I'm going exactly the same way.
Have my wagon up for sale as need something just a tad bigger - having a family + a dog. The Impreza wagon is not really a proper estate - boot is not that big and arches take up a lot of room - though it is still a very handy car and much more practical than the 4 door.
Problem is I love the fact I can do 60 in 5 seconds, and will outhandle and out drive virtually anything I come up against - it's funny having an estate with a baby on board sticker blitzing the likes of S3s, Boxsters etc.
I think a Legacy T/T estate would be ideal for me - probably just as quick as mine, with maybe slightly inferior handling but more goodies and more room.
T5 sounds OK, but I think i'd miss 4WD.
Good thread though, giving me some ideas.
Anyone after a quick and lovingly cared for wagon see here

 

Try www.volvo-t5.co.uk they are the people in the know and will source you a nice manual V70 T5 or V70R

Andy

 

4 to 5K will see you a 4 year old Civic VTi estate. Not the last word in motoring technology, but cheapish to run, 0-60 in about 8 seconds with a great engine.

I went from a Scoob to this and was not disappointed. Less torque but less bills

 

Sound interesting - what is the load capacity of the boot? Civic are quiet small from memory aren't they?

 

Not sure about the capacity in litres (whatever that means in reality)

It is certainly bigger than the scoob was, but one of the rear seats doesn’t seem to fold down very flat, but this could be a fault on mine.

I used mine to move house and got absolutely loads in it.
Cheap to ensure too, £320 fully comp with Tesco online (I am 33)

Try a test drive, you might not like it if you like lazy engines. If you don't mind thrashing the nuts off it - you will love it.

 

nothing to do with this, just trying to show the man what it looks like.....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=WDVW

 

I was told by a guy who has a stagea that it has a GTR 4x4 system and the rare 1 is the Stagea Autech versions.

Ive never heard or seen a Avenir do you know of a sight that has pics and specs????

 

Not cheap to run, but another idea .... Galant VR4. Or the 2.5 V6, we've had one of these for 18 months, nice drive, dead reliable, reasonable on juice. Has the added benefit of looking nicer as an estate.

 

Yep VR4 is nice same drivetrain as an Evo apparently AYC and all that stuff. I could be wrong though. Twin turbo I know that for sure...I was looking at one of those or a Subaru Legacy GTB but as Import my Insurance would have been too high.

 

Conclusivly i think the following motors would be great for 10k:

1998 * VOLVO V70 R
Silver, R Reg, V70R, Manual, Full Volvo Service History, MOT June 2005, Taxed Jan 2005, Black Leather/Alcantra, Climate Control, Electric Everything! Excellent Condition!. 75000 miles. £9750



or

2001(51)*SKODA OCTAVIA 1.8 4x4 Elegance,
5 door, Four Wheel Drive, Estate, Diamond, 17500 miles, Anti-lock brakes,Alarm,Alloy wheels,Central locking,Climate control,Drivers armrest,Electric windows,One previous registered keeper,Split rear seat,Sunroof,Trip computer,Traction control,Adjustable steering wheel,6 disc compact disc player,Headlamp wash,cloth interior £9495.

 

As well as the Octavia 1.8T you could consider the Golf Estate 1.8T. If you can find one these seem to be cheaper than the hatchback version and rarer.
Worth considering for the badge snob and for those who prefer a higher quality interior than the Octavia- plus purple dash lights, woo-hoo!

 

The Golfs are rare becuase they are mingers - really ugly !!!

http://www.bandlink.net/images/minger.jpg

 

I was all set to buy a Civic VTI estate, same size as the Impreza Wagon and cheaper running costs, but I got drawn back to the subaru. Economic wise it was a poor decision, the VTI was a good drive too

 

If you want a good 4x4 Octavia estate, mine has just been traded.

For the record, I've owned 6 Subarus, 2 A4 Quattros, A GT4 Celica and 5 other 4x4 road cars. The Octavia is in the top 2 of these as an all-round Q car

 

Octavia defo

 

Another vote for Octavia i have a top of the range L&K diesel

averaged over 53 MPG fast and fully loaded with leather /wood heated seats and cruise control

and you can have it jabbed

means i can afford to keep the scooby too !!! if your not a diesel fan go for the Octavia VRS for real performance

makes more sence than a audi/VW as they use the same bits

 

Same bits and less rip (rip off that is)...

 

Go for Audi A4 Quattro Avant 1.8T Sport (B5), better built than the Octavia and better looking (proper full time Torsen 4x4, non of this haldex rubbish!), and can remap to 210bhp. Bit bias, 'cos I have one!! W reg 2000 can be had for around £10k mark.

 

Merc E55 estate. 5 litre petrol monster. Period. No need for further comment

 

That would be either way to expensive or very high mileage and very expensive to run though ! Fantastic engine though I have to agree. Even the V8 E500 is great with a lot less power.

 

He was right about the RB26DET manual conversion Autechs but Im afraid the GTR transmission in factory cars part was nonsense; all Stageas are automatic from the factory according to my reference.....

Simon

 

Andy M3 you must have biceps like Popeye if you think 310bhp in a T5 is fun

I had one on test for a week and loved it - I even got sued by the council for the rubber left on the road!

D

 

Diesel how much rubber did you leave on the road?!!! I thought it was 4WD?

 

Absolutely, yesterday all I could get was 43.1

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/attac...achmentid=1904

 

... and I got 42 once (over 60m) without using much of the 220bhp. My best full tank (460miles) was at a 38mpg average, brimmed. I normally average 30-32, which is 30-40% better than the 24 I got out of my Impreza

 

Aaquil TONS of rubber - its FWD & spins the less loaded wheel something rotten when cornering with a bit of power on below 60. Didnt feel unstable/dangerous, just expensive Easy to avoid really I guess (esp now I'm older ) Fast and sounds great though. Also tested a T5R for a week - even madder and blew off its intercoler pipe - dont believe they are boring!

 

PMSL - you could at least have had the decency to recommend a 75

Surely for a grand you could get a Montego for every day of the week and have enough left over to take the missus out for a slap up dinner

lol

Seriously, I bet you could find a pretty new MG ZT for less than 10k?