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Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
20,065
10,630
AK
I will be back in "...gotta find wheels..." mode in the next few weeks. Thinking about another Subaru, another Tacoma or maybe a BMW wagon...
The BMW wagon is a pipe dream. The F30 series sucked so bad, so even if you find those, the steering is all screwed up and suspension bad. N20 engines grenaded with plastic timing belt guides around 70k miles. The previous gen was decent, but long in the tooth and hard to find. Current gen doesn't come to US, maybe not even to NA? But has significantly improved steering and suspension. Better off finding a mercedes E wagon IMO.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,674
14,076
In a van.... down by the river
The BMW wagon is a pipe dream. The F30 series sucked so bad, so even if you find those, the steering is all screwed up and suspension bad. N20 engines grenaded with plastic timing belt guides around 70k miles. The previous gen was decent, but long in the tooth and hard to find. Current gen doesn't come to US, maybe not even to NA? But has significantly improved steering and suspension. Better off finding a mercedes E wagon IMO.
All that being said...

@JohnE - you need to find a BMW wagon and buy it... if not for yourself, for us. For *our* entertainment. :monkey:
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,526
2,139
Front Range, dude...
I have a little VW Tiguan, US Spec. But the job may not be paying for the shipment of my stuff back Stateside, so I am shedding as much as I can, car included...

But not bikes, music or hockey stuff.

#priorities
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,526
2,139
Front Range, dude...
The BMW wagon is a pipe dream. The F30 series sucked so bad, so even if you find those, the steering is all screwed up and suspension bad. N20 engines grenaded with plastic timing belt guides around 70k miles. The previous gen was decent, but long in the tooth and hard to find. Current gen doesn't come to US, maybe not even to NA? But has significantly improved steering and suspension. Better off finding a mercedes E wagon IMO.
No likey??

 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
20,065
10,630
AK
Do you like a "dead spot" in the middle of your steering? Where there is no resistance and the car seems to wander? The suspension is pretty bad and there's a class-action lawsuit for the engine timing guide, they have to replace it, but you need to make sure it's either been replaced or do it right away. You couldn't get m-sport suspension on any x-drive model, so if you ordered an m-sport package, it left this important part out which makes up most of the m-sport experience. The x-drive models are essentially lifted, in their architecture, they didn't have space for the x-drive stuff, so they lifted the car to make the space, as compared to the RWD versions. The active suspension helps keep it from being a diving super-soft chassis in the sport mode, but it only goes so far. The newest generation 3 and 4s finally solve this, with dedicated awd platforms and available sport suspension, vs. the 5 and later series that had already done this years ago. Not horrible cars, but just know all of this heading into it.
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,526
2,139
Front Range, dude...
I get it...have heard horror stories. We are on our 4th now, and have had little/no problems with any of them so far. So far. I play hockey with an insurance adjuster, and he is no fan of them either. Expensive to repair, but I have driven them into the ground. 230k miles on #1 before I sold it, 110k on #2 before it was eaten by an F350. 3 and 4 are still in service with the Frau and the boy. I have a guy who works exclusively on Subbies and Toyotas, and he has taken good care of us over the years...
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
21,898
21,424
Canaderp
I know its probably a slow process, but I imagine one or two butts puckered on the tow boat, while being attached to the sinking ship.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
21,898
21,424
Canaderp