Do classic old houses attract tenants with classic old cars? It rather seems so in the case of these two of my rental houses, where two single dads live with their teenage kids as well as several curbside classics. There’s these four as well as a couple more younger examples; six cars in total. Let’s take a closer look.
This 1989 Peugeot 505 wagon tugs on my heartstrings the most, as I have a real thing for the classic RWD big Peugeot wagons. I called them “The World’s Greatest Wagons” in my usual understated style. We had a 404 wagon that I would love to conjure back into being (and in our driveway). The 505 was the last of the line, and I’m afraid this particular 505 wagon is the last of its kind in Eugene, and has been for some years now. I’m a bit proud that it belongs to one of my tenants, who is originally from Africa, where Peugeots were (and still are) legendary in their heroic acts as beasts of great burdens that just keep on going, no matter the abuse.
In perusing my old posts on these Peugeot wagons, I just realized that I shot this same wagon the first time way back in 2011! It was already showing the distinctive paint fading patterns. Back then there was another 505 wagon in town, but it fell off my radar years ago. The current owner has had this car since 2006.
These two houses are among the ones that I rescued from the wrecking ball and had moved to this location about eight blocks from our house back in 1997. Like the 505, they’re still going strong, and probably will be after the 505 is reduced to…new steel roofing panels for one of these houses.
This wagon has an automatic transmission (ZF 4-speed) behind its 2.2 L “Douvrin” inline four. This was a SOHC engine jointly developed by Peugeot and Renault, and replaced the venerable pushrod Peugeot X-series four used in the earlier years of the 505’s long production run from 1979 to 1992, in Europe.
What made all these RWD Peugeot wagons exceptional was that unlike most wagons adapted from sedans, these were unique from the B-pillar rearward, with a longer wheelbase and a special rear suspension consisting of a very sturdy alloy rear solid axle with four coil springs, two on each side, and of course the famous Peugeot shocks. This allows an exceptional high weight carrying capacity as well as a very comfortable ride; no, the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. And that extended wheelbase makes for very generous rear leg room. And there was of course also a three row version, with a forward facing third seat, but I don’t think that was sold in the US.
It was the most capable and comfortable import wagon ever sold here, and anyone who has had the pleasure to drive or ride in one will attest to their qualities. Knowing its owner, he will keep it going for a long time yet.
His current daily driver is this very fine 1999 Acura Integra sedan. These are of course delightful little sporty cars, from the classic Honda era. What’s not to like?
This one has a stick shift; automatics are a bit of a heresy in these, what with their delightful high-revving VTEC motors.
Nice lines on these Integras; they look good from any angle. Some folks were not wild about the “spider eyes” headlights, and the JDM Integra got rid of them after a couple of years, but they add a bit of character.
This tenant also owns this very fine ’71 BMW 2002, which I’m seeing in the flesh for the first time. He keeps it parked and covered in the driveway of his neighbor, as his house doesn’t have one. It too is in stellar shape; it’s been in his possession since 1984.
And of course that’s a ’59 Chevy that the tenant of this salmon-colored (pink?) house owns. This car has some history with me too, as I shot it on the streets nearby way back in 2009 for my ’59 Chevy CC. Soon after that, it moved away and then returned when this tenant bought it from the previous owner. It can’t stay away…
It used to be all red, but now has a contrasting black on the lower half.
He and his son are BMW-philes, and Gus, who graduated from high school last spring, drives this sweet E36 328i convertible, parked across the street. He got it a couple of years back, not long after he turned 16. And he takes good care of it.
Pretty sweet ride for a (then) sixteen year-old!
While I was shooting, Gus’ dad Gideon came home, in his more recent BMW 3 series wagon. Not sure of the exact model, as it’s been debadged. But I do know that it was at the dealer for about two months while awaiting parts for a recall of some sort. They did give him a nice 5-Series sedan loaner for the duration.
Curbside classics at my curbside classics; a natural combination.
Related CC Reading
The World’s Greatest Wagons: Peugeot 203, 403, 404, 504, 505 – An Illustrated History by me
Curbside Classic: 1989 Peugeot 505 Wagon – The Last Of The World’s Greatest Wagons by me
Auto-Biography: Peugeot 404 Wagon – The One I Miss The Most by me too
My Curbside Classic: 1997 Acura Integra – Not Just A Fancy Honda by Steven Libby
The owners of these cars really appreciate them, as shown by the conditions/upkeep. A lot of people who own old cars use them as beaters and don’t display a level of care for them. I’ve always maintained that an older car needs TLC and doesn’t have to have immaculate paint, but needs to be kept clean; otherwise, it get looked at as “just another old car”. 🙂
Housing costs there must be reasonable. Keeping rent paid and buying cars in bulk would be a “no go” most places I know.
Don’t think I’ve ever seen a “Peugeot” that big.
Here is one I drove about 15 years ago, it’s been getting moved around since then waiting to be used for parts. Has the Renault 2.2, a great engine. Picture is from today, it just keeps snowing here.in NW CT. II’m not sure Moparman will approve of my care.
Love the driveway in that last photo! It’s hard to tell exactly what E91 that is. After thinking about it for a while, it looks like he may have switched to the LCI-style tailights on a pre-LCI car. I typically associate the high profile roof rails (which he has) with pre-LCI cars, although that’s probably not always the case. Clearly he isn’t into keeping the car entirely stock given the debadging (I do the same), exhaust tips, and wheels….so really it’s tough to guess what may be under the hood. Anyway, I wonder if it’s a manual transmission car.
That Malaga 2002 roundie is magnificent!
Nice selection, the Pug must be an obvious basis for “most favored tenant” status, with even quicker response time when needed than normal! 🙂 The guy has you figured out!
I was just up in Laramie the other day – The tenant for my “back house” (a 1920s railroad house moved into the back yard of a 1930s house in the 1960s) picked up this fine Squarebody from up in Casper over the summer. It fits in perfectly, he’s a young professional at the U of Wyoming…
The “Front house” (the 30s one) also has a University employee, her and her mate bought a new Outback last year as they were (rightfully) concerned about the weather conditions up there after moving from the east coast.
My “Bath house” – One of the oldest houses in Laramie on what’s called “Bath Row” (built by a fellow named Bath who set up the railroad in Laramie in the 1870s or so) now also has a young professional couple in it that just aquired a new Tacoma when his F150 died and also have a Hyundai Kona dating back to her college days – pragmatic people that seem to buy (and rent) what works for them and provide good long term value.
Sounds like you are a good landlord. In the past I admit I have had issues with parking where I live. I bought a Dallas condo in 1996, with one ‘assigned’ underground parking. Individual parking spots were not deeded to a condo unit, just assigned and at the whim of the HOA. Shortly after I moved in, a flake of a person bought a condo and started parking next to me, dinging the passenger door of my new 1996 Sebring LXI coupe. I complained to the HOA Board only to find out when he bought his condo unit he was deeded his parking space. WHAT, that’s legal! Not in this building. It might seem a big much to take someone to court over door dings but I did his deed was illegal. I got his deed voided allowing him to use that parking space. His parking space was eventually moved to a less desirable location (next to the under-garage exhaust fans). Want really pissed me off initially, I was told he had a new Lexus. Well I had a new Chrysler paid for, his Lexus was a lease. Don’t ding my door! After that I ran for an HOA office, won. I was also elected to a zoning advisory board in my Dallas district, basically to stop developers from tearing down older single family homes, cutting down 100-year old trees to put up high density modern condos. To this day I hate HOA’s, live in an HOA community with very restrictive parking. I am saving my dwindling retirement income to move out of here.
On the other hand I had a wonderful experience when I moved to Canada and rented a very nice high-rise apartment with both surface and underground parking. Even renting a two bedroom, for extra parking money I could only park one car underground. I had two cars, it was Canada, no way was I going to leave one of my cars out in the cold. I played sweet with rental management, I managed to get two adjoining underground parking spaces, at a cost, but worth every Canadian dollar. That management company realized how important my cars were to me, and accommodated me for the 18 years I lived in Canada.
It helps to have an appreciative and tolerant landlord when accumulating what many ordinary folks would consider junkers. Cute houses too! I’ll take the Pug, we loved our ’81 504 wagon!
You have nice houses and apparently even better tenants. I’m sure they appreciate you; too many houses in university cities are left trashed by their student renters.
I’m most intrigued by the Chevy’s paint job. It’s weird, but befitting the styling.
We’re a couple of miles from the campus and I don’t rent to undergrads. But I have (and had) a number of terrific grad school tenants.
The whole university housing market has changed very considerably in the past ten some years. We have a significant number of very large student housing buildings built here and they seem to be swallowing up the majority of undergrads, as these are now the cool place to be. They have rooftop pools, gyms, club rooms, and other amenities that students now want and expect. There’s still some that want a house, almost invariably guys who want to party hard, but that number is in serious decline. meanwhile the older student-oriented apartments are now increasingly being occupied by non-student tenants.
And they’re still building these giant complexes! I keep thinking that market must be tapped out, but apparently not.
In contrast, the universities here in Vancouver have been totally negligent in building housing. UBC opened a new dorm recently, the first in like forty years. Students are forced into our outrageous housing market. The only relatively affordable places are a long way from the campus, and the busses to it are packed.
When I was in university thirty-five years ago, I had a super nice bachelor suite for $350 a month. In today’s dollars, that’s $722 in today’s dollars. My son is presently paying $1500 for a bachelor in New Westminster, forty-five minutes from Vancouver by Skytrain.
Poor kids like me get squeezed.
These are all private developments. The University has also built a few new dorms, but nothing on the scale of the private ones. Investors (private equity) saw a huge opportunity and have been building them all over the US in university towns.
There’s a few of those private dorms near where I live too. I’m amazed at how expensive they are – not only the rent (equivalent to a very nice regular apartment), but also because they rent by the bedroom, and most units have three or four bedrooms. So people are really paying top dollar for the “experience” – like you said, the amenities. Plus the units are furnished. From the operator’s perspective they’re cash cows for that reason, and also safe investments for those private equity firms because should the market change, the buildings can effortlessly be converted to regular apartments.
Very nice Paul ;
I can attend that any Peugeot will be a good driver and have fantastic comfort .
I guess your tenants are just keeping Oregon weird .
-Nate
I also have a lot of love for the Peugeot 505. My university girlfriend had one and I drove it a lot. The car had a very solid feel to it. The ride was superb and the two litre engine provided decent power. Now that said, a 505 is not about power. It is about wafting along in supreme comfort. I don’t think I ever floored it.
So Paul, do you choose tenants on the basis of whether they drive an interesting car? 🙂
When I was a boy, Dad was caretaker of the flats where we lived, and chose the would-be tenants in exchange for cheap rent. They had some ‘interesting’ vehicles too – an immaculate Rover 2000, Ford Transit Mk 1 with a home-made camper conversion, Wolseley 24/80, Mazda RX3 coupe….
One tenant worked at a car dealer, and brought home a triple-Weber Valiant Charger one night when they were new. He proudly showed off the engine that night – I’m not sure which state of tune it was in; there were several. Of course he just ‘happened’ to be late for work the next morning, so gave the Webers some exercise! Boy that thing could move!
So Paul, do you choose tenants on the basis of whether they drive an interesting car?
I’m not supposed to. But it could be one of a number of subjective aspects I use in addition to what’s on their application. I’ve become a pretty good judge of character. In 30 years I’ve only ever had one involuntary eviction early on, and I knew better when I rented to him, but… live and learn.
I have terrific tenants, all of them.
Sounds like great choices then!
I used to see a 505 wagon driving around here until a few years ago – sad that I don’t see it anymore.
Interesting that this wagon is an ’89, because it’s a DL, and Peugeot’s literature (and my 1989 Consumer Guide price list) say that the DL was replaced by the S in 1989. I suppose Peugeot may have brought a few of them in before the changeover. And the 3-row wagon version was actually sold in the US (as the SW8) starting midway through the 1988 model year, but I can’t imagine they sold many.
Gus’s dad has an LCI E91 328i. You can tell it is an LCI by the tail lights and side view mirror design. You can also tell it’s a 328i because of the two exhaust tips side by side on the left, the 330i was dropped earlier in the E9X production run. The N54/N55 powered 335i was never offered in a wagon (nor was the 335d which oddly never came in a stick) and are identifiable in the E90/2/3 by two split tail pipes. I do not believe they offered a 328d in the US wagon.
Leave it to a Niedermeyer to nail it down. 🙂
I have had three 505 Turbo Peugeots and stii have three or them. The 89 is one of, i believe 58 brought into the US
I had a ’91 Integra GS 5-Speed Sedan; one the best cars I ever owned. Good power from the 1.8L engine (for the time), smooth and loved to rev. I think it was rated at 140 BHP, and the car was very light.
The cowl was very low and gave great sightlines. Handled very well and got good fuel economy. A nicely tossable car in the twisties. Absolutely reliable.
It still had the original clutch at 187K miles when it was stolen out of my driveway in 1998. Never recovered. But I still have the title and keys, so if I ever find it…
It’s interesting how one’s perceptions change over time, I’d never give a second look to a 4 door Integra (not even really a 2 door either) but its got a nice flow to its lines and being so accustomed to numb heavy crossovers today it’s like a breath of fresh air seeing this with a stick. If only something like this were not only made but as popular today. They used to be everywhere!
That said I don’t like the round light front end, the JDM face has always been my preference.