240D owner seeks advice for daily driver
 

Hi all. I've owned my 240D for over 8 years now. Rust-free southern car (I live in the rusty north-east), it's my summer car and garage queen. Since I commute to work and need a car for winter driving, I've always had 2 cars (3 now, if I count the 82 Land Cruiser diesel wagon I bought for occasional off-road driving).

For the last 3 years I've driven a 92 Volvo 240 station wagon and it's generally been good to me (prior to that I had a low mileage 90 Corolla but it was rusting, not roomy enough, and didn't have AC). It's starting to rust and getting up there mileage wise, and will need some maintenance soon (the AC failed last year), so I'm thinking of ditching it and getting something else (a little newer).

I'd want something comfortable (I'm 52), easy to get in and out of (don't like HOndas because I find them too low to the ground), dependable and reliable (do enough wrenching on my diesel vehicles!), able to get 25mpg highway, fairly rust-aversive since I'll be buying one from around here, and would have about $8-9K to spend. I have a bias against N-A cars, so am leaning toward Japanese. I'd want something that can last me a good 4-5 years before I have to consider something else. I thought about the Honda CRV but they are pricey!

Suggestions?

300e?

Audi Quattro..you should be able to get a nice A4/A6 wagon for that coin.

Thanks for the recommendations folks. I'll do a bit of research on the Audi front. Indeed, a wagon would be nice to have, to replace the practicality that the Volvo wagon provides me. Maybe I need to look a little broader than just the Japanese makes. Cheers.

If you want something that is usually trouble-free I would strongly consider Toyota or Honda. Now they aren't the best looking thing out there, but that Honda Element sure is a very utilitarian little vehicle. The interior is very flexible in back, and can carry a pretty good size variety. I acknowledge, some folks hate the look, but that square little Scion shoebox made the Element look much better. :D And heck, you're coming from a lovable little shoebox anyway....;)
Toyota has good choices also.
You might ask AdvisorGuy about Audi's. That is who he works for, and he can give you real world info I bet.
So, yall put up with cold up there, and rust!!!!???? :eek:

Want to buy my eagle talon :), Just kidding,

I just purchased an 1994 E420, and seriously recomend that vehicle, The price of fuel drives down the price below where the value of that vehicle should be. I drove it to ottawa on the weekend and got 23 MPG at 130kph, there and back, and around 20 mpg on my daily commute,

My HJ60 is getting 18 mpg, so with the price of premium equal to the price of diesel its not bad mileage.

You will also love the W124 chasis, drives super nice, handles great,

look for 94-95 with low km, service records and the wiring harness changed.


PS enjoy the BJ60,

any AWD Subaru does very well in the snow of the NE. All of my friends who have them have encountered very minimal problems...the quality record from my experience is similar to my Camrys past and present.

I'm actually thinking about getting a 4matic c-class or e-class as a car for my 17 year old and winter beater/ski car.

Hi how are you? Someone had once told me: stay away from any Mercedes model with a letter at the beginning of the model number :) As an indication of quality problems that started after the venerable W123 series, I suppose. Maybe I should look at something like you suggest, as long as maintenance is straightforward and reasonably manageable. Thanks for the suggestion.

Indeed, can hardly wait for the snow melt to get at the BJ60, and take it on some backroads around here. Cheers!

Thanks, I've been suggested to go Subaru by others too. I do like the style of the Outback/Forester. However, I've read that many specimens suffer from premature and costly drivetrain problems (the boxer engine is prone to head gasket problems?). Possibly indication of owners not giving them proper maintenance, I suppose. I once checked out a nice looking Forester for sale. Took it for a test drive, all seemed ok. Popped the hood back at the guy's house, and the engine looked older than the truck :confused: I asked him, "have there ever been any major repairs?". He replied "well, since you asked me I guess I need to tell you that the engine was replaced". Seems it had developed an oil leak and he had let it run dry, ruining it. A mechanic found an older car and swapped the engine in. Anyway, didn't give me a good taste for the car, developing a serious oil leak like that...

How about a Scion (toyota) XB?

RAV 4?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/00-Rav4-L-AWD-60k-Loaded-Auto-1owner-CD-CarfaxCertified_W0QQitemZ360034856122QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item360034856122

Newer Jeep Cherokee '98-'01 with the I6? I know, no NA, but they're reliable and cheap to run.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-JEEP-CHEROKEE-SPORT-4-0-6CYL-4X4-4DR-35-598-MILES_W0QQitemZ170203729686QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170203729686


Buy from the South. You'll can get a car that lasts years longer.

Well my Subaru is certainly no Honda on the reliability front. I have an 02 WRX Wagon, bought new, 75k miles on it now. From new, driveline lash when decelerating, clutch shuttered when cold, fuel leak on top of engine (3 times) that was corrected by a redesigned hose/fitting combination and service bulletin, but no recall. - A fuel leak on top of the engine and no recall, come on! AC hose wore through and leaked out R134, split boot and bad CV at 9k miles. But it is a blast to drive - fast, comfortable, surefooted, and roomy - I'm 6' 6" and have at least 4" of headroom.

My 94 Honda del sol vtec went to the shop once - for a recalled ac compressor that had not failed. Oh, and the clutch wore out at 93k miles - must be those 8,000 rpm shifts. My father's accord had the original clutch at 206k miles, its ignition coil went out and the blower fan, thats it.

...or the box it came in?

That is mainly the Phase I 2.5L engine. The Phase II solved the blown head gaskets, but the head gaskets will develop an external weep. Subaru had a "coolant conditioner" (read: stop leak) that cures the weeping. Anything after '03 will be free of either problem. Or if the Phase Is have the updated head gaskets.

The real bulletproof Subaru engines are the 2.2L. About the newest vehicle with one is a manual transmission '96 Legacy/Outback. The '96 automatics got the 2.5L, and in '97 the 2.2L was gone. It did continue on in the Impreza. I had a '96 Outback that was absolutely trouble free the entire time I owned it. One of the best cars I've ever owned.