Back after long absense, looking for new ride :)

[Phewsion]

Hey All,

Well my 99 Legacy GT got written off over a year ago and I've been driving my Nanas Toyota Vitz :'( I am now back in the market for a new ride,

I've been browsing the forums the last few days trying to see if anyone has been wondering the same things I have but not having much luck

I was wondering on peoples thoughts on 2 current possibilities 2003 Subaru Legacy GT Spec B vs 2003 Subaru Forester Cross Sports

Not exactly those 2 but they are the best of the options I could find, According to AA Ins it's about $300 cheaper per year for the Forester which I find funny, but the Forester has done far less K's and is $3000 cheaper

Problem I have is both I'd be driving to work and having to park on a side street I'm planning on installing an AVS S5 alarm + Blackhawk GPS in whichever car I get just coz I'm paranoid

Any advice, opinions welcome

Thanks

EDIT: Forester link changed

[Kiwi_Fozze]

forester not as quick, however I *think* the cross sports has all the sti forester running gear but 5spd manual and not the sti engine.

however, i personally would LOVE the cross sports... i love the forries *grin*

[Phewsion]

I test drove the Legacy but found it didn't seem to have as much room as the 99 version I think coz the handbrake got moved to the right slightly?, Was gonna test drive a Foz this week but probably run out of time I do know the Legacy Triptronic is 5spd, the Foz that I linked is cross sports Triptronic but only 4 spd? I think

That legacy has STI bits, pedals and muffler atleast, Doesn't seem to be as many 02-05 Foresters over here atleast the Turbo versions anyway

[ODB]

Purely on looks the legacy wins hands down. What model gets the 6 speed? That's the one I want lol

[Kiwi_Fozze]

the 02-05 ones, especially the sti ones are bloody hard to find.

i believe the autos are a 4eat....

but they look the sex, thats for sure

[Phewsion]

I do mostly around town driving so manuals wouldn't suit me very well, According to autotrader there are 153 Foresters on their site but 817 Legacys lol

Doesn't help that the dealers just list them as <Year> Subaru Forester, I gotta sort thru the pics to find XT or Cross Sports on rear

EDIT: Looks like I'm looking for Cross Sport for Foresters only, the XT seems to be 4spd Automatics where are the Cross is Triptronic (still unsure on 4 or 5spd) and has more options

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/subaru/forester/auction-414842316.htm Might have to change the wheels tho , Also not sure what is written on the grill

[GorGasmSpecB]

All the foresters will be 4 speed auto with different gates for shifting.

The legacy is far superior to the forester.

[Phewsion]

http://www.autobase.co.nz/cars-for-sale/Subaru/Legacy/Station-Wagon/1393885.htm That made me drool excessively

Think that 1 car made me decide on a legacy hands down lol

[GorGasmSpecB]

Not bad. All the legacy needs is a decent exhaust, IC and tune.

Or just a tune. The factory tune is a bit hesitant down low. Apart from that they handle and go brilliantly.

[ODB]

6MT.

Word.

You will be thankful you bought one when you go to resell as it will hold value significantly better.

[Kiwi_Fozze]

 ODB said:

6MT.

Word.

You will be thankful you bought one when you go to resell as it will hold value significantly better.

+1

[Phewsion]

 GorGasmSpecB said:

Not bad. All the legacy needs is a decent exhaust, IC and tune.

Or just a tune. The factory tune is a bit hesitant down low. Apart from that they handle and go brilliantly.

Tune? Plugging the ECU in to a computer and re doing settings sorta Tune? is that possible with the factory ecus on these?

I was looking at those ARC ICs on fortyone.co.nz but apparently ARC has gone bankrupt so maybe a STI IC from the same year might fit?

[funkytown]

 kwi_fozze']

[quote name='ODB said:

6MT.

Word.

You will be thankful you bought one when you go to resell as it will hold value significantly better.

/quote]

+1

experience from driving both imo the new 5speed autos are a league ahead of the earlier stuff. tiptronic is great.

I found the 6mt way to close range on the ez30, it had to much torque down low and you were forever changing up... on the turbo variant i imagine it would be more fun.

[Phewsion]

Yeh my old 99 GT was auto, test drove an 03 GTB with triptronic and definately felt a difference, even the auto shifting felt smoother, Took it out on the motor way in Grey Lynn put my foot down as much as I used too on the 99 and had to slow down as it shot past the speed limit way quicker than the 99.

Didn't seem to like doing 60 around the normal road either, accelerated quite fast so I'll need to lay off the heavy foot ;D

Also the car spoke to me in Japanese lol, something about not putting seatbelt on before turning on engine, apparently it has english in it, just can't change the maps on the nav screen, no biggy tho lotsa options on the forum from people using it for other things

[Kiwi_Fozze]

i've heard an sti ic on these leggys is a normal upgrade, and yes tune is basically plug in laptop, tune away. these ecu's are reflashable

[Phewsion]

Awesome thanks for help everyone, just made my decision much easier, Hopefully I can score that blue one before someone else does, otherwise I'll try grab the one in the first post

[cods4]

Have you considered a 3.0R? My father has a 2004 3.0R sedan and I'm really impressed with it, I'd recommend at least test driving one before you make your decision.

[boon]

Yeah my old man's EZ30R Outback goes bloody well, similar power to a WRX but it's all there as soon as you touch the go pedal.

[ODB]

 funkytown']

[quote name='ODB said:

6MT.

Word.

You will be thankful you bought one when you go to resell as it will hold value significantly better.

/quote]

+1

experience from driving both imo the new 5speed autos are a league ahead of the earlier stuff. tiptronic is great.

I found the 6mt way to close range on the ez30, it had to much torque down low and you were forever changing up... on the turbo variant i imagine it would be more fun.

Undoubtedly so but I never questioned the quality of the tiptronic merely the substantially better way the 6MT will hold value.

[Phewsion]

 cods4 said:

Have you considered a 3.0R? My father has a 2004 3.0R sedan and I'm really impressed with it, I'd recommend at least test driving one before you make your decision.

As it's a 3L engine wouldn't it be more guzzly on the gas? They are roughly the same price as the 2l turbo models so I could test drive one, Just a bit worried on the gas usage.

Also someone told me to test drive a Mazda Atenza but they don't look as sexy from the front heh ;s

[GorGasmSpecB]

Both the 3.0 and 2.0 turbo use similar amounts of gas. I have both.

The turbo is better on the open road, the 3.0 is better in mixed driving.

If they are both auto then the turbo will be much faster. It has more torque and power.

The 3.0 sounds better and has better response but it really needs the 6 Speed to make it shine.

[Phewsion]

 GorGasmSpecB said:

Both the 3.0 and 2.0 turbo use similar amounts of gas. I have both.

The turbo is better on the open road, the 3.0 is better in mixed driving.

If they are both auto then the turbo will be much faster. It has more torque and power.

The 3.0 sounds better and has better response but it really needs the 6 Speed to make it shine.

Sweet thanks for the explanation.

Just on another note, I thought the only difference between GT and GT Spec B were Bilsteins? But I see GTBs advertised with the 18" but no Bilstein badge, and GTs with normal 17" that has a bilstein badge D:

[GorGasmSpecB]

Just have a look and check the shocks, they should be yellow. I think most imports are have billies, GT or GTB. The badge isn't always there.

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