# Looking for a wagon to commute/road trip



## CAExpat (Oct 27, 2013)

Does anyone have any experience with the VW/Audi/Subaru wagons? I'm specifically looking for something of the 1999-2008 vintage and it has to be a manual. I simply want something for back and forth to work ~50 miles non-interstate, but also something for long fishing trips. I'm not afraid to throw a deer in the back either, definitely want a wagon.

I'm leaning toward the Jetta wagon with the TDI because of mpg, but the MK4s seem to crumble and fall apart from the inside out. They're also very few and far between. The Audi's have me leery due to cost of ownership, and i've never had a Subaru. I do 90% of maintenance and repairs myself, so that helps a bit. I sold my diesel truck and bought two Power Wagons; not the best for commuting or long weekends. 

Any insight is greatly appreciated; are there any other platforms i'm missing? Thanks!


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## Hill Hunter (Dec 1, 2017)

If I were doing the same I would lean toward the Subaru wagons. I know a couple people who have Subarus about that age and are still going strong. They also seem like they are built for the occasional off road in mind more so than the VW or Audi's. There was a period of bad head gaskets, although those probably all failed and were replaced by now.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Any other platforms?. You got to be kidding me, you are looking at possibly the two worst platforms on the market. Audi/VW, and Subaru? Both are extremely high maintenance costs with priority and hard to find parts and service. No, all the Subaru oil leaks are NOT taken care of. I guess you are looking at smallish crossovers, not legit 4x4's, so I might suggest you look into, oh, I don't know, maybe Toyota, or Ford, Hyundai, Chevy, even, heaven forbid, Dodge. Not necessarily in that order. 
Good luck and I hope you find a good reliable what ever it is you choose vehicle.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I drove a 98 Subaru Outback for close to 180,000 miles. As for maintenance I replaced both the heads along with the timing belt, water pump, and associated parts every 70,000 miles, along with brake pads and rotors. That along with a single alternator. When I sold it the transmission was on it's way out. 

As for getting parts for it, it was no different than any other vehicle. Walk into the parts store and tell them what you wanted. I got the timing belts off of Ebay. 

This vehicle was used as a commuter car 99.9% of the driving was on a freeway and it served me quite well.


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## CAExpat (Oct 27, 2013)

BPturkeys said:


> Any other platforms?. You got to be kidding me, you are looking at possibly the two worst platforms on the market. Audi/VW, and Subaru? Both are extremely high maintenance costs with priority and hard to find parts and service. No, all the Subaru oil leaks are NOT taken care of. I guess you are looking at smallish crossovers, not legit 4x4's, so I might suggest you look into, oh, I don't know, maybe Toyota, or Ford, Hyundai, Chevy, even, heaven forbid, Dodge. Not necessarily in that order.
> Good luck and I hope you find a good reliable what ever it is you choose vehicle.


Ugh, thanks for the reply but...wagons. What Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Chevy, or Dodge wagons come to mind? I'm looking for a commuter/road trip car; "Legit 4x4's?" I have two freaking Power Wagons, i'm good on that 



Critter said:


> I drove a 98 Subaru Outback for close to 180,000 miles. As for maintenance I replaced both the heads along with the timing belt, water pump, and associated parts every 70,000 miles, along with brake pads and rotors. That along with a single alternator. When I sold it the transmission was on it's way out.
> 
> As for getting parts for it, it was no different than any other vehicle. Walk into the parts store and tell them what you wanted. I got the timing belts off of Ebay.
> 
> This vehicle was used as a commuter car 99.9% of the driving was on a freeway and it served me quite well.


I've heard a lot of good about the Outback, and specifically those late 90's years that i'd be looking for. There's a couple i've seen that are on fresh head gaskets/timing belt etc. Anything that old will take money to sustain, I know that going in. I'm not however interested in a "newer" crossover that's suffering an identity crisis, and does nothing well. I want the wagon.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Sorry there CA, I guess I jumped to conclusion you were looking for something like a Rav4, etc, (small SUV type). Yeah, there isn't much to chose from in the "true" Station Wagon body style. I haven't owned a real station Wagon since my 1974 Buick Estate wagon. Not sure what the up side is to a "Station Wagon" over the small SUV's. I thought all the manufactures converted over to the small SUV's since they are so much more practical, etc. 
But I am still going to hold the line on what I said about Subaru's and especially VW/Audi and maintenance. Unlike Critter, I don't consider head gaskets(2), timing belts, water pumps and alternators normal maintenance items on a vehicle under 180,000 miles now days. In fact, that sounds like a "car from hell" to me. I too heard some good reports on the "Outback" models of the old days and they probably had some truth to them, but stay away from any Subaru with that little 4 cylinder motor(2.5L) they offered for so many years.
Don't take things about cars too personal...we all love/hate them and have our favorites


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## CAExpat (Oct 27, 2013)

BPturkeys said:


> Sorry there CA, I guess I jumped to conclusion you were looking for something like a Rav4, etc, (small SUV type). Yeah, there isn't much to chose from in the "true" Station Wagon body style. I haven't owned a real station Wagon since my 1974 Buick Estate wagon. Not sure what the up side is to a "Station Wagon" over the small SUV's. I thought all the manufactures converted over to the small SUV's since they are so much more practical, etc.
> But I am still going to hold the line on what I said about Subaru's and especially VW/Audi and maintenance. Unlike Critter, I don't consider head gaskets(2), timing belts, water pumps and alternators normal maintenance items on a vehicle under 180,000 miles now days. In fact, that sounds like a "car from hell" to me. I too heard some good reports on the "Outback" models of the old days and they probably had some truth to them, but stay away from any Subaru with that little 4 cylinder motor(2.5L) they offered for so many years.
> Don't take things about cars too personal...we all love/hate them and have our favorites


Appreciate the advice, just good ol fashion ribbing is all 

In a very short time i've had over a dozen cars and trucks, I explain to my wife that it's not gambling and it's not women, so let my have my vice. Although, the gambling and women are likely cheaper in the long run, as being a "Mopar" guy, boy can I turn a wrench now. I would really like to get into something that I can get out on the road in and not get 12 mpg. There's options out there, but as always I appear to be chasing something that doesn't exist.

24 hours of extensive research in the 2.5 Subaru and I just can't do it. Anything German will be expensive, I know that going in. I might start looking for that illusive Corolla wagon from the late 90's....


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

A classic!


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## Rarnaie (23 d ago)

I only had VW wagons, which are great vehicles for your purposes. It will be enough to get to work quickly and comfortably. But what I liked most about my VW wagon was that I could afford to go on a road trip around the USA with my family every few months. We love it every time we find new and beautiful places in the USA that we didn't even know about before. It's just that I love traveling with my wife very much, and we were even able to find out about a free tour of Madrid on this website -- https://www.freetour.com/madrid and I think that next summer we will fly to Spain.


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## MrShane (Jul 21, 2019)

Next week I will be selling my sons 2012 Chevrolet Equinox if you are interested?
It is an LX, remote start, most of the goodies, etc.
Only thing wrong with is is slow frint window actuators that a simple panel removal/track lube will solve.
It has 180k on it but best news is it had a new engine installed, by the local Chevrolet dealership in Layton(we have paperwork from dealer), only 20k ago.
$9000.


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