Learn Me: Fully Depreciated AWD Luxury Wagons of the 2000's

I had a 98 Volvo V70 Turbo T5 long ago and It left an impression. I am looking to change up the wife's current daily, 2011 Acura MDX to something a little older, funkier, funner and moar wagon. I have a 96 Buick Roadmaster for a winter car, but the wife won't drive without AWD in the slippery season. What are the options and which ones don't suck to own and drive? Easier for an average enthusiast wrench to keep on the road is more important than driving dynamics, but it would be great if it was entertaining to drive in some way. Heck, for a steak house my Roadmaster is pretty entertaining to drive. BMW, Volvo, Mercedes, Audi. Am I missing anyone? Bonus points if the 3rd row tail gunner seats were an option.

Volvo is not the answer, they were done depreciating a few years ago.

Now they are in the fun zone where they are both expensive to buy (I saw an S60R at close to $20k and that isn't even a wagon, which is added value in Volvoworld) and parts are getting harder to find.

In reply to Taterstein :

In the US the V70 was offered through 2011 and the awd, lifted XC70 was offered through 2016.  I'd think the are still relevant vehicles at decent prices.  Sure, at the end they became rather expensive but some 10+ year depreciation should work in your favor. 

The greatest challenge in Volvo shopping is to find one without tan leather.  It has been my experience that the tan hides are inferior to the charcoal or brown interiors.  The tan leather is thinner and more prone to distress cracks and tears.  A few years in and the tan driver's seat often looks like crap where the other colors of the same age wear so much better.    

175k Charcoal

175k brown

199k tan  Its very hard to find a tan interior listing that actually includes a picture of the driver's seat.  

112k

P3 Volvos are dirt cheap around here. P2 XC70s can be found at low prices from time to time, but there were more around three or four years ago. An AWD V70 is going to be tough, though. No experience with MB or Audi, but I don't relish working on them, if only due to reputation. AWD BMW wagons are out there, but they aren't as lively as the RWD cars, and most are automatics. If I could find a good manual, RWD BMW wagon, it would be in my driveway, but they're unicorns. Are you looking locally or willing to fly-and-drive?

Those tan buckets look exactly like my old car. Nasty, but they were some of the most comfortable seats I ever sat in. Nice to know the other colors hold up so much better. That would be worth looking for. As far as BMW wagons, an automatic is the only way as my wife isn't keen on learning manual. I'd fly and drive as well as search in the rust belt of Wisconsin here locally too. We head to Kansas City to visit family multiple times a year so that is an easy option, and I've brought cars up from Nashville, the current daily MDX came from there, when visiting other family although I make it down that way only once every couple of years. I've heard the BMW automatics are failure prone and that the Volvo AWD system was problematic, but maybe some years are better or unaffected? I'm seeing some of the big ol Mercedes wagons at tasty price points, but I know nothing about the ownership or driving experience.

P3 is the platform shared with the Focus and various Mazdas, isn't it?

In reply to DarkMonohue :

That's the P1; I have one (a V50 T5 AWD). It's a pretty lively little car, emphasis on little. As a winter car or on a road trip for two, it's great; as a cargo hauler, it's meh - I can just fit my road bike in the back with the rear seats folded. I like it as a driver, but I hesitate to recommend one to someone who wants a wagon to do wagon things with (unless they're small wagon things).

Acura TSX wagon, but no AWD option.

2010 Toyota Venza V6 AWD?

2005 4X4 Suburban that's been lowered?

Just curious, why go older for your wife's daily driver? Is the Acura starting to have issues or is it like super high miles or something? 

I am guessing you hate your wife.  

Another P3 recommendation here.

I bought my v60 with a pile of miles and deferred maintenance for dirt cheap. 

I've put over 30k trouble free miles on it, including numerous  very comfortable road trips

In reply to 90BuickCentury :

The Acura is a sweet car, but requires premium fuel while getting pretty lousy mileage and looks like every other jellybean SUV on the road. We bought it thinking a 3rd row car would be nice to have, but we've use it once in our year of ownership. Something with comparable storage space, AWD, doesn't need to be fed premium and doesn't look the same as every other car on the road would be ideal. The ability to tow our teardrop camper, about 1500#, would be nice too.

I haven't owned one but a E60 BMW Wagon with the N52 engine sounds like it is right up your alley. Non turbo engine that runs forever as long you redo the cooling system + some oil gaskets. 

02Pilot said:

In reply to DarkMonohue :

That's the P1; I have one (a V50 T5 AWD). It's a pretty lively little car, emphasis on little. As a winter car or on a road trip for two, it's great; as a cargo hauler, it's meh - I can just fit my road bike in the back with the rear seats folded. I like it as a driver, but I hesitate to recommend one to someone who wants a wagon to do wagon things with (unless they're small wagon things).

Thanks. Maybe not ideal for Taterstein, but as a Mazda 5 owner, that doesn't sound too bad.

02Pilot said:

In reply to DarkMonohue :

That's the P1; I have one (a V50 T5 AWD). It's a pretty lively little car, emphasis on little. As a winter car or on a road trip for two, it's great; as a cargo hauler, it's meh - I can just fit my road bike in the back with the rear seats folded. I like it as a driver, but I hesitate to recommend one to someone who wants a wagon to do wagon things with (unless they're small wagon things).

The P3 looks for all the world like a stretched 3rd gen Focus.

C5 Audi S6?  4.2L V8, but it's the one with the timing belt up front rather than the timing chain in the back.

Some options that are a bit on the edge of luxury:

Dodge Magnum wagons were available in AWD. Pretty rare now, but at least mechanical parts shouldn't be too hard to find since it shares them with the more common 300 and Charger.

A Subaru Legacy wagon with the flat six should do better at repair costs than your typical AWD Euro wagon from that era.

VW had Passat wagons and one wagon they couldn't decide if it was a Jetta or Golf.

My vote would be Audi C5 A6 Avant.  Available with a manual transmission.  Wifey had an '01 sedan with the 2.7T which was a very nice and actually pretty dependable car.

I'm reading up on the BMWs and Audi wagons. Thanks for to the folks chiming in. What about something like this?: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/797311622482326/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A026ef291-a9bb-4243-a2df-9bf23cb88e91 

Run away screaming from 5k Benz-o-s? 

The rare Jaguar XF Sportbrake -  I assume questionable reliability but they are beautiful. 

In reply to Taterstein :

I'm just trying to help connect the dots...GRMer Audi for sale

Is a Regal TourX too expensive? I'm not sure how they are holding up now but I drove one once and it was really nice.

John Welsh said:

In reply to Taterstein :

I'm just trying to help connect the dots...GRMer Audi for sale

And you are to be commended for doing so.  That wagon looks to be a good fit.

Mercedes Wagon - 4matic - seats 7 

A 2010 Audi Wagon for $6500? A 2005 Mercedes Wagon for $4900? There must be something wrong.

Taterstein said:

I'm reading up on the BMWs and Audi wagons. Thanks for to the folks chiming in. What about something like this?: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/797311622482326/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A026ef291-a9bb-4243-a2df-9bf23cb88e91 

Run away screaming from 5k Benz-o-s? 

Run away screaming from that one, certainly. The seller seems not have a particularly good reputation.