Need advice on buying 2005-2009 MT Legacy / Outback

[Dave_Mountain_Man]

Hey guys. It has been ages since I have posted, now I'm back in Colorado driving my wife's old 1999 Legacy sedan / 5-speed.

I'm looking to buy a 2005 - 2009 Legacy / Outback wagon with 5-speed manual transmission. No turbo (due to maintenance / reliability).

Any advice on which years may be better than others or years / stuff to avoid?

My goal is a sporty wagon, manual transmission, very reliable, long life span with decent gas mileage. It has to be good for winter mountain driving in the snow and light off-roading.

Thanks in advance for your insight.

I love manual transmissions & spirited driving. It saddens me they are fading from availability.

[goblake]

I would choose 2007, though it is a bit difficult to find.

[rkrenicki]

I would choose 2007, though it is a bit difficult to find.

Out of curiosity, why is this? What is special about the 2007 model year that makes it better than any of the others in the generation?