I spotted a volvo xc70 in the local classifieds last night. Was a bit miley though.
Thinking along similar lines i suppose subaru legacy might fit the bill, or possibly an alfa estate.
In truth the only cars I aspire to own are tvr cerbera and lotus elise. Neither of which present the opportunity to liberate the house cash
my advice keep away from the XC70, they love churning up the 4x4 system and damaging the G/BOX expensive at about £1800 to put right
The pre-2002 ones did anyway. The latter 2.5T ones (as opposed to early 2.4T) or D5 models are a lot more robust.
One thing worth noting though is that they are wallowy old berthas - giving absolutely no indication of what the front end is doing - or the level of grip it has. If you want that sort of car the A6 Allroad is the better all-rounder - just avoid the 4.2 V8 (nasty chain arrangement which won't last a lifetime) and the 2.7TT (shockingly bad fuel economy). The 180ps TDI is the one to go for - but check the air suspension. They are pretty solid cars but tend to lead hard lives - after all they will tow 2100kg. Avoid any Audi with the Multitronic gearbox (A4 3.0 petrol). The Tiptronic is solid though (Diesels and A6).
If you like your Estates fairly hot the V70R is fast but fairly fragile. The VW Passat W8 is very rare but appears to be capable of stellar KMs without excessive dramas. The S6 also seems to age very well.
I have run a Saab 9-3 estate for the last 18mths as my practical car - and it has been superb. Great ride/seats and low noise make it a fantastic cruise. It can be pushed on pretty hard too - thanks in part to Saabs clever rear suspension. Prices are low and reliability is not Audi-esque.
