Another godforsaken car search thread

[High-Test]

Friends, I have a plan to pay off my 2008 Outback XT by January 1, which is the same time I'll have a master's degree in hand and the same time I'll have student loans to pay. Here's my problem. I have a personal loan with a bunch of medical debts on it as well. If I pay off just the car, I save $18 per month when student loans hit. I need this personal loan, it's 220/month payments, and its 12% rate gone. If I do this, I could kill my credit cards too. Under this plan, whatever I buy will be paid in full by 1/1/17.

So. When I'm two grand in the black versus its dealer trade in value, I'm trading her in on something between $4k and $6k. Preference goes to 5k or less. That way, I can kill off every debt I have but the student loans, and save a whole lot every month.

My Budget: 6k max. Partial financing necessary. Assume my credit is stellar. This precludes craigslist from my search.

I'd prefer rear or all wheel drive, and a manual transmission is almost a must. It'll need to be pretty foolproof. Assume by foolproof I mean that a guy with some mechanical experience wouldn't be afraid. It needs to be fun.

Here's my top two:

2004 Honda CR-V EX AWD, 5 spd manual (will be red)
2005 Subaru Forester X, 5 spd Manual, Red

A healthy debate on these two would be appreciated. I have experience with both, and love each for what they do. The Forester gets better mileage, but the CR-V has more utility. Forester is more fun to drive, as the CR-V is "trucky". CR-V is.. a Honda. I love them both.

Now, talk me into or out of option three:
2003+ Crown Vic P71. Has LSD, I love the CV, they are simple to work on. As far as automatics go, I could live with this one. A friend has one, and it's just a 1999 Crown Vic LX. I love it. best brakes I've ever used. The car mystifies me. There's just about nothing I can't handle mechanically, save pulling heads for lack of a shop.

Other members of shortlist:

E46 3 series BMW, manual.
Volvo XC70
2005-2007 Legacy GT (5 spd)
2005 Legacy GT Wagon (5 spd)
2004 Outback (5 spd, red)
Saab 9-2X


Talk me into or out of any of these.

I'd love your thoughts on that generation forester versus CR-V. Talk me into or out of any of these. I'll have a master's degree in hand, and am offloading my former dream car, and a car I adore, in search of financial freedom. I want something that will make me smile every time I drive it. That's the most important. MPG needs to be at least 20 highway, but SPG needs to be a whole lot.

If you think something fits the bill that isn't on this list, please let me know. I'd love some more ideas. But please evaluate my options too.

The earliest I can pull the trigger on this is May.

These two, or ones similar, are winning.

CR-V:
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/653934366/overview/

Forester:
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/611486004/overview/

What do??

 

[TheCracker]

I had a year 2000 Forester, which is just a facelift away from a 2005. It only ever let me down once in the 7 or 8 years I used it as a daily. It was a much nicer car to drive then the Audi A3 I have now, if somewhat slower. In a lot of ways, I wish I'd replaced it with a Forester XT or similar powered Legacy instead of the A3. These simpler Subarus are largely bullet-proof and simple to work on in my experience. Never took mine properly off road, but substantial snow or muddy fields wouldn't stop it.

 

[Parker]

If similar mileage and price I would go with the Subaru. I had an '02 Impreza Outback Sport and I absolutely adored that car, it was fairly peppy, looked great, handled well and above all it was extremely reliable. In the time I owned it (cut short by my wife running into a semi) the only time it failed to start was because of a loose battery connection which was a 5 second fix. It had 216K or so miles on it and I did have to replace the head gasket at about 212K miles (local shop quoted me right at $1K, I did the work myself) but personally I don't think $1K worth of unexpected maintenance for a car with over 200K miles is out of the ordinary. The car was a monster in the snow too, it had regular all season tires on it and we had it bottomed out in snow and it pulled itself out with no problem at all.

Before I purchased my wife her Cherokee I was looking long and hard at a similar year Forester. I even test drove a few but in the end she preferred the Cherokee and they are easier to work on (plus that 4.0 inline 6 is such a sweet engine) so we went with that.

Apparently the 2.5l engines are fairly notorious for head gasket failures so if that hasn't been replaced then you should expect to do it eventually but from what I've read, once it is done properly you shouldn't have to worry about it again.

 

[High-Test]

If I went Subaru, it would be my fourth.

I'm also thinking a non-turbo Gen 4 legacy sedan.

I'm torn between the forester and the CR-V. I have experience with an automatic CRV, and I loved it. It's a utilitarian shipping container built in honda style.

But the Forester is 3100 pounds, AWD, and a go-kart. Plus, great mileage.


Saab 9-2x?? Thoughts?

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

9-2X = Looks like Saab, goes like Subaru and has the aftermarket support of the Subie too. I'd go for it just for the extra quirkyness and all weather drivability.