Thanks for all the feedback so far.

Believe me, I understand about not being competitive in GS with an SVX; I used to autocross a 1993 Honda Prelude in GS, and those Coopers are *scary* fast. The thing is, I'm already in a class that I can't win with my current car and budget (SM), so I'm not too concerned about being competitive, but rather more interested in having fun. Fun is inversely proportional to bad wheel bearings and warped rotors, it would seem to me. :-)

I realized that in my original post, I didn't really explain what led me to the SVX as a possible solution to my problems. Aside from being in the right price range, I've always liked the styling of the car. I would like to get a car that's all-wheel drive, so that I can actually get out of my driveway in the morning during the winter. Finally, after years of driving underpowered four cylinder cars, I have really enjoyed the 6 cylinder torque in my BMW, and I don't relish the thought of going back to a four; even if it might be a fun little car like an Impreza.

Plus, everybody on this board seems to have similar priorities to mine: enjoy your car! :-)

Thanks again, and feel free to offer up any thoughts...

-Brandon