This, simply put, is my introduction. I happened onto this site when I Googled for posts on the Nissan Stanza Wagon (U.S. name). I believe it was called the "Multi" in Canada, and the "Prairie" elsewhere.

I have been a fan of utilitarian and fuel-efficient cars for as long as I can remember (which goes back a few decades). My first car was a hand-me-down '62 Chevrolet, but my first new vehicle was a '77 Toyota Hilux. The Hilux pretty much cemented my affection for vehicles from Japanese manufacturers. Considering how long I keep my vehicles however, I don't often buy new ones.

I've been appalled to hear an often-related claim that older utilitarian vehicles (and particularly older utilitarian Japanese vehicles) have mininal or no collectible value, while what can accurately be described as "in-your-face environmental destruction machines" do. I thus was really happy to stumble into this site. It seems that there a few independent-minded characters like me who are interested in the kinds of vehicles I have and have a "yen" for (pun intended).

I have a number of "old" (if "old" means more than 20-year old) vehicles from Japanese manufacturers:
1977 Datsun Honeybee (was my Mom's)
1986 Nissan Stanza Wagon (was my wife's)
1986 Mitsubishi/Dodge D-50 (the only vehicle other than the '77 Hilux that I bought new for myself - - as opposed to for a family member)
1990 Nissan Stanza Sedan XE (was my nephew's)

Of these vehicles, I think the Stanza wagon has the most appeal. Irrespective of the scorn with which some people apparently consider it, I love it. It has seen the most (and the roughest) use, and thus is unfortunately in the poorest condition.

I also have a 1994 Nissan pickup (an utterly basic model). This one was my Dad's

Welcome aboard!




According to most of the folks around here, you have one old car.

But I know with the rough winters you have that anything over 15 years old is an "antique" is Wisconsin.

Thanks, Datsunfreak, for the welcome.

Wisconsin will issue "collector" license plate for vehicles over 20 years old. The Honeybee and the D-50 have collector plates. These two have have seen limited road salt exposure, and thus have bodies in unusually good shape. Collector plate status virtually assures that they will see no further salt exposure - - if the owner follows the rules associated with issuance of collector plates. I tend to be meticulously law-abiding.

The other three vehicles (the ones badged as Nissans) haven't been so lucky - - they have soldiered thru moderate-to-great salt exposure and are a long way from pristine, although all are in far better shape than average for vehicles of their vintage(s) in this climate.

The "Prairie" is, I fear, very near the end of its life.

I demand pics in the Garage sections!

Welcome to JNC

_________________

Okay, Ben. Pics coming in a couple weeks. I'm being called away from my home base for about 10 days. Don't normally carry a laptop, so I'll be incommunicado for a bit.

So sorry to have dropped the ball on this for so long. My Mom was in her last stages of life in April 2010. I was there in the hospice care center when she passed in May 2010. Got off track, and lost my password. Finally relocated it about a week ago - - - only three years later.
The Honeybee is garage-kept in downstate New York. Pics were taken in 2010. This was my Mom's next to-last car. Her last was a '97 Hyundai Accent. She obviously was NOT a glitzy woman. My intent is to keep her last car and let the Bee go to a good home. There is also a '74 B210, which is beyond repair (rusted to failure body) but has some useable parts.
I have photos, and am ready to post, but when I try to attach only one (as a file), I get message that file is too big. The photo I'm trying to post is a JPG file, so not all that huge. What am I doing wrong?