Automobiles

[rwsaunders]

On my way back to the car from a concert in the park this evening, I spotted this beauty.

[Marvinlungwitz]

^^^^^

Now that’s a pickup I’d consider owning. Love it.

[robin3mj]

Doka is definitely on my list

I feel like I’m getting closer to a toy car lately. Got a Wrangler as a rental in Kentucky this week (it was in my pay class but a RAV4 was above it, oddly) and it drove like trash above 60mph. Thinking German or Swedish, 90s vintage and a stick may do the trick.

[rwsaunders]

Adding to the imagination involved with organizing a tailgater…the gent was taking offers too.

[j44ke]

^^Trip in the wayback machine. As in "Kids, you all get in the wayback."

[davids]

^^Trip in the wayback machine. As in "Kids, you all get in the wayback."

There's only one new wagon with a wayback sold in the USA these days.

[j44ke]

There's only one new wagon with a wayback sold in the USA these days.

That voice I hear when I see an old station wagon is my aunt's. She had an early 70's Vista Cruiser. Plus she looked like Doris Day and ran a candy company. 6 kids in the back of a Vista Cruiser seeing who could stuff the most grape bubble gum in their mouths. My mother was horrified but that was heaven with a view.

[rmplum]

kids still dig it (until they don't fit).

tesla 3 row.jpg

tesla tailgate.jpg


I grew up with my parents owning a 77 olds wagon, and then a 1984 Buick LeSabre. Lots of time in the Way Back haha.

[one60]

to keep with the wagon theme....

Apologies I don't have more photos of the Cabarello....but that was one of the nicest cars at the show. Certainly the nicest US made station wagon I know of.

IMG_7291.jpg

[echappist]

There's only one new wagon with a wayback sold in the USA these days.

Which one is that? The MB350?

[Philster]

There's only one new wagon with a wayback sold in the USA these days.

They all have paybacks. Modern sensibilities just don't allow using them the way we did. Imagine a car pool with five kids sitting loose in the back.

[davids]

They all have paybacks. Modern sensibilities just don't allow using them the way we did. Imagine a car pool with five kids sitting loose in the back.

If it doesn't have a third row of seats, it ain't a wayback.

Which one is that? The MB350?

This one.

iris.jpg

The E450 All Terrain

[Saab2000]

The Volvo and Audi wagons sold in the US are 5-passenger vehicles. The MB is made for seven. It’s an iconic vehicle and I wish I had one but we can’t have all things.

I rode in DBRKs E-Class wagon in Rochester, NY many years ago. I wish he still posted! He’s one of the originals here but has moved on from bike fora.

[rwsaunders]

I had a 2001 Audi A6 Avant that had a rear facing third seat for two…why I don’t know, as it was for people over 51” tall and under 78#...large dogs I guess.

[htwoopup]

So many interesting cars in Mont Tremblant.

[Crashburn]

Nissan Figaro in my neighbor’s drive.

He has a large collection of cars - new and old Porsches, a couple of Ferraris, and the Mercedes daily drivers.

I think I’m going to start chronicling the more interesting drive way sightings.

I saw one of those in Belgrade Mt. I can't really think of a more incongruous car and town pairing.

[echappist]

If it doesn't have a third row of seats, it ain't a wayback.



This one.

iris.jpg

The E450 All Terrain

Oh my, so much to like about this wagon, but a few bits to dislike.

In terms of styling, I think I'd still prefer Volvo, Audi, or Opel (who made the now discontinued TourX). The Merc has "lazy frog eyes"...

But in terms of utility and luxury, the Merc has a lot going for it. Maybe something I'd want to lease for a few years after we are fully financially secure (as in, house paid off, to-be-born kids' education set aside, and enough nest egg set aside), but by then, the whole utility aspect sorta goes out the window.

[robin3mj]

Oh my, so much to like about this wagon, but a few bits to dislike.

In terms of styling, I think I'd still prefer Volvo, Audi, or Opel (who made the now discontinued TourX). The Merc has "lazy frog eyes"...

But in terms of utility and luxury, the Merc has a lot going for it. Maybe something I'd want to lease for a few years after we are fully financially secure (as in, house paid off, to-be-born kids' education set aside, and enough nest egg set aside), but by then, the whole utility aspect sorta goes out the window.

Wagons are the ultimate in utility, until you have more than two kids. We have three (and a minivan) and I keep casting about for something "cooler" to replace my wife's Jetta wagon, but as we slowly age out of full-size car seats and head off in multiple directions on weekends, the VW is a perfect size for that need. The only thing I wish it had is a manual, like our old TDI wagon, but to do that swap lately we'd need to come out of pocket for something that would probably have more miles.

[davids]

Oh my, so much to like about this wagon, but a few bits to dislike.

In terms of styling, I think I'd still prefer Volvo, Audi, or Opel (who made the now discontinued TourX). The Merc has "lazy frog eyes"...

But in terms of utility and luxury, the Merc has a lot going for it. Maybe something I'd want to lease for a few years after we are fully financially secure (as in, house paid off, to-be-born kids' education set aside, and enough nest egg set aside), but by then, the whole utility aspect sorta goes out the window.

It nails the Venn diagram of utility, luxury and performance. As does the A6 AllRoad and, to a lesser extent, the V90 Cross Country.

Last fall I tested all three. My favorite from the driver's seat was the A6. But my purchasing partner was captivated by the idea of that wayback. In this case for our yet-to-be-born grandkids. And honestly I think the Merc has more personality. It's both coddling and rarin' to go, and drives 'smaller' than it is.

So ours is scheduled for production next month. Watch this thread.

[j44ke]

Saw a Volvo V60 recharge hybrid the other day at the Bedard Brothers' dealership in Cheshire MA. Not an in-stock item but a customer's car in for routine service so I'm wondering if it requires a special order to get. Nice car. Looks bigger than my V60 - longer - but don't know if that was an illusion or not.

I thought the C40 SUV model didn't look horrible either. And a number of XC60. That seems like their bread-and-butter model up in Cheshire MA. Priced $20,000 less than the hybrid V60. That's a lot cheaper, but maybe you make it back in gas costs? Eventually?