Interesting, but odd, car choice.

"newsmctado" (newsmctado) 09/14/2017 at 08:39 • Filed to: None

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While visiting over Labor Day, my sister-in-law told me that she wanted to get rid of her Chevy Terrain and replace it with a used Porsche Cayenne. She has three kids and lives in Port Washington, NY (read: a very upper-crust suburb of NYC). I told her not to get a Cayenne, because instead she could get a much newer Audi Q7 S-Line with all the bells and whistle for about the same price (her budget is around $50-60k). I even sent her a couple of AutoTrader links of ones available in her area. She said the Audi didn’t have enough cachet.

She texted me yesterday to say she was buying a 1983 Jeep Wagoneer. Don’t get me wrong; the Wagoneer is awesome. But how do you go from wanting a late model, high-end performance oriented SUV, to a gas guzzling, slow, lumbering dinosaur like the Wagoneer as your daily driver?

My prediction: she is gonna drive this thing for about a six months before she realizes she hates the 8 mpgs, filling up the tank 3 times a week, and not being able to merge at speed on the highway. To me, this is the epitome of style over substance and too much disposable income.

Steve in Manhattan > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 08:42

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If she could stand the nameplate, to me the best value in the class is the Highlander. Driven one and been driven in many.

random001 > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 08:43

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Upside, you may get the change to jump on a low priced wagoneer....

awmaster10 > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 08:45

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I would probably think more highly of somebody in a mint wagoneer than a luxo-cuv. Kinda like how when you see one of these:

You don’t know if its a multimillionaire or a kid who bought it for $2k as a high school beater.

awmaster10 > Steve in Manhattan 09/14/2017 at 08:47

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Even the last gen highlander was great. The new one is fantastic though and if I really had to shop that segment it would probably be my choice. Smaller than the pilot and pathfinder, but way better looking and way better to drive.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > random001 09/14/2017 at 08:47

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Came here to say this, this is the only acceptable Oppo outcome.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 08:51

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The Grand Wagoneer is about the last word in upper-crust Northeastern style. So in that sense, she did good. I also happen to adore them.

She’s probably gonna get sick of driving it real quick though.

newsmctado > awmaster10 09/14/2017 at 08:53

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I don’t disagree that, as a car person, I get how cool the Wagoneer is. I just don’t get it as a practical choice, and I don’t know how you go from Porsche Cayenne to Wagoneer.

newsmctado > Steve in Manhattan 09/14/2017 at 08:54

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No way she would drive a Connor Macleod, I mean Highlander.

awmaster10 > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 08:54

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Definitely a big jump. Did she test drive any of the more...modern options?

newsmctado > awmaster10 09/14/2017 at 08:56

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I don’t know. Last conversation with her was on Labor Day, followed by me emailing her a couple Q7 Autotrader links, then a text last night about the Wagoneer. No idea what the thought process was.

I think a Wagoneer would be an awesome choice for something like a summer car at a lake house, or a non-daily driver (kind of like how you see a ton of roofless Broncos and Scouts these days). I just think she is going to be miserable lugging three kids around in that in NY.

newsmctado > random001 09/14/2017 at 08:58

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Interestingly, as opposed to a third car as my wife is, I think she’d probably let the Wagoneer take up space in our driveway/garage because she’s wanted one since she was 15. But, even she doesn’t want one to haul around the kiddo and have it as a daily driver. It would be strictly a third car.

newsmctado > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 09/14/2017 at 08:58

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100/100.

adamftw > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:01

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Yea, I totally get it. Yuppies (no offense to your SIL).

Source: Am from the island.

There are some nice resto-modded ones floating around. This also just further proves my argument that outfits like Icon and such will be selling people resto-modded older cars and trucks right next to brand new Audis and MBs.

random001 > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:03

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Take up overlanding!

Or sell it to a fellow Oppo.

Steve in Manhattan > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:04

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Well, tell here there would only have to be one.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:08

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The Wagoneer has dramatically more cachet than the Audi or Porsche, trust me.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:10

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What if it was Kluger McLeod, its Down Under cousin?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:15

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Not surprising, I think affluent women actually make up about 90% of Grand Wagoneer drivers.

carcrazydan738 > awmaster10 09/14/2017 at 09:16

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I remember back in 2004 there was a hipster who converted one of these Mercs to run on French Fry oil.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Steve in Manhattan 09/14/2017 at 09:18

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How déclassé.

carcrazydan738 > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:18

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maybe she wants to be like the character in Breaking Bad.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:19

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Sounds like her richer friend owns one and now she wants one too.

Things change quick. A decade ago you could pick up a GW for peanuts. Now they’re commanding obscene amounts. Several people around my town with older “restored” Broncos, same story. All from the richer neighborhood.

CobraJoe > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:22

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My prediction: she is gonna drive this thing for about a six months before she realizes she hates the 8 mpgs, filling up the tank 3 times a week, and not being able to merge at speed on the highway. To me, this is the epitome of style over substance and too much disposable income.

This is a perfect opportunity!

Teach her about modifying a car, even if she’ll have s shop do it for her.

LS engine swap, overdrive transmission, better brakes, maybe do something to help tighten up the steering.... A few thousand invested and you’ll have a classic that’ll keep up with modern jeeps!

awmaster10 > carcrazydan738 09/14/2017 at 09:27

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My brother who was always a tinkerer drove an ‘83 for a year then converted it to biodiesel. Hes a bit of a hipster though.

So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 09:40

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I mean sure it’s going to suck gas but might be cheaper than repairing that Porsche. But I’m going to venture a guess that the old truck driving dynamic will be the thing she hates. Hope she is a good driver because that is a lotta metal with no driver aids should things get sketchy

carcrazydan738 > awmaster10 09/14/2017 at 09:42

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I always wonder how the biodiesel doesn’t clog the engine like fries clog our arteries. I forgot to add that the one I saw was when I was going to college in Vermont at that time.

awmaster10 > carcrazydan738 09/14/2017 at 09:49

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Those vermont hippies man...great state though. Im not sure how it all works fine but his motor had 250k on it and it seemed unphased. It made maybe 100hp to the wheels MAX though.

Chuckles > carcrazydan738 09/14/2017 at 10:15

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A friend of mine drove a biodiesel Jetta for years. It actually had two fuel systems, one for bio and one for regular diesel. It ran on regular diesel on startup, and switched to biodiesel after everything was running at optimal temperature. When he would turn the car off, it would switch back to regular diesel and idle for a few minutes to flush all of the biodiesel out of the lines and engine. Wherever he went, it smelled like french fries.

newsmctado > adamftw 09/14/2017 at 10:32

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No offense at all. I love her, but she’s a stereotypical Long Island girl married to a successful attorney and she turned yuppie hard when they moved to Port Washington. Don’t even get me started on her dressing my three nephews in Polo shirts all the time.

adamftw > newsmctado 09/14/2017 at 10:48

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Barf. I’ll stay out at exit 69. I don’t even think they sell polos out here.