Looking for a station wagon.

[blackdog]

If you avoid the turboed models and stick with the 2.5 normally aspirated jobs they're ok...there was no difference at all between the quote for my Forester vs a Caldina...bit more than your 5k budget though - so if they're older and non-imobilsered, might be different.

lovely to drive, thirsty as a bavarian at oktoberfest

[MisterD]

lovely to drive, thirsty as a bavarian at oktoberfest

Myth. I've just driven Onehunga - Hamilton - Rotorua - Tauranga and back to Bombay before the warning light came on. Somewhere in the 7.summat litre /100k, not thrashing it, but not hanging about either.

[blackdog]

Myth. I've just driven Onehunga - Hamilton - Rotorua - Tauranga and back to Bombay before the warning light came on. Somewhere in the 7.summat litre /100k, not thrashing it, but not hanging about either.

ur dreaming. ive had 2.0's, 2.5's and turbs and never got close to 7 from a 2.5. might have just squeezed 9 out of a 2.5 on an extreme economy run. i could only just believe it for a 2.0.

[spinnanz]

Re Stagea, per tank I get just over 500km open road driving nice, 400-450 normal around town. Thats 2.5L turbo, 4wd, auto. I think the pig weighs in close to 1800kg loaded.

[awayatc]

2.5 subies having fair few headgasket problems.
Turbo's and 2.0 quadcams are thirsty
1.8 single overhead cam engines are easy to work on and quite economical

[SMOKEU]

Have a look at the Audi A4, some of them are 4WD and will fit into your budget. A much nicer car than a Jappa for the same price. The 1.8L Audi/VW engine is pretty much bulletproof, not sure about the rest.

[steve_t]

Good dredge

[MIXONE]

Re Stagea, per tank I get just over 500km open road driving nice, 400-450 normal around town. Thats 2.5L turbo, 4wd, auto. I think the pig weighs in close to 1800kg loaded.

I've got a 97 RS4V and 400 to 450 on a trip is the norm.That's driving it nicely!If I heavy foot it the consumption increases dramatically.