How Popular Are Wagons in Your Community?

Right... I meant to say 30 years old.... but you caught my drift. Antiques are considered such when they are that old, though it is hard to look at plastic toys and games from 1980 as "antiques".

Sooo... what about a 1990 two wheel drive Ford Explorer? Is it a wagon or not?

 

Somewhere in this station wagon forum a few wise old, and maybe not so old, members wrote and added pictures stating a true station wagon fits into a thirds group. That is, the rear third hung beyond the back seat and therefore was a true station wagon.
I sort of agree with that. Not that I am a wise old member. But at least I fit the old part!
Most of the newer vehicles are nothing more than hatchbacks and SUV's. SUV, expensive for POS.! And just how sporty are most of them? As far as utility, I never see anyone hauling gravel or plywood either.

Bring back the real station wagons!

 

With regards to "Classic" status, I go with the 25 years old and exclusivity. The 91-94 GMs will certainly be so in a few years and, I believe, will become collectors items among guys like us. Those who didn't drive the heck out of them will have low production numbers and, like all, true station wagons, "survivor" to strengthen their case. The fact that they were among the last of the full size, full perimeter frame "B" bodies will also help.

I think the Taurus Wagon is a true wagon esp. if they have the third seat in place as that is also what they were marketed as. I'd, further, grandfather Accords, Volvos, BMW 530s, and other mid sized wagons but they are really more of an 'estate car' than a fully utilized 'Station Wagon" in the "Classic" sense. If it cant eat a 4 x 8 pice of ply wood (my 90 Buick barely does by the way) then it aint a Station Wagon.!

That's just me tho...
The square wagons have, or are entering "Classic" status but thats just a title that helps more with insurance rates than automotive exclusivity or aesthetics. Not to say they won't be collectable. The old ones have only recently become appreciated and started to drive up prices but the economy has started to shut that door lately.

As far as SUVs, an Explorer is a truck. It is a compact Ranger built on it's own frame with a wagon body but it is a truck.

Jeep Wagoneers and GM Suburbans are the only truck I consider Station wagons but only because that is what their manufacturers referred to them as going way back.
(Arguably, the International Travelall as well, not cause I say so but because the ones who sold them said so.)
They were saddled with that PC 'SUV" label only after soccer moms started driving them because real station wagons were being fazed out and these women feared for their kid's safety on the mini vans and smaller Taurus types.

 

What did any of that have to do with how many wagons there are in my community???

Lots of SUVs, few true wagons...

 

Wagons are not very common in my neck of the woods. They all buy the 4wd wagons, now called SUV's.

 

Jeep Wagoneers and GM Suburbans are the only truck I consider Station wagons (Arguably, the International Travelall as well,They were saddled with that PC 'SUV" label only after soccer moms started driving them because real station wagons were being fazed out

Mark, I agree with this! They even look like true station wagons, altho more utilitarian. I've always loved Suburbans.
As far as hauling plywood, many new trucks can't even do that. My Dodge quad has a lousy 6'6" bed.

Many are way smaller, using the back seat for extra length. Some of those appear to be truck/hatchbacks.

Are we on topic?

 

The topic was "how popular are wagons?"
I needed a definition of what you guys consider a "Wagon" before answering so yes, it is on-topic.

Salem is the capitol city. As of the 2010 census the population: 154,637, if you believe wikipedia. The most popular vehicle on the roads here are the SUV! Go out to Lancaster Mall and gaze at the parking lot and more than half are long roof SUV's of various makes.

According to Mark's definition (although I completely disagree) however, the number of true "Stationwagons" are unfortunately quite rare. I see at least one or two of the square bodied GM makes every-time I take a cruise here or there. Very rarely see any type of classic wagon and the round "B-bodied" wagons are also joining the rare ranks for some reason. More likely a chance of seeing a classic muscle car or VW beetle than a wagon.
The most popular "classic" on the roads in Salem Oregon? The 1966 Mustang coupe! You cannot swing a dead cat without hitting an active one in a parking lot, or a non-active one in someone's driveway with a weathered tarp covering it's sculpted flanks. (Owners words: "It's not for sale, I'm working on the restoration"!)

However, take a drive in the country and there is where you see the wagons! They are parked in the farmers fields up against the fence mixed in with other cast off's such as Hudsons, 50's Dodges, 60's pickups and 70's Imperials.
Unfortunately I rarely take the country roads, instead drive the interstate always in a perpetual late mode. But this summer I plan to carry the camera and drive more back roads now that I have a classic to drive.

 

To that end consider that the 1992 OCC was:

• The last full-size Oldsmobile station wagon ever
• The last perimiter frame Oldsmobile car
• The last rear wheel drive Oldsmobile car ever
• The last cars built at Willow Run Assembly, home of the B-24 Liberator.

Oh and most importantly, the last TBI Oldsmobile ever.

 

Jairus, sadly it is now illegal to swing dead, or live, cats here in the boonies.
However this Mustang thing must be universal. There are many 1965-69 Stangs in the shopping centers, drive ways, and city streets nearly every day. Most just average looking drivers but a few nice cruisers.
Excuse me while I go out back and try to catch one of those wild ferrel cats in the yard and do some swingin!

 

(in your area...)

You don't need a definition, you got it right there; it's not complicated.

Always having to stir the pot, eh my brother?
Sorry you so "completely" disagree. I don't mid if everyone disagrees but, was it necessary to add the commentary? I guess, even though I grew up in a big family that required the things (2 at a time, in fact; the big ones with extra seats), learned to drive in a '76 Buick Estate, then owned and/or have driven nearly a dozen since, I'm not qualified to attempt to define the topic, as you requested. I defer to the others to do so, take care buddy.

 

Absolutely. The rarest of the bunch, by far and handsome to boot! I knew I was going to go long so I just lumped the GM s as a bunch. I nearly went out and bought one in '93 after looking at a beautiful light creamy yellow one with butter smooth,leather seats to match the outside color and the prettiest dash of the group! That dash on the OCC with it's analog gauges and horizontal lay-out really left an impression on me. It seems to harkened back to better days... design wise.

 

Saw a family in a Taurus wagon, 3 kids in the back, yesterday. Put a smile on my face.

 

Hey my friend, we can agree to disagree! It is cool! I am writing up a nice beginning to another thread that is NOT O.T. where we can discuss this further and I look forward to your more detailed thoughts.

We are good!

 

We agree on so much, I just wanted to rub ya a little. It's been a while. There is a good thread started on the debate but I look forward to your take.

I handn't realized the Taurus had a rear seat option until I saw a girl hop into one on my way to work one morning, around 94 or 95; kinda puts into perspective (or question) either my expertise on the subject or my lack of interest in the Taurus. It was one of the jelly bean shaped ones with all those oval windows. I gained a greater appreciation for them but thought of the horror of a rear end collision as there doesn't seem to be much frame (uni-body) nor space between those knees and the offending bumper. As a kid, I was in the cargo area, no seat, of mom's '60 Ford when a tow truck 'failed to stop'. It revealed a serious rust issue but my brother, sister and I are all around to talk about it... (don't recommend trying this at home tho.)

 

When I was a kid, my friend's dad had a Cutlass Ciera with a 3rd seat. We loved riding back there. If memory serves me, Mom's 77 LTD had no 3rd seat. It was a very bare bones car (I can't even say for sure it had an FM radio).