ctwrx Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I could really use some Suby lovers opinions. I am the original owner of an 05 Obsidian black leggy GT 5EAT. I have babied this car since day one and am at a point where I just want something I can drive daily. I know...Suby's are great everyday drivers... but by babied I mean that the car has never seen rain or snow, has been garaged, and just turned 35K on the odometer. It has more coats of wax than years I have owned it and has a lot of upgrades. The back seats have been sat in less than 5 times, I have 2 full sets of tires and rims (oem rims with nokians for winter IF I should ever need to uses it) and 18" Bremmers with Hankooks. I am not trying to turn this into a sales pitch, just trying to explain the care I have given this car and that the decision to just start driving it all the time is a very difficult one for me. I will try to add a few pictures but here are a few more details- the cars has the subwoofer, full spt exhaust, sti gauge console, invidia uppipe, tinted windows and tailights, chin spoiler, custom stripes, blackout features, blue calipers, custom tune by AMR, cobb accessport, redline shift cover, led lighting, suby all weather mats. So now for the big question. Should I just start driving it, or would I be able to sell it for good money. I saw one go on ebay with twice the mileage for 15K. Thanks in advance for your comments, and I know it was crazy to treat it as a garage queen, but I did, and now here we are.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJr Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Just drive it and enjoy it, isn't that the reason you bought it in the 1st place!! It's not a Ferrari, I'm the original owner of a wagon with 92k in pristine condition I thought 8k miles a year was low. By the way you should probably change the timing belt if you haven't already ! GL with your decision . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R15 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I say just keep it and drive it. It's a Subaru, treat it like one and drive the balls off it and stop treating it like some prissy prom queen German car/middle life crisis Corvette. You'll be happier for it once you get over its first paint chips and realize that it's just a car, not the idealized notion of a car that you have in your mind for it. Besides, if you were really thinking about getting rid of it you wouldn't have posted the question on a forum that caters to Legacy enthusiasts. Obviously we're all gonna tell you to keep it because that's what enthusiasts would do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctwrx Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Thanks JJr and R15, I appreciate the feedback. Your right, I am shying towards keeping it, but I do like some of the newer techie features of newer cars, and at this point my Suby has the most value it will ever have. So from a financial standpoint I have to weigh in those factors too. The moment I drive it in the snow and rain, my story changes and the value starts dropping....faster. Good to know about the timing belt- what prompted your recomendation? I have done all the fluids, but not the timing belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covertrussian Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Personal opinion, sell it while the value is high. Then get a newer LGT 5MT or Spec B! Subaru requires the timing belt to be changed every 105k miles or 105 months = every 8.75 years. 05 LGT 16G 14psi 290whp/30mpg (SOLD) 12 OBP Stock 130whp/27mpg@87 Oct 00 G20t GT28r 10psi 250whp/36mpg 22 Ascent STOCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redslaya Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 This is a tough choice. on one hand i think that cars are meant to be driven, not stored in a garage for looking at, however that car will catch a pretty penny and you would be able to get a new WRX/STI that i feel you may enjoy more,. as it has all the new fun toys that you didnt have 10 years ago. I think you should sell and use that money to get a 5th gen GT or a new WRX/STi that has so much more and that you wouldnt feel bad about driving in the snow/rain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctwrx Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks covertrussian and Redslaya. Looks like the feedback is split 50/50...keep the opinions coming... I need all the help I can get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayInVA Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 What do you think you would sell it for if it ever came to that? I think with a car in that great condition with that few miles at the age, it would put me in an interesting position where I would be too afraid to drive it but too afraid to sell it. Imagine that car in 2025 with 70k miles. That'd be something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctwrx Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 That's scary...I'll be close to retirement by then You raise a good point about selling price, I guess that may ultimately be my determining factor. If it would not sell for much- it's definitely not worth parting with. But if I can get a significant amount for a deposit on something new, that may be worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lingling1337 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 That's a $12k car all day. But if it were me I'd keep it. Same chassis and motor as a much newer Subaru with much more character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators BarManBean Posted January 5, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 5, 2015 List it for the price you want. If someone pays you, let it go. But seriously. It's a subie. Drive it. Aside from a random model/year hear and there, none of these cars are appreciating in value. Quite the opposite, they have taken a pretty good hit in the last couple years. "Bullet-proof" your OEM TMIC! <<Buy your kit here>> Not currently in stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redryan98 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 is there even another car on the market you're interested in? I always *want* to sell my car, but not really sure what I'd want to replace it with (in my price range at least). You have a great car there and there's really nothing else like it available, unless you want to spend 25-30k on a new WRX. If you enjoy the car, keep it and have some fun with it. If you're getting bored or there's something else you want, sell now while you can get a decent price for it. I'd put that in the 15-16k range. Too bad its an auto or I'd seriously consider selling my outback and buying it if you were to post for sale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTris Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Nope: It's a 10k car at best. http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2005/Subaru/Legacy-4-Cyl/Sedan-4D-GT-AWD/Values See those seats? No leather, no sunroof. Hate to say it, dude, but, your car's not incredibly special, save for the mileage. It's a base model turbocar. Good on ya for treating it so well, but, it didn't do you any real favors. To put it in perspective, here's the same car, with what it should have for mileage. http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2005/Subaru/Legacy-4-Cyl/Sedan-4D-GT-AWD/Values A loss of a mere 3k -- Not a whole lot at all. By only driving it in favorable/ideal conditions -- no rain or snow -- You've really only saved 3 grand and looked stupid in the process. It's not a limited production run car, it's not a one-off, collector, or celebrity car. It's just a LegacyGT. That said, I suggest you get your money's worth out of it. I assume it's paid off by now, right? And if you're the original owner, I'm guessing your window sticker was somewhere slightly north of 25k, right? So, drive it, because no one's gonna pay you $15k for this, not if they have to get a loan for it. The good news is, most credit unions will loan you up to 120% of what it's worth -- What would you do if you dropped 12k into it? Want newer/better stuff? Throw $350 at it to get the JDM double-din kit and put in whatever headunit/screen your heart desires -- that's about all it's really missing to stay on-par with the new cars. Maybe an bigger turbo, better suspension. . . Shoot the moon! Or, just drive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctwrx Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Yeah, I know these are not special or collectable and it was never my intent to 'preserve' it. It was just that it looked so good clean and so bad dirty, it was just easier to drive a different car on the bad days...which ended up being any day that the roads had, or could have moisture on them....and here I am today. Actually RedRyan98, I just bought a carbon fiber dash kit for it to give me something 'new' to look at. Still on the fence with what to do...who knows maybe the next step is to advertise it to see what I can get... who knows! ...http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Subaru-Legacy-2-5-GT-Ltd-1-owner-awd-gt-limited-5-speed-leather-moonroof-/231424178772?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35e1f4ba54&vxp=mtr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBear Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Still on the fence with what to do...who knows maybe the next step is to advertise it to see what I can get... who knows! ...http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Subaru-Legacy-2-5-GT-Ltd-1-owner-awd-gt-limited-5-speed-leather-moonroof-/231424178772?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35e1f4ba54&vxp=mtr Here's the thing though... yours is an automatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctwrx Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 I considered the manual back when I was looking, but I expected it be a daily driver (and borrowed by my wife)...which never happened. My 03 WRX that it replaced was a blast ripping through the gears. Not for nothing, but with the basic mods and custom tune I have, once I'm rolling I doubt a manual could keep up. But it really doesn't matter since I don't beat it and I'd have to agree that a manual is more "fun"- the manumatic only does so much. Heck if it were a manual I may driven it differently from day one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny5280 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I have direct experience with a garage queen. I purchased a brand new 1999 BMW 328i in December 1998. It was my daily driver until I bought a run around car (my first Subaru!) After that I, relatively speaking, barely drove it. By the time I sold it in the summer of 2010 it had 35K on the odometer. It was in pristine condition. Some people said they could even smell the leather as if it were new. I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $48K for that car. I ended up selling it for $10K...not much of a premium over other same year 328i's. Despite the low mileage and excellent condition it was an eleven year old car. Later model cars with higher mileage were commanding higher prices. In the end my desire to keep it in such good condition ended up preventing me from enjoying it to the degree I should have and it didn't add much of a premium when it came time to sell. My advice...drive it. Most buyers won't care if it's never seen rain or snow. They'll be more interested in the condition. In my case the buyer couldn't have purchase a nicer BMW for $10K. The same may apply in your case. But a buyer is going to use everything they can do bring the price down. Likewise lenders will go by blue book when determining how much they'll lend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covertrussian Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I just reread your first post and saw that you are the original owner. Your best bet is to keep it and drive. If you don't your 35k miles will have cost you $15k. That's a lot of money for not a lot of of miles. Also the prices your seeing are usually west coast prices. Subaru's tend to run a lot cheaper on the east coast. 05 LGT 16G 14psi 290whp/30mpg (SOLD) 12 OBP Stock 130whp/27mpg@87 Oct 00 G20t GT28r 10psi 250whp/36mpg 22 Ascent STOCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTris Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 CF anything on that car will only decrease it's value. I'd say you've already depreciated it further just by saying that out loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJr Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Here's the thing though... yours is an automatic. Plus it's not a wagon!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexi Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 is there even another car on the market you're interested in? I always *want* to sell my car, but not really sure what I'd want to replace it with (in my price range at least). These were my exact sentiments a couple years ago when my car had 97k, and my TOB was on its way out. Replace the clutch then, t-belt at 105k, and who knows what else in the future? Or sell the car for something new that won't need major maintenance for a long time. I ended up keeping my legacy because nothing on the market had what my car has for the money, at least not with a stick shift and awd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Gator Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 What car would you get that you would feel comfortable driving? A 1997 Integra? It sounds like you hate the idea of damaging a new car, so that's out. Either drive this one or sell it and buy a car you'll have fun with while you drive it!! Nothing like a race track to find the weak points in man and machine. "Good Judgement comes from Experience. Experience comes from Bad Judgement" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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