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Best/Most reliable AWD Wagon for $12,000 ????

Hi all,
I've had a 1990 740 GLE for 8 years and it has served me well. However I am getting to the point that I am considering getting a new used wagon. I've got up to $12,000 to spend. My priorities are as follows:

1) Reliability

2) Low cost of repairs

3) I'd like a larger wagon like my 740 GLE but am aware they now just make
them smaller.


What's Not Important to Me:

1) High performance i.e. Turbo if they are prone to problems and more expensive repairs.

2) Lot's of bells and whistles.


I've just moved to Madison WI and am using a independant Volvo mechanic who claims he likes stuff prior to the Ford buy out (2001-2002 era) and is not fond of the 4 x 4. Can anyone confirm or deny these preferences? I've had one repair by him and he seems both competent and like he is well informed. Any thoughts will be greatly appeciated. Thanks so much.


Cheers,
Vance








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Best/Most reliable AWD Wagon for $12,000 ????

My daughter drove our '95 855 in Buffalo NY last winter and a couple of years ago in Ithaca NY.

On both occasions those communities had pretty bad snow seasons, Ithaca had a snowfall every day for 26 days or so and it is quite hilly with windy roads on the hills.

A good set of snow tires all around is better than some AWD vehicles with poor or wide tires.

My daughter is a good driver as well.

Remember - As soon as you take your foot off the gas, AWD means a LOT less!

BTW - Our 855R is GREAT in the snow with its traction control, even my wife does not complain.
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 435,000 miles put on 9 bricks








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Best/Most reliable AWD Wagon for $12,000 ????

Why AWD? It's not in your list of priorities and will strike against the first two: reliability and cost of repairs. It's actually a bells and whistles sort of thing if you are doing fine with your 740.

You can get a 98 or so V70. Put on a GOOD set of tires. Then pocket the remaining four grand.

Subarus are OK but smaller than a V70. The reliability & ease to work on is not so great. Drive shafts start going around 80K.

I think Toyota and Honda still made late 90's wagons. Might be a little smaller than the V70 but reliable. Again, newer than the 740 and you pocket a couple of grand.

mormit
--
02 S40 , 98 V70 T5 Koni FSDs, IPD swaybars and HD Endlinks, 85 245DL 275,000mi V15cam It takes a licking and keeps on ticking








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I recommend a 940

I've got a 1995 945 and while it feels a little under-powered it is an amazing car. Still RWD so you can work on the engine yourself and it has a lot of structural safety improvements over the 740 series including side-impact protection and a strengthened C-pillar. Not an AWD, but these can be had for a good price and you'd still be able to do almost all the work yourself.

I gave mine to my wife for the best protection for our infant daughter, and I'm now driving my 1968 122S. Not as safeor practical and a 940, but certainly a head-turner...








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Best/Most reliable AWD Wagon for $12,000 ????

In the $10-$14k range, Consumer Reports recommends the Honda CR-V, Toyota 4-Runner and Land Cruiser, and the Lexus RX300. Also, some Subarus.

-BTC

'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 173k mi, heated velour cloth comfy chairs, factory HD suspension, Bilstein HD, front IPD stabilizer bar, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, XC grill, C70 jewel E-Codes, V-1, Lidatek, IPD stuff, JB Weld, Original Duck tape, zip-ties, two '06 Honda license plate nut impressions in back bumper (gift from daughter), Mobil-1 since new.

"The two largest English-speaking countries in the world are India (350 million out of 1 billion) and the United States (300 million). By 2025 the number of English speaking Chinese is likely to exceed the number of native English speakers in the rest of the world."








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Best/Most reliable AWD Wagon for $12,000 ????

Take a look at Chicago's Craigslist, just beware of those ads that sell the same car week after week. There are some good bargins if you follow it for a week or 2.
Now, I have a 1998 awd with a turbo. The early awd 97-01, are prone to failure. I guess I am one of the lucky ones, I flushed the bevel gear at 125K and probably saved myself $$$$. I did get a nail in one of the side walls with less than 20K miles on the set of tires and had to buy 4 new tires. $650.

There are so many CV joints, I can't even count them all. And I really need to replace the viscous coupling fluid, the vibration at low speed/tight turns is starting to get on my nerves. Some have said that the vibration is due to an out of balance drive shaft or bad joint between the shaft and tranny. Still, the car goes straight and true.

Do you really need AWD? A front wheel driver should be able to get you anywhere around Madison. The snow does melt down there. And any 850/V70 with fwd is a good buy. Don't worry about the turbo, it is a good unit. Electronic climate control is so nice, just set the temp and forget it. The ETM on 99-01 is a real problem.
If you could get an 02-03 with service history, for around 10-12K, remember you will still need about $1,000 to get it comfortable and reliable. Always tell the seller that. Tune up, etc...

Klaus
--
Please answer, we need to know if the advice is good or bad. The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are 2 turbos :)







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