I don’t know how station wagons became desirable, but I suspect it has something to do with modern crossover SUVs. When everything on the road has the same bloated shape, any variation is going to draw your eye. And if that variation in shape is every bit as practical, it’s even better.
Yesterday we looked at two station wagon replacements, one minivan and one SUV. Both of them had uncharacteristic manual transmissions. I think the price difference may have had something to do with the outcome; the GMC Safari van was three grand less than its Ford Explorer competition.
Price aside, personally, I’d rather have the van anyway. I think I’d have more fun with it. I’ve always liked the looks of the Astro and Safari, and having a manual transmission makes it an interesting conversation piece.
Now, let’s take a look at a couple of old wagons. They don’t have much in common: one’s French and the other Japanese, one’s manual and the other automatic, and one’s front-wheel-drive and the other is rear. But they’re both long-roofed versions of sedans, and that’s what ties them together. Let’s take a look.
1991 Peugeot 505 SW8 – $3,100
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
Odometer reading: 295,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
In a more just world, Peugeot would have ridden the yuppie wave right alongside BMW and Volvo in the US, and been just as successful here. But that’s not what happened; Peugeot’s 505 never caught on like the BMW 5 Series and Volvo 240 did, and the French firm left the US market after 1991. This 505 wagon was one of the last few stragglers to be sold here.
It’s a rare spec, even among 505s: it has a non-turbo gasoline four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. Most 505 wagons sold here were automatics, with either a turbocharged four or the PRV V6. It has a ton of miles on it, but the engine was replaced 70,000 miles ago, and it recently had a new timing belt, water pump, and clutch installed. It runs and drives well, the seller says.
In France, this car is known as the 505 Break with two rows of seats, or the 505 Familiale with three rows like this one has. Here in the US, it was called the 505 SW8: Station Wagon, 8 Passenger. It’s in reasonably good shape inside, but I think the driver’s seat has been replaced. It’s vinyl, and everything else is cloth. I guess it’s not surprising that the driver’s seat needed replacing after nearly 300,000 miles.
Outside, it’s reasonably straight, but the paint is in poor shape. At least it’s rust-free. I doubt anyone would bother repainting it at this point, but it actually doesn’t look bad all faded and scruffy.
1992 Honda Accord EX – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Portland, OR
Odometer reading: 123,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
When it was introduced, the Honda Accord came in two bodystyles: a four-door sedan, and a two-door hatchback. That arrangement lasted until 1988, when a two-door coupe was added to the lineup. It wasn’t until 1991 that you could get an Accord wagon. Some station wagons made from sedans look pretty awkward, but I’ve always thought Honda did a great job with this one. I’d go as far as to say it looks better than the sedan.
The fourth-generation Accord is powered by a 2.2-liter engine, and this one has a four-speed automatic transmission. Since it’s an EX model, it has an extra five horsepower and a rear sway bar, and since it’s a wagon it has bigger front brakes. It has only 123,000 miles on it, nothing for a Honda of this age, and it has had a bunch of recent service work done. It also had its transmission rebuilt at 100,000 miles.
I think this might be my favorite Accord color combination too. I don’t know how a maroon interior works so well with champagne paint, but it does. The interior is in great shape, too. It has all the power stuff, since it’s an EX, and though the seller doesn’t specify, I’m sure it all works fine.
The paint looks good, but I can’t tell if that spot on the left side of the hood is a reflection or a bad spot in the clearcoat. One thing it doesn’t have, thankfully, is any rust. Corrosion has always been the Accord’s Achilles heel, so a rust-free one like this is rare and special indeed.
I’m genuinely curious to find out how this vote goes. Will the Peugeot’s rear-wheel-drive layout and manual gearbox overcome the Honda’s reliability and ease of finding parts? Will a scruffier car be worth a nine hundred dollar discount to enough of you to give the Peugeot the win? I guess we’ll see.
I’m going to take everyone’s Autopian cards if this finishes like it is going so far. It’s a manual French wagon for Torche’s sake. Weird is good.
I’ve had an ’01 Accord sedan for almost a year now, and I absolutely love that car. It’s just so so nice. A wagon version would be even better. If it was closer, I’d have a real dilemma on my hands.
Brain vs heart. The heart says Peugeot, but the brain says “you don’t know how to maintain a 35 year old French car and you will suffer”.
Totally, although my heart doesn’t even want the Peugot all that much. The Accord will just be a lovely thing to own and use day to day.
I am going to criticize the Honda ad. “Immaculate Condition” and all you could spare was five images? There could be an oil spill in the back and you wouldn’t know until you were there.
The Peugeot wins for being the best spec of that car, and the ad is presented well.
The Honda wins for being a classic Honda in apparently good condition.
This is a real left brain/right brain dilemma. The missus would push for the Accord (she’s a Honda gal) and it’s the smart choice, but she’s not here so the right brain takes over. Vive la France!
Can’t vote for the Peugeot. My wife’s first car was a Peugeot. It caused constant problems, except it would never reproduce said problems when the mechanic was around, making my poor wife look like she didn’t know what she was talking about until it finally died and stranded her in the middle of nowhere.
Basically, I can’t bring a Peugeot anywhere near the house because my wife as PTSD (Peugeot-Tramatic Stress Disorder)
Rear wheel drive, manual, last of the old-school Peugeots.
No contest.
I was ready to vote for the higher mileage, scruffier, but far more interesting Peugeot over the dull Accord. But the Honda’s red velour interior puts it over the top. Boring, but a family car worth keeping around.
For a daily driver, it’s obviously the Honda, but it’s too boring to be anything else. Like, this is not going to be a fun car, or a cool cruiser, or even a quirky work vehicle.
That said, the Peugeot looks rough enough that I’m not sure it qualifies as cool—I think most people will just see an old, crappy car. But I bet it’s fun-ish to drive, if only because it’s different from anything else these days. Also, 3 rows? The kids can each bring 2 friends.
PS – I didn’t like the Accord wagon at the time—I wasn’t a fan of wagon conversions that looked so literally like they just added glass behind the C pillar—but it’s grown on me, especially in this era of tiny windows. By contrast, I still despise the Camry wagon of this era, with its meaningless arc to the D pillar and then slab-flat back.
But I still don’t have nostalgia for champagne paint. It sucked in 1995, it still sucks.
BRB y’all taking a road trip to Portland
Look at those giant windows on the Accord! Love it!!
This one isn’t even close for me. That Accord is the poster child for Honda’s reputation for dead nuts reliability. Condition and mileage are also far better than the Peugeot for a small amount more. The spot on the hood looks a lot more like failing clearcoat than a cloud reflection, but that’s OK – it wouldn’t take a whole lot to respray/recon that and you’d have a hell of a car that would be equally at home as a daily and Radwood on the weekend (or even other car shows…it’s a bona fide classic at this point). Also strikingly good looking – 90’s beige is proper, and the factory wheels are stellar.
Surprised to hear about the transmission getting rebuilt, if memory serves Hondas didn’t start frequently puking their autos until the late 90s?
The Peugeot is a more interesting car, but not in this shape, especially against that Accord.
Easiest choice in a while for me. The Accord can likely be a daily for a long time and that gen is iconic. The Peugeot with over twice the miles is a hobby.
I don’t need another hobby.
I was never a Peug fan of French cars, so Accordingly, I picked the Honda today. It has way fewer miles and looks to be in way better condition.
Peugeot all the way. It might not last forever, but it will be superior to the accord the whole time it does last. For 3k, might as well enjoy the years you can and have the pleasure rather than the reliability.
I like the funkiness and rarity of the Peugot, but up against that clean and good looking Accord, I gotta go Honda.
I will take the Honda, accordingly. I want the Pug, but I know it’s going to be a nightmare to find parts for it, and the Honda I can get parts at the local O’Reillys just a short walk from my house.
I think for what I might use either of these for the oddity of a very well used French Car is not enough to overcome the actual usefulness of a dead reliable lower mile, better cared for Japanese Grocery Getter.
would a newer Hyundai beat the older Honda is a better question. https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/d/portland-2012-hyundai-touring-all/7931012028.html
I really want the oddball Peugeot… but parts availability in the US is gonna suck. The Honda might be boring (no VTEC… yo), but it will run forever with basic maintenance.
Smart money would stick with the Honda, my dad had an Accord with that interior, and damn Honda used to do a great job on cloth interiors. I chose the Peugeot to be difficult, but honestly its no contest, a manual RWD wagon is my vehicle of choice and this probably wouldn’t have to be my daily.
I wanted the Stellantis but know I can get parts for the Honda.
The Honda is clearly the intelligent, rational choice.
Therefore I’m viscerally obligated to choose the oddball Peugeot. C’est irrésistible.
The Pug “Runs and drives well” but apparently can’t park without blocking a ramp
Internet money: Pug.
Real money: Honda.
The Honda is the practical answer for reliable transportation but the Pug looks so nice, 5MT, and wagony-goodness.