I'm also looking for a new ride

[Michael McLaughlin]

The discussion today about TDIs and such reminded me to ask y'all  
about vehicle advice too. We're in need of an all-wheel-drive vehicle  
to replace my front-drive B5.5 Passat and, considering my wife is in  
grad school, are shopping on the economy aisle — we'd like to spend  
less than $10,000. We're going to have this vehicle for only a couple  
of years, and are hoping to get something that isn't going to be a  
money pit over those two years.

I know the sensible thing to do would be to find a good, used Subaru,  
but I can't help but be tempted by all of the older quattros available  
in our price range — especially if we could find one with a good  
maintenance/repair history. An allroad would be awesome, but the  
potential repair costs frighten me (I don't know a ton about them,  
other than hearing horror stories about transmissions, turbos, air  
suspension, etc).. Later C5 A6s are available in that range, even  
Avants (which we'd prefer), and it seems those would be more sensible  
from a maintenance/repair standpoint. A4s are too small.

Any thoughts/advice/etc. you have would be appreciated. Thanks.

-Mike in Spokane, Wash.