Got them "station wagons get no respect" blues . . . .

First off that is one beautiful wagon you have there! I would be very proud to show that badboy off anywhere. talking about no repect .... we own the the two roadmaster wagons and I have two Ford rancheros!! Talk about getting no respect. Our family enjoys the two wagons and it shows by the high mileage we put on them every year and the two rancheros (that don't get much respect either) I have enjoyed for over 30 years now. I don't own a car because someone else likes it. It is because I like it !!! With that said go out there and enjoy that wagon like you want and don't worry about the other clowns with there minvans and suv's.

 

What can ya' do?? . . . . bias truly is bias . . .

Dear Ian, a1awind, CatModelT, 55crownvic, DanR63, and station wagon fans,

Thanks for the encouragement once more and for sharing the lament about how people think about station wagons.

Not to stir up a debate on social trends, but sure is mighty troubling to have this kind of a bias propagate for no rational or pragmatic reason at all.

I sure don't have the feeling any other style of car faces this kind of bias and all this because of a period of family life that is now long dead and buried.

Oh well, at least people in Europe and Asia don't seem to suffer from such neuroses. Hopefully the genuine practicality of the wagon will finally overwhelm such bizarre attitudes people have in the USofA.

Cheers, Edouard

 

It's that way everywhere. For years the bill boards and advertising showed red Dodges of all types. When I saw my red Dodge sitting there at the dealership teasing me for months as I drove to and from town it was that red color that attracted me. I love red vehicles.
But soon I wished I'd got another color not so popular.

As for other cars getting no respect, remember poor Xavier and his poor Kia ? There are many cars and trucks out today that I ridicule and would never own because of how they look and perform.

Station wagons disappeared for many years so the younger generation doesn't really know what they are or care for the boxy looks. I grew up in a nonstation wagon invironment and few were in our neighborhood. Before my 55 Chevy I only owned one other station wagon.
I have a hard time accepting SUV's and most of the new station wagon type vehicles as wagons. Especially those called wagons today look more to me like hatchback sedans.

 

I feel the wagon's (mostly full size) dissapeared because form what I have seen in my end of the world. The 80's generation did not want to be like their parents ! So the minivan generation was born. The market pushed them as more practical/roomy/economical/easier/safer to drive. Minivans have there place but they in no way I believe should have caused the phase out of the family (full size) station wagon. but that is my opinion. Just like the ford ranger took the place of the ranchero (another vehicle that gets no repsect). Ranchero cost to much to build and was a low volume truck. The american market is a funny place it doesn't take much to sway the masses. Then there are us nitch market guys that "what to be different" owning something really cool that no one else has. That has a price sometimes the negitive comments from those "masses" are herd. I consider it an indirect complement. because than individual does not have the capacity to look at things the way we do and enjoy them. And that my freinds is THIER PROBLEM! So enjoy those wagons boy and girls. Take care Dan

 

Know what's real funny to me. Look at the production of certain gm b body wagons. Then look at the convertibles. Both low number cars but weird thing is that the junkyards aren't crushing convertibles like wagons. So which is more rare and classic. They only made 5,428 of my 69 pontiac bonneville wagon. How many have been crushed over the last 45 years? By judging how many Wagons i see in general on the road, you better bet your ass 2/3 of them are gone! Hell they made more 35 ford 3w coupes!

 

Can't win for losing . . . .

Hi DanR63 and Station Wagon Lovers,

I agree with you 100%, but there is this amazing twist to the story that really floors me.

Just as kids growing up in the 60s and 70s blamed their dysfunctional families on the station wagon . . . kids of the 80s promptly stigmatized the minivan in exactly the same way.

Yet, what completely floors me is that adults born in the 80s still dislike wagons . . . because their parents disliked them. They disagree with their parents on just about everything - but they had to agree with them about wagon!!

It's just not fair - I tell'ya!!

Cheers, Edouard

 

there is hope!!!

If it means anything at all both of my kid's 16 and 19 drive 96 roadmaster wagons BY THERE OWN CHOICE!!! After driving our wagon as her first car my Daughter Nicole bought her own! My son Tim was asked if he wanted to drive the old wagon after Nicole and said hell yea that thing is cool! All of his freinds Love it So who knows maybe a trend has started???

 

Love that wagon, and that shade of green is perfect for it.

 

DanR has cool kids!

 

Growing up in the 60s, I was always telling my folks to get a wagon. Not them, though. Dodge Dart sedan was Ma's choice. She converted to a wagon lover in 1981, and is now on her second (and likely last) wagon, a 1990 that she bought as her 60th birthday present to herself. The old girl (Ma) and the old boy (Arthur) are growing old gracefully together. I can't wait until I get my own wagon. I keep looking, but there is never what I want, when I need wheels. Next time, for sure!

 

It give me faith in humanity when I hear youngsters doing this. I did some computer work at a friends house a little while ago and when I finished up their young daughter was looking out the front door at my wagon talking about the cool car in the driveway.

 

If your average show attendee shows up to see a '60's Mustang, Camaro, or Corvette (which many are) you are likely to not receive credit for the significance of your vehicle and the effort you put into it. So it goes. You can't convert the unwilling, so why try?

Enjoy your wagon for what it is to you. Come here to brag, boast, and toast your ride so we can all share in its wonderfulness.

If you're still worried about respect, I wouldn't be. There's plenty of it to go around here, and as others have stated, wagons have been trending to be more popular. However, if you are expecting them to pull a crowd like a red Mustang, or a purple 'Cuda at a car show, you're never going to be happy.

Great looking ride, btw...

 

Unhappy about the wagon stereotype.

Dear Paul and Station Wagon lovers,

Actually my gripe is different from this. Indeed if you came to see a classic sports car there is no reason to come by and look at my wagon. I don't expect such people to and am perfectly fine with this.

What bothers me is the stereotype against the station wagon that particularly young people have. Many parents who couldn't be more than their 30s singled out my car as a "land yacht" - when it isn't. At the same time, there were plenty of full-sized American cars on display that they could have used to "impress" their young children. For someone of adult age to come up to my car and exclaim: "it is H U G E!!" shows at the very least they have no capacity to eyeball distance.

It isn't like this sort of bias can easily addressed, but these people are simply associating wagons with a "dinosaur" of the past. Such biases undoubtly make it easier for example for politicians to pass laws making it harder for us to keep our classic cars.

Thanks, that's my way of fighting back. Whatever people think of the size of my car, they cannot say it isn't a vibrant and well-cared for machine.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, but I've still go them: "Station wagons don't get no respect" blues. . . . .

Cheers, Edouard

 

Again my freind the same people that call your buick "HUGE" are the Minivan crowd. What they don't relize is thier minivan is taller and shorter. while most wagons are LONGER. (probably the same cubic ft space inside just set up different) Even a ford focus wagon would be close to the same lenth as a minvan. Wagons are Longer and that is why they are HUGE. Don't let get your undies in a bunch enjoy your ride! Every time someone calls my ranchero huge I remind them this is based on a midsize car chassis.(station wagon to be correct) I geuss these same folks would freak out if you had a 70-76 imperial wagon!

 

Funny enough the whole reason I bought my wagon was because it is big. I wanted to be able to fit my whole family plus others that wanted to cruise with us. I have had a few antique trucks but 4 people didn't fit. If my 2 kids and a friend wanted to go, they had to follow me to a cruise night. So when I seen the wagon it just seemed perfect for me...I struggled personally with the age of my wagon project more than it being huge! Every other projects I ever had were 40's,50's and 60's cars and trucks until a couple years ago.