Trying to find a replacement for my '98 Volvo V70R
 

I've been on this site and many others trying to find the "perfect" used wagon to replace my 2nd car which is the above mentioned car. It's saffron (orange) which is rare and has 123,000 miles. It's fine and I keep it up and get all the service done, but it is 12 years old. Time for an upgrade. My daily drive is a '09 BMW 328i sedan with a stick, sport package...the wagon is for the weekend, dog, moving...etc.

I heard about the 3.0 engine on A6 Avant so I'm steering clear of that. Is the 2.7T a good engine? What about the leveling feature on the allroad? Problematic or not?

I'm looking at spending no more than $10,000. Thinking about an '02-'04 model. I like the two tone interior. I'd probably get an automatic since wife hates sticks which is fine.

I've considered the volvo XC70, '01 A6 Avant (a bit too old), MB C series wagon (too small), MB E series wagon (too much like a herse, ugly, good size but $$$), Volvo V70 T5 (I've owned a lot of volvos...looking for something different).

Thoughts???

Hey, my wife and I just finished going through the same gamut of finding the right wagon too. We looked at allroads, AWD V70s, AWD S60s, C5 A6 Avants (which I was pretty uninspired by), C5 A6 4.2s and 2.7Ts, B6 A4 Avants, and B5 S4s in Avant and sedan variants, but ultimately decided on a 2001 allroad 2.7T 6spd. I'm a previous 2000 A4 1.8T QM owner so I was a little biased toward allroad to begin with. I won't get into the details of why we chose the allroad over the other options, which were all quite good contenders in their own ways, but I will share some of the valuable allroad resources I found while searching.

First read this:
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...php?p=18145029

Then read this:
http://www.allroadfaq.com/

BTW, if we could have found a 1st gen V70R with low miles, that would have likely been a contender. Those cars aren't as common in Colorado as allroads are.

You should look at BMW wagon. You can find both 3 and 5 series for sale albeit they are not very popular so might be hard to find but you cannot beat BMW's reliability. Audi is a shame in comparison as far as maintenance and repairs go.

With Allroad, you are almost guaranteed to step into heavy duty ($$$) maintenance.

I want something with some good hauling room, so the BMW 3 series wagon is out. It would have to be a 5 series wagon. Those seem to be pretty pricey.
I know the Audi would be pricey to maintain, but a bit cheaper to get originally.

I have been reading the allroad forums. I really want to get an Audi as I've had lots of volvos (still do) and now drive my first BMW and would love to give Audi a shake.

Try and find an ar with the V8. Better engine if your not into modifying

Yes, if you're not a DIY guy much, find a V8 Allroad. Lots of torque, 300HP oout of the boot and less stuff to fix...

The 2.7T is fun but far from reliable. The air suspension is also problematic, but there is now an aftermarket alternative that makes replacement costs much more bearable. You mention the XC being too old, the AR is also a very old design though Audi style seems timeless (my opinion of course) Do you need all wheel drive? It's a lot of extra parts & weight to lug around if it's not needed. Though I have never owned or driven a V8 Allroad they do seem to be better suited to the Allroad with automatic trans.

I like Audis fit, finish, design, but I can't recommend an Allroad to anyone. Unless you are a "tinkerer" and don't need worry free transportation.

I'm not a DIY guy at all. I just want a car that can haul stuff, AWD is nice, but not a must (I live in central IN...some snow but not a boatload). I have no problem putting money into the used car. I've put plenty into my '98 V70R over the past 4.5 years but it's been worth it. It's a beautiful car and runs fine and serves my purpose, it's just time for a change.

You seem to be steering me away from the 2.7T engine in favor of the 4.2 allroad. That's probably going to be out of my price range of around $10,000

if you can find a low mileage one, preferably from a dealership so that you have some kind of warranty on it, go for it.

Sounds like you are being sucked in by the allure of the Allroad, where you tell yourself how could such a nice looking well rounded car (on paper) be bad, and you are looking to experience a new type of vehicle. I did the same thing.

Since you are going to end up buying an Allroad and you are not a DYI guy you need to find a good independent mechanic that understands Audis & the Allroad (perhaps your Volvo guy knows Audi also)? Then begin to mentally prepare to make regular repairs on your new car.

Good luck with your search, let us know when you get the new AR ;)