What kind of station wagon would fit my needs?

Kevin makes good points. If you know me at all you know that I don't believe any mileage on any car. You can tell about a car in 5 minutes or less if it's a keeper.

 

I gave the guy who made the ad a call, and his explanation was the cliche "it belonged to a little old lady and man that pretty much never drove it." I had to keep myself from laughing, because while that phrase is so famously associated with used car dealers trying to rip people off, I've never heard someone actually say it before (and besides, there certainly ARE cars that were owned by little old ladies that only drove it to church).

He's going to send me more pictures. Can't hurt to take a closer look.

 

Well it could happen.....I'm a bit in dout though about this one. That low of origonal miles and that low of a price?? Does sound a bit funny

 

I need cash lol! Nothing out there in my range, cheapeast I have seen is 1500

 

Would I really need the horsepower of a 351 though? If I took that wagon and loaded it with crap, would it run sluggish on the 302?

 

If you want to stretch out in the back then I think the 91-96 Buick Roadmaster wagon, since it has the glass roof section so you can look at the sky while you're lying there.

 

The 302 is a good motor. The wagon is a heavy car, and the 351 would get it up to speed quicker and easier. But, if you're just looking for a good commuter car and light hauler, the 302 will be fine.
Its also easier to get a 302-powered wagon than a 351W-powered wagon.

 

I'm not a racer or anything, but one time I had my crown vic completely PACKED (every inch had something) with a ton of stuff, and I drove through the Rockies. It had no trouble cruising past all the cars up the fairly steep grade. I was making about 80 mph while no one else was breaking 65 (and yes, the speed limit was 75). It didn't feel like the engine was strained at all, and when I pushed the pedal down a bit more it accelerated without trouble. That's the kind of power I'd like again.

As for the glass roof section, that's probably that last thing I'd want XD. The accursed sun waking me up early after those late night drives.

 

For what it's worth, I'd have to agree with Silver Fox - the '90s and up GM wagons are large enough for your needs, plus the power is ample and mileage is good (especially for such a heavy car). I have several friends who swear by them. Mine's a lot older (1980), but I do know the LT and LS engines are great platforms.

I'm pretty GM oriented, so don't have as much experience with Ford products. But some of the Ford mileage numbers thrown around on this thread sound incredible to me. 'Incredible' as in 'no credibility'. I'll admit to some bias here, as I haven't had much luck with Ford engines since they went to overhead valvetrains. Hey, does that sentence make me look old?

 

I was looking into the Buick Roadmaster, and like you said, it appears to have very good gas mileage for a car of that weight and engine size. If I get a car that gets 14 mpg highway, then that completely defeats what money I save by sleeping in it.

All I know about Ford vs GM is I had a Ford and it treated me very well. Remember though, durability is just as important here. I went over a lot of rough terrain in my crown vic (unpaved pothole ridden roads, over curbs, etc) at pretty high speeds and it never seemed to notice. How would a 90s GM wagon handle that, any thoughts?

 

Please disregard the above post...the guy is obviously senile.

 

Kozme....go drive a 90-96 or so GM wagon.

You will likely have no more questions.
If big power is a factor...yeah, go with a 94-96.

 

Kozme: Have you considered a Jeep? Or a tank?

PS: Just remember, I'm senile, so not accountable for anything I say on here.

 

Durability wise I'd say the Ford and GM full size products are very comparable. Suspension and frames are incredibly similar in design. The Ford will come with a small block Ford and the GM will come with a small block Chevy (assuming '91+). Both are great engines and easy to maintain. I think the LT1 is a fine engine, but you will probably pay a bit of a premium for it (although not as much anymore as the years go by). I wouldn't kick a '91-'93 305 or 350 powered GM wagon out of bed for eating crackers.