The majority of new vehicles on the market these days have four passenger doors and a large rear hatch that open onto a cargo area. It’s not a new idea; it just took years for it to catch on here in the US. (We had to raise them up and put black plastic fender flares on them to make them` “cool” enough.) It’s an incredibly useful and practical way to arrange a car, so it’s no wonder it’s popular. One of these two is more wagon-y and the other more hatchback-y, but the basic idea is the same.
Yesterday we looked at a couple of cheap sedans in California, close in price but decades apart in age. I really didn’t know how this one was going to go down. A lot of you really loved that old Benz, rust and all, but for some of you that affection was a negative; the Sentra gained some votes precisely because it was something you didn’t have to care about. In the end, though, the old 240D lives to fight another day.
I really love the idea of the old Mercedes, and I really have trouble with the idea of spending money on something that feels like a rental car like that Sentra. The rust on the 240D doesn’t scare me, but the lack of air conditioning does; I worry that the interior smells like sweat covered up by patchouli. If it passes the sniff test, however, it’s Benz all the way for me.
I enjoy picking out cars for this feature, but if someone else wants to put in the legwork and give me a break, I’m all for it. Today’s cars were a suggestion on Opposite Lock, and they’re a great matchup: same basic shape, close in size, close in price, both stickshifts, and both with large sunroofs. But although they arrive at roughly the same place, they get there in very different ways. Let’s check them out and see which one you prefer.
2001 Subaru Forester S – $2,750
Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter OHC flat-4, five-speed manual, AWD
Location: Cheshire, CT
Odometer reading: 174,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
I’m not generally much of a Subaru fan, as regular readers are probably aware, but if I ever did go for one, a Forester would probably be my second choice. (First choice? A Brat, duh.) I like the tall boxy look of them, especially these early ones, and they’re a good size: not too big, not too small. It’s just a pity that you have to go back twenty-five years to find one as refreshingly free of bullshit as this one is.
Mechanically, the first-generation Forester is just a tall Impreza with a Legacy engine in it, a 2.5-liter version of Subaru’s famous flat-four. It’s all-wheel-drive, of course, and this one has a five-speed manual gearbox. Because of the relation to the Impreza, enthusiasts have found that lots of WRX parts bolt right on to a Forester, such as the lower and tighter suspension struts. This car has been so lowered, and it’s one of the few instances where I think reducing a car’s ride height actually improves its looks. It has had a lot of other work done, and it runs and drives fine, but the check-engine light is on. Why? It has no catalytic converters. Why do people do that? If you live in a place where you need to do emissions testing, you’ll need to put them back, and even if not, you probably should anyway.
This is the higher-trim S model, so it comes with all sorts of goodies like heated seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. If you’re looking for a nice, plain-jane Subaru station wagon, you’ll have to look elsewhere, like maybe 1983. It looks really nice inside, especially for the mileage. The seller doesn’t say much about the functional status of anything except for the air conditioning and heat, which both work fine. I guess that’s the important stuff.
Outside, things aren’t quite as rosy. The seller doesn’t say what happened to this car, but my guess is that a tree limb fell on it. There are dents all over the roof, including this nasty one on the A-pillar which cracked a corner of the windshield. If you live someplace that requires inspections, and they’re not cool with the cracks in the glass, this probably isn’t the car for you. Fixing that sheetmetal to fit a new windshield in is going to get expensive. At least the falling branch missed the sunroof.
2008 Saturn Astra XR – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Newport, PA
Odometer reading: 127,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Saturn’s S-series was a great little car. It was durable, reliable, and if equipped right, more fun than you’d expect. Unfortunately, after the S-series ran its course, GM chose to replace it with the weird, trouble-prone Ion. Nobody liked it nearly as much, and sales fell. After the Ion, Saturn turned to GM’s European arm, Opel, for a suitable small car. Enter the Astra. It was a much better successor to the S-series than the Ion ever was, but it was also too little too late. It didn’t sell well, and Saturn didn’t last much longer. But if you can find a used Astra, you won’t be disappointed. They’re nice cars to drive.
Instead of Saturn’s unique “Power Module,” the Astra uses GM’s Ecotec four-cylinder, displacing 1.8 liters. Here it drives the front wheels through a five-speed manual. It’s a nice combination, not especially fast, but well-matched to the car. This one runs and drives just fine, though it has an exhaust leak causing a check-engine light. The seller suspects it’s a cheap aftermarket header that’s to blame. If you can find a factory exhaust manifold to replace it with, that and some new gaskets should solve the problem. It does have a new catalytic converter, so that’s something.
It’s an XR model, and a pretty fancy one at that, with heated leather seats and a great big sunroof. This is the only image we get of the inside, but it looks pretty good. It has an aftermarket touchscreen stereo, which I’m personally not a fan of, but some people seem to like them. The seller says the stalk for the windshield wipers is broken, but the wipers still work fine.
It’s missing some clearcoat on the outside, but otherwise it looks fine – except that somebody spray-painted the wheels black. Why? That’s a trend that really needs to die off. I wonder how hard it would be to strip the black paint off? And could you do it with the tires still on, or would it have to wait until they needed replacement?
If you’re willing to do a little tinkering, either one of these would make a more-interesting-than-average beater. But they definitely will need a little work. Which one are you more willing to wrench on?
About time for another wheel bearing and head gasket set in that Subaru.
I test drove an Astra and found it pretty enjoyable to drive. Gimme the German GM.
I remember seeing a very lightly used Astra hatch in the showroom of a VW dealership once, years ago. Not a bad looking car, up until that point I didn’t even know they sold them here. That’s what I voted for today.
Honestly I would have voted for the Subaru, but I’d want a new windshield. The damage on the A pillar will almost certainly need to be repaired to install a new windshield, which is more work than I’d want to put into a sub-$3k car. No emissions testing here so no cats is no problem.
Former rusty Astra owner, good luck finding parts! Especially body panels and lights. The reat of the car is pretty darn sound and even sick jump rated. Plus ace hardware bolts thread right in when your wheel falls off twice due to improper wheel bolt thread engagement 😀
Bummer. Was all set to vote Subaru but between the CEL and the missing cat, it’s a no. The dent and the crack in the windshield don’t bother me but the stupid crap like the cat removal and unnecessary lowering of the car do. So, I guess I’m voting Astra and am hoping that the CEL is only related to the exhaust leak.
The Astra is clearly the better car, but I know Subaru has its fanbois that will defend anything they do 😛
Get a smoke machine and find the exhaust leak.
I voted for the red car.
Well, I know a Subaru guy who could do anything I may not be up to do, and at least there’s parts all over the place because, well, Subaru, so that’s a pick for the Subie.
I almost bought an Astra for the kiddo but it sold before I could get to it. A very under-demetiated car. Quite a good car for the prices at which they usually transact.
This one is tough. A good first gen Forester from the next town over versus a car I drove in Europe for a year and LOVED. Went with love, as that has been working out for me lately.
For me it’s not I’ll take the Astra because I know Subarus. I’ll take the Astra because it looks quite nice while that particular Subaru is a used up pile of shit. I don’t mind the lowering on its own but once you combine that with emissions system removal and un-repaired damage my spidey senses tell me to stay the hell away.
Same. I like Subarus but this one is used up, and not the car’s fault.
One one hand: This generation’s Forester’s interior is awful. In fact, that era of Subarus had horrid interiors that were all loud, hard, crude, and just plain bad.
On the other hand: it’s my fave generation for styling of the Forester.
This vote is going for the Astra. It’s a genuinely, all around, good car.
Saturn….I suppose it could be a harder choice if the forester were not partially Hot Boi’d out. But not likely either. the Saturn for the price, if running well enough is an excellent beginner car, especially since it has the manual trans to force newb’s to learn that dying skill.
In defense of the Forester’s suspension: the stock springs are very soft. Aftermarket lowering springs could provide a more stable ride without being too harsh on this car.
Subie will never pass emissions as-is I think in MA, even being that old. But I could be wrong.
So – I picked the Opel
you have to know a guy. But to be honest, it should just have had some lower cost aftermarket units installed, nobody is going to mistake the thing for anything other than a Forester, so fart canning to get someone to look is unnecessary.
It’s too old to get an emissions test in MA. Vehicles are exempt when they become 15 years old.
It will likely fail for that cracked windshield, tho. And possibly for exhaust if it’s noticeably louder without those cats.
Loud doesn’t matter unless it leaks. My Saab had a loud exhaust, but it didn’t leak, so it passed multiple years
Its old enough to not get tested, but missing cat would depend on the station if they care.
I voted for the Astra. It is fine.
I prefer the Subaru, but the lack of catalytic converters is a deal breaker. Daily drivers should have intact and functioning emissions equipment.
I want to be able to drive my fun cars without dealing with onerous emissions laws. The best way to do that is to ensure our boring cars are as clean/legal as possible. There is no sense giving environmentalists reasons to want additional laws or more rigorous enforcement of current laws.
I could use a Winter Beater. So without much further ado, the Subie-Doo will do.
The Astra. A good pressure wash might make the wheels silver again. Then find an exhaust manifold and you’d be good to go.
I’ll take the reasonably clean interior Subaru. Better the devil you know, I guess, and no inspections here in Ohio. But before I drop the cash, I need a look under that SF on a lift.
On the Astra, I’m not sure I want a car that somebody rattle-canned the chrome black on. That screams wanna be boy racer, more style than maintenance.
In honor of my old and beloved 2000 2.5RS, I’ll take the Forester. The Astra isn’t bad, but the plasti-dip garbage is obnoxious.
I’ll take the Forester, even though the cat delete is… concerning.
First and second generation Foresters are crossover done right, more in the vein of an AWD Matrix/Vibe than anything, and I’ve always liked the boxy look. And the interior looks like it’s very well maintained.
The Astra… normally I’d be more about it but spray-painted black wheels are a big red flag for me.
Company car 25 years ago in Germany was the previous gen Opel Astra. No thank you-Subie all the way
Opel Astras F to H are like reverse Miatas – they’re never the answer. Subaru it is.
Looks like this is Rallycross candidate week!
While the Subaru is the right tool for this job, the Saturn will be capable with the right tires, and probably specced in a lower class. So I’m going for the Astra today.
If that Subie were closer, I’d be tempted to buy it myself. Started with an ’01 2.5RS then an ’02 WRX, so I’m familiar with the models (and their issues). Rallycross is always the answer.
On that end of the price range I think a potentially sorted Forester with a cosmetic blemish is a better bet than an orphaned Saturn that already has at least one potentially unobtanium part broken. With the Subaru, that replacement windshield I suspect could be accomplished with minimal metal re-work and lots of window weld. For a beater car that’s plenty.
The Forester is so good looking. I love those things.
I’ll take my chances with the Subaru. Having AWD for only $250 more is worth it to me as a winter beater even if it just lasted a year or two