Automobiles

[sk_tle]

A mate in Switzerland own the previous gen of the Golf R variant (the name of the wagon version in EU). He says it is hard to drive sensibly with it.

[davids]

The US hates wagons.

Unless they're lifted so they're SUV-like. And they can't be called wagons. Then we love them.

[j44ke]

Did you say gray diesel?

...

That's the one!

[echappist]

The US hates wagons.

Unless they're lifted so they're SUV-like. And they can't be called wagons. Then we love them.

you know what's really weird?

Most SUVs don't come with plastic claddings; my lifted V60 (and most lifted wagons), however, does. Doesn't make an iota of sense...

[thollandpe]

The US hates wagons.

Unless they're lifted so they're SUV-like. And they can't be called wagons. Then we love them.

Sad but true. We were actually good at them, back before our eyes wandered from the Roadmaster to the Suburban. Buick drove a stake through the heart of this monster, just one year before its 50th birthday:



Even Consumer Reports gave it decent marks.

The Buick Roadmonster Is a Beautiful, Memorable Dinosaur
The Boss Wagon is alive and well in a very unlikely way with the final Buick Roadmaster.

I had two, a '94 and a '96. Great cars, especially the latter. One of the last off the line, bought it from an orthodontist whose father worked in the plant. Maroon with tan leather, must have taken half a herd of cows. Towing package. CD changer. I once put over 100 2x4's in the back.

[rwsaunders]

[j44ke]

Now that's^ a truck. Probably has a bigger bed than most of the sofa-couch 4WD house boats these days.

[Too Tall]

That was my truck for many yrs. Got it from a transplant team nurse who stopped making payments. Holy cow could that thing go thru snow. Even rusted out it easily passed emissions. I donated it because my neighbors were talking trash. Eh.

What I loved most about that truck was the simplicity.

[caleb]

The US hates wagons.

Unless they're lifted so they're SUV-like. And they can't be called wagons. Then we love them.

I don't disagree, but wagons seem to cluster in specific neighborhoods.

Here's the curb across the street from one of our local playgrounds a couple weeks ago:

[vertical_doug]

I don't disagree, but wagons seem to cluster in specific neighborhoods.

Here's the curb across the street from one of our local playgrounds a couple weeks ago:

Mary Tyler Moore, Phyllis and Rhoda?

[echappist]

I don't disagree, but wagons seem to cluster in specific neighborhoods.

Here's the curb across the street from one of our local playgrounds a couple weeks ago:

While your indicated location (and the license plate of the black Volvo) somewhat gave the game away, I would have guessed a well-to-do urban area of an Upper Midwest city even without those hints.
The same set-up would also not look out of place in certain parts of Madison, WI or in say Whitefish Bay, WI (an original street-car suburb of Milwaukee).

If I were a betting man, I'd wager $25 that your photo was taken in Saint Paul, say the western part of Macalester-Groveland. The free library and the housing style are the significant hints.

And to bring this home a bit, I think at least five active posters here presently own a wagon:
-1 Audi,
-1 Mercedes-Benz, and
-3 Volvo.

Road cyclists who place importance on aesthetics tend to buy wagons.

[caleb]

While your indicated location (and the license plate of the black Volvo) somewhat gave the game away, I would have guessed a well-to-do urban area of an Upper Midwest city. Say western part of Macalester-Groveland in Saint Paul. The free library and the housing style are the other giveaways.

The same set-up would also not look out of place in certain parts of Madison, WI or in say Whitefish Bay, WI.

Ha, really close. This is across the street from Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, so just southwest of your guess. Could have just as well been Mac-Groveland, Highland Park, Prospect Park, Cathedral Hill, or Kenwood.

If you're within a half mile of water (lake, river, or creek) in south Minneapolis or St. Paul, and you include Outbacks as wagons, wagons still outnumber SUVs on many blocks.

[echappist]

My wife had an interview at Hennepin Medical Center back in February. And while she was interviewing, I drove around to check out potential places we'd want to live. Those neighborhoods along the Mississippi (such as the one in your photo) are really charming, and the trails/ roads nearby appear to be very conducive to road cycling as well.

We would be very open to moving to the area (even with the winter months).

[rwsaunders]

Spotted on my coffee walk this morning in Belltown.

[72gmc]

There’s an orange one on Phinney Ridge that is clearly owned by a classic Volvo nut (is there a name for those people?)

It has subtle mods all over it that indicate love and probably obsession.

[claritycycler]

....subtle mods all over it that indicate love and probably obsession.

Sounds like a VSer's relationship with her/his bike.....

[Marvinlungwitz]

Back to the Golf R.

The basic 2 liter turbo 4 is used in VWs and a number of Audis are similar, although with different levels of “tune”.
The Golf R and S3 have the pinnacle version of the engine.

In VWs and the Audi 3 series, the engine is mounted transversely, whereas in the A4 and A6 lines, it is mounted longitudinally. The AWD systems (for those models that have AWD) are different between the two engine layouts.

And that blue Golf R is making me drool. Not long ago, dealers were asking 5-10 k over sticker. I hope that’s a thing of the past now.

[Saab2000]

Back to the Golf R.

The basic 2 liter turbo 4 is used in VWs and a number of Audis are similar, although with different levels of “tune”.
The Golf R and S3 have the pinnacle version of the engine.

In VWs and the Audi 3 series, the engine is mounted transversely, whereas in the A4 and A6 lines, it is mounted longitudinally. The AWD systems (for those models that have AWD) are different between the two engine layouts.

And that blue Golf R is making me drool. Not long ago, dealers were asking 5-10 k over sticker. I hope that’s a thing of the past now.

I would love to have one but decided against even stopping into the dealership to look further. It makes zero (far less than zero actually - negative) financial sense. As lukewarm as I feel about some aspects of my Model Y, I’m not moving on from it anytime soon. And a Golf size/shape of car has far too much overlap with my current car. Additionally, I can either add a car or a small camper in my current living situation but not both. Not sure about either but if I got a second car that’d be the end of the musing about a small camper for occasional getaways to state parks or beyond.

[darkmother]

That 245 is in great shape. It must be getting close to 40 years old.

I miss my 745t.

[rwsaunders]

That 245 is in great shape. It must be getting close to 40 years old.

I miss my 745t.

I had the same 2x4 roof rack and gutter supports that I sourced from LLBean in 1981 or so.