Am I crazy? Tempted to take a 2006 JDM Spec.B Touring wagon over a 2017 Golf Alltrack

[DiggumWood]

tl;dr - Should I spend 10,000 dollars on a 2006 2.0GT Spec.B Wagon, that has 32,000 km ( 20k miles ) on it? It has the 5EAT with paddles and is fairly clean.

 

Here is a link to the car, if the forum lets me post it:

https://www.carsensor.net/usedcar/detail/VU5504206841/index.html?TRCD=200002&RESTID=CS210610

 

The other option is about $20,000 on a 2017 Golf Alltrack, at 6,000 miles.

 

(Actually I am in Japan, and thinking 100 yen = 1 dollar, so take 10% off those prices at current exchange for real prices.) I am drowning in Subaru here. I need help seeing the forest for the trees. Help me, oh-subi-wan!

So, family happens, and I have been tasked with finding a station wagon to go with the new house. I am very very close to getting the golf alltrack - modern, safe, sensible, and fun to drive... but not really. It's peppy but never gonna be any use at the track. It IS a great car,

 

but for half the price or less I can have an old Legacy... with looks just as good (and way better from the rear), more believable AWD, and in some cases just as much power as my old MR2 (rest in pieces, darling).

 

My main concern is with the AT transmission, and whether the car I am looking at is really worth 10k at that mileage. I have no idea. AT is necessary for the lady drivers in the house, but giving up the dual-clutch manumatic of the Golf for an old school auto is concerning. I have never met an AT that loved me back.

 

Smaller concerns; Tax on old cars here gets progressively higher, and the engine is on the large side of another tax. For better or worse, i think it is impossible to get any kind of collision insurance due to the age. the system here will just let me buy liability which would be quite cheap.

 

So.. opinions? Or has one of you already gone and swiped that car? Sorry to post such a textwall on my first post. Either of these cars will be the most expensive I have ever bought, because adult stuff. ... But the Subaru will let me stay a teenager just a little bit?

 

I will go see some legacy wagons on the weekend, including the car I linked. Love the 4th-generation styling (can't stand the later models), but they are still holding strong value for the GT models so I am wondering if $10k / 20,000 miles is a decent price.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Edit; Oh and I forgot, for a similar price there is a 2009 Outback 2.5 XT with 32k miles on it... link; https://www.carsensor.net/usedcar/detail/VU5558788675/index.html?TRCD=300001 - is that reasonable?

Edited July 28, 2021 by DiggumWood

[JMack]

I have a 2005 LGT wagon, and could not be happier with it. It is exactly what I wanted (and that was narrowed by the desire for MT, only 2005 for the wagon here in USDM).

 

Good luck, I don't want to make your choice for you, but Subaru is my make of choice.

 

*EDIT* Just looked at it, I WANT THAT CAR!!! I need that exhaust in my life. There are so many JDM parts that I want and cannot get for good pricing here...

[niembrigh]

If the purchase will make you happy then go for it.

[boxkita]

epic wagon? vw? epic wagon every time. now if the comparison was new rs6 wagon and epic wagon, we'd have to consider manual or automatic. if the rs6 wagon is manual, there's no question. if auto vs manual, its a bit harder.

[DiggumWood]

epic wagon? vw? epic wagon every time. now if the comparison was new rs6 wagon and epic wagon, we'd have to consider manual or automatic. if the rs6 wagon is manual, there's no question. if auto vs manual, its a bit harder.

Well... I agree, but I'm just wondering if that auto on the 'epic wagon' is gonna let me down. The VW has a -nice- DSG. The auto people on this forum seem pretty split down the middle on whether they like it or not..

 

I guess it will depend on the test drive. There are lots of legacies here but very few turbos left, so if that one I'm looking at is no good then chances are low to find another

 

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[DiggumWood]

If the purchase will make you happy then go for it.

Hahah yes but the issue is that I can't purchase both!

 

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[DiggumWood]

Hahah yes but the issue is that I can't purchase both!

 

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To reiterate, is 10 grand for this car at 20k miles a good deal?!

 

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[boxkita]

i'd buy the golf if you need a family car. At the age of these cars, most aren't really daily drivers. Unless all drivers are particular about car maintenance

[DiggumWood]

Well.. I took it for a drive. The automatic is nothing really special these days in stock form. The real price is more like 14 grand. The exhaust sounds AmAzIng.

 

It's still on the list I guess.

 

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[Max Capacity]

Just a heads up, I hear the state of Maine just canceled all the registrations on those type cars.

 

Watch out for other states trying the same thing.

[JMack]

Just a heads up, I hear the state of Maine just canceled all the registrations on those type cars.

 

Watch out for other states trying the same thing.

 

What is this?! Why would Maine (of all the Subaru love places) stop registering older Subaru's?

[Enlight]

Just a heads up, I hear the state of Maine just canceled all the registrations on those type cars.

 

Watch out for other states trying the same thing.

 

I believe it's only Delica's.

[boxkita]

To reiterate, is 10 grand for this car at 20k miles a good deal?!

 

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if a 20km (12k miles) legacy in that condition was posted on here stateside for 10k$? It would have 20 dm and a flock of trailers descending on the location.

 

In Japan? idk. If your life plan involves a move to the US, in a couple of years you could bring it with you.

 

tommyh lived in Japan for awhile and bought a nice jdm wagon. He immediately bought the most similar wagon stateside and spent a bit of money making it more jdm.

[GearJamr]

I'm in the unique position of having an LGT wagon and a Golf Sportwagen (an alltrak without the body cladding and raised suspension).

 

I much prefer the LGT. The Golf is an auto which doesn't help, but the "feeling" of driving is actually there in the Subaru. The Golf is an appliance, like a Corolla. No excitement, but it'll get me around. And I do have the larger 1.8T engine with AWD.

 

Oh yeah, the LGT can swallow more cargo than the Golf too.