The best car (aside from the 993) that my wife and I have ever owned was our 1999 Orient Blue 528 wagon.

 

Really like my Subaru Outback wagon.

 

Is an Audi RS wagon within budget? You might find yourself driving it more than your other half!

 

i cannot say enough good things about the audi a6 allroad 2.7t wagon. Has adjustable ride height and it is very responsive

 

FWIW, my dad had an Allroad, and when it wasn't in the shop it was fun to drive. 2.7t, but had CONSTANT electrical problems...also, it eats gas ridiculously fast....Once again, it was probably just a lemon, but my dad is through with Audis for now as a result...

My $.02

 

Go Subaru Legacy wagon all the way !!!!

 

There are many who would say "don't own an audi without a warranty" including lots on audiworld forums. Then again, many say the same thing about mbz and bmw.

 

I have a BMW 5 series wagon that I use as an every day driver and parts hauler, and I love it. I will replace it with another. Fold down those seats and I can fit 4 race tires and wheels, 3 large nitrogen bottles fit easily, front fenders fit for the trip to the paint shop... It drives great and at present has 244,000 miles!

 

try S6 or the current B6 S4.

 

If you're looking for something modestly priced check out the Passat wagon - it's an A6 in disguise and the one we have - 4motion system with stability control, out-quattros our A4. Not flashy or too sporting but that's not what it's for. After all, that's why we have Porsches

 

My wife has a 2000 528IT with 5-speed. It is an excellent family wagon.
I added Jim Conforti air intake and software which noticeably increased
acceleration. We have had no problems at all except for a few broken cup
holders(they are very lame) and you can't beat the lines of the BMW.

 

WorldFresh, have you had the car smogged since installing the Conforti stuff? I was looking at that for my 528 but didn't know if it would pass. And those cupholders are extremely lame. My kids have taken out the ones in the back twice just getting in and out of the car. And the ones in the front are not really well suited to lateral g forces - i.e., hard right turn followed by coffee in lap.

 

I've tossed a couple of cups myself. I have'nt had to smog it yet, but I don't think I'll have any
problems. If I do, it will be very easy to change back to stock. The install of the intake was very easy and the "SHARK" software is suppose to save your original factory settings. and it only took about 15 minutes to load the software. Plug and Play!

 

I went with an S6 (and I don't even have a family!)....threw on RS6 18" wheels and P-zeros. This week had H-sport swaybars installed and pulled the power steering assist relay. With 340hp and 4WD the car now rails and has great feedback...too bad there aren't many inexpensive mods to be done on the motor.

The one great thing about Audis is buying used....they have poor resale value so you can get a pretty good bargain vs. MB and BMWs which hold value much better. You also get 4WD which isn't available with the other brands unless you step up to an E500 Estate (esp the AMG Estate ). I would recommend you also check out the allroads, esp if you need SUV capabilities from time to time.

 

I'm in the same situation. Have considered the MB and the BMW. I am disappointed that BMW never made a 530iT wagon in the last series (not the mid 90's wagon). That engine would be better suited (225 hp) than the 175 hp in the 525, I know the 528 had 190+ hp but they stopped making that in 2000. The 540iT is another consideration. The latest generation MB E class wagon is nice looking, but probably a bit soft as far as having a sporty feel to it. Have had the v70 turbo Volvo and the build quality could not be worse, couln't wait to get rid of it and you want to talk about poor resale! I've heard good thing about the Audi wagons but can't get beyond the looks of them except for the A4 or S4 which are very small inside. Follow up and let us know which wagon you buy, good luck.