i have had a 2004 svtf eap and now ive got 80,000 miles. I love this car but ive decided i need to sell her now b4 it depreciates any more.

i live in colorado and spend a lot of time driving on snowy, and windy roads. I need something with 4wd-- but still is fun to drive. I got a new job since graduating CSU and am looking to upgrade a bit.

I'm looking to buy used, but i need a little more h\p than the svtf puts out with an awd/4wd setup.

i'm trying to keep it under ($20,000 + whatever i make on the foci as well)

so far the list is as follows.

2000-2 audi s4
vw r32-- last gen
wrx STI last gen


any other ideas in this price\performace catagory? thats the best i could come up with. This forum has some really knowledgable people involved, so any input is appreciated

Except for the AWD drive part, your decision is easy in my opinion...

Mazdaspeed3

I say that because you currently have a FWD and don't seem to suffer too much because of the weather.

if you dont mind costly repairs, S4 all the way.

If you like to mod, sti.



consider an e46 M3. They are dipping into the 25-30k range now. Yes, RWD..... but.... its an M3.

is the svt paid off? and you could look for a mazdaspeed6 if you want awd. i havent really seen that many though so they might be hard to find.

Lots of people say that the WRX's handle sloppy, but I've seen some $5k suspension packages that are basically computer monitored air bags that will make it handle extremely well. I believe it was a Firestone based company. Do a search for air bag suspension you'll find it.

The VW, I don't know anything about. It's fast, lots of people like it. I've never known a VW owner who hasn't had problems, but there are a lot of Focus owners who have problems too.

The Audi is cool, German cars are great, but expensive to repair. An FF had just as many problems with his Audi TT and a dealership than some other FF's have had with Ford dealerships- here's a review (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=44342) from Edmunds.

Regardless of which one you choose, find one that someone is selling- not a dealer- and qualify the person as a good car owner.

I love the R32 VWs They sound sweet too..
I also Like the STI...
I wouldnt go with a S3 in Colorado.. AWD FTW

if it was me R32 ALL THE WAY!

R32 in my mind is overpriced and too heavy for such a small car. Audi S4 is alot of money to spend on a car 6 years old, that will cost a fortune to fix. I think your best bet is to go with the subie, except i might just buy a WRX instead of the STI for the cheaper insurance and take the extra money you saved buying the car and put it to modding it. in 2004 when compared with a mustang GT (either car and driver or motor trend) it lost in overall performance but they said it was the easiest car to drive fast. plus you can drive it all year and they are SUPER reliable....

2000-2 audi s4 : Very pricey to repair, get one thats covered under extended warranty if you can.

vw r32-- last gen : small and fat , also pricey to repair.

wrx STI last gen : awd, plenty of power, hundreds of lbs lighter than an S4, TONS of aftermarket support

thanks for the advise... sounds like the audi is probly ruled out. I had a saab 9-3 b4 i got my foci and it turned into a maintenance nightmare. both depend on bosch engine management and parts and I don't want to repeat that experience. working on cars is fun, but not on a daily basis.

r32s are really expensive and really heavy for such a tiny car. they are even smaller than the foci...I want to retain the nimble feeling that the focus has; just with the added stability of 4wd...

What i'm really looking for is something with awd to make my drives through deep snow over mountain passes a little less hairy. fwd just doesn't cut it, even with snow tires.

i always had the impression that the wrx was a sweet handling ride, i hadn't heard that they weren't quite up to the spec of the svtf in the suspension department.

I will look further into mazda spd6 and see what i can find

hey blackrSVT-- how many miles are on that svtf your sellin? =) if its significantly less than 80k i might be interested

There are a couple Subarus that fit your description and price range. They are reknowned for their AWD and reliability, every one of their models but one is a Consumer Reports Best Buy....very nice and good cars.
I say stay away from ANYTHING German.....I had a VW and I never had so many repairs to make. Of course this Focus hasn't been a whole lot better to be truthful. Good thing I really like this car or I would have dumped it off 4 months ago.

Except for the AWD drive part, your decision is easy in my opinion...

Mazdaspeed3

I say that because you currently have a FWD and don't seem to suffer too much because of the weather.

yea same here the MS3 all they way! besides FWD cars go just as good as some 4x4s do[thumb]