Large station wagons?

In reply to mazdeuce:

Oh yeah, I saw this on the internet the other day and thought "Man, even though it would cost the same as a base-model ND with all the supporting mods, Mazdeuce would get a chuckle out of the fact that this is out there."

In reply to G_Body_Man:

Well crap. I didn't need to know how much I want that.

I like the Flex. I think one with the EcoBoost and AWD would make for quite the sleeper.

More Flex love: I feel like the Flex is one of the few crossover things that uses its size well. Yeah, it's big and heavy but I think it's got way more usable space inside than, say, the slightly bigger and heavier Chevy Traverse. And yet, stepping in and out of a Flex feels more like stepping in and out of a car than a truck.

When we were looking at the Flex last fall there weren't ANY new ones at any of the Ford dealers in town, and Houston has something like seven dealers. We ended up finding a used one to spend some time poking around in. I almost felt bad for the salesman because it was obvious I didn't want to buy it, I just wanted to fold the seats and stuff.
Almost every AWD Ecoboost one we could find was in snow country. Not a HUGE deal, but I really couldn't find a used one within 800 miles which meant I couldn't test drive one which damped my enthusiasm. I still think they're worth a look see. For what it's worth, having fun in something heavy requires a little different technique. You can't dive bomb a corner and overload the front, but if you get corner entry right then you can mash the gas and enjoy the exit as much as in a lighter car. If you have stupid power then so much the better. If you try to drive a 5k pound car like a Miata your day is going to suck, but that doesn't mean there isn't fun to be had.

tuna55 wrote:

mazdeuce wrote: I'm not saying there aren't downsides, but people are spending too much time saying 'ew' to give some very good cars a chance.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of the cars you mentioned just now aren't even on anyone's radar simply because of their cost. You and the OP and the weary one make up almost all of the GRMer 1%er category in that regard. No worries, I hope to have actual money someday too, but when I am trying to think of newer wagons, mentioning a Porsche doesn't even come to mind.

I think of this every time I read the "Depreciation Station" articles in the sister pub to GRM. Yeah, a Jag-you-are for new Yaris money? Sounds awesome! But then, I remember that there's another demographic that thinks this way as well, and I often see said hallmarks of depreciation rolling on bald tires and belching palls of concerning-colored smoke.

No thanks. As a very smart Tuna once told me, GM cars will run poorly longer than most cars will run at all. We nursed a Suburban on an 800 mile road trip in 90+ degree heat towing a camper with a radiator full of what might pass for chocolate pudding. With the A/C on. And then got home and fixed it for the price of an expensive dinner out. Would a Cayenne withstand such abuse? Would it be fixed so cheaply and easily?

I realize the target demographic for CM is considerably grayer on top and greener in the wallet than that of GRM, and that I'm on the younger, poorer side for that other mag. Nothing makes you feel your station in life and society more than seeing those eye-popping auction results, or seeing all-inclusive car-cations advertised for more than I've paid for any of my cars. But, those CM cars are SOOOO pretty to ogle...

What were we talking about again? Oh, yeah. Get a Tahoe. Preferably the oldest one you can tolerate. Lower it, put some sticky tires on it, and Drive it. Fix it with a hammer when it breaks. And for giggles go auto-X it when you're doubting your vehicular choices. You might not be the slowest car there...

Is the Suburban/Tahoe the Accord of big family haulers? A functional safe bet that takes some imagination to be excited about?
This is GRM, if we can't give bad automotive advice here, then what do we have left?

In reply to mazdeuce: Possibly. However, I'd look at it as an opportunity to use your imagination to make the vehicle that you couldn't buy. The big GMs are essentially just GM full size trucks, and as such have a giant aftermarket of reasonably cheap fun parts. Instead of seeing them as a chore that requires imagination to be cool, they can also be seen as a great blank canvas.

Want to lift it? Done. Lowered? Done. Fun LS things? Done. Want a luxo cruiser? LTZ/Denali/Escalade are here to help. Want a utilitarian interior that can handle whatever you throw at it? Tahoe PPV to the rescue. Parts are cheap and easy to find. They're typically easier to work on than the foreign stuff if you want to do your own wrenching, and if you don't want to, there are dealers in nearly any town that would be happy to take care of it for you.

I'm not against using the wonders of depreciation to your advantage at all. As you've said, you can get some fairly exotic stuff for very reasonable prices. But I think that starting with a cheaper, more common base, and modifying it to taste can be an equally appealing option.

In reply to STM317:

And THAT is GRM.

In reply to STM317:

Very well put.