My 1984 Volvo 240 Wagon holds two feathercrafts inside plus all the related gear and food for a month of paddling. I've driven with my partner from SF to Seattle, SF to Maine (via Lake Superior), SF to the Everglades, SF to Baja. As my mechanic said when I bought it (used) "You'll get bored with it before it starts to break down." I love boring cars. The Volvo is my best ever. douglas san francisco *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
<<Jennifer Pivovar wrote: > the 240 is quite straightforward, well laid out and stuff easily accessible in the engine compartment>> I have looked at other vehicles because I was told the Volvos were expensive to maintain and that part were expensive for them. How do they compare with a Honda of Toyota for cost of repairs? AJ Mallory Portland, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> <<Jennifer Pivovar wrote: > the 240 is quite...>> > AJ Mallory <amallory_at_Pawsable.com> wrote: > I have looked at other vehicles because I was told > the Volvos were expensive to maintain and that part > were expensive for them. How do they compare with > a Honda of Toyota for cost of repairs? AJ, I can't really compare, never having had a Honda or Toyota. I can say that, except for oil & lubes, the only parts I have ever put into this car are: Front brake pads _at_ 75K Front & rear brake pads & rotors _at_ 180K Clutch _at_115K Rebuilt waterpump, 100K (also added in a timing belt) Rebuilt starter, 120K 1 battery after 6 years 1 full set of shocks, 135K I think the total for all this service (parts & labor)was less than 3,000 USD. For 12 years, that's an ave of <$250 a year + tires, oil, plugs & wires. That's why I can't part with it! And still no visible rust after the last 9 years in the snow belt. I've never had a lower TCO vehicle. Although I should mention that my '73 140 Wagon took me 243,000 miles :). I spent a lot more time and money in the shop with my pickups (1 dodge, 1 chevy) and cars (1 dodge, 1 renault) - then went back to the Volvo-every-10-year plan. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
This doesn't meet quite all of Harley's requirements, but I do have a boat-carrying car available. I've gotten more compliments on this than any other car I've owned. It's a 1986 Ford Country Squire Woody Wagon. (OK, not real wood). "5.0" liter V-8, auto, room for 6 adults, tons of cargo space. 15-18 MPG. I haven't had more than 4 sea kayaks on the roof at once, so I won't make any claims about its capacity. Steve Cramer Athens, GA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Ronnie wrote: <<Requirements; Cheap.... Ease of repair (I try to do my own repairs)....Great gas mileage (above 20 mpg)....Low roof line with the ability to attach roof racks (so I can easily load my kayaks)....Enough room to haul camping and paddling gear for two.... Stick shift and a reasonable amount of power (needed for trips of six or seven hundred miles).>> I'm not sure about the eases of repair, requirement, sense what I'm suggesting is early 90's, but I'm also looking for a vehicle to haul a kayak. I have owned a Honda CRX for over 10 years. It has been a great car just to short to haul my 17foot 'yak. I'm leaning towards a Honda or Toyota wagon (early to mid 90's). They stopped making them a couple of years back in favor of SUV (yuk!). I done some checking and there doesn't seem to be a great number of them in the used market, but I think it is the way to go. They get very good gas mileage (my CRX gets great almost 50MPG!), They hare a low roof line and plenty of space. Because they are wagons they have lots of room and shouldn't have any trouble hauling a couple of boats. Thanks for posting the question it will be great to see what else people suggest. AJ Mallory Portland, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Toyota Camrys are nearly bulletproof; it has been suggested that they have been the most reliable cars ever. I had one of their wagons, loved it until some woman totaled it.... :-( They also got great mileage. - Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: "AJ Mallory" <amallory_at_Pawsable.com> Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Transportation Input Needed > Ronnie wrote: > > <<Requirements; Cheap.... Ease of repair (I try to do my own > repairs)....Great gas mileage (above 20 mpg)....Low roof line with the > ability to attach roof racks (so I can easily load my kayaks)....Enough room > to haul camping and paddling gear for two.... Stick shift and a reasonable > amount of power (needed for trips of six or seven hundred miles).>> > > I'm not sure about the eases of repair, requirement, sense what I'm > suggesting is early 90's, but I'm also looking for a vehicle to haul a > kayak. I have owned a Honda CRX for over 10 years. It has been a great car > just to short to haul my 17foot 'yak. I'm leaning towards a Honda or Toyota > wagon (early to mid 90's). They stopped making them a couple of years back > in favor of SUV (yuk!). I done some checking and there doesn't seem to be a > great number of them in the used market, but I think it is the way to go. > They get very good gas mileage (my CRX gets great almost 50MPG!), They hare > a low roof line and plenty of space. Because they are wagons they have lots > of room and shouldn't have any trouble hauling a couple of boats. > Thanks for posting the question it will be great to see what else > people suggest. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Melissa Reese <melissa_at_bonnyweeboaty.net> wrote: >I drive an old (1987) Subaru GL wagon (four door), and it works very well for me. My wife drives a 94 Legacy Sedan, non-AWD, non-Turbo, and it's a great car. >For a car, it does have very good road clearance, And great skid plates and gravel guards, even on the non-AWD models. >I'm not sure about "ease of repair", as I usually take it to my trusted local mechanic for the greasy stuff, but the basic maintenance things like checking fluids, changing tires, etc., is easy enough. Subaru engineers are brilliant. The oil drain plug and oil filter are right up front, and I don't even use a jack/jackstand for changing oil..heck, you don't even have to lay on your back and stick your head under the car...I can do it on my knees from in front of the front bumper. > My car is in good shape, and it's very reliable, Subarus are very well-built vehicles. Given regular oil changes and decent maintenance, they'll run well forever. Given no maintenance, they'll run like cr*p forever. I do have a serious gripe with Subaru, though. Their ergonomics engineers should all be shot. Every one of them. Controls for radios, wipers, cruise control, rear defrost, heaters, A/C controls, power locks, power mirrors, and power windows have asinine ergonomics. Nothing is where it should be, and nothing works the way you would expect it to. And it seems to change from year to year, for those who upgrade cars biannually, but stay with the same make/model. They got too damn creative, and for no reason. Why is the cup holder in front of the radio?! Some will say, "you get used to it", but when it's my wife's car, and not _my_ daily driver, and we're on a long trip, and driving through Portland on 4 lanes, and it's raining about a gazillion inches per minute, and I can't find the controls for the defrost or rear defog, nor the radio knob to turn it off to concentrate (thankfully the wipers operate like most Japanese rigs), it's a legitimate gripe. Shawn __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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