Wagon Stoke

[Bosco]

I have a 2016 BMW 328i xdrive that I bought new. I quite like the car and recently gave it to my wife, who really likes it. So far, Ive only changed oil and the plugs. Its got right around a 100k miles, so we will see what happens.

[BmillsSkier]

Try that pic again with Tapatalk Edit: never mind, I see that broken pic is a quote of one above

no, it was supposed to be James May with his beloved Fiat Panda.


come on Todd, fix the site already.

[MyNameIsAugustWest]

Gave up on TGR for most of the summer but it appears to be limping back...Still loving my Mercedes E400 wagon but it is an expensive mistress. It has auto load leveling on the rear shocks (air bags) and the compressor died. Luckily I found a new hotshot local mech that is only 20 minutes from me. While he was under there, I had him replace both rear shocks and, because I could not confirm the last time the spark plugs were changed (CARFAX doesn't have very much detail), I had him also do the plugs. That wasn't a cheap date.Also noted a vibration above 55mph after taking off the winter tires/rims and putting the summers back on. 1 alignment and 2 balances later, I took it to my newfound wrench thinking it must be a drivetrain issue. Nope, just a bad tire. Tried to get Continental to help me out with the replacement but I bought the new tire 5 days after their 1-year warranty ran out. Even though I had documentation complaining about the vibration from back in May, they would not budge. At least the tire store did me right and knocked 25% off the price of a new shoe.

[liv2ski]

I used to buy Continentals all the time but after having a blowout on two sets I went to Michelin and I'm very happy with the cross climates I purchased.

[BmillsSkier]

That sucks MNAW, but I’m glad you got some discount on the replacement shoe. I’ve had really good luck with Contis over the years, OEM on every BMW I’ve owned and Audi switched to them from Pirellis somewhere between when I went from the A4allroad to the A6allroad - and they’ve been great. I even opted for a set of Conti ExtremeContact Sport 2s when my Michelin Pilot Sport2s died from dryrot after 3k miles (and a winter layover) on my old Porsche and I love em. Not for nothing, I always go DiscountTire because they stand behind their shit more than the OEM/Dealer. I guess volume speaks. YMMV.

[jackattack]

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S on the Alltrack this summer are super fun, quite and smooth compared to the OEM Conti's, premium sure, but we don't go through tires very fast and run blizzaks in the winter so worth it.

[MyNameIsAugustWest]

liv2ski: I'm very happy with the cross climates I purchased.

Yeah, that is what I run for winter tires but they are a bit noisy for the summer. Amazing innovation: a 50,000 mile tire that works in the snow.

[liv2ski]

That's interesting as I have them on our three cars and I do not find them noisy at all.
This week I'm having a major front end suspension refresh done on my V70R. Here is hoping that the car feels like new once I'm done throwing a bunch of money at it.

[uglymoney]

I m running the Cross Climates on my Alltrack for summer tire. Will still be switching to the Xice in the winter. They are quiet. They handle well. I like them better than the defenders for summer use, mostly because the Defenders start to suck in the rain when they are about half worn out.
I have been taking a hard look at the Crown Signia for the better half, or wait to get the 2026 Rav4, open to other options. Her 2012 Prius V has 275k on it now and my daughter is getting her school permit so that becomes hers to thrash.
The XLE Crown Signia can be found for 3k off MSRP so 42 43 before taxes, title etc and they are pretty much loaded, heated front and rear seats, big back seat. Negatives for us are the stock 19 wheels and no spare tire, would look to downsize to 18 or maybe even 17s if possible (probably not 17s) slanted rear roof means rear space is only 25.8 CF or so on the XLE (less on the Limited with the stupid sunroof and 21 inch wheels, but it is a big floor back there so maybe effectively will load bigger. Positives are those things drive like a Lexus, my father in law has one. Super quite on the road. Also, compared to a loaded Rav4 they aren t really much more money, at least compared to the 25 Rav Hybrid, which I won t buy.

[uglymoney]

I remember taking a lot of shit here for buying that Prius V back in the day. Lol. A lot of it was my presentation, I can t even read stuff I wrote back then without wincing, but I still like to poke the bear now and again and that has been the most reliable car I have ever owned by far. Purpose served, just runs and gets it done, on to it s next job.

[liv2ski]

I remember taking a lot of shit here for buying that Prius V back in the day. Lol. A lot of it was my presentation, I can t even read stuff I wrote back then without wincing, but I still like to poke the bear now and again and that has been the most reliable car I have ever owned by far. Purpose served, just runs and gets it done, on to it s next job.

We have all wrote stuff that would make us wince today, but a Prius?


J/K

[chaka]

Also running Cross Climates as 3 season tire for an Outback, I like them so far. I do find them a tad noisier than whatever was on before i don't remember. Ugly - curious why you won't buy the 25 Rav4 Hybrid? My wife got one in April and loves it.

[uglymoney]

Also running Cross Climates as 3 season tire for an Outback, I like them so far. I do find them a tad noisier than whatever was on before i don't remember. Ugly - curious why you won't buy the 25 Rav4 Hybrid? My wife got one in April and loves it.

I mean to cast no shade at all on the 25 Rav4 Hybrid.

We aren't in a hurry, we have a garage queen, our old 2003 4R my wife can drive for now.

The 26 Rav will be all hybrid, 3500 lb tow rating, new Toyota interior/dash which is a huge improvement, Safety sense 4.0 vs 2.5...which is also huge. SS 2.5 isn't even nearly as good as the SS 3.0 in the CS. It will also have newest Gen5 hybrid system. Not sure how much of a difference that will make and the gen4 is tried and true so that is a wash for now, but still.

The biggest factor for me is the Crown Signia is barely more with discounts than a Rav4 at MSRP configured the way my wife wants it and they are available now. The CS is a way, way better ride than the current Rav4. Not even close. Albeit it doesn't have a spare tire with those stupid 19 inch wheels which is a major negative. But they are super, super nice and look like a wagon. Same car in Japan is called an Estate, which is a wagon. Go test drive one. I wasn't even interested until I drove my father in laws. I also love wagons. This would fit in our garage with a roof box since it has a lower roofline than a Rav.

Another negative to.consider will likely be higher depreciation for the CS than a Rav. I've never sold a car for more than $350 so this has little effect on my decision but it would for sure suck worse if was totaled out.

I am just here thinking out loud. Has anybody else here looked at the CS?

Also, tapatalk is alive...hmmm.

Here is a Crown with an 18" winter wheel upgrade.








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[bodywhomper]

The crown signia caught my attention when I was shopping for our new (to us) sienna. I’m surprised there’s no xse trim line.

[chaka]

thanks ugly. that crown signia does look sharp!

[El Chupacabra]

At the Reno auto show early this year, out of everything on the floor, the Crown Signia caught my eye more than anything else. It's really nice inside.

I haven't driven one yet. Japan built Toyota products have been the best built vehicles I've ever had (I've had 3), by a long way.

If Toyota would bring the plug in hybrid version of the Signia over, that would be hard to resist.

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[liv2ski]

I just built one out on their site and it was still 50 Grand! So many used cars out there at easily half that cost, that I like better, so I would have a really hard time justifying that. But hey, we're all different.

[jackattack]

Crown signia didn't really blow me away when I drove one earlier this year. It seemed really big on the outside and pretty tight in the cabin. The hybrid has the same driveability as a sienna or highlander for the same price. You can get a hybrid venza that's more or less the same car for pennies.

[uglymoney]

I just built one out on their site and it was still 50 Grand! So many used cars out there at easily half that cost, that I like better, so I would have a really hard time justifying that. But hey, we're all different.

Agree. Counterpoint is you can get the XLE which is more or less loaded for 43k in Chicago.

Crown signia didn't really blow me away when I drove one earlier this year. It seemed really big on the outside and pretty tight in the cabin. The hybrid has the same driveability as a sienna or highlander for the same price. You can get a hybrid venza that's more or less the same car for pennies.

Agree on the smallish feeling interior. It doesn't feel like a Highlander or Sienna though, save for the drivetrain.

We are probably too practical to buy one. Fun window shopping though.


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[liv2ski]

The deal killer for me is that funky transmission.

[jackattack]

What's funky about the transmission?
Is it reliable? Yes. Is it durable? Yes. Is it boring? Yes.

[uglymoney]

What's funky about the transmission?
Is it reliable? Yes. Is it durable? Yes. Is it boring? Yes.

I assumed by funky he means the drone. The Toyota ecvt with 2.5 or 1.8 engine hybrid experience is drone eey and not a silky experience, but that is the complaint. Legit makes it not for everyone. My manual VW is certainly a better all around driving experience so I get it.

The Crown does 7.0 seconds to 60. Not exactly fast by today's standards, but certainly respectable. Thirty years ago this would have been one of the fastest wagons on earth.

Maybe i'm wrong and he just doesn't like 500,000 mile transmissions though? Our Prius has 275 and I suppose I should have maintained the ecvt at some point, but no.

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[El Chupacabra]

I can't explain the engineering behind it, but the Toyota eCVT transmissions they use in their hybrids are widely recognized as really durable - - in contrast to the CVTs used in all those Nissan and Subaru gas cars.

[liv2ski]

What's funky about the transmission?
Is it reliable? Yes. Is it durable? Yes. Is it boring? Yes.

CVTs are not for me. I am more of a petrol head and that car doesn't work for me, but if you like it, cool.
I like my Volvo wagon with a 6 speed manual. I like my Cheyenne with 420hp. Two different cars that really work for me.

[twomartinis]

so my kid is ready for his first car, he worked and saved up 4 grand and we made a deal to match his savings, so looking for an $8,000 car. what does the brain trust think?
local searching (upstate NY) looks something like a 10-12 year old Subie, A4 allroad or XC70 with 100k+ miles. kid's not a wrencher; and I don't mind doing the basic stuff like tires, brakes, belts, etc. He's likely not staying close to home when he goes off to college next summer, so that factors in for reliability...