Yes, a really fast, really comfortable, really expensive SUV is just a station wagon. Personally, if I'm gonna do that, it's gonna be a Suburban with push bumpers.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
We had a vehicle like a Trailblazer and the state registered it as a Wagon

I used to have a full size Chevy van with windows, and the description was a station wagon on the Michigan title.

Think it has to do with the windows.

You could narrow it down to a few more categories. Bubble trucks would be different than WOTTs (wagons on tall tires) that is different from a shooting brake.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
The development of the SUV was an unintended consequence of government regulations. I believe it was an extra tax on station wagons as they were gas guzzlers compared to other cars.

The first SUVs were built on Pick up truck frames which exempted them from the station wagon tax.

I did not know that.
My mom drove a 1976 Chevy Caprice Estate Wagon when I was a kid. 400 cid engine, the thing really sucked up the gasoline. But it did have power when you wanted it.



My 1999 Chevy Tahoe is just a Chevy Silverado with a roof. So, yeah... it's a truck.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
I’d stick the the Mercedes wagon...

Yes! Love me some AMG wagons. But, having been driving my C300 for almost 2 years, there's no way I'd manage the maintenance on an AMG, much less the entry cost.

My wife's Flex is technically an SUV, but is insurance classed as a wagon. In reality it's a sort-of hybrid between a wagon & minivan.

I too learned something with Rey HRHs post.

I love my station wagons....

2012 TDI Golf
2005 Tahoe Z71

After owning two Blazers, a Bronco, three Jeep Cherokees and a Grand Cherokee, yep, they're station wagons.

quote:

Originally posted by dynorat:

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
We had a vehicle like a Trailblazer and the state registered it as a Wagon

I used to have a full size Chevy van with windows, and the description was a station wagon on the Michigan title.

Think it has to do with the windows.

I think you're right, I never noticed that before. My E250 cargo van (no windows) is registered as a van.

My 4Runner and TJ are both station wagons. It's a broad brush.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
The development of the SUV was an unintended consequence of government regulations. I believe it was an extra tax on station wagons as they were gas guzzlers compared to other cars.

The first SUVs were built on Pick up truck frames which exempted them from the station wagon tax.

Cars were subject to CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy), possible gas guzzler taxes (not really likely on regular station wagons, and safety regulations that didn't apply to trucks.

SUVs based on trucks were classified as trucks and could get by with lower fuel economy and safety regs. So that's how almost all of them were at first. Then came the unibody based SUV's, and then the small SUV's, and then the crossovers.

Personally, I hate the trend. I like sporty cars with good handling, which means lower center of gravity. Had two WRX's (1st and 2nd gen) and more recently switched to a current gen Civic Si. Automatic transmissions need not apply. I don't want to sit up high and lose cornering stability and grip. And now the view is constantly block by the tall wagons everyone is driving.

SUV's are not station wagons. Station wagons were car based had car features and capabilities and low to the ground like a car. Just like the El Camino, while it had a pickup truck bed, certainly did not have the capabilities of a pick up truck, not the ground clearance, or towing ability, or frame of even a little Ford Ranger.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jimmy123x, January 13, 2020 03:35 AM

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
The development of the SUV was an unintended consequence of government regulations. I believe it was an extra tax on station wagons as they were gas guzzlers compared to other cars.

The first SUVs were built on Pick up truck frames which exempted them from the station wagon tax.

You are correct sir. https://www.caranddriver.com/f...-workarounds-column/

Today’s “SUV’s” are modern day station wagons.

All this wagon talk.
Might be leaving the German lux route & jumping into a longroof. Just working numbers with the dealer now.

Gotta love not having to sit in the dealership & haggle. Can all be done via email & text, with a nice papertrail to follow as well.

CUV's are so popular now, automobile mfr's are regularly discontinuing various cars as a result. The Station wagon has been the hardest hit. But hatches and sedans following now. Wagon will handle so much better than a CUV due to the lower center of gravity. I hate these CUV's and the trend. It's heading towards CUV, SUV, or Truck being on new lots. I prefer the hatch or wagon as it pertains to a car.

I learned how to drive in mom’s 1973 Ford Country Squire LTD station wagon.... a woodie, no less. That thing was a beast.

Like this one.

We had a 75 Dodge Monaco Royal Station wagon with a 440. A barge of a car, three rows, mandatory faux wood. We had an 1/8 mile straight driveway, perfect for a 15 year old to test out the burnout technique, mom never knew why her 3 month old Wagon had a transmission fail LOL...

Edited to add picture..



If you want a serious shooting brake, then pick up a used CTS-V wagon, you could get them with three pedals and a stick if you wanted for the old school boys, so no excuses... Supercharged LSA V8 with 556 HP and 551 Tq used the manuals still bring good money since there were under 600 built.

CTS-V Wagon




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydTFISfwpRo

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HRK, January 13, 2020 03:14 PM

We had this 73 Impala as a kid, same color too. It had a 400 small block, black naugahyde and I remember one of the buttons on the seat was blue instead of black. I used to love riding in the rear facing third seat with the rear window down

When we were stationed in Germany “97-‘01 we picked up a ‘92 VW Passat wagon from a German/American couple. It had been shipped over by another service member from they had purchased it, and they put German wheels and tires on it (low profile). It was bright red with black interior, power everything, sunroof, 5-speed manual. I loved that car. We took it on vacation down to Italy and it was a dream on the Autobahn and the Autostrada. Since I would have had to replace the German wheels and tires with US DOT-compliant rims/tires, plus pay to ship it to the States (since it would have been an additional vehicle to ship back — the USAF shipped my truck back and forth), we sold that beautiful Passat. Gosh I miss that car...

Back in “84 I bought a new Mercury Lynx wagon with the fake wood side paneling; it was a 5-speed diesel. Not a bad little car, although terribly underpowered, but it got great mileage. The Diesel engine was apparently made by Mazda; Mazda had several collaborations with Ford Motor Company. That one I don’t really miss at all.

Mrs. SigFan drives a ‘16 Acadia Denali “SUV” but it is very much a station wagon and we love it!

Oh those big old Station Wagons were nice. I remember the Chevrolet Kingswood Estate model also.

Most modern SUVs are far less roomy and practical than a good old-fashioned station wagon. I had many over the years, the best of all probably being my 65 Impala wagon (actually a Belair trim level). That thing was basically a half-ton pickup chassis with room for 6 adults plus anything luggage they needed to carry.