Jump to content
LegacyGT.com

2005-08 manual wagon: gt, xt, or i?


Joker9

Recommended Posts

Hello legacy forum

 

I am looking for your advice, and seeing how y’all convinced me of putting chasing 2 subie a in the past (07 outback for the lady and a 11 wrx for myself), I hope to have some questions answered.

 

I am trying to decide my next car, currently drive a Ford Fusion hybrid and age every minute of it (does def good gas though). I am trying to determine between a Lexus rcf vs a legacy wagon in the years stated above. I always love the body style of the legy wagon and if I were to purchase I would want to do a complete rebuild/restomod: 1 increase power to at least sti levels 2 make it a daily driver so need that reliability as I also want to keep it long term.

 

I have looked through the forum at some of the past builds, engine swaps, etc but I have not seen the question asked if it makes a difference in what model to choose from if the entire drivetrain is going to be replaced.

 

Just for knowledge I would have a shop do this as I am not very mechanical inclined. Budget around $30k for everything on legacy. Rcf approx $45k. Yes I know two completely different cars. I do have a hylander to haul stuff and a roof rack for the kids if I went for the rc. Just always like the legy wagon.

 

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no sense to swapping a 2.5i if a GT or XT is on your radar.

 

Stock engine GTs and XTs can be brought to STI power levels very easily and reliably.

 

Between a GT or XT, just choose whichever you like the looks and driving characteristics of better. GTs sit lower and are narrower. XTs sit higher and wider. GTs are grand touring wagons. XTs are off-road-inspired wagons.

 

Now, between these two and an RC-F, they're completely different as you said. There is no real sense in comparing them. The Legacy will have more space, but slower and less reliable, much more outdated, lower quality interior and ride quality, but also cost much, much less.

 

If I were in the same position and already had a Highlander, I wouldn't bother buying a wagon and I'd just get a fun car like the RC-F.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spending $30k on a car that has a book value of $5-10k is a bad investment. It’s your money you can do what you want with it but you could easily buy a new WRX for $30kthat will be reliable and it will a that will at least have some resale value incase you change your mind a couple years. A smarter move would be to buy a 5-10k example and fix it as needed and budget for the inevitable YNANSB (new engine) and put the remaining money into your retirement accounts.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Totally agree it’s not the best investment (of course what car in this range actually is). I think it’s a bit of FOMO in that I almost purchaced an 05 gt wagon with 5mt in 07 but didn’t pull the trigger. + the idea that a manual wagon has gone the way of the dodo. And for that matter in 20ish yrs we won’t be driving at all. Boooooooo.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Check out this wagon in the classifieds, it already has everything you want plus an STi 6-speed swapped in: https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/ma-taunton-legacy-2005-gt-wagon-276499.html

 

 

If you still want to build your own, go with the 5-speed GT wagon. Don't get the i as you'll most likely swap out the engine anyway.

muFreight.co
A JDM Container Sharing Service from Japan 🇯🇵 to NYC 🗽
 🌐 Website📷 Instagram✉️ Email

Bessie II's Thread

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want a manual legacy GT wagon, those are 1 year only (2005). Otherwise, you're looking at an 05-09 Outback XT. Same platform but with Outback suspension and brakes.

 

It's hard to find manual 05 wagons (only 1400 in north america), so considering your budget I would find a clean low mileage 08/09 Outback XT manual for the updated interior and exterior. Then you can lower it, upgrade the brakes, and go from there...with that budget you could be building something pretty incredible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's hard to find manual 05 wagons (only 1400 in north america), so considering your budget I would find a clean low mileage 08/09 Outback XT manual for the updated interior and exterior. Then you can lower it, upgrade the brakes, and go from there...with that budget you could be building something pretty incredible.

 

I suspect 08/09 OBXT 5MT are far rarer than 05GT Wagon MT. I looked for a used 08 and 09XT in 2012 nationwide for a while and they rarely came up FS. The were only a little more common then when I was doing a search to buy my '12 LGT (227). I would be surprised if production exceeded 500 unit per year especially for 2009.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks monkey

Just out of curiosity as I have not looked at the outback xt (the wife had a 07 outback I ) is the body the same as the regular outback with the cladding? Or is it more like the legacy? I guess I could use that weird google thingy that all the kids are talking about, but I don’t trust the inter webs and their new fangled “algorithms “

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use