking tempting. So far I am considering Mazda 6 with a V6 and manuel and a few Volvos. Can you guys suggest some other options that will match Crown Vic reliability and not be boring to drive? I don’t want a 4 banger and I don’t want anything tiny. At the same time I don’t want another land yacht. An older LTD wagon is tempting but they are near impossible to find around here in any condition.
I am not looking to spend over 5 grand. Also, parts need to be cheap.
djmt1
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12/26/2015 at 22:06 |
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Assuming these even exist stateside.
Dusty Ventures
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12/26/2015 at 22:07 |
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Untill you said no 4 bangers I was going to say Legacy. Because I’m hella biased
JGrabowMSt
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12/26/2015 at 22:07 |
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Magnum, 3.5L V6 or the V8s.
E350 Benz wagon
BMW wagon
Baeromez
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12/26/2015 at 22:10 |
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Can’t go wrong with a Caprice.
Katydidit
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12/26/2015 at 22:11 |
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Hmm... The Buick Roadmaster may fit a lot of your criteria, but I don’t know how boring to drive it would be.
RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
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12/26/2015 at 22:12 |
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Subaru Impreza 2.5TS or similar vintage Impreza Outback.
EDIT - AND just now actually READ your post, lol, and found the line that said no “4-bangers”......sorry! Ignore my post and carry on! :)
Not a “large” wagon, but practical enough! AWD for Canadian winters (I assume you’re Canadian from the “EH” in your name) and very reliable. I owned mine from 2008-2013 and it never left me stranded once and never once did I have a major service cost for anything breaking - had 111,000kms when I bought it and ~180,000kms when I sold it
In naturally-aspirated form, they put out 170hp (at least the 2002 model I used to have did - maybe higher in 03-06 models...?), so not too bad! :)
The rear subframe rusted out on mine, but the guy I sold it to swapped in a new rear subframe himself and DD’d it plus autocrossed it for quite some time after, probably still is!
dogisbadob
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12/26/2015 at 22:14 |
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A Magnum might work for you. There’s also the V6 Camry wagon. You could also get am E-class wagon W124, 210, or 211 wagon. And of course, the E46 wagon. If you’re really lucky, you can get an IS300 wagon. Don’t forget, Subaru did offer the H6 on recent Legacy wagons.
I’ve heard bad things about the V6 mazda 6 reliability.
What’s wrong with a 4-banger?
Wobbles the Mind
> Dusty Ventures
12/26/2015 at 22:27 |
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Outback 3.6R (or Legacy 3.6R)!
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dogisbadob
> Dusty Ventures
12/26/2015 at 22:32 |
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There is a 6-cylinder Legacy :)
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dogisbadob
> djmt1
12/26/2015 at 22:33 |
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surprisngly, they do!
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dogisbadob
> dogisbadob
12/26/2015 at 22:34 |
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other good choices:
Cutlass Cruiser (Ciera wagon) and friends
Saab 9-5 wagon (V6 was indeed available)
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
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12/26/2015 at 22:40 |
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You could get a Sable wagon with the same V6 as the Mazda6, but it would be auto only, and it would be much uglier. And not exactly a thrill. But also more common.
Or what about an A3 with the 3.2? Or a first gen Allroad? No wait, you said reliable didn’t you... Stick with the A3.
Otherwise as they said you could get a Legacy.
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> dogisbadob
12/26/2015 at 22:44 |
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A Cutlass Cruiser would be awesome. My first car was a Ciera, I liked it a lot.
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> djmt1
12/26/2015 at 22:44 |
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Would be nice but repair costs would be more than what I am willing to pay.
smobgirl
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
12/26/2015 at 23:25 |
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I always liked those.
Amoore100
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12/27/2015 at 00:17 |
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960 or V90. Semi modern but still with the classic brick lines, a smooth I6, and heaps of space. Might make you look like a geography professor, but hey, geography is cool nowadays, right?
boxrocket
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12/27/2015 at 00:32 |
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Stick with the Volvos or Mazda6. Alternately a minivan.
Ryanator122
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12/27/2015 at 01:07 |
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Budget BMW-levels of money if you’re planning for a 6s Wagon. Awesome motor, total garbage gearbox if you get the auto. Manual clutch is garbage from the factory. Interior falls to shit. Eats front tires. Hard as fuck to work on because the 3.0 is too big for the engine bay. Fuel mileage in town is meh (But close to 30 on a trip if you aren’t being a douche). Interior feels like it’s going to all break at once. LCD display is wonky in hot climates. Runs very hot. Generally uncomfortable (leather seats were a bit better). Mine had a mysterious oil pressure issue and a subsequent compression issue.
But dude. Handles like a long go-kart (be careful late on the brakes into a sharp turn), pulls hard enough, and carries lotsa stuff.
Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
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12/27/2015 at 03:19 |
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Good luck finding anything with a 6 and manuel; too many manufacturers figured wagons in the US were just mommymobiles and that the owners wouldn’t want to shift for themselves. Taking 4-cylinder engines out of the mix makes this search even more challenging, perhaps unnecessarily so.
If you could go for a 4-banger, you could probably find a nice older Mazda5 with a stick; I drive a 2012 with that combo, but I think that generation hasn’t dropped to your price range yet; I don’t know if this vehicle is what you would consider ‘tiny’. I find mine to be big enough yet small enough, dirt cheap to operate, fun and enjoyable to toss around, easily affordable and more reliable than anything I’ve ever owned.
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Dusty Ventures
> Wobbles the Mind
12/27/2015 at 13:54 |
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Too new to find one for under 5 grand. Also neither is a wagon, the Outback is now a crossover and the Legacy is a sedan.
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Dusty Ventures
> dogisbadob
12/27/2015 at 14:14 |
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But can you find one for under $5,000?
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dogisbadob
> Dusty Ventures
12/27/2015 at 15:00 |
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Yup! check it out
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Dusty Ventures
> dogisbadob
12/27/2015 at 15:13 |
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Not bad. Doesn’t seem to have the fender rust common in that generation, though there is some bumper damage on the rear left. Also that last photo is from a different car for some reason. But good find and good looking car