So I'm not sure how long the Super Saab is going to be around. I moved to Hotsville USA and the AC maybe shitting the bed. And of you who are familiar with the beloved Super Saab, it probably isn't worth the money for a major AC replacement (if it even needs it).

The real deal is that I need something bigger for hauling the hounds. Wagons are going to be my best bet because Cricket is 14 years old and a wagon would just be a helluva lot easier for her to get in and out of. And I still need room for coolers and fishing shit and whatnot.

So I guess I'm looking for the impossible. A decent used wagon that'll be roomy, still fun to drive, reliable, and good on gas (reg is damn near $3/gallon here already and I seem to have do some travelling for boat work).

And now the kicker...really needs to be under $5000. Mommy and daddy stopped paying my bills years ago and it's going to take me a year or two to build up any financially rewarding deals in the boating industry. So it definitely needs to be on the cheap side. A total career change ain't an easy thing to swing in the money department.

Volvo? Subaru? Not too familiar with wagons so I'm looking for some suggestions. Mucho appreciated...even for the stupid responses if they make me laugh.

[Edited on March 30, 2007 at 3:36 PM. Reason : .]

3/30/2007 3:34:25 PM

I was kinda thinking something along the lines of something like this. A friend had a turbo one like it and it was pretty fun to drive. Just don't know shit about the Volvo/turbo reliability quotient????

http://fortlauderdale.craigslist.org/car/283812607.html

I think it's overpriced, but just throwing it out there as an example.

[Edited on March 30, 2007 at 3:37 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on March 30, 2007 at 3:38 PM. Reason : ..]

3/30/2007 3:37:15 PM

save the super saab for the derby this year.

volvos are pretty solid all around. electrical gremlins plague some, but nothing major. if you go that route, i would go for an older 740 or even 240. much easier to work on and maintain. shouldn't be hard to find a low mileage soccer mom driven one for cheap. FredNCSU (shaughn) had a 740 turbo wagon and a 240 wagon. he beat the hell out of both for years with minimal problems.

subaru would be a good choice also. you know of the severe lashings we gave my gl wagon. the older ones are damn near bulletproof. the newer impreza/legacy models are solid also. big advantage i know you would like with a subaru is the available awd or 4wd depending on the model.

the only other wagon i would consider is a benz. a diesel would be the hotness.

3/30/2007 4:00:08 PM

Yeah, forgot to mention the Benz. I loved my old diesel Benz. 4 speed manual. Fun car. But from what I've been seeing, the bio diesel conversion folks are driving up the prices on the Benz wagons.

Subaru are quite tough as we've witnessed...repeatedly. But the Volvos have a little more room I think. And AWD/4WD probably isn't going to be much of an issue down here unless a storm blows some sand across the road between me and the boats.

Might even try to find another old Trooper. Any way I go, it just needs to be a fairly cheap 'temporary' car. Even better if it could be later retired to the derby.

Super Saab still runs strong, it's the AC that's the issue, well, that and it's smaller size. It's not an ideal derby candidate anyway with the front rigged distributor, so I'll probably need to sell it for whatever I can get out of it $$$-wise to put towards another piece of shit.

3/30/2007 4:17:25 PM

I've seen some decent deals on VW wagons too, but have heard pretty mixed opinions on them over all. Garage peoples, what say ye?

3/30/2007 4:30:50 PM

yep, the greasers/bio people are driving the prices up on the diesels. they still pop up from time to time for reasonable prices though. a gas model is an option also.

older e36 bmw wagons are probably starting to get in that price range also i would think.

yeah, the older ea81/ea82 suby wagons are rather small, especially for two labs. the legacy/outbacks aren't bad though.

accord/camry wagons wouldn't be a bad choice either. boring as hell, but the reliability is there and parts are cheap.

a vw is going to be on par with the volvos.

[Edited on March 30, 2007 at 4:38 PM. Reason : .]

3/30/2007 4:36:39 PM

personally i'd go Subaru forester/wrx wagon or lexus is200 wagon

3/30/2007 4:39:29 PM

BAM!

3/30/2007 4:40:23 PM

I pulled the 4 biiiiiiggg assed turbos off the boat engines today. I wonder if they would fit in the passenger seat of a Volvo wagon???

3/30/2007 4:42:29 PM

you need this... i'll cut you a deal on it.

3/30/2007 4:43:26 PM

Quote :

"BAM!"

Already found one. 81K miles, turbo, and 245 hp. Not too shabby for a little wagon.

Little more than I want to spend at the moment though.

3/30/2007 4:44:45 PM

Where is Primer from anyway? West Virginia! hahaaaa That pic still cracks me up.

3/30/2007 4:45:49 PM

Yeah, I think that one was $6900 or something. I just did a craigslist search to find the pic.

3/30/2007 4:49:51 PM

or maybe this trophy winning beauty...

3/30/2007 4:50:46 PM

Quote :

"or maybe this trophy winning beauty... "

We've still got all the glass, lights, etc. Hmmm, and there's already a hole in the hood for a blower. It's got potential.

3/30/2007 4:53:14 PM

dont let super saaaaab go!

I like the older volvo's. pretty tough. I had a 242 with the garret turbo/ 5spd. it was pretty sweet. (and by sweet I mean sweet by 3rd world country standards) They're good cars tho. def. should rock the volvo wagon ed.

3/30/2007 5:22:47 PM

THIS IS NOT A JOKE GUYZ

3/30/2007 6:31:35 PM

At least it's black this time.

3/30/2007 8:22:49 PM

one of these:

3/30/2007 9:39:21 PM

saabaru 9-2x aero

3/30/2007 9:40:20 PM

you are ALL smoking crack on this one.

coolest wagon ever is the vista cruiser. but probably not a lot around in your price range still rocking cold AC.

no wagon on EARTH fits dogz better or has colder (and inexpensive to fix) AC than a buick roadmaster. readily available for $2500. occasionally found for $1000. leather seats, power options, V8 power and LT1 reliability, towing capability, and lets face it, woodgrain is just plain badass.

if you could find a mid to late 80s GM fullsize wagon that would work too. 1986 pontiac parisenne safari with a chevy 305.


i know someone with a nice buick wagon with an olds 307

3/30/2007 10:09:22 PM

Quote :

"i know someone with a nice buick wagon with an olds 307 "

why yes, i believe i do have one of those also. fresh transmission!

i thought about an lt1 caprice/roadmaster wagon too, but forgot to mention it. that would be sweet if you can find one.

[Edited on March 30, 2007 at 10:17 PM. Reason : .]

3/30/2007 10:15:41 PM

my opinion is to take the ferry

3/30/2007 10:16:54 PM

Wish I could afford a slab of old school Chevy. Hit the pedal and toss the dogs out the back window.

The wagon options are getting better. Might have one attached to a liveaboard deal coming up.

3/30/2007 10:58:32 PM

stfu buy a damn mini van

3/30/2007 11:21:30 PM

I'd go with a Volvo turbo wagon for sure. Hell I'm even pretty partial to the newer 850 turbos, even though most of them are FWD.

3/31/2007 9:07:13 AM

Yeah, I'm kinda leaning toward the Volvos at the moment. And there seem to be a metric shitload of used ones down here. Many of them with low miles from the retirement crowd. Looking like that's my best bet and bang for the buck.

3/31/2007 9:11:10 AM

3/31/2007 9:16:31 AM

Thanks! I've been waiting for that.

3/31/2007 9:17:36 AM

Quote :

"if you could find a mid to late 80s GM fullsize wagon that would work too. 1986 pontiac parisenne safari with a chevy 305. "

The parents used to have an '86 Parisienne (not a safari though). Olds 307, not the Chevy 305, unfortunately. Had *constant* vacuum leaks...

How about an A4 Avant? Or is that not enough room? Perhaps a mid 90's 100 (or old-body A6 after the model change) Avant? Volvo 740 or 940 Turbo is obvious. I do like the idea of an early 90's GM though...of course it won't handle, but still interesting. A friend of mine had a '91 Olds Custom Cruiser with the 350 and that thing was surprisingly fast... And they're definitely roomy, cheap, and reliable.

3/31/2007 5:10:59 PM

Please remove my temptation... haha

http://fortlauderdale.craigslist.org/car/303815817.html

3/31/2007 7:10:37 PM

you don't want a land rover. those things suck. ask primer, he's got like 10 of them or something.

3/31/2007 10:13:23 PM

mmmmmmmmmm thats the last of the series one discoverys there... looks like my color too...

3/31/2007 10:55:38 PM

Holy fuck what a day! Ended up exploring solo and spent the afternoon at Deerfield Beach. Hit a few bars, drooled over tons of hotties, then actually caught one and ended up back at her hotel. Left there and went to meet a friend down in the Las Olas (swank ass party area of Lauderdale). My eyes hurt! hahaaa And I gotta get my fat ass in shape!

Not auto/boat/bike related, but would the people of the garage mind if I started a "Perpetual Daily Bikini Pic" thread?

3/31/2007 11:30:45 PM

pics or ban

3/31/2007 11:31:36 PM

^^throw some pics of all the exotics rolling around down there and it becomes garage related.

3/31/2007 11:34:17 PM

Aight.

I'll go get a new cord for the camera tomorrow.

Hot girls and hot cars thread...coming soon, to a computer near you.

3/31/2007 11:42:24 PM

bonzer

3/31/2007 11:43:21 PM

Maybe I'll call it "Hot Cars and Girls Gone Stupid"

3/31/2007 11:47:16 PM

you missed the obvious and best choice....volvo 240 wagon. they were made until the early 90's i believe. indestructible.

nevermind, i see it up top, but still...RWD FTW

[Edited on April 3, 2007 at 10:51 AM. Reason : asd]

4/3/2007 10:50:12 AM

http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/0/7/87427207.htm




http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/9/2/87427192.htm





http://ww2.collectorcartraderonline.com/details.php?adId=adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/ad-cache/10/4/1/86664941.htm





http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/2/8/84089428.htm





http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1974-Volkswagen-Bus-Classic_W0QQitemZ220097647964QQcategoryZ15291QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem




http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/68-VW-Double-Crew-Cab-Pickup_W0QQitemZ260101900453QQcategoryZ15291QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem








or just buy an Impreza or Legacy wagon

4/3/2007 11:27:32 AM

^ go for the 62'ish stude
$1850, if the floors are still there thats pretty badass cause the rest looks good

haha country classic cars is on the frontage road (i.e. john boy and billy radio skits)




[Edited on April 3, 2007 at 12:15 PM. Reason : !~]

4/3/2007 12:12:27 PM

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2572611

4/4/2007 9:23:58 PM

i have a green '93 240 wagon for sale, leather int, volvo dog gate in the rear, tow hitch, well maintained, $3000 and its yours.

4/5/2007 10:49:36 AM

Quote :

"The car was built to annoy Porsches and BMWs at open track events and NASAs American Iron series. "

Swwwweeeet LTD!

4/5/2007 6:20:23 PM

[Edited on April 5, 2007 at 7:26 PM. Reason : h]

4/5/2007 7:26:04 PM

4/5/2007 8:49:23 PM

That LTD/Fairmont wagon a few posts up is badass!

4/6/2007 12:35:21 AM

Very Yarworthy.


Demolition derby season starts the 21st of this month. Invited but no way in hell I can make it.

4/6/2007 12:49:32 AM

Ed I am sure this is what you need! You and the dogs would be so happy


http://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/telstarlogistics/images/254109211_7489d272c4_o_4.jpg

[Edited on April 6, 2007 at 2:01 AM. Reason : gd couldnt get it to show up! But that is deff you]

4/6/2007 2:00:18 AM