Beaglemobile is Ill.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

One thing we've thought of, repeatedly, is trying to replace our old wagon with the same car, only one with fewer miles on it.

Are you thinking of buying this Craigslist Volvo? It seems like a good deal...although I know we would be looking for an only-driven-on-Sundays-by-a-little-old-lady-on-her-way-to-church version with fewer than 100K on it.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Yes, definitely ! Craigslist is where we got our other Volvo V70 wagon at a great price. Now, if only that could happen again. Patience is a virtue.
I am shopping for a better priced exhaust system (have 3 appts. tomorrow) and a gently experienced wagon at the same time.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Yes, definitely ! Craigslist is where we got our other Volvo V70 wagon at a great price. Now, if only that could happen again. Patience is a virtue.
I am shopping for a better priced exhaust system (have 3 appts. tomorrow) and a gently experienced wagon at the same time.

Patience IS a virtue! Also I've found if you go to the biggest reliable used-car dealership in town and test-drive a car, then say, "It's just not quite right for me...I'm looking for X"--and you're very specific about what you want and say that you are willing to pounce on it, then the salespeople will look for that and call you when they have it, often within a matter of a couple of weeks.

That's how we got our clunky Corolla, which was really cheap b/c it's so dinged-up that the dealership didn't want it on the lot! It runs perfectly, but it looks pretty awful.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

The best car I ever owned, mechanically speaking, was a 1980 Toyota Corolla and it's probably still going somewhere, somehow. Great car. Also, we had a Camry wagon that was absolutely wonderful.
If they still made the Camry wagon, I'd buy one in an instant.

I buy Volvo for the winter driving here and in Vermont. Also, decided to buy a heavier car after one of the nurses I worked with back in the '80s was driving home late one night and her lightweight vehicle was forced off the highway by some very bad people. I just wanted something more durable and more of a road warrior. Safety first, last, always and it depends on one's comfort level.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Yeah, we love our Camry wagon. That's the one we can't let go. The Corolla, on the other hand, we had to make a pact that when it was time, it would be time, and we wouldn't do take any extraordinary measures (like a new catalytic converter).

You know I write to Toyota every year and give them an earful about how they should make the wagons again because ours will not hold out forever. (Yes, I'm the crazy lady with the Camry wagon.) Last year they wrote back and told me to buy a Highlander. My reaction:

However, my dentist has a 2004 Highlander that he looooves, and he pointed out that it's not actually very much bigger than the Camry wagon. (Newer Highlanders are bigger.) Also in 2004 they started doing third-row seats in the Highlander.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Is the Highlander the one built on a car frame ? I get these things mixed up.

ETA: There are still some Camry wagons out there on sale, but since they stopped making them in 1996 I have to ask if I would chance a 12 y.o. car now, even the best kept one.

(Going out for my 4 mile power walk before it gets too hot).

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I dunno. It's considered a crossover. Hold on....here's one. Note that in this pic it doesn't look all that big.

Cars.com

BTW, prices on these are tumbling. And 2004, that's like a new car to me!

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Is the Highlander the one built on a car frame ? I get these things mixed up.

ETA: There are still some Camry wagons out there on sale, but since they stopped making them in 1996 I have to ask if I would chance a 12 y.o. car now, even the best kept one.

(Going out for my 4 mile power walk before it gets too hot).

Don't get a Camry wagon now. Ours has been babied along with its own personal Toyota-only mechanic for years, every little problem attended to instantly, check-ups every 3,000 miles, and now we put practically no mileage on it b/c we use the little car, and I still wouldn't buy it. Every little tic and click makes me anxious.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I find it quite telling that all of us who LOVE to vacation drive high milage cars - we don't have any at or house under 110K.....why pay for a car when u can buy airline tickets?

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

Our 1994 Camry is still going strong, just under 200,000 miles, and we're hoping to go to 250,000. We love her...Peter nicknamed her Marianne, as in Marianne Faithful (for us oldies).
Connie

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

Have you considered a Subaru? As I mentioned, we have a Legacy with 175,000 miles that we have not had to put any work into at all. The Forrester is (I think) considered their "crossover vehicle"...looks like an SUV but built on a car frame (so it's like a station wagon on steroids) and gets better MPG. (All Subarus are all-wheel drive anyway.) We just got a used Forrester for my son.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Alas our Beaglemom needs a new Sopwith Camel.


.

This is so funny and cute. Thanks !!

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Have you considered a Subaru? As I mentioned, we have a Legacy with 175,000 miles that we have not had to put any work into at all. The Forrester is (I think) considered their "crossover vehicle"...looks like an SUV but built on a car frame (so it's like a station wagon on steroids) and gets better MPG. (All Subarus are all-wheel drive anyway.) We just got a used Forrester for my son.

Yes, I have. My best friend has a lovelyl eggplant color, LL Bean edition and I love it, but I am so welded to having a Volvo for some reason. Maybe if I just went out and did some test driving.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Yay ! Yipeeee !

I don't need a cat converter.

I got three other opinions that said I didn't. I do, however, need some sort of manifold thingie with clamps, etc.

~ $800 at Click & Clack's !!! I didn't see them as they're either on vacation or in the office, but am very satisfied. Their work is guaranteed for 12 months or 12k miles and this is about where I was hoping for (at least).

Good News Garage - Cambridge, MA 02139

Thank you one and all for weighing in with your advice, opinions, experiences and websites.

The Beaglemobile won't be put to sleep yet.

Did you know that my vanity plate is " Beagle " ?

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

Great news!
Connie