Just curious

To all the folks on here driving wagons as daily drivers...what sort of reactions do you get? Good? Bad? Are there other wagons being driven in your area?
I'm just curious because even though I couldn't care less what people think, my wife is still in that age of worrying what others think.

Thanks, J

 

We only drive our wagon just a few times a week here in the upstate of South Carolina and always get thumbs up,at the stop light there are usually questions.

Our wagon is a 1954 Ford "Ranch Wagon" so a lot of people have never seen one,the color is different from everything else running up & down the road.

Recently we were siting at a stop light and two elderly lady's got my wife's attention and she rolled down the window,the driver ask "Is that a new car?"

What better reaction could you ask for?

 

My 83 even draws a lot of attention and comments.
I've told my wife about all the comments inveterate when I drive it, but I don’t think she really believed me until she took the wagon to run an errand last fall.

She came home and told me how shocked she was when people asked questions and complimented her on the wagon.

 

I find some of the Comments I get Funny, I was being snickered at by some Chrysler Engineers a few years ago when gas was over $4.00 a gallon around these parts. The big joke was I must be rich to be able to afford the gas in my 78 Impala Wagon.
My reaction was that I averaged about 17mpg and on the highway it neared 20mpg, hows the mileage on that Hemi Durango you are driving?
He mumbles 13mpg and stopped snickering!!!!
But you usually will get "my parents used to drive one just like that". But I once got how I was the sole cause of climate change from a Ann Arbor Prius owner.
I also do not really car what people think of me, or I would be driving a new Audi!!!!!

 

What kind of wagon do you imagine would be your daily driver? Something year 2000 or newer? A wagon that could be classified as an antique? A new VW/Audi/Mercedes wagon gets lost in the crowd. An old wagon draws a crowd.

 

That's a good question and reason for concern. I know that many years ago our teenaged daughter, now 43, wouldn't ride in my 55 or 57 Chevys. Had to be forced to ride in the older cars.
After she wanted a ride across town to her GF's house and I gave her the choice, ride in the 57 Chevy, or walk, she rode in the back seat leaned over so no one saw her. Teen boys there loved it and daughter changed her way of thinking about old cars.
Everyone has different feelings and ideas about older cars and wagons. On average, most find them facinating and nice. Some think they should be scrapped.
I'm much older than you and long ago I stopped worrying what others thought. I don't remember ever following the sheep. On the other hand some wives feel they should be ahead of the herd driving the newest WHATEVER.
In the words of a much wiser man than me..... when mamma's happy, everyone is happy! You may end up in a mini van with 24" wheels.

 

Heck I got great looking Fairmont from a guy driving a brand new dodge 3500 turbo diesel, and the wagon is virtually buried in snow right now.

 

I seem to get many more comments, all positive, driving the wagon than I when I'm driving the '67 Electra convertible. Most of them had one just like it apparently.

 

I must get about 50 smiles to the gallon........

 

I drive my '86 Country Squire as a daily, and did the same with my old '91 Colony Park. I really like the Panther-body Ford wagons. They drive every bit as nice as a Town Car, but with a lot more capacity! I get great comments on my car every day. It's fun to drive to work in the only car on the road with chrome bumpers, front and back! Any time I stop for gas, I'm spending a few minutes talking with someone curious about the car. Of course, 15 mpg around town kinda sucks, but the insurance is cheap and I have no car payments of any kind! My 19-yo son really likes the car, too. He actually enjoys driving and being seen in it!

 

I love it. I get thumbs up from young kids (10-12?) and the old guys. (60s-70s).

However, I did not appreciate the "You buy it new?" question while filling up the '58. I was born a decade after the car was built...

 

Being in Utah, home of the huge family, I don't see very many wagons rolling around, at least not as many as you would think. Minivans by the freaking millions however.

When I roll the wagon out I get people giving the thumbs up and even have people taking pictures and trying to drive (kinda scary). One of my favorite experiences while driving the Shwag was at a local Smiths grocery store. Ran in to grab something (parked way out from the store) came out to find a fairly good sized group of guys just standing around my car, most of the guys rolled up on Harleys in a group of about 15-20. After answering many many questions I got in fired her up, then hit the switches to raise her up off the ground, the group of guys cheered and applauded...it was great!!

 

Arthur is Ma's only car, and it out in what ever the weather is. I just got an 88 Grand Marquis sedan, and I'm sure I will get comments while I drive it. Heaven knows, I got many comments when I drove my Thunderbirds.

 

I think a lot is "location" also..... I can't remember the last time I saw a whale GM wagon from the 90's driving around, and other than myself with the full size Buick I only see 2 examples driving around, a 90 Buick that every once in awhile is parked in drive way the next street over and blue 80's olds full size. Have not seen any Ford or Mopar older wagon in at least 2 years. There is the od mid size GM wagon still out here but even they are getting harder to spot.

My 87 Buick, the best compliment I ever got was on the highway and 2 kids were all as I drove by..... the next best compliment made me feel dated! I was down town having to go to the only medical building that still offers a parking lot..... it was the old folks who loved my wagon

My 83, ever since I put the mags on it, it got more attention 'up wise.

My 82, paint looked like crap from day one but people loved it...... I put those mags on the blue one, then everyone thought it was...was what it really is.... "Fugly"

My 72 is parked at the end of the drive way, even needing paint I get a lot of people walking by saying "cool", "what is it?", "it's huge, it's cool"......

Friends.....well they will be friends..... WTF are you doing with wagons, get a cool car.......They just don't understand

All in all though, I get a lot more smiles and such when I have my dogs in the way back and there heads sticking out the windows

 

Gotta laugh at that one! I get that occasionally in my '66 Dodge Coronet 500. Yes, I've had the car for 34 years in April, and no, I'm not the original buyer...unless the dealer sold it to me in first grade!