Sporty wagon?

[chorchemart]

Spammer banned

[99blackSE]

I was gonna mention a Saab Combi as well, or the WRX wagon. You definately cannot beat that boxer sound.

[SilvaBimma]

Big question, will it hold all my equipment & supplies? I want to add in an Extractor/Steamer in the future as well. I was thinking of a MazdaSpeed 3 or a Subaru Forester/Legacy. Audi is nice, but you risk the reliability issue.

[adept]

bmw 3 series?

[paul9luap]

I have a Saab 9-2x, which is just a reskinned Subaru Impreza (in my opinion better looking than the Impreza, although neither could be called "pretty"). It has a better warrenty, nicer interior, and slightly softer suspension. GM had really big rebates on it when it was new, so the resale value is really low. For $15k, you can get a 2005 Linear with low miles or maybe even an Aero. I have a 2006 with leather, sunroof and heated seats, none of which were options on the Subaru at the time.

Ypsilanti eh? I know a bunch of people at the GM Powertrain plant there.

Not mine, but an example...

[ben54]

How about a used Lexus IS300 Sportcross. Didn't really catch on, but it's sporty and there aren't that many on the road. Being a Toyota, it's reliable.

[bshertzer]

i really like my wifes passat

[dogma]

What about a 4door SVT focus or a 4 door mazda3 ?

[J.J.]

Mazda 3 all the way!

I would hardly call Audi or VW reliable. I would argue quite the opposite.

The Mazda 3S Hatch actually replace the MP5 which has a long track record of reliability... many over 200K with few prblems. I can gurantee you won't say that about a Audi or VW.

The VWs are electrical nightmares and there made in Mexico fro goodness sake. I can gurantee you will find yourself at a VW dealership for repairs quite often. Unfortunately, it's the nature of the car... its bent on problems.

The Audi have there fare share of problems as well. Mainly the Audi has suspension components that wear usually w/i 50-60K mi. It is def. a fun car to drive but once the suspension goes, you will find yourself replacing those parts quickly and expensively. Another thing about both Audi and VW is timing belts, they need to be replaced before 60K too. If you break a timing belt, your screwed for good so it is def. maintenance that cannot be overlooked.

Subaru, IMO, feels rather unfinished inside. I dare say cheap! I dunno, you will have to come to your own conclusion about them.

Now, another consideration is gas. All the models with the exception of the Mazda 3 require premium fuel and synthetic motor oil (the oil is arguable but sludge in a turboed car is not pretty). Turboed motors require premium fuel for performance. I'm not sure you care about the extra $4-5 at the pump every week but gas is becoming more expensive by the day in these parts.

In summary, i would definitely visit Audi and VW forums before purchasing either one of the vehicles. Learn about the issues so that you can at least ask the right questions and perform a thorough inspection at the time of purchase. That reminds me, Have a used Audi inspected by a independant Audi mechanic before purchase. This minor investment can save you thousands in the long run. Good luck, hope this helps!

JJ

BTW, I do not own any of the vehicles listed, but I have done plenty of research on the above cars.

[Mark77]

The suspension problems were mostly on the first generation of A4s. As for VW made in Mexico I don't know, they are probably not as good as the German ones. But to say a Mazda or Toyota isn't going to give you trouble just isn't true. It seems that just because one model of a brand has a problem all the cars from that company are labeled as unreliable. And many problems are caused by dealers that don't know what to do to fix them.

[Sherman8r44]

Another vote for the Mazda3. It's just the perfect car you're looking for. I like the Subaru Impreza wagon, too, but you probably don't need AWD so the Mazda is a better looking, handling, and more practical car. It's just the new version of the MP5, with more power, better handling, etc.

Stay away from older VW/Audis...as J.J. said they're known for being electrical nightmares. Newer ones are way too much $$, so forget about that.

[naliciga]

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