18psi

iTrader: (76)

I was watching consumer reports the other day, and apparently the Avalon and Venza are for whatever reason least value holding cars of the Toyota lineup. or something like that.

but with that said, it's a GREAT car IMHO, and I wouldn't hesitate to pick one up as a daily for sure. basically a lexus ES without the "brand tax"

who cares about resale if you plan to keep for a long time anyway.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

I wouldn't doubt it, it is like the least accessible and thought about Toyota.

I was going to keep the Maxima for 5+ years until it got hit. That Avalon just looks so damn comfy for highway and daily work, decent MPG, well-built so it won't fall apart if I keep it for 5 or 6 years.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

I hear that STI's hold their value pretty well on the used market too.

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

The Avalon is a super nice car. Very vanilla, nothing special, but it's very competent and comfortable. Super nice car, would love for my mom to drive one.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

Playing with fire. I found a 2009 STI Hatch, blue, real clean and local with 62k miles, looks virgin (probably isn't) about $2k out of my price range.

I'll be your mom

I had a weird realization that I actually kind of like daily driving "dad cars" or at least big and comfy, well built tanks as long as it makes good low end torque and when I have to drive it up through the twistier, it doesn't completely fall on its face.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

After reorganizing some things and talking things over with the misses for the past few months, I think I may be much better off (mentally and financially) getting a ~$5k car, private party. I am looking directly at a 2002-2005 WRX that's like 98% stock and should stay that way. I have about $200 a month to be dedicated to be put into a untouched, otherwise, savings account for maintenance/repairs for the WRX. From previous owners, (Urabus forum users) is that enough?

I don't ever launch cars, redline, or otherwise abuse my cars. Just btw.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

And by stock you mean with a catless up pipe and tune at a minimum right?
I'd call that "stock", as it should basically be a requirement.

Otherwise, the EJ20's are really not finicky, if you get a well maintained one it will do 150-200k without even any major work needed.

How many miles on yours now, Gordon? I'm sure 150k+

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I'd heavily lean towards 04-05 if I were you. And try to get a wagon

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

LOL.

I would be okay with things that don't invariably sacrifice reliability for street cred/power. I just want like AC, 4 seats, handles snow when I need it to, doesn't handle like a wet noodle and some nice sounds/fun. Like 3" catless, straight pipe boiiiz.

Reason is? Just cooler? The 04-05 is probably tied for the 02-03 front end.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

trans/driveline updates
accessories updates
smog junk updates
suspension updates

no single major thing, but lots of little things.
05 interior is imo a huge update/upgrade
and the 02 trans is the OG "glass box" of them all

oh and the obvious: maintenance is paramount on these cars. you see a kid selling one, or there's the ricer stickers, or it's got some mods, or slammed, run like the wind. it's SO MUCH easier to un-rape a Miata from the stancetard/ricer owner than it is a Subaru.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

Noted. Would you be open, when the day gets closer to indirectly be a source to help me find one? Since you know your **** and dedicated to the cause of spreading Subaru-itis to everyone you meet.

Yes of course, I am looking for like those ones I find around with responsible people owning them.

Knowing me, like after summer hopefully before winter hikes up prices, still waiting on Maxima to get back from insurance and holy **** they have spent $14k on that thing fixing it, fixing a lightly bent frame, repainting half the car twice after ordering aftermarket fenders and having 1cm panel gap and I made them get OEM parts, and I am not getting anything more than $10-12k once I sell it. So I will be daily driving the miata until I get a WRX and delay the turbo bits for the miata possibly so I don't have to work around anything.

It'll line up. Have faith.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

Opinions of the Saabaru venture?

18psi

iTrader: (76)

same car with different badges. only issue with those is flashing/tuning requires funky definitions and the old school tactrix 1.3 or one of those knockoff vag cables, they're super finicky about that for some reason.
Had one come to me a couple years back, we could not get ecu to flash on it. Just kept having weird erorrs.

I don't mind keeping my eyes open for ya. By the time you're ready I might already be selling this sti I just bought

Tmorgan

iTrader: (1)

I just sold a BMW 540i 6-speed for $5600 in december. It wasn't the cleanest one out there but they are around for sub 6 all day. The m62TU engine can take a lot of abuse, just try to find one that has already had the timing chain guides done.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

You're going to have a turbo miata toy. Why not just get the NA impreza sedan/wagon if you want something with awd?

Big issue to watch out for is the head gasket. The wheel bearings on these cars also tend to die.

I have about 7k into my NA bugeye impreza. I've had it for over 20k miles and it just hit 150k. It needed an alternator, radiator, headgasket, and 2 wheel bearings in the interim. I could likely have kept the cost down by doing a bunch of this stuff myself, but I don't mess with this car because I need it to start when I turn the key and get me from A->B without a fuss. I've been stranded once when my alternator just took a dump out of nowhere. My girlfriend got stranded last week because a radiator hose burst. I have no idea how that happened since no one had touched it for at least a year...

I've just seen too many of those wrx's turn into money pits for folks... I'm not really sure I have all that much room to talk though, since my expenditure on the TS wagon is up there for an NA car of its age...

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

"Why not get an NA car instead of a WRX? Mine has been just as expensive to maintain as a well-kept WRX would have been though so...."

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I had a 2007 forester n/a auto last year. The one I bought from the vapetard kid and had to do insane amounts of cleanup/maint on. Apparently those are so popular, after I listed it I had like 6 people fighting for it. I mean, they were literally begging me to not sell to anyone else. I was surprised.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

Chris and a friend of ours work together to fix up and flip cars. The fozzies often have a buyer lined up before they even have the car in the garage to start working on it...

The number I listed included the purchase price of the car and all work done on it over the last 20k+ miles. It needed maintenance when I got it, but everything other than the head gasket I'd file under routine maintenance. I probably paid a few hundred too much for the car when I got it, but it was like 2k at the time? Shrug.

A well kept wrx of that era sells for 5-7k easy in my area and comes with 100k+ miles easy. They'll still need all the routine stuff too...

I bought a car knowing it could develop head gasket issues even though it seemed fine. I gambled hoping it would hold out for a couple of years. Didn't work out. I'm planning on keeping this car till I graduate school and then some. Only reason I'd get rid of it is if the issues start piling up. I'm crossing my fingers that doesn't happen. The engine runs like a friggin top.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

I want a subaru, but I don't think I am as cool as Vlad to rock one. I really don't want to deal with HG issues on a car that is supposed to eat up less money than the miata

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

Buy one that has already had the work done or ask around and see what the repair cost is and factor that into your purchase price.