Non SVX - well sortof . . . (long)

[wasions]

We've decided to replace one of our high-mileage cars around February of next year. In order to keep the SVX, and the dogs, we'll have to get a wagon (to replace the '91 Camry wagon). It has to be an (ulp) automatic. Truly - ain't much out there!

The best (far and away) that we've driven so far is the L.L. Bean Outback wagon H6 3.0L. A truly won-der-ful car, but at 32 grand, we're wondering if we could drive it - and eat.

We've driven a WRX (not the wagon - though that's the version we'd get) and, though I like the power once it gets on the pipe, I couldn't get it to downshift coming out of a corner, to keep it on the pipe. (Call me insane - but one of my favorite things is squirting out of hard corners.) Though it has the nicest seats of anything we've tested, the trim has that 'Genuine Subaru Plastic' look. Actually, in retrospect, I think the 2.5 TS Sport wagon would be more fun to drive (I guess we'll have to go back), and the interior is somewhat nicer.

Another option is the PT Barnum - er Cruiser. It's very versatile, even if it is American (is it made in the USA?), but again, a little low on horsepressure. It is fairly torquey, though. (It's funny - the PT Cruiser has more horsepower than our last three cars, a 140hp Stanza, a 138hp Galant, and probably even more than the V6 Camry - but it 'feels' slower than any of them.) I'm also afraid it's the Chevette of the new millennium - about six on every block.

Then there's the Toyota Matrix. It hasn't been released yet - but I like what I've seen (styling-wise). Yesterday, I went to the local Toy store to see what they knew about it. Basically - nothing, except that it will have the same drive setup as the Celica GT-S, so I drove one of those. Major disappointment! It's a four-speed auto. with a 1.8L 180hp(!) I4. Although I loved the upshift-downshift buttons on the steering wheel, the engine doesn't begin to generate any hp until it reaches about 6500 rpm's. By that time, you're attracting quite a bit of attention. The usable revs are between 6500 and 7800 rpm's, but any upshift at redline drops the revs to below 5000. The six-speed would be an absolute ball to autocross - but I think the automatic PT Cruiser would beat the automatic Toyota in a drag. (From a dead stop, I'm not sure you could spin the tires of the Toy on ice!)

So, what am I missing? There has to be other sporty (affordable) wagons out there.



Steve

[eddycat2000]

Steve,

If you decide on either the Subaru or the Toyota, please let me know what you're leaning towards and I'm just about sure I can get you a better deal. That would include either air fare to come and get it or shipping to your location. What I propose is that you decide what you really want and I will give you the 800 #'s to the dealers I have access to here. When I was at CDA Subaru/Nissan we shipped a Nissan to Texas that was sold over the internet, so it's not an unheard of type of sale.

BTW, those PT cruisers were kind of interesting the first few thousand or so you saw...they must not be selling too well anymore, the local dealership here has a bunch of them on the lot.

[wasions]

Always looking for more ways to save.

I think they must have added another line to PT production. A couple of months ago, when I first looked at one, the salesman said that the one they had would be all they could get for the year (there I go, listening to salesmen again). Now they've got a ton of 'em. '01's and '02's.

If we got one, that'd mean another 3 grand would have to go into 'distinctifying' (is that a word? ) it.

Steve

[vkykam]

How about a Protege5 from Mazda?

There isn't much power (130hp from a 2L, I think), but pricing is attractive, at under $20k fully loaded.

I wonder how many bolt-on's are available for the Mazda 2L engines?

VK

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by wasions

If we got one, that'd mean another 3 grand would have to go into 'distinctifying' (is that a word? ) it.

Steve

But why would you have to do that? Sure, when I was young and had a lot of free money, living at home and no GF, I plunked down entire paychecks on my '69 camaro...but I've grown up a wee bit since then. (Shuddup Aredub) Now I just buy what I want, and spend the rest on the mortgage and food and all that other foolishness. I wouldn't even have the kitties if they didn't trade us live mouse torture shows and wrigglin' bats and half eaten birds scattered all over the basement for food.

As a matter of fact I think that was the last car I did any modifications to...and that would have been in the very late 1970's.

[wasions]

I'd forgotten about the Mazda. It looks very cool (And you can get it in yellow!). But 130hp. Sharon would nix that before she drove it. I'm afraid the SVX has spoiled her altogether.

Why distinctify? For the same reason we drive an SVX. (Besides it being way practical, it's way cool. )

(Uh, what's GF? Grand Funk? - I'm sorry. We midwesterners are just slow.)

Steve

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by wasions
(Uh, what's GF? Grand Funk? - I'm sorry. We midwesterners are just slow.)

Steve

Boy I guess! GF's turn into MRS.'s and then they start to correct your every move, and then they teach you how to dress, and then they tell you that there is a thing called honeydo's...

There are also three stages of sex in a married life, (I'm assuming you midwesterners don't know this either).

Stage one: House sex, you are newly married and have relations anywhere in the house you want to.

Stage two: Bedroom sex, you probably have kids and/or pets by now so you keep it in the bedroom.

Stage three: Hallway sex, the kids are grown, the pets are dead and when you pass each other in the hallway, you flip each other off and say "screw you!"

(Family board, couldn't use the appropriate off color language, sorry).

[nvrmore100]

Why not the Passat Wagon? The VR6 4-motion is a beuty. Even with the auto.

Ryan

[Jamsvx]

Although this is not very helpful, I am curious as to whether in another parallel universe, if you were faced with the same need for a wagon, you would or if indeed, anyone would, consider an Amadeus!!

An alternative Subaru wagon could be this:

http://www.stationwagon.com/gallery/...aru_Exiga.html

http://www.stationwagon.com/gallery/...u_Fleet-X.html



Failing that, you could try and import a Nissan Autech Stagea......GTR running gear in a wagon!

Just on the subject of PT Cruisers, they have really taken off here in Oz but I think the novelty will wear off very quickly. A lot of people are also getting on the SUV bandwagon and to a lesser extent, sports wagons such as the RS4 Audi - hoon mobile! Somewhere on the Net I saw a picture of a one-off custom Audi S8 Wagon! It looked quite....em.......unique!

Or there is always this:

http://www.ferrarimodelsclub.it/ta06_027.htm

http://www.mundoveloz.com/mundoveloz/fotos/456wagon.jpg

And this one is for Randy!!

http://home.tiscalinet.be/antzweb-fe...456break-1.jpg


Regards

James

[vkykam]

If you actually wanted the Protege5 in Yellow for next year, you'd better order now. Up here, the yellow's are sold out for the year.

Aredub, can I interest you in a test drive in a yellow Protege5?

Keep in mind the 130hp is pulling a LOT less car. It isn't stellar, it's nowhere near the SVX, but it's not a Yugo either. I guess it depends on what you're looking for and what coin you're willing to shell out.

I've driven the Mazda automatic, and compared to my '00 Legacy GT, it's not that much different in pep. A lot has to do with the weight.

Just don't compare it to the SVX. Nothing compares.

VK

Originally posted by wasions
I'd forgotten about the Mazda. It looks very cool (And you can get it in yellow!). But 130hp. Sharon would nix that before she drove it. I'm afraid the SVX has spoiled her altogether.

Why distinctify? For the same reason we drive an SVX. (Besides it being way practical, it's way cool. )

(Uh, what's GF? Grand Funk? - I'm sorry. We midwesterners are just slow.)

Steve

[Mr. Pockets]

Steve, all I can say is please stay away from the PT Cruiser. Remember that underneath the novelty is a Neon.

And the Neon, last I checked, made it to Consumer Report's Worst Used Car list - TWICE, because they sell them under Dodge and Plymouth nameplates.

The Neon is a sh**box. Go for a Subaru or Toyota. My family has owned several (and continues to own and buy) Toyotas and their reliability is unbeatable.

[nvrmore100]

Hehe, I still don't know why you guys are completely passing up the VW's. They are INCREDIBLY well made cars for what you pay for them. Besides if you want all the luxeries (variable speed wipers, heated power seats, etc, etc, etc) you won't find this from any other manufaturer in this price range.

Ryan

[nvrmore100]

Oh and I forgot to mention. Last I looked that VR6 is still making 200hp in the Passat, and they are still quite a bit faster than our SVX's. If your wife is saying 130hp is too slow, but one....she will have a huge grin on her face when you race her in your SVX and she kicks the crap out of you.

Ryan

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by nvrmore100
Oh and I forgot to mention. Last I looked that VR6 is still making 200hp in the Passat, and they are still quite a bit faster than our SVX's. If your wife is saying 130hp is too slow, but one....she will have a huge grin on her face when you race her in your SVX and she kicks the crap out of you.

Ryan

Fater or quicker? I have a hard time believing a 200hp Passat can reach the high speeds an SVX can. Quicker I can believe, faster I have a harder time swallowing.

And about VW's build quality, I'd question that they're as well put together as you say. Have I owned one? No. But my wife is crazy in love with the Beetle, so I've driven a couple. Really well-finished car, but I've seen that after 30k miles they rattle and squeak like nothing else. Other than that I will say that I was really happy with the way the car drove. It felt very precise, the braking was nice and the auto shifted *perfectly*.

Am I going to have to buy one anyway? Of course. But then I own a garage queen that is hardly cheap to maintain, so I can't argue with cost-of-ownership.

A friend's father is also a VW mechanic with something like 25 years of experience and hates a few of the new VW models. His least favorite, apparently, is the Beetle because they spend so much time in the shop. I don't know about the other models, but the Beetle shares its platform with at least he Golf and the TT, right?

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by nvrmore100
Hehe, I still don't know why you guys are completely passing up the VW's. They are INCREDIBLY well made cars for what you pay for them. Besides if you want all the luxeries (variable speed wipers, heated power seats, etc, etc, etc) you won't find this from any other manufaturer in this price range.

Ryan

Well Ryan, maybe I can shed a little light on that. I've worked at a VW dealership...the only parts that I have seen that are more spendy are Jaguar parts. The parts availability sucks, the training for techs is virtually non-existant, and even when when we finally dumped that POS line of cars they still had vacuum operated door locks. That would have been all of 5 years ago tops. Do you really want to spend upwards of 900 bucks for a wiper motor? I would *NEVER* *EVER* own a VW if it were given to me, and probably wouldn't even own one if the person giving it to me agreed to pay all costs involved in repairing the thing for the next 200 years...they are sh!twagons from top to bottom.

That dealership dropped two lines that year...Hyundai, and Volkswagen...the VW folks begged them to keep the line because they couldn't give franchises away, but Hyundai said sure, we can always get someone else to sell our cars.

Sorry to burst yer bubble dood, but VW is only surpassed in engineering incompetance by british cars...you really got to love them and have deep pockets to own one.