[Vicegrip]

From a money point of view it would gall me to pay almost full value for something that I have been forking $ over for years to start with.

(CAUTION an opinion and boring old folks kind of crap to follow)
Look at the money, not the car. Ether car will work to get you and your stuff around and in that light they are the same. Which car would be payment free first? Go with that one and get out of the car payment loop. Cars are just cars. They do not make you someone or something you are not. If you think they do you don’t get it yet. I don't think you in any way fall into this but some people do.

Why do I think this? In 1986 I bought a truck and made 4 years of payments and after the payments stopped in 90 I just kept making the payments to myself into a mutual fund for the next 10 years. Drove the wheels off the truck and wrote a check for the one I now have with a small portion of the interest earned from the mutual fund. Some of the interest, I used no principal at all. I still have all of MY money that I paid in and a good amount of money it earned while working for me. We bought the kiddy hauler outright the same way same fund. I am forever off of the car payment treadmill as the "car fund" is still intact and building up for the next car. The only pain involved was driving one truck for its entire service life. Funny how people crap their pants about an $800 repair bill but make don't mind making $500 car payments every month.

Take the time up front and become your own car loan bank. It is a good paying gig.

[Greg]

Kurt - Excellent Point !


My .02
Keep the Subaru

Having owned its cousin the Passat 1.8T it has been nothing but headaches.
ABS mod died, Ignition mod died twice (once under warranty), axle, tie rods. The car has stranded me twice, All within 106k. Having owned 3 Hondas, a Lexus & Mitsu I can only say - solid, reliable cars (but not fun to drive which is where the P car comes in ).

[CrewChief]

The Audi (or VW or BMW or Porsche) is not nearly so 'durable' as the Subaru. Individual cars vary of course; but the odds are the Subaru will be much less expensive to have around.

On the other hand, value of the 'Tuetonic Driving Feel' and driving pleasure vs plain utilitarian value is a personal choice. (For example: I'm such an old fart I wouldn't even consider a daily driver with a stick shift!)

[Parenn911]

Unless the Subie is a STi, I'd keep the Audi.

[jpinkert]

Very good point Kurt. I own all of my cars outright as well and have set up a 'car fund' to cover maintenance costs and future replacement. I doubt that the interest from that will do anything for me for quite a while, though. Of course, this all applies to non-Porsches. There's a separate fund for Porsches.

I'd keep the skubidoo. Faster (I think) and it's a real sleeper.

[racer]

Kurt makes a vaild point about the money. As of now the Subie is owned free and clear. It would be sold to have the Audi "free and clear". In that regard, the Subaru is already a "cheaper" car financially. We will get to enjoy more payments when the new "family vehicle" is acquired...

I think Josh summed up the two rather well, and I guess that is my struggle. At times I love the subie for its "roughness" - tinny doors, strong motor, "cheap" looking materials that I don't mind if they get over used at times. The Audi is a great highway car.. smooth, quiet, much better low end torque, better materials as well.

[cmartin]

How's the resale on the Audi? A friend sold a late 90's a6 for ~4k a few months ago, seemed way cheap for a nearly perfect car.

[TD in DC]

I agree 100% with Kurt's assessment. Finances should play a big part in your thinking about which car to keep, far more than any image issues.

Within your own personal financial limits, however, I do think that there is merit to being "illogical" at times. Forget what others think . . . what puts a grin on your face even when you are completely alone? Life is short, and it is important to suck the marrow out of every day. At nearly every price range, there is usually a vehicle that will put a grin on your face more than the vehicle that makes the most intellectual sense.

From a strictly intellectual sense, we probably all should be driving Hyundai's as daily drivers . . . I just don't want to

Since the "happy factor" has nothing to do with image or logic, it will be totally personal and will vary from person to person. As such, my advice on whether you should pick the Subie or Audi is pretty worthless. Sounds like neither option would be bad.

[markwemple]

I voted Audi but, I'm biased. Plus, after 100k I would think the Audi would be more reliable. Screwed together better with better materials. Now, if it were an STI I would enthusiastically change my vote. (BTW I prefer wagons to sedans - look better and both are towards the pratical side that a 911 so why not go full practical yet sporty but and Audi is an Audi).