Subaru Legacy Sportswagon.
good shout..
you can get an imported twin turbo version that will blow pretty much everything off the road
like this one but the estate version, cant find a newer one...
[url= http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2186604.htm ]tinker[/url]
Getting a FWD car to get its power down coming out of a corner is solving a problem that just does not exist in a RWD car and its normaly at the expense of making it do something else badly like reducing steering feel.
The laws of physics are with a RWD car and against a FWD car.
But this does not mean all FWD cars are dull some are not, but IMHO the best RWD car will always be more fun the than the best FWD car.
Snow hora snow, tis the chink in every scoobs armour, simply shit unless you have the correct tyres! Four wheel drive counts for nowt in the snow!!
I wouldn't get an RS6, lovely car but very very heavy and they just feel like driving an incredibly fast tanker. Was not impressed and that was the old and new 2010 models.
For that money i would go for a B5 RS4 wagon and get it serviced by a good independent. They are pretty bulletproof engines (V6 biTurbo) and at say 80k miles just about run in 😉
Just very nice vehicles, light enough, roomier than an impreza and nicer to drive.
disclaimer: i've had 4 wrx's inc sti and now drive a 2008 RS4 😆
Renaultsport Megane is the current choice of the mags is it not...
The thing is though all the Renault have an interior that is one step up from a cardboard box. Seriously horrible places to be.
Before the RS4 i drove (in no specific order)
New legacy GT
Mazda MPS (old and new model)
Gold GTi and R
Corrado R
Octavia VRs
S3
Renaultsport Megane the one with the chequered roof
And honestly the MPS was the most fun (fwd 2 ltr turbo), the Golf R was the most disappointing. The Legacy, in black, looks like a fast hearse. The renault was fast and drove well but rattled like a box of matches and was horrible inside, crapy driving position as well.
There is only one answer to this problem
An MG ZT 260
Check out evo mag for best drivers cars. Be selfish and get a car that you like driving:
Mini cooper s 180bhp great fun
Renaultsport Clio 192 cup
Lotus Elise 111r
Audi Tt 2nd gen 2006 2.0
BMW z4m or even z3m
Audi s3
Mitsubishi 8 or 9
Those MG's get about 4 mpg don't they? 😉
Loved my sisters old renault clio 172, it was just dangerous but so much fun! As much as id love the lotus its gotta be a "family" car at the end of the day coz theres four of us to cart off on hols, camping etc.
Nz col is the mps mazda the impreza sized one thats now 4wd, based on the 6 series i think. I went on a mazda freebie track day and was impressed by it if thats the one. Doing j turns in it and all sorts!
147 GTA
[i]I don't know why but used 5 series says to me 'ex rep mobile/person couldn't afford new Beemer'. [/i]
Better a s/h 5 series than a new 1 series!
I'd spend less, way less - 535i E39 for me.
Those MG's get about 4 mpg don't they?
Not sure that is what you worry about when you buy one.
Estate V8 for around 7k. Apparently there are various test models floating about with supercharges and other additions from the factory.
I would love one, but I could never afford it.
[url= http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201101376476325/sort/priceasc/usedcars/model/zt/make/mg/postcode/ne209lf/page/1/radius/1500/keywords/260?logcode=p ]MG ZT - 1[/url]
Wrightyson I think it was more me keeping my footdown and not lifting....3 folk won't get into a car with me again yet binners thinks I'm slow as I drive like an angel with him in 🙂
wrightyson - no this was the 3 based MPS which is smaller or probably almost same size as an impreza, 5 door though hatch. I've never heard of a larger MPS and/or a 4wd system on any of them ?.
For what you want though the RS4 is the answer - decent sized hatch, not the largest boot in the world but adequate. We had 4 bikes,a surf ski, 100 bottles of beer, 2 sets of golf clubs and a load of long sheeting that needed to be delivered in ours for 800k and it was perfectly fast enough thanks 😀
£14k (or quite a bit less actually) would get you a VERY nice E39 BMW M5...
Somewhat overshadowed by the headline bhp figure of its follower, the E60 with the 500bhp V10, but the 5 litre V8 in the E39 has an almost identical torque output, at lower revs, in a lighter car. In other words, unless you're driving 10 10ths all the time, an E39 is as "real world" quick as an E60 M5. Exceptionally capable cars too, really lazy when you need them to be, will pick up its heels and show many lighter more outwardly sporting cars the way home if you want it to! Proper comfy for a family car too.
Oh, and the V8 in them is a very unstressed motor. It'll rev well for a big engine, but it's VERY easy to get more power out of the engine just by allowing it to breathe better. And they sound AMAZING with a decent stainless exhaust fitted... Think small block V8 only more refined and more muscular!
I'd have one in a heartbeat if I had even £10k to spend on a car that I didn't do much milage in. To be fair though, my old chap used to get 28mpg on a run on the motorway at about a steady 75-80mph in his old one. Not economical, but not too thirsty until you hoof it. WAY more fun and more rewarding than any 4wd Jap car IMO, and a lot more refined! Get friendly with a decent independent BMW specialist (I know of a couple in my area who are VERY good) and it won't even cost the earth to run...
I've had 2 Imprezas but with a growing family I got an rs6 5 years ago.
Fantastic car but will make your impreza look economical!
I do low miles like you so it's affordable.
This is the longest I have ever owned a car and I still love it.
MM
Funny mix of classy motors and chav dreams being recommended here!
And re diesel, some people like the way they drive. Plus even at 6k/year you'd still save money on fuel and tax, and probably wouldn't cost much more than one of the fancier petrols possibly.. but that's a guess.
I would go with a BMW too. Test drove a lot of cars prior to getting my latest and most VAG stuff Audi A4, Golf GTI felt dull to handle and uninvolving like my old Vectra but with nicer interiors.
I ended up with a 5 series Touring mainly because my wife has a 3 Series Touring and it was too sad to have identical cars. Both are Msports and hers rides harder and is a bit more fidgety but probably more fun where mine is smoother but less involving.
3 Series are easier to find and a 330 petrol or diesel would be very nice and fun.
Or if you prefer high tech turbo stuff and can cope with a saloon there are any number of Evo's to consider.
An independent garage is an essential for any of these so might be worth looking at what is available near to you and seeing what they have to offer.
Have fun choosing.
e39 m5 looked after shouldnt depreciate much at that mileage pa.
zt is a great idea, would have preferred one to my e39 estate.
In reality though why change the subaru? you will end up with something either slower or with higher miles.
That ^^^^^ might just be the answer Ivan!!
Plus you wouldnt be able to wear your beanie hat and a sullen look in a M5 😉
Yep m5 or rs4 would be my pick. M5s really are beautiful.
On depreciation-my rs4 was just shy of 170k dollars new in 2008. 35k on it and I paid basically half that. OUCH. How and why would you buy it new ? Even now the same year with more mileage change hands for what I paid.
Sound amazing. Boxer-crotch rippingly nice 😯
I would concur with Mouintainmutant - I purchased a RS6 a couple of years ago and whilst they are not the type of car to chuck about the 460bhp certainly makes up for it and they can be made to hustle reasonably well despite the size of it.
I gues it depends on what you are after - myself with two kids, need to drive to France etc on holidays carrying 4 bikes etc etc. This definately made the drive down enjoyable and in comfort - even managed 20mpg cruising on the motorway.
Having said that whilst relatively cheap to buy 2nd hand now the running costs are HUGE and you need a rock solid warranty