an S4 isnt for a person with a $10k budget. not being mean, it just isnt. maintanence is very expensive, and they are quite temperamental. as a current audi owner, you must have gotten a good one. :lol: everyone i know that had a bad one, will never buy another audi again. :lol: :lol: im assuming you have a B5?? i was looking into them a bit, and as far as quality and reliability go, i was told to find myself a B7 2.0T. those are supposedly much better than the previous generations.
as for subaru. its like the toyota/honda thing. they're great cars and they last forever. but if you've always driven heavier cars, it will always feel like a tin can to you. thats just how it is. doesnt mean its bad, or its cheap. it just is what it is i guess.
and yes, all legacys come with manual trans'.
if i were searching for a DD right now, i would certainly look into getting a subaru legacy or outback. even a forester would be nice. although i dont feel it necessary to own a car with all wheel drive. ESPECIALLY if its your only car. IMO, all cars should be rwd. BUT, if its a 2nd car, and you already have atleast 1 rwd car, i dont see an issue with having awd.
you may also be able to find a jetta TDI for 10k. might be something worth looking into. it surely doesnt have awd, but TDI with a manual trans will get you roughly 55mpg on the highway.

if you could find a wagon with a 5 speed and diesel, send me the link.
oh, as far as the WRX, if your familiar with the terminology, watch out for the bugeye transmissions. obviously, being that the bugeye's were the first of the wrx's here, they're going to be the cheapest. they have been said to have "glass transmissions". just a heads up.