[V8] kids hauler

[Roger Woodbury]

Wrong, wrong, wrong, John!  The A4 is MUCH too small for much of anything.
While I want to buy an A6 and stuff in a V8 (true, true, true!), only if the
car costs less than $400 and I can find the "right" V8 for around $500, and
my mechanic decides that it is such a neat idea that he donates his labor.
(Well, or makes me an offer I can't refuse: it IS his shop, afterall).  

But the A4 is too small, and in my opinion so are numerous cars on your
list.  I just flat out don't LIKE Subarus.  They are MUCH better than my
intense dislike, but a Subaru that is old depreciated enough to meet your
criteria will likely have a bazillion miles on it, and have started to rust
to pieces and have the dreaded Subaru "leaking and about to fall off"
cylinder head disease.  (I am sure you all know THAT sort of Subaru. One
symptom of the dreaded "leaking and about to fall off" cylinder head disease
is that the horn starts to play that famous Japanese tune:  "You shoulda
known better than to buy a Jap car with a motor that was once an aircooled
tiny airplane motor design")....

But the good news I think is that you are right in the middle of some nice
A6 Avant Quattro potentialities.  Both are 1997, one is silver with 92,000
miles at $6750 obo, and the other is a 1997 with 140,000 (green) for $4000.
I would imagine that either car will go out the door for less if the seller
is offered dollar bills in the fist.

I reject all the others on your list simply because they are all this or
that, and only Audi is Quattro. The V6 Audi will deliver fuel mileage in the
low twenties, be uninspiring in terms of acceleration but will cruise
comfortably anyway you want it to.  Both of these cars has the third seat
option.  The lower mileage of the two says "dealer maintained since owned",
and I believe it since it lives less than fifteen miles from the only Audi
dealer worth going to in Maine.  The other is a better "buy" all things
being equal.  It has new rear calipers and rotors, which is correct for the
mileage in this state.

Anyway, I don't expect you to hyperventilate over two Audi Avants in Maine,
but I think that this is a GREAT time to hunt for an A6 Avant from the
'97-99 manufacturing years. 

	1.  They are relatively plentiful.
	2.  They have relatively low miles if you hunt:  around 100k.
	3.  Many have been well maintained...you will hunt for these.
	4.  Demand for these cars diminishes with ever mile past 100k.
	5.  People selling them "know" that this is the time to get rid of 
		them because "everyone knows" they start to nickel and dime 
		you to death any time after 100k.  (Of course these same far
		seeing folks don't know that buying that new something or
other 
		has just $50 and $100 them to death just buying it.)

Volvos are nice and they are plentiful, too.  They are also expensive by the
pound and are no more better built than the Audi.  And usually in this age
group they are two wheel drive.  Volvos are overrated.  

Those are my ideas.  

Roger

P.S.  And besides, when you get bored, you will have an wonderful vehicle to
use to accept that 3.6 litre V8 that you have acquired "by accident".  Try
that in your Subaru with leaking cylinder heads.....