MrWhoopee

There are good reasons for not calling a Civic Wagon a Wagovan.

The first reason is that, most likely, it isn’t a Wagovan. The Wagovan was the base model of the Civic Wagon in the U.S. It came with Pleather (vinyl) seats, a one piece back seat (no split) and jailbars on the rearmost side windows. It did not have fabric inserts on the door panels. It was sold in the U.S. thru 1989, there are no ’90 or ’91 Wagovans. If it has cloth seat upholstery, IT’S NOT A WAGOVAN!

Besides being technically incorrect in most cases, the name “Wagovan” is clearly a misnomer. It was an attempt to capitalize on the American van craze of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, but it has none of the qualities that made the van popular. It is much too small to convert into a camper, mini-bar or den of iniquity. You can’t pile all your friends in the back and smoke reefers while listening to Janis, Jimi and Zeppelin on blown-out speakers, hoping you don’t get pulled over (BTDT). Even a Minivan has enough room to party in the back. “Wagovan” was one of the worst attempts by the Japanese to name their products to appeal to the American market; the Datsun “Fair Lady” was another.

The name “Wagovan” is just plain UGLY. It is a strained, guttural and ungainly amalgam of two words that is just hard on the ears. It sounds like a German hocking up a wad. It conjures images of some mad scientist’s cross-breeding experiment gone awry. ”I vas chust trying to create a Vanagon, inshtead I got a Vagovan!” It is on a par with “Vanagon” and “Vandura”. At least “Vanagon” flows off the tongue, but that vehicle is no more related to a station wagon than the Wagovan is to a van. Calling your Civic Wagon a Wagovan is like naming your daughter Sybil, but calling her Olga or Agatha. I suspect that the reason the model was discontinued after ‘89 was poor sales. It could have been the Pleather seats, but I doubt it. Nobody wanted to buy a car called a “Wagovan”.

If you actually own a Wagovan, it is correct to call it one. If you own a DX or an RT4WD, it is not. You can, of course, name your Civic Wagon whatever you want, but that doesn’t change what it is. Why not name it something beautiful or sexy, like Sybil or Sabrina? If I actually owned a Wagovan, I would remove the nameplate and never speak its name again.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this forum or its staff.

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

Did you even write this "article?" Or just copied and pasted it without any honest thought put into it?

whited

Where am I?

kp

Just like an EG isn't really an EG, and an EF isn't really an EF...etc. Sometimes it's easier to stick with universal naming conventions instead of needlessly complicating things.

rallypoint_1

My ED6 is not a EF9?

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

Not even close, it's a Civohatch. You must be smokin cigaweed if you think it's an EF9.

rallypoint_1

Ha ha ha!!! I like the "civohatch"!!!

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

It's gonna catch on, then I'll have to make thread called "Don't Call it a Civohatch!" where I explain that it's only reserved for the 4spd STD trims with vinyl interior and no center console.

whited

I have no idea what you are talking about either.

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

^CRXoliftbacko?

It Wasn't Me

MrWhoopee

Wow! Thank you! I was trying to produce a well written piece, but I never imagined someone would think it good enough to have been plagiarized! It is 100% my own, both thoughts and words. If it had been quoted, I would have stated as much, crediting the source.

Thanks again.

It Wasn't Me

Thing is, guy.. this is a tech forum, not a blog. If you have a problem with your car? This is the forum in which to post a thread.

Random, technically irrelevant thoughts and discussions belong in GDD.


Oh, and..

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

I only asked because of the very last line:

Normal posts won't have that so I was wondering if you had just copied/pasted from another forum or website. FWIW I rather enjoyed the lesson but wasn't fond of the opinionated portion. Either way I am enlightened with the new knowledge. Good to know I'm not the only one who felt like this didn't belong here but rather the GDD forum.

FOUR-G

Sooo...the "jailbars" never came on ANY 90-91s? And only on the lowest 88-89 models?

What is the point of them? What is their purpose?

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

Apparently so that you know it's a Wagovan and not a Civic Wagon when you see them. But don't forget!! You MUST confirm that it does not have any cloth upholstery what so ever to be certain that what you are looking at is indeed a REAL Wagovan.

Tyson

Like I give a **** but Honda disagrees and labels it "5 door wagovan".
https://estore.honda.com/honda/parts...-5-wagovan-5mt

MrWhoopee

I believe the intent was to offer a small, multi-use, commercial delivery vehicle. It would explain the name. The bars were to protect the windows from shifting cargo.

It's a wagon! No, it's a van! Stop, you're both right!

sr20paisa

civokammback if it has plather seats

bheinen74

this ef pic of my former ef, is a real ef9.


"Just like an EG isn't really an EG, and an EF isn't really an EF...etc. Sometimes it's easier to stick with universal naming conventions instead of needlessly complicating things.
_________"

whited

^no power steering?

bheinen74

it had PS you can see the resevoir tank in the upper right of the pic. sorry bout pic quility was from like 2001

WhiteEh2

My lord, you really took the time to rant about something so meaningless

sr20paisa

whiteeg1's cousin ?