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.
Both have their (very different) upsides and I was having a hard time deciding until…
Maroon interior!
Accord wins it today by Rudolph’s red nose.
Cb accord 8 ways to sunday, idk how someone managed to kill that trans, but with anew, itl run forever with someone not daft to maintenance.
Bout as perfect a honda for the family as youll ever get.
That was hard. Possibly the first time I’ve ever voted against a Peugeot, but that rickety one isn’t giving me the feels and I have always loved the crisp shape of that Accord
I know that the correct choice is the Honda…But I want the Peugeot Break and I will get it repainted and cleaned up. Since there is exactly ZerO chance of ever getting a French car here in the UnUnited States of America again ,this may be my only inexpensive alternative. (Scratch the inexpensive comment, it’s French)
Alpine technically still has plans to sell us their hopped-up Renault EVs…
If that day will actually come, I wouldn’t bet more than a baguette with camembert, but it’s not zero chance…
And my bet is they will cost >alfa money. And I don’t think the grandkids would like the trunk/frunck? Seating arrangements
The Peugeot is clearly the
bettermore interesting car, a manual, and has such a neat interior. However, unless one was about to relocate to Africa, or somewhere else, good luck finding wiper blades. It’s the right choice, just not the correct one.I know the Peugeot is a terrible idea but it’s French and a wagon.
it is all three of those things..
I like driving and dislike amusing garage ornaments. Honda all day long.
This was so easy…Accord! This one is SO clean plus it’s an EX wagon! That makes up for not being stick, which is too bad. My Dad bought a 91 Accord sedan in 91 as a test model, and we had it as a family car til it was sold at 240K and still running like a top. I love Hondas and have had 2 of the 3rd gens, w/ stick and pop-ups. Currently have a 9th gen w/ the Earth Dreams engine and it is amazing and I love it!
The Accord has a lot fewer miles and a manufacturer still present in the United States. It’s an easy win.
But even if there was a thriving Peugeot network here, I note that the 505 has dull paint everywhere but the front quarter panel and a suspiciously large gap between the hood and grille. This wagon has seen un accident de la route and hasn’t been put back together right.
I’ve been strongly considering that Peugeot. Perfect dog car.
If you just want transport the Accord, if you want something quirky and interesting the Peugeot.
There aren’t many cars I would pick over this generation of Accord, and in wagon form? So good.
There’s no doubt that the Accord is a much wiser purchase, but the anarchist in me picked the Peugeot.
So did I, it’s literally the opposite of the Honda, in every way possible.. therefore, a
perfecthorrible decision..Just FYI the poll doesn’t load for me on mobile. Tried Brave, Chrome, and Safari
Coincidentally, while there’s not much Chrome on it, the Peugeot is definitely suited to the Brave on a Safari.
The smarter, more rational choice here is the Honda, but I have a wicked soft spot for all things Peugeot. My freak flag has got to fly with the French car.
I was all set to vote for the Pee-Goat, until I saw the pics. That thing looks like it’s about to collapse with all the body panels falling off.
A buddy had the previous gen when we were in HS, it was such a fun car. RWD with a LTD slip, that thing was a blast in the snow, and damn near indestructible.
OTOH, that Accord is FWD and boring, but at least it’s a nice color combo and driving it would bring me back to a better time. I think that’s the peak Honda era, 10/10 I’d DD that.
A dingy Peugeot or the best generation of Accord ever in the same color combination as the Coupe I learned to drive in? Sorry, Frenchie, no contest.
Yup, I DD a Citroen but there’s no way I’d be driving that pegueto home.
I adore Peugeot wagons – I had a 504 Diesel wagon. But that Honda – winner.
Just went through the Craigslist pictures. The Peugeot is disgusting inside. Check out picture 8 and look at all the disease in between the driver seat and center console.
The interior materials and design also look like a cheap 80s econobox. The Accord’s a genuinely nice car.
Sorry, but again: both. Since I can only vote for one, I chose Honda but only because I’m too old to start more projects.
Who brings a hotdog to a gun fight? Duh, Accord of course!
The Accord is objectively the much better car, and it’s in great condition, but I’ll take the Peugeot all day, every day, because Iiuke quirk and it’s huge inside and it’s a 5-speed. Also, if all you look at is Africa, the only thing that lasts longer than an old Honda is an even older Peugeot.
oooooooooooooo a red interior 😀
LOL that pew-got looks beat to hell
Shit, even if the 505 was perfect and the Honda looked beat to hell, the Accord would still win.
The worst thing about the 90s Accords is the stupid hub over rotor brakes up front.
The 505 probably can’t pass smug check anymore, and the parts aren’t available anymore, or all their local smug stations are OBDII-only. It might be ok for someone that doesn’t have to go to inspection (sell it to someone out of state), but it will never be as good as a 90s Honda with triple the miles.
I was going to comment about the rotors but you saved me some time. SO DUMB
Tough call.
Whoever rebuilt the auto in that Accord rather than manual swapping it wasted their money.
Having literally just come back from getting cortisone injections in my knees, let me state for the record the clutch pedal is not beloved by all fans of the automobile.
My Miata has one and I love it, but there’s no way I’d want one in a daily driver.
As someone living in a road-salt state, I wouldn’t daily an almost-35-year-old car as nice as this Accord, certainly not year round.
I probably wouldn’t either, but I see quite a few people around here and there that do.
They probably bought what they expected to be their last car (or truck) decades ago, and in some cases outlived it. For them, this Accord would be right up their alley.
This would be the perfect car for my mother, for example. Now approaching 80, but still a very competent driver. (Thinking of that, my brothers probably wouldn’t want it as part of their inheritance, so… Somebody slap me. That’s evil.)
There is no chance whatsoever that the Pug would qualify as a daily driver. With luck, money and lawyers you might get a weekend or two per summer months. And still I want it over the appliance.
We have a RAV4 for DD duties. I’m perfectly fine with an appliance for that function.
I want the Honda for the red interior and reliability.