So far the E320 4matic has been good for me. Comfy ride and all too.
So far the E320 4matic has been good for me. Comfy ride and all too.
How much wagon? Do you want a full size wagon, or a smaller GTI type four door hatch back? Wife's car is a Volvo xC70 that I think is my favorite car ever, overall. If you'd prefer a non VW or Audi small wagon, the earlier Volvo s40 wagons are cheap and interesting-ish.
I'll vouch for an E39 touring also, at the $7k price point you can get your pick also.
jfryjfry wrote: Just for consideration, premium is about $.20 more than regular. Unless your parents' x5 has an aftermarket Paris-Dakar 50-gallon tank, it isn't $10 more per fill up. More like $3-4. Which still adds up. :)
Where I live, it is $0.50 more expensive. Regular was $2.19 and premium was $2.71 when I filled up today. So for the 21 gallon fill up, the difference was $10.50.
It looks like the Magnum isn't a horrible choice since there aren't many cons. I don't want the AWD version as I'm reading that it becomes a dog and the MPG suffers with the extra 2 drive wheels. There are also many interesting options to consider. Don't want a VW/Audi due to wanting simple to maintain car. I'll have to test drive a Subaru or Volvo to see if I like them and like the sound of them. I want a V8 so I can hear America come to life every morning. Size-wise, I don't want anything smaller than a Legacy so no GTIs or Focus'.
It's .70 here, shot up about a year ago.
Yea, I'd definitely want to ditch it in that case. That can be up to $35 a month, nearly a tank of gas!
As much as I want to go away from a BMW, yea they do fit the bill.
The cheap, winter DD "spare," around-town car that you describe is my Focus wagon. Great around-town small box. The power part, not so much. Well under your budget.
Honestly, wasn't overly happy with the Magnum when we had it. For all the volume in there the height of the hatch was smaller than you think. Visibility wasn't great and it just had a very floppy and boat-ish feel to the ride. Though it was an SXT, so it had the smaller motor and automatic. Just an all over general 'meh' feel to it. Nothing that made me hate it, but nothing that made me love it either. It was just transportation with a lot of volume in the back. Maybe the R/T would have been more entertaining.
Ended up getting rid of it and picking up a Cadillac CTS wagon with the 3.6, AWD, and performance suspension. Power and handling were leagues beyond the V6 magnum. Didn't handle like a 4,500lb car for sure. The only issues we ever had were minor cosmetic things, and 20mpg got spendy at $4.50 per gallon like it was a few years ago. The engine may not have been a V-8, but that 3.6 had a nice bark when you dug into the throttle, over 300hp. The Wife in particular just loved the car. Hated getting rid of it but moving from NY to SoDak kinda made it financially necessary when we changed jobs.
I have an e60/e61 bmw 530xiT. Most modern car I've had. It's an auto and a good DD, but not nearly as much of a driver's car as my old e39 sedan with a manual. Also a significant leap in complexity over an e39 in the electronics department. The drivetrain is good, but some stuff is irritating - like no dipstick or engine status guages. Parts prices are also a significant leap over an e39 - at least in replacing all the coolant hoses (oil filter housing and oil hose leak led to cooling hose breakdown). Some of the multi-branched hoses are several hundred bucks.
gratuitous pic:
So many wagons, so little time.
Robbie wrote: So many wagons, so little time.
I know. I wish I hit it big so I could just buy a hangar of solely wagons.
I had a Focus ZX5 with the 2.3 Duratec and it was fun. However, it wouldn't be fun in an auto. I'm also worried about how slow feeling a 528iT would be in an auto, the X5 is pretty slow. I don't want an AWD car as it just ups the complexity over its RWD counterparts, but it is hard to find a RWD car up in the northeast/midatlantic region.
So far I need to test out the following:
Saab wagon
Subaru Legacy (2.5T or H6)
E500 wagon
Roadmaster (?)
Hope I can find something decent in my price range at this time of year.
I saw a picture of this. Now I'm being swayed in an entirely different direction. Totally willing to consider a BMW sedan at this point because this is so stunning.
How about a Red, BMW E30 wagon?
I'll throw another vote in for an LT1 powered Roadmaster Wagon.
15 MPG city easy, and way under $7k so you can splash out on some wheels and tires for summer, winter tires on the stock wheels, suspension, and brakes. You'd probably still have several K left over after that to pick up the fuel tab for a very long time.
MINIzguy wrote:Robbie wrote: So many wagons, so little time.I know. I wish I hit it big so I could just buy a hangar of solely wagons. I had a Focus ZX5 with the 2.3 Duratec and it was fun. However, it wouldn't be fun in an auto. I'm also worried about how slow feeling a 528iT would be in an auto, the X5 is pretty slow. I don't want an AWD car as it just ups the complexity over its RWD counterparts, but it is hard to find a RWD car up in the northeast/midatlantic region. So far I need to test out the following: Saab wagon Subaru Legacy (2.5T or H6) E500 wagon Roadmaster (?) Hope I can find something decent in my price range at this time of year.
You're missing out not trying the V70R or T5.
It feels kind of like a Merc or BMW, but without the nightmarish maintenance/repair costs.
My buddies Magnum too great care of them till 300k when it dropped a valve. Really solid animal - I was just hunting the SRT version before selling on my V.
84FSP wrote: My buddies Magnum too great care of them till 300k when it dropped a valve. Really solid animal - I was just hunting the SRT version before selling on my V.
I was tempted by the Magnum R/T when I found my V70. The volvo was just too sweat a deal for me. A Magnum is on my short list to consider when my automotive ADD kicks in.
Cayenne
MINIzguy wrote:I saw a picture of this. Now I'm being swayed in an entirely different direction. Totally willing to consider a BMW sedan at this point because this is so stunning.
once you drive a 7 series in that era, you'll be less stunned.
never meet your childhood heroes, as they say. i was so disappointed when i test drove an 01 740iL. i will continue to admire the exterior from afar, but never want to own one.
FWIW, my Impala SS with 3.08s got nearly 20 new (more like 18 mixed). My buddy with 2.73 rear in his Caprice wagon got 20 pretty reliably when new, now more like 18.
I'm still getting 16mpg at 149k and a 4.10 swap.
But, finding a B-body wagon in decent shape is tough. The newest one is 20 years old.
540 wagons are nice. Be careful if you get one with the 4 speed auto. Its a GM 4L30E which likes to get sticky servos and fry things, but at least they're cheap to rebuild.
Magnum wagons are fine if you can stand the rattles, buzzes, and odd sightlines.
Is there a wagon that can fit 4x8 sheets inside? Apparently the Magnum can't. I want to be able to haul some sheetrock and insulation to finish a garage/basement.
Or should I just give up on that and strap that stuff to the roof?
In reply to MINIzguy: If you're buying enough 'rock to finish anything bigger than a laundry room, pay the $50 delivery fee and have them bring it directly to your house. Seriously.
DrBoost wrote:MINIzguy wrote:You're missing out not trying the V70R or T5. It feels kind of like a Merc or BMW, but without the nightmarish maintenance/repair costs.Robbie wrote: So many wagons, so little time.I know. I wish I hit it big so I could just buy a hangar of solely wagons. I had a Focus ZX5 with the 2.3 Duratec and it was fun. However, it wouldn't be fun in an auto. I'm also worried about how slow feeling a 528iT would be in an auto, the X5 is pretty slow. I don't want an AWD car as it just ups the complexity over its RWD counterparts, but it is hard to find a RWD car up in the northeast/midatlantic region. So far I need to test out the following: Saab wagon Subaru Legacy (2.5T or H6) E500 wagon Roadmaster (?) Hope I can find something decent in my price range at this time of year.
Truth. I think a Volvo would fit the bill quite well, they're really great daily drivers. Well built, generally reliable, quick with a turbo, super comfortable, and with a distinctly European feel to the driving experience. I actually think you might get more useable space out of one than a Magnum too, in spite of the size disparity.
MINIzguy wrote: Is there a wagon that can fit 4x8 sheets inside? Apparently the Magnum can't. I want to be able to haul some sheetrock and insulation to finish a garage/basement. Or should I just give up on that and strap that stuff to the roof?
B-body wagon will absolutely shut the tailgate on a load of 4x8 sheets, but you have to slide the front seats forward a bit. I am kinda tall though, so my seat was further back than most. The width of the cargo area must have been designed for 4ft wide sheets.
Not many trucks can bring a load of drywall home in the rain!
There ain't no wagon, save the Roadmaster that will swallow a 4X8 sheet. But then you're driving a roadmaster 
The Volvo Furious said, have a distinctly European feel, without being a MB or BMW with the costs associated. A few clicks shy of 200K, mine still feels solid, pulls like a freight train, and corners great.
How's this for $900?
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