This dusty and forgotten 1985 Honda Wagovan is one of the rarer Hondas you can buy, as it’s equipped with the desirable four-wheel-drive system that made this curious commuter wagon a true anomaly on the marketplace when new. The seller’s Honda is in need of an engine rebuild but he claims it’s otherwise in decent condition for a garage find. The aftermarket scene for these 4×4 wagons is an interesting one, and while I’m sure there’s an ambitious Honda fan out there who’d love to own it, it may be better suited as a parts car. Find the Wagovan here on craigslist for $2,800 near Nashville.
Fun fact: I’ve been trying to sell one of these in very similar condition for over a year now with no success. It’s a shame, too, as there are plenty of Wagovan owners out there who have come to realize that the supply of 4WD Honda Civic parts is quite limited, and my car is a complete vehicle that doesn’t run and retains all of the 4WD-specific components like driveshafts, axles, and more. Still, at the end of the day, no one is restoring these (yet) to concours condition, so most owners are still trying to save these unusual cars as cheaply as possible. The interior of the seller’s car is in surprisingly good shape considering the exterior condition and looks like it just needs a good cleaning.
These were truly pioneering vehicles when introduced. The seats inside folded flat to create a surprisingly generous load floor in such a compact car. The four-wheel-drive system was obviously light-years ahead of what now has become a standard feature in many vehicles, and while the AMC Eagle is the most prolific car to make this drivetrain design standard, Honda made it a feature of a commuter car, combining the go-anywhere abilities of a 4×4 in a fuel-sipping import that promised excellent fuel economy. The seller’s Wagovan is a rare one, but it seems more likely that it will be sacrificed to keep a better one on the road given the small pool of enthusiasts that are out there actively working on these obscure wagons.
Sorry but No. Can smell that fine interior thru my computer screen.
Also a vehicle I bought in FL about 4 years ago, My Gf drove me up the 90 miles too look at a 2wd version of this car, when I got to it the PO had mis-represented it wouldnt run, carb was jacked up a whole bunch of parts in the back, no rust, faded red, interior one crack on dash cubby, white ext. I offered owner 300 after moaning about it not running and driving all the way up. He bit, I hooked it up to car dolly. Stoped at an Orielleys dang if there wasnt a spare carb in the rear hatch! Dropped it on, plugged some hoses, fired it up drove it home, She was repulsed by the car I loved it, after I pulled out some guys pulled up giving me thumbs up which only irked her further! Ended up selling it to a guy beachside who then gave me an 88 Dodge Raider that I wisely have not sold.haha
I loved these when they were new! Great little cars.
When these came out, I had a friend working at the local Honda dealership. He had borrowed it for a weekend, we stuffed 4 fairly large young men into it and headed for a local sand pit. The walls of the pit were steep enough that we wisely decided against trying to go down. But we did try going up and much to our surprise it clawed itself up. On the next pass the guy tried stopping in the middle of the run up the wall. He couldn’t get going again, but not for a lack of grip, but for the clutch not holding up. In a cloud of burnt clutch linings we managed to turn the car sideways and gently drove it down again. I do wonder if the first owner of that car didn’t get disappointed in the short life of the clutch and if any warranty claims weren’t met with “but you have just fried it, look at this violet and blue flywheel”.
Indeed, I’d have to wonder why it was taken off the road in the first place.
So, the engine needs to be rebuilt?
BoostedBoiz, and their Wago shows what can be done with these vehicles.
https://youtu.be/_MCPdcS-sLs
Posted 21 days ago.
Great cars! This in not a “Wagovan”. The Wagovan version was fwd only. Bare bones vinyl interior and super thin rear seat to fold completely flat for cargo.
4wd was the upscale model with cloth interior and a rear seat you could actually sit on for more than 10 minutes.
It would make a lot more sense to grab an engine out of a garden variety Civic and get this going.
I f you have one of these for sale where are you located and how much?