A buddy of mine is looking to get out of his Audi A4 (ambivalent about the car, doesn't like the payment) and into a wagon of some sort. Volvo V70 and Subaru Forester are on the short list, but the list isn't exactly set in stone. He wants to get in at or under 10k. Gas mileage, durability are important, manual would be nice but not necessary. What are the relative merits of these two, and are there any other good options that we're missing?
There is a local guy that has a V70R. That is one hot car. I can't find any pictures of it at the moment, but aftermarket wheels and suspension make it sit right. Works pretty good on the autocross course too.
If he doesn't like the payment of an A4, I can't imagine he'd like the payment on a V70R.
Why do people seem to go with the Forester instead of the obviously superior Outback?
Foresters are just taller Imprezas. That should be reason enough.
Because Outbacks are for old retired people. 
Well, the Legacy in many ways is just a longer wheelbase Impreza. It's all the same car under the skin. Legacy is nice if you need a car that size. If not, the Forester has the utility of the Legacy with the more nimble package of the Impreza, particularly if you de-SUV it by lowering. I'd probably recommend an SG Forester in his price range. Forester basics He may have to get one with slightly more mileage on it, but these cars generally laugh at miles. Make sure the timing belt was done (90,000 is a safe interval) and the head gaskets are good or were replaced. Anything else is small stuff.
My experiences with Volvos on the job are that they are nice cars, but not much of a DIY car. Parts can be really spendy. They are on par with a BMW/Audi/M-B for service costs where the Subaru is going to be more Toyota/Honda.
'03 Forester 5-speed for $6k:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f93/2003-subaru-forester-2-5x-5mt-new-tires-149k-6400-illinois-46713/
I had a '99 with a 5-speed and thought it was a nice car. I'm the Legacy Outback Wagon type right now because of family size and I like to rule the road when the snow falls.
My friend has the Volvo V70 for his family of 5 and he's getting tired of expensive parts.
What I'm getting from all this is that the Volvo might be nice as long as everything is working; just how reliable are they? The Subarus seem to need the timing belt and a bunch of engine seals (and maybe the clutch) at 90k. Any other specific issues to look for (besides the head gasket) when inspecting a car? How easy/hard is the Subaru to DIY?
The V70R is sooo cool but gas mileage is not very good. How about a Mazda6 wagon or the 5 door hatch? If it was me and he wanted to stay upmarket I would go for the Volvo or a SAAB 9-5 aero wagon.
Might want to look at the Volvo V50, too. Nice car, a bit smaller and lighter than the V70.
I have a Legacy wagon and a Volvo S40 sedan. The Volvo is MILES ahead as far as build quality and comfort. It handles well, and it's built like a tank. But I wouldn't want to have to work on it much.
The Subaru is easy to work on, but I've found parts to be pricey-- probably because around here the dealership is the only local source.
Of the two, I LIKE my Volvo, and I keep the Subaru cause it's good for hauling crap around.
Tim Baxter wrote: Might want to look at the Volvo V50, too. Nice car, a bit smaller and lighter than the V70. I have a Legacy wagon and a Volvo S40 sedan. The Volvo is MILES ahead as far as build quality and comfort. It handles well, and it's built like a tank. But I wouldn't want to have to work on it much. The Subaru is easy to work on, but I've found parts to be pricey-- probably because around here the dealership is the only local source. Of the two, I LIKE my Volvo, and I keep the Subaru cause it's good for hauling crap around.
What year Legacy are we talking about? They've come a long way in just about everything in the past five years.
Mine's a 99. I'm sure the newer ones are much nicer, but if I were selling it I wouldn't buy another Subaru. I'd be highly tempted by a Volvo wagon, though.
I really like the Mazda6 wagon, but finding one is not easy; same for the V50. I owned a SAAB 9-5 for a couple years, and while it had its strengths, it was far from reliable and I would hard-pressed to recommend one.
Looks like it may come down to driving both and seeing which works better for his needs. The V70 definitely has the looks and performance (at least until you upgrade the Forester's suspension), but the Subaru seems the more practical choice in many ways.
Subaru may not be the best for mileage. It depends on what your looking for. My '01 Impreza gets around 25 city in the summer, 19 in winter. I'm in the 28-30 range year round on highway.
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