Station Wagon Bubble?

Are we experiencing a station wagon "bubble"? By that I mean, a bubble similar to the real estate bubble that the US went through?

Are we seeing the peak of wagon prices and popularity at this time?

Do you think this bubble will burst and prices will come tumbling down?

Last month's Hot Rod Magazine had a story on the SEMA show and the top trends coming out of the show - one of the top trends was wagons. This month's Hot Rod Magazine has an article about the 10 Best Winter Beaters, and one of the nominees was 1980-1996 Full Size wagons.

I've seen more wagons on TV shows and in magazines than I can ever recall.

If wagons were a publicly traded stock, is this the peak and time to sell? Not selling mine; I was into wagons before this trend and I plan on keeping mine for a long time. Too much blood, sweat and tears in it.

 

Good question, the answer to which, in my opinion, would be no.

I do think wagons are becoming more and more popular as collector cars than in years past. The difference between our long roofs and sedans or convertibles, is that nobody ever thought of them as worth saving, so there's less of a supply of them. Most of the time, after they outlived their usefulness as the family mover, they'd get handed down to the kids who abused them and after they were done with them, painters or carpenters would get them, beat the life out of them and they'd finally wind up in junk yards. Demand and supply always dictate the worth of any commodity and since the demand seems to be increasing and the supply is short, it makes sense they're increasing in value. In addition, their appreciation in price isn't going through the roof, like real estate did a few years back, where houses were increasing 20% a year. Wagons, I feel anyway, are steadily getting more dollars, but at a reasonable %age, not a super inflated one.

I would say they're good investments, but certainly not like a Shelby convertible, the 442's or GTO's of the world.

 

I don't know about the bubble but the last Redone '61 Chrysler T&C I saw go off e-bay in May-June of 2012 sold for 65K and I hear the buyer is way happy 'cuz he figures he stole it which I think he did. And I have a car-bud friend on the east coast that just redid another '61 Chrysler T&C a couple years ago that wouldn't take twice that amount for his! Nutz I know but first try finding one that's worth re-doing and then second, see what you drop to re-do it "Right". AH the price of the toys! Jer

 

Over the last eighteen months I have been watching wagon prices closely, I
have not seen a marked increase on most models. For instance a 77-90 GM wagon will run 4 to 6 grand in good daily driver condition, a clamshell in the same condition a couple of thousand more. They do pop up on Craigslist for less, but these are the ones the "flippers" pounce on to list on the eBay.

 

Okay I think John poses a good question here and this is what I think: Years ago back in 96' when I got my wagon it was not considered very cool, in fact I got harrassed quite regularly from freinds and family because of it. I like Scout put much blood, sweat and tears into this car and I loved it from the first moment I sat behind the wheel. As years passed and modifications continued more and more people started to dig my car and later still started to say they wish they could find one. I noticed in about 2006 or so going to car shows that wagons were making a huge comeback especially the full size. In my opinion I think people like the nastalgic feel and look of wagons, it's about a more simplistic time when life was about drive in movies and camping.

 

Old story, new thread.

Like the old country song, I was into wagons when wagons weren't even cool. Like Dewey, back in 1987 when I got mine a few Nomads and sedan deliveries were about all there were at car shows. The few remaining station wagons on the road were mostly beaters or driven by old dudes who always had wagons.
After mine was finished we took it to an average sized car show on Father's Day. Rather than enter in the 55-57 Chevy/Ford class I entered in special interest against kit cars, race cars, misc, convertables, etc. Not expecting to win anything, we got first in class. I've loved that old 55 Chevy wagon ever since.
Even here in Florida with the many old cars, we often go to shows with the only station wagon. People seem to love it as much as a 1957 Chevy convertible. Some one always wants to buy it. But like everything else, if I did decide to sell no one would have any money. After trading it once, I don't think they'd have near what I'd take anyway. To us it's priceless.

 

It's all about life, pre-SUV and definitely pre-minivan! I'm old enough to remember the only things you saw on the road were wagons, Travelalls, Suburbans and Wagoneers...and of course, the last three are truck-based wagons. Now, with every new vehicle being deemed a "crossover" (I despise that name!), people looking for a wagon must go back to a 1996 vehicle or earlier, with the exceptions of the Dodge Magnum and the VW Jetta & Passat wagons.

People want what they want. The nice thing about wagons is that nearly every one (except the 1989-newer cars) are airbag-free. I do not like airbags at all, and I have my reasons NOT to embrace them. Problem is, the automakers are ignoring a valid market niche that would welcome a properly-designed station wagon. A "crossover" is simply a modern marketing term for "station wagon" as the first somehow has a sexier, more hip connotation to it. Never mind the "crossover" can't decide what its purpose in life is! There is ample cargo area, but not nearly enough to be as versatile as a wagon. Most crossover seats feel like lightly padded rocks. I like firm, but c'mon! And most do not have a towing capacity that allows more than a 5' x 8' open hauler with motorcycles or a couple of ATVs on it, or a small travel trailer!

 

To me CROSSOVER just sounds GAY! No offense to you crossovers.
I'd love to own a Depot Hack.

 

I think the bubble is still growing and we are headed towards a wagon revival.
For years, marketing has told people that wagons aren't cool and that they should buy minivans and SUVs instead. All it takes is marketing to spin wagons back on top again.

 

That's why I saved my bell bottom pants and my wife has her poodle skirts. What's old will be new.
Well all but me!

 

I have noticed that dealers have started listing the larger crossovers as station wagons in their adds. I just hope at least one of the big three will wise up and make a crossover or wagon with a decent amount of cargo space. My wife has a journey and I had to strap a bag on the roof at Christmas because we had 5 people. I love my wagon, but I would be first in line to trade in my wife's crossover for a real wagon.

 

Test definition... Crossover=Cross-dresser (overweight hatchback wearing wagon clothes).

There may be a wagon bubble in the sense of everything being in caught in the currency bubble. Did anyone notice how many no sales there was in that last auction thread?

mike

 

I did Mike, I don't know about you guys but some of these prices are so high your average "dude" is out of the bidding...by a LOT!

Getting my car together took me years of saving and saving, my paint job alone took me five years to save up for. If that's not love I don't know what is.

 

I don't wanna burst your bubble, but could be lust Dewey, or you were drunk!

 

I just think the popularity of the older wagons has spread to a broader age group. I have seen 20 somethings driving worn out 80s model and happy as larks. I have also had more of the "cool" car guys complimenting mine.

This forum and other media has removed much of the mom's car stigma.