Station Wagon recommendations?

Started by robh, June 30, 2017, 09:52:04 AM

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robh

So been running Amarok for 2 years, thinking of ditching it as finished most heavy work around house.

Considering getting into a station wagon again for daily duties:

1. Mainly just me in car, but want to have room for family of 4 including a teenager that is getting taller all the time
2. Must be able to tow, nothing massive or weekly, but the occasional car trailer and maybe a small boat in the future, something around 2000kg rating would probably work
3. Must be slightly interesting model, and slightly interesting to drive.  Have 2 track cars so this doesn't need to be the most engaging ever
4. Auto or DCT not manual

Initial ideas:

Passat R36 wagon
Audi S4 B8 wagon

What do the brains trust think?  Any other options VAG or other brands?
Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

Audidude

Hard to go past one of these. Diesel/Auto would be my pick if driving engagement not in the equation.
http://www.skoda.co.nz/models/new-superb-wagon/new-superb-combi-overview/
'90 Audi ur quattro 20v Tornado Red
'15 VW Amarok Highline 4Motion auto
'99 BMW M5 E39 (For Sale, see TM)
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM K20A - Circuit race car
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM, Championship White
'15 Renault Megane 265 RS, Capsicum Red
'03 Porsche 911 996.2 C2, Black, full leather interior

RS ZWEI

Skoda Octavia vRS would be worth a look. I don't know about what its tow rating is. No 4wd system means deeper flater boot.
Whats your budget Rob?
1980 VW Golf GTI Track Car
1995 Audi RS2
2003 Mini Cooper S (Written off - rear ended)
2005 Mini Cooper S
2006 Skoda Octavia vRS Combi
2009 Renault Megane 230 R26 (Written off - rear ended)
2013 Renault Megane RS265 Redbull RB8

robh

Quote from: Audidude on June 30, 2017, 10:02:02 AM
Hard to go past one of these. Diesel/Auto would be my pick if driving engagement not in the equation.
http://www.skoda.co.nz/models/new-superb-wagon/new-superb-combi-overview/

Look like they only rated to 1800kg, bit on the light side when pulling car trailer???

Feel like needs to be closer to 2000kg/2200kg.
Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

robh

Quote from: RS ZWEI on June 30, 2017, 10:04:01 AM
Skoda Octavia vRS would be worth a look. I don't know about what its tow rating is. No 4wd system means deeper flater boot.
Whats your budget Rob?

Yeah budget, that's an interesting one. 

Don't have any spare cash, so might do the leasing option again or maybe just go el cheapo and stick around the $20-30k mark.
Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

the phantom

don't have any details at hand, but the Top Gear magazine guys have had a Passat Alltrack as a long termer and it has been well received

https://www.volkswagen.co.nz/media/494565/spec-opt-sheet-passat-wagon-my17-tdi.pdf specs
Land Transport New Zealand, taking the fun out of driving since August 2008

Filx

I think I saw a post somewhere that Wilco was selling his A6 3.0 TDI - that might be a good option.
FAIL - First Attempt In Learning

Trofeo

I'm still on the fence whether you can tow heavy loads with a dsg. Particularly if you need to reverse a trailer up a hill etc. Not saying it won't work, but can't see the trans lasting long. Would be interested to hear from a dealer what they'd say on a warranty claim.

This was the deciding factor when we purchased and went for the cx5 with a proper auto box.

2015 Amarok 4WD auto
2018 Golf R-Line Tsi

schattenblau

if you need to tow, got no cash etc.  i'd keep the amarok

;)

robh

Quote from: Filx on June 30, 2017, 10:54:16 AM
I think I saw a post somewhere that Wilco was selling his A6 3.0 TDI - that might be a good option.

Maybe too large for daily, and a bit over diesel RUC.

Ideally I'd like a Golf size daily but no good for the occasional towing trip.
Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

robh

Quote from: Trofeo on June 30, 2017, 11:11:08 AM
I'm still on the fence whether you can tow heavy loads with a dsg. Particularly if you need to reverse a trailer up a hill etc. Not saying it won't work, but can't see the trans lasting long. Would be interested to hear from a dealer what they'd say on a warranty claim.

This was the deciding factor when we purchased and went for the cx5 with a proper auto box.

I have been wondering about that myself as well ????
Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

robh

Quote from: schattenblau on June 30, 2017, 12:11:01 PM
if you need to tow, got no cash etc.  i'd keep the amarok

;)

Towing only very occasionally.

Amarok is on lease so is costing money every month anyway.
Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

Period_Correct_

1971 Porsche 911T | 1990 Audi Quattro Turbo | 2003 Audi RS6 Avant | 2009 Renault Megane R26

Filx

Quote from: NasTnaS on June 30, 2017, 02:23:06 PM
Falcon? BA or FG

Do BA of FG wagons meet the "slightly interesting" criteria though?

If non VAG how about an E61 550i BMW. Nice car in M Sport guise and they tow pretty well.
FAIL - First Attempt In Learning

Period_Correct_

Quote from: Filx on June 30, 2017, 04:44:23 PM
Do BA of FG wagons meet the "slightly interesting" criteria though?


good point... my bad. how about XR6 Turbo???
1971 Porsche 911T | 1990 Audi Quattro Turbo | 2003 Audi RS6 Avant | 2009 Renault Megane R26

robh

Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

Filx

Quote from: robh on June 30, 2017, 04:48:46 PM
station wagon?

They never did an XR6 wagon unfortunately, a bit of a shame as an XR6T wagon would have been a good all rounder. How about late(ish) Holden SSV? The L98 6.0 is a peach (especially with a slightly hotter cam and a tune) and a decent chassis underneath.
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mark2 golf

You will have to go up to a A6 to get over the 2t tow rating. I went through the same thing and ended up with a tdi allroad and it tows great. My olds have just brought a new tiguan tdi and that can tow 2t  and its not to big.
89 mk2 1.8t
97 mk3 gti 1.8t
90 190e 2.6
17 Amarok v6
09 golf gti

robh

Quote from: Filx on June 30, 2017, 04:59:11 PM
They never did an XR6 wagon unfortunately, a bit of a shame as an XR6T wagon would have been a good all rounder. How about late(ish) Holden SSV? The L98 6.0 is a peach (especially with a slightly hotter cam and a tune) and a decent chassis underneath.

Hmm V8 daily driver, sounds like a plan
Daily Driver - VW Touareg V8 TDI 2012 "towing beast"
Too Many Cars - Lotus Elise S 2013 "tangerine dream"
Project Car - Golf VR6 Turbo "built not bought"
Wifes - Audi S4 Avant 2012 "I want a white car that sounds nice"

schattenblau

#19
how about a territory turbo ?
sorta like an xr6 t wagon.

or porsche cayenne, bmw x5 ?