Sporty surf wagon?

"Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop" (officer-jim-lahey)
09/27/2017 at 19:22 • Filed to: Wagonwednesday

Dearest Oppo,

I currently drive a Focus ST and love it. But I’m thinking ahead to the near future, which may contain children, and wondering if there’s a perfect car out there that can do all the things I’d like a car to do:

-Have a manual transmission (preferably).

-Be autocross-able & reasonably fun to daily drive.

-Fit a surfboard up to 8' long inside without completely taking up the front passenger seat. (I use a roof rack on the ST without problem, but putting boards inside would be easier, and more secure for parking at the office, taking trips to Baja, etc.).

-Fit child seats (not necessarily at same time as surfboard).

At this point, I don’t have the parking for 2 cars, so a 1-car solution would be ideal.

The best option would be a wagon or big sedan with fold-down rear seats.

Does this exist?

Porsche for your time

DISCUSSION (25)

VW Max > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 19:28

A VW Golf Sportwagen/Alltrack? I don’t know if the surfboard would fit inside though.

Elumerere > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 19:30

A Ford Flex?

Bytemite > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 19:31

These games are dumb.

“I need to haul my entire family around and 4 skis and 4 surfboards because I think I will have a kid soon in the near future.

Oh I also need this long wheelbase, heavy, high inertia, likely tall wagon or crossover vehicle to be somehow fun to drive!”

Get two cars and stop trying to make something do completely opposite things.

Toby F., Manager > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 19:53

CTSV WAGON is the very first thing that came to mind.

rillweid - Now with more TRD and less TDI > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 20:08

AS well as E63. You can also get golf wagons with a manual.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 20:26

How big are your children that you cannot make do with a FoST?

And what you’re asking for needs to just be a third/fun car not an everyday car.

xyzabc > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 20:31

What person is going to leave a 356 unattended in a public parking lot while they go surfing?

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > VW Max
09/27/2017 at 20:36

Yeah I think only a short board would fit inside

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > rillweid - Now with more TRD and less TDI
09/27/2017 at 20:37

I can’t seem to find good interior cargo dimensions for the E class wagon

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > Toby F., Manager
09/27/2017 at 20:43

Yeah this is a contender, but even with the back seats down there’s less than 6' to the back of the front seats. Even at an angle, a 7' or 8' board probably wouldn’t fit.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
09/27/2017 at 20:45

Longboards are long. Extra space for kids and their kid stuff is more of a bonus.

VW Max > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 21:04

Old Vanagon with upgraded suspension and a Subaru engine?

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > VW Max
09/27/2017 at 21:06

Yes please

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > xyzabc
09/27/2017 at 21:08

Yeah only in a stock photo does any of that happen

Audistein > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 21:08

If you’re willing to do some mods maybe a used BMW E60 535ix wagon. Would need wheels/tires/maybe coil-overs to be truly autocross worthy. Also reliability might be an issue compared to your Focus ST even.

I can’t think of many recent larger sedans with manuals besides the BMW 5 series, Acura TL SH-AWD, or Chevy SS. I don’t know which of those have rear seat which fold down or could fit your board.

The Porsche Cayenne came with a manual up until a couple years ago, but most autocross places won’t let you run something that tall.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
09/27/2017 at 21:09

Kinja ate the response. But the issue isn’t fitting kids, it’s fitting a board inside. I’m trying to figure out if that’s possible.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > Elumerere
09/27/2017 at 21:11

Yeah I should drive one of these. No stick, but that’s not a dealbreaker.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > Bytemite
09/27/2017 at 21:15

Obviously 2 cars would be better than 1. But condo complex parking is a limiting factor, and there’s probably a decent compromise solution out there.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > Audistein
09/27/2017 at 21:25

Good points here, thanks for this.

I’ll check out the Cayenne and TL. I might have to put Autocross on the back burner for a while.

I like the e61 a lot. I’ve trolled classifieds for these, but it’s been a while. I’ll have to check it out.

I’d been eyeing the SS, especially with all the incentives Chevy was offering, but then I was surprised to find out it had fixed rear seats.

Elumerere > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 21:39

I hear good things. Plus they remind me of 50s surfer vans.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 22:19

Longboards are long. My dad put a yakima roof rack and rails on my 97 F-150 tonneau cover for my time trial bicycle and my surfboards when I was on active duty.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 22:43

I don’t think anything reasonably sporty is going to get an 7-8' surfboard in it. Find something that looks nice with a roof rack. I think BMW does a good job making roof racks look not too out of place.

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/27/2017 at 23:41

The Answer appears to be Volvo...

Kinja'd!!!

xyzabc > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop
09/28/2017 at 06:46

...and parked the wrong way / on-coming traffic.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
09/28/2017 at 09:03

I really want to get a look at the new V90