What Are The Cheapest AWD Vehicles New And Used?

"pfftballer" (pfftballer)
09/24/2014 at 19:19 • Filed to: None

Winter's a comin. I'm wondering what my options are. I'm thinking used POS Subaru Outback or some such nonsense. I was just wondering if I may be overlooking something. Needs to be able to take my kids to school in the morning.

*Edit: Commenters pointed out a lack of price range. I don't want to spend more than $10k and I'd rather spend around $5k but I more importantly don't want to be under a car fixing it this winter.

DISCUSSION (35)

Kanaric > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:22

Do you want the REAL cheapest or the best cars for the money? Because there are a lot of CHEAP AWDs out there that are like from the 80s and early 90s if you can find them. Civic, Mazda Protege, Corolla, etc all had that back then and when they are for sale they can be like $2000.

What kind of budget?

Will with a W8 races an E30 > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:23

Winter tires. Winter tires are cheaper than a car, and will deliver the same acceleration and more stopping and turning capability than an AWD car on all season/summers

Zohaibman72 > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:25

Outback, even cheaper, a base Impreza.

My dad uses a '99 Pathfinder for winter. Late 90s SUVs are also decent options, though cars are usually cheaper.

jkm7680 > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:25

B5 A4 with Quattro.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/i-bought-a-thi…

Mine was only $2,500 and the 2.8 is super reliable for Audi standards.

pfftballer > jkm7680
09/24/2014 at 19:26

Damn that's pretty too.

dogisbadob > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:27

Suzuki Aerio SX, and of course the Matrtix/Vibe AWD

And of course, AWD usually isn't necessary. Snow tires might be a good idea, though.

jkm7680 > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:28

Haha, Yup. Now imagine what you can get for half of the price.

If you give me your local Craigslist, I can hunt for something good!

pfftballer > Kanaric
09/24/2014 at 19:28

Sorry, I don't want to have to wrench on anything. I'm a competent shadetree comfortable with engine and tranny swaps and complicated timing belt replacements etc. That being said I swore off working on cars years ago. I even gave away my engine hoist. So let's try and work within the 10K range.

pfftballer > Will with a W8 races an E30
09/24/2014 at 19:29

They do in most places but I live in WV and you're always going up or down or around a rather steep hill.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:29

Jeep Cherokee, or Grand Cherokee. Sometimes the Grand Cherokees are cheaper because they don't have the same enthusiast following. But either way for a cheap winter beater, the 4.0L Straight 6 is bulletproof.

Suuuubaru > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:31

I have an older outback. Just go with that. Cheap, reliable cars that don't rust much. GREAT in snow, saved my butt countless times in snowy parking lots. Just be careful with high mile cars, you could be looking at head gasket issues

pfftballer > jkm7680
09/24/2014 at 19:32

Not much to choose from here.

pfftballer > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:33

My younger sister bought a 2004 for winter duty and I had to replace some axles and a cat and some other odds and ends but she loves it.

Kanaric > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:33

$10k you can have anything from a Mazdaspeed 6 or WRX if you want something fun, a good Outback or Outback Sport or even a Forester, all kinds of SUVs, Jeeps like a Grand Cherokee, all cars from 2000 or later.

The Cherokees with the 4.0l i6 are pretty much super easy to fix/work on and are ultra reliable cars and good if you have kids. Kind of shitty MPGs though. Mechanics all know them, labor on them in on the cheap side too if you don't want to work on them. You can probably pick one of those up with a large amount of money to spare.

T5Killer > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:36

Subarus for sure I paid $600 for my 96 Legacy AWD about 6 years ago and beyond replacing the alternator and clutch It has needed no major repairs. It has 380k miles but I bought it with 315k

pfftballer > dogisbadob
09/24/2014 at 19:37

Good suggestion. I've always liked the Matrix/Vibe. I swore off Suzukis when I had a 93 Sidekick in college that would eat ECUs yearly. Snow tires don't work. (tried it last year on my diesel golf) If the roads I had to travel to take my kids to school were ski slopes they'd be black diamonds. Super steep and super curvy.

pfftballer > Kanaric
09/24/2014 at 19:40

I wanted a WRX wagon but every one I see locally in my price range is modded all to hell or has a bad head gasket or is on it's second engine.

Kanaric > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 19:51

Mazdaspeed 6 which is similar you can find unmodded, but they are non-wagon.

See if they have a Forester XT or Legacy GT Wagon. Those usually don't have mods as well. The Forester XT is really good, basically the WRX chassis and everything from a WRX or STI can go over to it if you ever wanted to mod it.

Dsscats > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 20:05

Get a WRX. Take the time to find a good one. Hell, buy one from California and drive it over.

pfftballer > Dsscats
09/24/2014 at 20:06

I wish I had the vacation time.

jkm7680 > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 20:10

Jeez, that's not much at all.

How far would you be willing to go for a car?

FromCanadaWithLove > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 20:11

Probably a Volvo, somewhere. 850?

treesmakewater > jkm7680
09/24/2014 at 20:14

dont forget about that timing belt job! The 2.8 is a very reliable motor

jkm7680 > treesmakewater
09/24/2014 at 20:17

Yeah, making sure that the timing belt has already been done is a biggie. It seems like a great motor, and the only reason why it doesn't get much rep is probably the non re-programmable ECU.

For mine, Since I've had it I've only had to do expected maintenance, a $35 bottle of power steering fluid is the most I've spent.

pfftballer > FromCanadaWithLove
09/24/2014 at 20:18

Those are FWD. I already have a fwd and even with snow tires it sucks. (Golf)

FromCanadaWithLove > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 20:22

Just googled it. In Canada, we got an 850 AWD. Apparently thats the trend with most Volvos (Canada getting AWD, USA getting FWD). Move here?

treesmakewater > jkm7680
09/24/2014 at 20:43

ohh the mineral hydrolic fluid, I remember when I flushed my steering rack... My ecu is non reprogrammable (if only my car was o e year newer). The 2.8 is a good engine, especially for the a4, it is way too weak for the a6 though

jkm7680 > treesmakewater
09/24/2014 at 20:45

You've got an A6 right?

It's pretty fun with the A4, but I do wish that I could get a little bit more power out of it sometimes. But I've heard horror stories about the 1.8t so I'm sorta grateful I got it.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > pfftballer
09/24/2014 at 22:03

I am in a very similar position as you. My parents live in VA, and I am in need of a utility vehicle that I can drive to their house, that will also make it the last 2 miles up the gravel mountain pass to their driveway, and doesn't make me want to cry paying for the gas to get there.

I have been looking at the same sort of vehicles. I love the 2004-2009 Outback, but the 2.5L engine likes to eat head gaskets. I am on the hunt for the 3.0L LL Bean since it's more reliable and isn't a dog. I am not convinced the 2.5 has enough grunt to get out of it's own way, especially loaded down with a few people and their luggage.

Have you looked into the 2004-2007 Saturn Vue V6 AWD? They used the 3.5L Honda V6 and 5-speed trans. You don't even have to get the Redline trim, those years all got the same V6/trans combo with AWD.

I also looked at the Toyota 4Runner with the 3.4 V6. Only problem with those is this price range they will need work, the front transfer case can leak, so can the coolant lines by the radiator support, as well as the power-steering box.

treesmakewater > jkm7680
09/24/2014 at 22:15

Someone sold an a4 with the 4.2 swapped into it for $3.5K on my local craigslist a few months back. I wish that I had the money for it at the time

jkm7680 > treesmakewater
09/25/2014 at 07:10

Ah, You should have gotten it! That would have been awesome.

pfftballer > FromCanadaWithLove
09/25/2014 at 08:15

Actually you can get what amounts to an AWD 850 wagon here in the states but they call it a V70.

http://images.dealerrevs.com/gallery/photo.…

treesmakewater > jkm7680
09/25/2014 at 10:32

i had a feeling that the ecu needed tuning for it to work properly.

Lanka > pfftballer
09/26/2014 at 09:15

https://charlestonwv.craigslist.org/cto/4669137665…

Decent very reliable car in the winter, looks okay and decent AWD system. Not very fun but very cheap

Mine has 255k miles and still going original everything.

pfftballer > Lanka
09/26/2014 at 17:02

Nice suggestion but I wonder what the reconstructed title is all about. It may be a flood car.