Automobiles

[christian]

Some dumb(er) advice I've gotten is to find an '88-91 BMW 325ix, and I have been tunneling down that rabbit hole (on the internet), this weekend. You only live once, right?

Yeah, that's a no. The number of parts particular to the ix is maddening. Also they're fragile. An E30 fine, but not an ix.

[Saab2000]

I just rode from Charlotte, NC to Fayetteville, NC in the second row of a Cadillac Escalade. It's an enormous vehicle and pretty gaudy, but it's also a helluva ride. Our day was screwed up from the get go in MSP and the company got us a ride to our destination instead of having us risk further delay and pandemonium tomorrow due to duty time limitations today.

Five adults were in here, along with the luggage of four of us. Lots of room, though the seats are so thick they do eat into some of the leg room and the third row passenger was probably happy to have it to himself. But five adult men were more than comfortable for the 3+ hour ride. It was quiet and when the professional driver had to overtake some traffic, it had plenty of get up and go. And the trip computer showed him getting about 18 MPG, which surprised me. It's hardly great, but considering the payload, not bad either. It shuts off a bank of cylinders under reduced load conditions. The climate control was cranked and working well.

I know it's just a Suburban, but the extra power and sound insulation made themselves known. It was a quiet and comfortable ride. There are worse ways to travel than in a Cadillac Escalade, let's just say that. After all, it could have been another plane ride with 162 of my closest friends...

Suburban owners and lovers will know this to be true. This is quite a sled. After selling my late father's 18-year old GMC Yukon about six months ago I continually miss the presence of a tall wagon and these GM leviathans acquit themselves pretty well.

[AngryScientist]

yes, i almost bought a very used escalade before i bought my current cheap jeep.

the bad news is how much $$$ they are new. the good news, is that once the price of fuel goes way up again, the resale value of these huge SUVs goes way down for well used examples. i would never never never buy one new for the price they command, but on the very used market, parts are widely available and cheap, and they make excellent versatile vehicles with pretty impressive towing manners too.

also interestingly, and again, on the very used market - resale values are nearly identical between suburbans, tahoes, yukons and escalades. only problem with an old escalade is that over the years, almost every one has a set of 24" chrome wheels added by some jackass. bling bling.

[Gordon]

I've had one of those.
An '00 Golf 4-dr, manual. The first car I ever bought new.
Drove it for ten years and managed to avoid the myriad electrical and other gremlins of that era VW.
It's definitely on the list, but with our other car being a Jetta wagon, it's kind of a case of been there done that.

Me too! Also first new car, drove for ten years and then bought a '10 TDI. Waiting for VW to get its act together ... Or just stop stalling to figure out what is next ...

[robin3mj]

Me too! Also first new car, drove for ten years and then bought a '10 TDI. Waiting for VW to get its act together ... Or just stop stalling to figure out what is next ...

It looks like we're getting about $18.5k for our diesel wagon in the buyback scenario.
It will ultimately be my wife's call since that's the car she mainly drives but I am hoping that the Alltrack wagon is available in manual with more than the base trim level within the buyback window. (And that they will discount the crap out of it to keep us in the VW fold...)

[rwsaunders]

Every time that I spot one of these on the road I release my inner hippie.

[AngryScientist]

Every time that I spot one of these on the road I release my inner hippie.

which is good, because with the prices those things command these days, you've got to be an inner hippie and outer [successful] investment banker.

[Dave Thompson]

This could scratch a couple of itches. Very clever.

[jmgorman]

Anyone have a good word about a hybrid? Will be replacing a sportwagen, my wife is done with diesels. Any recommendations?

[Brandon White]

Anyone have a good word about a hybrid? Will be replacing a sportwagen, my wife is done with diesels. Any recommendations?

There's a new Subaru Crosstrek hybrid. The Lexus hybrids are a little pricey. Maybe a Toyota Highlander or Rav4 hybrid? Honda?

Sorry, I'm out of the hybrid loop, I think.

[davids]

The Chevy Volt looks nice to me, reasonably economical, reasonably sized, reasonably fun to drive.



And the upcoming Bolt, a pure EV, actually looks fairly innovative.

I just drove a new Malibu as a rental for ~750 miles, and I found the ride & handling acceptably dialed to think that GM might actually be trying again.

[Brandon White]

I need a wagon that somewhat easily fits 3 in the back. Is an Outback my best option? I could possibly go with a mid-sized SUV that has an OK 3rd row too. I have a short list to go on - but love the VSalon guidance.

My E91 - I couldn't fit a stuffed animal between 2 seats in the back.

[jdp211]

gallery-1455806078-volvo-v90-front-quarter.jpg

[robin3mj]

That new Volvo is gorgeous.
We’re taking the buyback on our TDI wagon at some point. It’ll be my wife’s ride, and if we do the trade next year we’ll probably get the new AWD Sportwagen once available in stick, or if she can wait til later in the buyback window so we can save a few more bucks in the meantime, that Volvo would be high on my radar.

That said, it’s about $30K more than an Outback or VW…

Brandon, how long can you wait? The newer variants of the Jetta wagon are looking nice.

[Brandon White]

gallery-1455806078-volvo-v90-front-quarter.jpg

That new Volvo is gorgeous.
We’re taking the buyback on our TDI wagon at some point. It’ll be my wife’s ride, and if we do the trade next year we’ll probably get the new AWD Sportwagen once available in stick, or if she can wait til later in the buyback window so we can save a few more bucks in the meantime, that Volvo would be high on my radar.

That said, it’s about $30K more than an Outback or VW…

Brandon, how long can you wait? The newer variants of the Jetta wagon are looking nice.

The new Volvo v90 looks awesome. 3 in the back might be a stretch. The XC90 looks a tad roomier in the back than our old one, but that's a sizable SUV.



Matt - I have some time. Are you fitting all 3 of your kids in the back of your Jetta Wagon? 2 rear facing and 1 forward facing seems like it wouldn't be possible.

It's hard to swallow going from an E91 w/ M package to "lesser" car - but I can't be choosey with such specific needs - seems like I either step down or step WAY up. I already checked - 3 in the back is a no-go for an AMG E63.

[jdp211]

Every time I look at that Volvo I find something new I love. Melting at the Swedish flag tag.

[robin3mj]

The new Volvo v90 looks awesome. 3 in the back might be a stretch. The XC90 looks a tad roomier in the back than our old one, but that's a sizable SUV.



Matt - I have some time. Are you fitting all 3 of your kids in the back of your Jetta Wagon? 2 rear facing and 1 forward facing seems like it wouldn't be possible.

It's hard to swallow going from an E91 w/ M package to "lesser" car - but I can't be choosey with such specific needs - seems like I either step down or step WAY up. I already checked - 3 in the back is a no-go for an AMG E63.

Sorry, I hadn’t read 3 in the back to mean all in some kind of seat…but no, 3 car seats in the Jetta wagon is probably a no go. Ours is the prior generation and is marginally smaller, and we could not fit 2x infant and 1x toddler seat in it. Maybe if you got the absolute narrowest of each type, but (as we found with the Touareg we owned for a few months), getting to that middle seat to strap that kid in is a pain in the neck.

We have the minivan for fitting the whole family right now, and while eventually it’ll be important to have 2 cars that fit the whole crew, the sheer size that that requires with the car seats makes it less of a priority right now than having a smaller car(s) that gets reasonable mileage. Esp since this winter, my goal is to leave the van at home for the nanny if they should ever need to go out, and I’m looking at a sub $5K commuter car for the days I can’t ride (or ride all the way) to work. (I really can’t believe we’ll have gone from a longtime one car household to owning three in the space of a year, but that’s life.)

[AngryScientist]

forget about fitting 2 car seats and a 3rd person in the back of a jetta/golf based car, too small.

does anyone else miss the old wagons that had the pup up rear facing rear seat for just such occasions?

[funcrusher]

forget about fitting 2 car seats and a 3rd person in the back of a jetta/golf based car, too small.

does anyone else miss the old wagons that had the pup up rear facing rear seat for just such occasions?

still an option with the e class wagon (not amg though)

[Brandon White]

I was being purposely vague when I said "3 in the back". Although, I don't think 3 adults would fit well in the back of most cars either. My wife's car can easily do the duty, but a single car serving this purpose may not be enough. I def don't want a minivan :(