The Official Wagon/Avant Discussion Thread
CVTs have taught me an important lesson honestly. I was always complaining about traditional, lazy torque converter automatics. Then, one day, I rented a car with a CVT. That experience brings to mind an episode of The Simpson when Bart says “this is the worse day of my life” and Homer with a failed attempt to cheer him up says “It’s the worse day, so far.”
A true turning point in life, I learned to appreciate what I have. I could be stuck driving my rental Altima on a daily basis, or even worse, I might be so removed from reality that I might thing it’s a “good” car.
Anyways, comedy over, CVT works pretty well in the Kawasaki mule we have, for a car though, it would take something very substantial for me to tolerate it.
A true turning point in life, I learned to appreciate what I have. I could be stuck driving my rental Altima on a daily basis, or even worse, I might be so removed from reality that I might thing it’s a “good” car.
Anyways, comedy over, CVT works pretty well in the Kawasaki mule we have, for a car though, it would take something very substantial for me to tolerate it.
Maybe different tuning? I never drove an outback with CVT.
I just hated the feeling that the engine was driving the wheels via a rubber band. Pedal modulation affected rpm, not press in the seat. To be fair, I had traditional automatics do the same. I had a Hyundai Sonata loaner vehicle from Acura while my CL was getting a new transmission back in 2006. That car was a mess too, all 4 corners seemed like they had different springs and shocks. Hit a bridge junction, each corner traveled a different amount and settled at a different rate.
Sorry, I’m way off topic, I’ll dig through my phone I’m sure I have a pic of a wagon I can post.
I also saw, more than once, a Taycan GTS sport turismo driving around near me but I never was close enough to snap a good pic.
I just hated the feeling that the engine was driving the wheels via a rubber band. Pedal modulation affected rpm, not press in the seat. To be fair, I had traditional automatics do the same. I had a Hyundai Sonata loaner vehicle from Acura while my CL was getting a new transmission back in 2006. That car was a mess too, all 4 corners seemed like they had different springs and shocks. Hit a bridge junction, each corner traveled a different amount and settled at a different rate.
Sorry, I’m way off topic, I’ll dig through my phone I’m sure I have a pic of a wagon I can post.
I also saw, more than once, a Taycan GTS sport turismo driving around near me but I never was close enough to snap a good pic.
I will say that the Subaru CVT is the most tolerable of the ones I've driven, Nissan being the worst.
My parents have an Outback Onyx & it only takes a minor adjustment in driving style to my 10AT Fords.
My parents have an Outback Onyx & it only takes a minor adjustment in driving style to my 10AT Fords.
CVTs have taught me an important lesson honestly. I was always complaining about traditional, lazy torque converter automatics. Then, one day, I rented a car with a CVT. That experience brings to mind an episode of The Simpson when Bart says “this is the worse day of my life” and Homer with a failed attempt to cheer him up says “It’s the worse day, so far.”
A true turning point in life, I learned to appreciate what I have. I could be stuck driving my rental Altima on a daily basis, or even worse, I might be so removed from reality that I might thing it’s a “good” car.
Anyways, comedy over, CVT works pretty well in the Kawasaki mule we have, for a car though, it would take something very substantial for me to tolerate it.
A true turning point in life, I learned to appreciate what I have. I could be stuck driving my rental Altima on a daily basis, or even worse, I might be so removed from reality that I might thing it’s a “good” car.
Anyways, comedy over, CVT works pretty well in the Kawasaki mule we have, for a car though, it would take something very substantial for me to tolerate it.
On the flip side there is this. Subaru's CVTs are great. They feel like driving any other car and have just as much responsiveness and power as any other run of the mill automatic. It's not going to be ZF8 fast but that's not the point either. We've had two Subarus (still have one of them) with a CVT and both are great to drive around, FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR better than any Nissan CVT.
It's a tangibly different design. Nissan has a belt (hence the rubber band feeling) and Subaru uses a chain.
Last edited by SamDoe1; Sep 14, 2023 at 09:32 AM.
Now for something completely different!
1962 Olds F-85 Jetfire Wagon
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cupsi...MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng
1962 Olds F-85 Jetfire Wagon
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cupsi...MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 78,249
Likes: 20,202
She likes utilitarian vehicles for camping/paddleboarding and after her years in a minivan and eventually suburban, she seemed
to gravitate towards the wagons. I guess it helps that that's what I love and having traveled to Europe a few times now and seeing them
in their natural habitat, she fell in love too.
Thanks!
She likes utilitarian vehicles for camping/paddleboarding and after her years in a minivan and eventually suburban, she seemed
to gravitate towards the wagons. I guess it helps that that's what I love and having traveled to Europe a few times now and seeing them
in their natural habitat, she fell in love too.
She likes utilitarian vehicles for camping/paddleboarding and after her years in a minivan and eventually suburban, she seemed
to gravitate towards the wagons. I guess it helps that that's what I love and having traveled to Europe a few times now and seeing them
in their natural habitat, she fell in love too.
Anyways, I still maintain hope that one day we will have a wagon.
her husband had a cts-v, he was looking for a wagon, but was too hard to find a reasonable one so he ended up with the sedan version.
we cross shopped the flex, back in 2010, I liked the turbo v6 they offered then but the 2011 model year odyssey was a better fit for us and we still have it.
agreed! I mentioned above in Europe I had a 5series touring as rental this past summer. As soon as I got home I went online to see how much the Alpina 5 touring cost, but discovered BMW moved on from the G30 generation… I was pretty disappointed to see it was no longer available, that car was great. I suspect had it been available, my disappointment would be with my wallet, so I guess same end result 
I do hear a rumor the next gen 5 series will have an M touring though, and unlike the M3 touring, it might come to the USA.
Anyways, I think I would prefer the Alina treatment, I want it to keep a soft comfy suspension. Just have the monster engine. I’m not buying it to blast around a track.

I do hear a rumor the next gen 5 series will have an M touring though, and unlike the M3 touring, it might come to the USA.
Anyways, I think I would prefer the Alina treatment, I want it to keep a soft comfy suspension. Just have the monster engine. I’m not buying it to blast around a track.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 78,249
Likes: 20,202
Well, I did but then I wouldn't have had pics for this thread.
Purpose of the trip was to pick up the rest of my interior that @KaMLuNg brought to @civicdrivr
whom graciously brought it the rest of the way down to NC...
Fun trip, it was!
Purpose of the trip was to pick up the rest of my interior that @KaMLuNg brought to @civicdrivr
whom graciously brought it the rest of the way down to NC...
Fun trip, it was!













500E & ND2
Alpina makes the best M cars.