Guys! Your opinion on this *other* car please...

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/car/622903949.html

or

a 05 Legacy gt 2.5 ltd mt wagon?

Try to be unbiased please.

Thanks in advance.

Not sure I understand the comparison actually..

a 6 year old BMW that carries some status with low power and is somewhat luxurious at least for 2002 standards, vs. a 3 year old much higher power larger car that is less luxurious but has far better reliability.

Thanks gang!

That pretty much sums it up for me!

The BMW leatherette is awful.. I spent about 3 minutes sitting on it in the summer at the BMW dealership and let's just say there is no veltalation whatsoever. The Legacy seats are somewhat comfortable (I don't have any problems even after driving all day, and the leather is real and perforrated so it will be nicer to sit on in the summer)

BMWs leatherette is better than Subarus real leather.

My mom currently has a '04 X5 with 119k miles and it has never had a problem. The only thing shes had to do is put on new tires, twice.

Service is pretty expensive though... but you are treated very well and they will also give you a free loaner car if you need one.

Dream car? Just curious, but why? Sure it has some nicer interior bits and may ride a bit better, but the engine is no match in any way.

Now make it a 335ix wagon, or 335d wagon and I start to dream

I very strongly considered a '03-'05 BMW 325xi. It remains my dream car and I still occasionally wonder if I should have gone for it. However, the Legacy is just a much more sensible vehicle to purchase: newer, faster, more reliable, similar handling, better price.

Ferrari 360=dream car.

 

BMWs leatherette is better than Subarus real leather.

I would take the Subaru here.

I'm not biased, as I currently own a BMW.

The Subie is a rare model, will retain its value, is easily moddable, and will likely be a lot more fun to drive given the extra power. That particular car (the BMW) is one of the slowest recent bimmers ever made.

With the added weight of the AWD + of the wagon, it's slooooooooow.

The 323 had the M54B25 2.5 liter engine. This 325 has the M54B25TU 2.5 liter, which has 9 more horses (184 vs 175) BUT it lost 10 lbs of torque ( from 185 to 175) in the process, so off the line, it's slow as crap, which is even more obvious given this model's weight.

Of course, if you're looking for some prestige in a car while retaining excellent handling manners, then buy the BMW. Just don't expect to much aftermarket support for an AWD wagon with the facelift body style.

The Bimmer owner is selling it because -- at that mileage -- he's about to get hit with some big repair bills. Along with others on here, I say stay away.

Over on the Boxster board, we have guys all the time who want to get into a used one but can barely scrape up the money for the purchase alone. To own a Porsche, especially one out of warranty, you need to set aside a "repair fund" of a few thousand dollars. (You're talking $250 for an oil change unless you do it yourself.) We tell them they're better off in a newer Miata or S2000, where they'll have a lot of enjoyment, a lot fewer headaches and a fatter wallet at the end of the day.

The BMWs are great cars, but at a certain price limit, you're better off with a Legacy IMHO.

 

BMWs leatherette is better than Subarus real leather.

The German leatherette is crap and BMW and Mercedes should be ashamed for putting that stuff in cars that cost so much. My only side-by-side comparison is between an '08 2.5i limited and an '05 Boxster S. So far, for softness and quality feel, the Subaru wins. Same with the steering wheel leather. The Porsche has more of a natural leather smell. We'll see which wears better. The leather in my wife's Outback ('08 LL Bean) seems to have more of a rubbery feel to it.