Epicmango Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Looking for a car to replace my very trusty 94 accord which just hit 190k and still wants moar Been looking at the 2007 and up Legacy GT's. Obviously they are factory boosted and I was just wondering if its realistic to expect to reach 190k on the thing like my accord. I'm not stupid with cars, but I can't exactly rip apart a block. Besides that I definitely plan to keep up with the maintenance of the car, so thats not an issue. Of course I do plan to hoon it but responsibly. Most of the time I will be driving it responsibly rarely rarely reaching redline, keeping my boost under control. Nice smooth times shifts, I'm going to treat her like a woman....nice and smooth when she needs it, hard and rough when she (and I) want it Any insight on factory boosted cars in general? Maybe some empircal insight on the 4th gen legacy's themselves.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redryan98 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I haven't been around here toooooo long, but have done quite a bit of research. Its possible, but doubtful the original turbo will last to 200k miles. Personally, while it may last I'd be so worried about it failing that I would change it well before. If the turbo goes, there's a very good chance it will cause engine damage. I'd rather replace the turbo as preventative maintenance than risk having to purchase a new engine. My 07 has 55k and if I keep it that long, I'll be doing timing belt kit and turbo around 90k. As with most cars, maintenance is key. Even more important with Turbo'd cars. Make sure you get maintenance records and have it inspected if you have ANY concerns about the car's past. Walk if they can't prove its had oil changes every 3k miles. Ask if the timing belt and tensioners have been replaced, and the banjo bolt filter removed/replaced. Set aside $500-$1000 for maintenance/repairs after you buy the car. If maintained well it should give you years of reliable performance. **Maintenance before mods** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrendelGT Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 If you're just looking for a good car, don't consider the LGT. There are quite a few new cars out their that are a blast to drive and would last you a very long time. Financing often brings the cost down similar to a good used car. Now, if you want AWD for traction if you live in a place with crappy weather (stop reading and go fill in your profile now). Welcome back. If AWD is something you want, despite the cost of maintenance, definitely keep looking here! Is turbo power and excitement something you want despite the cost of maintenance? If yes, debate between the WRX and LGT. If not, I highly recommend looking at the N/A Forester. Great car, plenty of space, enjoyable to drive, modifiable, decent fuel economy. The Legacy 2.5 also provides the same things, but in a different and less convenient package. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Ned Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 There's absolutely no reason to swap out a turbo at 90K "just because". My '02 WRX had 130K miles on it when the wife survived a 40MPH head-on in it. My current '10 LGT has 107K. Neither has ever given the slightest burp from the turbo. Use good-quality synthetic oil at reasonable change intervals and you shouldn't have any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stroker ace Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 There's absolutely no reason to swap out a turbo at 90K "just because". My '02 WRX had 130K miles on it when the wife survived a 40MPH head-on in it. My current '10 LGT has 107K. Neither has ever given the slightest burp from the turbo. Use good-quality synthetic oil at reasonable change intervals and you shouldn't have any problems. I have to agree. My '02 wrx has a little over 175,000 miles, my '06 LGT 110,000 miles. The wife's '05 LGT wagon had 215,000 on it when we traded it in on a '13 3.6R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicmango Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 I haven't been around here toooooo long, but have done quite a bit of research. Its possible, but doubtful the original turbo will last to 200k miles. Personally, while it may last I'd be so worried about it failing that I would change it well before. If the turbo goes, there's a very good chance it will cause engine damage. I'd rather replace the turbo as preventative maintenance than risk having to purchase a new engine. My 07 has 55k and if I keep it that long, I'll be doing timing belt kit and turbo around 90k. As with most cars, maintenance is key. Even more important with Turbo'd cars. Make sure you get maintenance records and have it inspected if you have ANY concerns about the car's past. Walk if they can't prove its had oil changes every 3k miles. Ask if the timing belt and tensioners have been replaced, and the banjo bolt filter removed/replaced. Set aside $500-$1000 for maintenance/repairs after you buy the car. If maintained well it should give you years of reliable performance. **Maintenance before mods** This I fully understand. Infact I do plan to replace the turbo around 100k. I've been doing a LOT of research on the Legacy GT and I'm ONLY settling with the 2007+ models, one because of the built in aux, and two because the VF46 turbo seems to have a substantially better reliability record than the VF40 However it seems that most VF40 blowouts are from the Banjo filter and the bolt. Because of this fact alone, I've decided I'm only going to be buying my Legacy from a subaru dealership. Seems the VF46 models are much better to buy. I know that I need maintenance, some minor some major. My accord had to get a new tranny around 160k, so I know how that feels. Looking at Subaru's around my area, it seems realistic that I can get a model with around 65,009-80,000 for the price I'm looking at which is around 10-16k. Lets say you guys bought a 2008 Legacy GT with 80,000 miles on it from a Subaru dealership. What would the first couple things you would do? Replace the turbo? Oil change? Banjo Filter and bolt? Timing belt??? Also. Turbo Timer....is it something I should look into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doobaruGT Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I've got 165K on my engine and I only recently swapped the turbo. Old turbo had normal signs of wear, but I was religious about my OCI's. SOA sites turbo failures as a result of oil starvation more than most symptoms. I like the "maintenance before mods" expression above. Good motto. FWIW, I NEVER changed, removed, or cleaned my banjo. When I swapped turbos it was clean as a whistle. As for GrendelGT's comment "If you're just looking for a reliable car, don't consider the LGT", it sounds as though there may be something anecdotal about that comment. There is some great info on here and there's something to be said about the folks with high post counts and donating member statuses. Be wise in whom you trust. GL with your decision. Updated parts list since original part-out here. Original Full part-out of my LGT HERE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Buy another honda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stroker ace Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 This I fully understand. Infact I do plan to replace the turbo around 100k. I've been doing a LOT of research on the Legacy GT and I'm ONLY settling with the 2007+ models, one because of the built in aux, and two because the VF46 turbo seems to have a substantially better reliability record than the VF40 However it seems that most VF40 blowouts are from the Banjo filter and the bolt. Because of this fact alone, I've decided I'm only going to be buying my Legacy from a subaru dealership. Seems the VF46 models are much better to buy. I know that I need maintenance, some minor some major. My accord had to get a new tranny around 160k, so I know how that feels. Looking at Subaru's around my area, it seems realistic that I can get a model with around 65,009-80,000 for the price I'm looking at which is around 10-16k. Lets say you guys bought a 2008 Legacy GT with 80,000 miles on it from a Subaru dealership. What would the first couple things you would do? Replace the turbo? Oil change? Banjo Filter and bolt? Timing belt??? Also. Turbo Timer....is it something I should look into? Drive it, the dealer should have changed the oil(they do around here). The banjo filter bolt I would replace because you have no idea how how the maintenance(oil changed) was performed and may have sludge/coke build up IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEE-OTTO Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I'd skip the LGT altogether either buy another Accord or a non turbo Legacy like a 2.5i or 3.0r. Yes proper maintenance is key to any vehicle but in some cases freak failures occur (ringlands, oil pickup, etc) you cant help. The problem is a boxer cost a lot more to replace than your typical I-4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicmango Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 I'd skip the LGT altogether either buy another Accord or a non turbo Legacy like a 2.5i or 3.0r. Yes proper maintenance is key to any vehicle but in some cases freak failures occur (ringlands, oil pickup, etc) you cant help. The problem is a boxer cost a lot more to replace than your typical I-4. That 3.0r sounded nice! Almost similar HP figures...torques off...but just a second slower to 60 with a naturally aspirated engine doesn't sound bad... Except the 3.0r US is only Auto.... Sorry. I'm already on an Auto tranny that had to get replaced, I'm not going to stick with Auto lol. Plus as a car guy, I want to DRIVE my car, not let it drive for me. I'm still atleast a year off from a purchase so I am still deciding between factory boosted or aspirated and just live with it until I can spend money on a real brand new boosted car.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berzerklo Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 There are clearly examples of turbo legacies lasting up the the 200k mark. All of it really comes down to maintenance (and a little bit of luck if you are looking at the 05's). So if you are going to buy a used one, be patient and do your homework, and get it inspected by a mechanic that knows their way around a Subaru. So the LGT can make it that long, but you have to also realize that a Honda Accord is one of the lowest cost of ownership vehicles out there. The cost of ownership for an LGT will be significantly higher than an Accord. It's not like owning a Jag or an MB, but premium gas, synthetic oil changes, tires, insurance and all the bits and pieces that need to be maintained add up. Just some food for thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicmango Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 There are clearly examples of turbo legacies lasting up the the 200k mark. All of it really comes down to maintenance (and a little bit of luck if you are looking at the 05's). So if you are going to buy a used one, be patient and do your homework, and get it inspected by a mechanic that knows their way around a Subaru. So the LGT can make it that long, but you have to also realize that a Honda Accord is one of the lowest cost of ownership vehicles out there. The cost of ownership for an LGT will be significantly higher than an Accord. It's not like owning a Jag or an MB, but premium gas, synthetic oil changes, tires, insurance and all the bits and pieces that need to be maintained add up. Just some food for thought! I will be getting a 07+ model with the built in AUX because thats a requirement for me, but also because there seems to be a much more reliable track record with the VF46 turbo than the VF40 found on the 05-06 models. I think I'm prepared for that extra expense...I think. We shall see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex843 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I've got 170k on my 05. Still rolling on the original clutch. Car has been really reliable. Just keep an eye on your oil level. i h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrendelGT Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 My big point, which seemed to get lost, is that this is a car you need to love to buy. I don't love my old eclipse anymore, and even though it has been good to me I don't want to put any more money or time into it. The Legacy's maintenance requirements had me a little scared at first but after some research I know I'm going to love the car enough that it won't bother me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redryan98 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 There's absolutely no reason to swap out a turbo at 90K "just because". My '02 WRX had 130K miles on it when the wife survived a 40MPH head-on in it. My current '10 LGT has 107K. Neither has ever given the slightest burp from the turbo. Use good-quality synthetic oil at reasonable change intervals and you shouldn't have any problems. Your probably right, it is quite possible the turbo will last a long time but the chance it fails increases with age. I just happen to have spend the better part of the last four years in the BMW E46 world where preventative maintenance is the name of the game and that's how I've been conditioned. Compared to the E46 the LGT is pretty easy to take care of but I do want to address anything that could potentially cause a catastrophic failure. To me, piece of mind is worth the price. I say that now though, with the odometer at just over 55k. We'll see how I feel when I get there and how fat my wallet is at the time, of if I even get there at all. I'm actually half toying with selling the car now while its still worth something and getting an 08+ accord V6 coupe 6speed... Back on topic, if you maintain the car well, the previous owner maintained the car well, and are just a little bit lucky, you'll be fine. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEE-OTTO Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 My big point, which seemed to get lost, is that this is a car you need to love to buy. I don't love my old eclipse anymore, and even though it has been good to me I don't want to put any more money or time into it. The Legacy's maintenance requirements had me a little scared at first but after some research I know I'm going to love the car enough that it won't bother me. Good point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Ned Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I just happen to have spend the better part of the last four years in the BMW E46 world where preventative maintenance is the name of the game and that's how I've been conditioned. The vaunted German reliability (like my '84 Rabbit GTi, which I should never have sold) no longer exists and now consumes cubic dollars. At least Subies are fairly cheap to fix when something breaks. Non-turbo Subies here in VT just don't die no matter how many parts are falling off. They may make odd noises, but they just keep going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicmango Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 Thank you all for the answers! You were very helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgt_nube Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Another datapoint. Coming up on 160,000 miles on my 05 LGT with only a few very minor fixes along the way. A few photos of the LGT My current ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lingling1337 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 The one thing I would be sure to do is get a compression/leakdown test. The signs aren't always readily apparent and you have your hands on a time bomb if those numbers are bad. That said I really like my LGT and it's easy to work on. Parts, and fuel, can be expensive but hopefully you knew this when you started looking at a performance car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redryan98 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I'm happy to see the mostly positive experiences that people have had with higher mileage LGTs. Makes me feel better about mine in the long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheB4TlegacyGT Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I have 05 GT an blown turbo. Thinking about td04 or just going ihi but bigger but trying to stay simple. my question is what will bolt on no parts needed that is a faster spool.. i have cobb down pipe on it aswell as boost controller awaiting new turbo..?? thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEE-OTTO Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 BNR or equivalent should meet your goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodrifterx Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 No real big issues with my 06 LGT with 128k. Oci is 5k bc I do 100miles/day on 90% highway. Clutch done at 90k bc tob went out. I've had it since 12/09 at 40k. 4 sets tires overall. 1 complete set brake pads front and rear. But I know I'm coming up on expenses soon . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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