Buttery Clutch and not very sporty, my test drive review!!!

[Throttlejockey]

That's the longest run-on sentence I've ever seen. :o

[Drift Monkey]

[quote name='Throttlejockey']That's the longest run-on sentence I've ever seen. :o[/quote] Yes...the young one possesses much skill.... :o

[aldog1330]

A louder exhaust can be purchased. Body kits aren't really available over here unless you get one imported from Japan. Maybe in the near future companies will come up with something that you like better. However, living in the Northeast and know how the weather can get, you may not necessarily want a really rad or lowered body kit, unless you want your car to be a snow plow :D . All I was saying in my last post was to drive as much as you can - and don't let external image fool you. Drive as many cars as you can, and only then can you really make a decision that is right for you. I know most of us would have killed to be in your position at your age. However, we are just trying to pass on some of the more pratical knowledge that we've picked up over the years. So don't just brush it off as us calling you stupid or your parents retarded - no one ever said that. And just make sure you are really willing to go to school and work to jobs to pay for insurance on your car - you only have your late teens once, and if I knew then what I did now, I know I'd change a few things :wink: .

[D-2.5-GT]

[quote name='Alex1'] im not getting/ looking at exspensive vehicles that kids dont belong in -alex[/quote] well yes, you are. Working your two jobs it would take you almost 3 years to collect that money, and thats would be without spending a dime of it! Have fun paying that ridiculous monthly insurance / maintinence cost in college if you go... You should look for something a little less, even used where you can personalize it a little more. Put the exhaust you want, make it look sporty enough. Why do you need a 30k car in High School? Why do you NEED awd? why do you NEED 250+ hp....you clearly don't, you just want it.... big difference.

[Alex1]

true true true i do have long run ons lol first of all, if i dont use up all the money, the rest just goes away... i wont get it to put in the bank and i definitly wont get it to go into mods so i want wat i can get, so why not use all the money to get the nicest/best car possible i havent made my decision yet, i still do want to test drive otehr cars and SUVS i was just thinking out loud ok time for math and history and chem and eng... what a nite this will be -alex

[MtnSub]

Alex1, I can understand how you get a negative feeling from the tone of some previous posts. The Leg GT just seems like the wrong car for you or most guys in their late teens. Wrong, look, wrong, sound, wrong feel. Many 30+ buyers like the understated, sleeper factor of the Leg GT. The Leg is a hot car for people that do not want to shout "Im Hot". Have you considered the VWR32? It is AWD, great sound, heavy clutch, great sounding engine, amazing sport seats, wheels, tires and sport image out of the box. Like others, I would have mentioned the sti, but it might have some of the light clutch feel stuff common in Subaru's I have tested. Life deals out enough bad cards, so never feel bad about enjoying the good ones. Have fun and let us know what you buy.

[warnoldscu]

Hey Alex, stop worrying about what these guys think of your financial situation - you don't have to defend your buy; if your parents/grandparents can afford the car then just work hard like they ask and be gracious, other people should be happy for you. Spoiled is an attitude, not a financial situation.

[warnoldscu]

oh ya... personally, I'm 19 and I love the car; if you have 1 or 2 qualms then look at the aftermarket, but I doubt you'll regret the decision.

[Aphex]

Alex, if you think the Legacy GT suits you I say get it. Eventhough I agree the one thing that should be changed on the car is the front bumper. You should also check out the VW R32 though, it is a little smaller but it might fit what you are looking for. If you can wait you might also consider the Audi A3 that is coming out next spring. Good luck.

[godwhomismike]

Alex1 - I am large fan of the TT, as many people around here already come to the conclusion that my two favorite cars are the Audi TT and the Mach 1 Mustang. The R32 is supposed to be almost identical to the Audi TT 3.2, with slightly less hp and a 6 speed manual instead of the DSG tranny. If you like the TT and also like the R32's body, then you'd love the R32. I kinda wish I took a look at the R32 before getting the Legacy, just to see it. I drove the Audi TT 3.2, and let me tell you - it has one of the best sounding exhausts I've ever heard in my life. Supposedly the R32 has an exhuast that sound a bit louder. When I was driving the TT 3.2, I kept looking around at first thinking "wow there must be some insane exotic car near by." The exhaust is awesome, and the power of the TT 3.2 was great. I would recommend taking a look at the R32. - Mike

[Alex1]

thanks, i looked at the r32 but im not a hatback/wagony kinda person i guess... i cant see myself getting into one of those.. thanks though i love driving the TT and i might in the end just take my dads 2001 TT 225 quattro baeball leather interior i mean today i got 2 girls saying nice car as im driving around with the top down and every girl ive been with has loved the car... so i dono anymore i mean if it had 4 seats i would take it in a second but i cant live with just 2 seats so since the only other convertible with 4 seats that looks good is the porche 911 or whatever the convertible model is... i need to look into sedans... i mean there are the saabs and volvos but truthfully they dotn grad girls attention as much as the audi does.. you guys know what imean... and the a4 cab doesnt look that great and its exspensive 617 968 1411 anyone think they would make a leggy convert? be the first converitble subaru ever lol

[mccorry]

[quote name='Alex1']anyone think they would make a leggy convert? be the first converitble subaru ever lol[/quote] I wouldn't wait for it.... a convert. would be a major chassis re-design.. :o

[Th3Franz]

Personally I don't think the Legacy grabs that much attention, if that's what you're after. Just get a BMW or Audi then.

[Drift Monkey]

[quote name='mccorry'][quote name='Alex1']anyone think they would make a leggy convert? be the first converitble subaru ever lol[/quote] I wouldn't wait for it.... a convert. would be a major chassis re-design.. :o[/quote] Consisting of added weight and weakened structural integrity. :o

[Xaqtly]

I don't think this part was targeted enough: Alex, you are NOT a good driver. You need to understand this with every fiber of your being. You are NOT a good driver. You are a teenager with what, less than one year of driving experience? I was 16 once too, and I had my own car. I thought I was a good driver too - I wasn't. I'm a much better driver now, having driven for 17 years and put in probably over a hundred hours of track time, not to mention getting instruction from pro drivers. The point is that you don't know how inadequate your driving skills are until you've got a good number of years of basic driving, some professional instruction and a good number of track days under your belt. Once you get there then you'll realize you aren't nearly as good a driver as you think you are. I was a teenager with his own car in the northeast, where we had snow and ice all winter long, and I thought I was a good driver too. Nope. So I suggest you ask your parents to enroll you into a racing school like Skip Barber, Bob Bondurant or something like that. You will learn more in a session at one of those places than you will in 5 years of normal driving. One last thing - AWD doesn't make you invincible. All it does is let you start more easily in slippery conditions. it doesn't help you stop and it doesn't help you turn, at least not the way most people seem to think it works. I can't tell you how many 4WD SUVs I've seen in ditches because they figured 4WD makes them king of the road. er, also - if you want to put a body kit on the Legacy, then the Legacy probably isn't the car for you.

[sigmeda]

[quote name='Xaqtly']AWD doesn't make you invincible. All it does is let you start more easily in slippery conditions. it doesn't help you stop and it doesn't help you turn, at least not the way most people seem to think it works. I can't tell you how many 4WD SUVs I've seen in ditches because they figured 4WD makes them king of the road.[/quote] I've always wondered if awd would help you slow down, if you're engine braking. I've always done that on my fwd cars, and having an extra set of wheels to distribute the force should help in poor conditions. --sigmeda

[Christopher W]

Alex, here's my suggestion. And I'm not trying to be a mean old 30-something fellow. 1. Buy an $8,000 used car. Something you like; it really doesn't matter what. Just buy something with a reasonable degree of reliability that isn't dynamically sloppy. 2. Go to a manufacturer sponsored full day driving course (both BMW and Saab have good ones). Better yet, take their level 2 or level 3 ones after getting the level 1 course under your belt. 3. Practice and polish the skills learned in those courses for a year. Figure out how to deal on your own with oversteer, understeer, emergency braking, accident avoidance, bad weather traction, etc. 4. After that year, get the car you really want. -CW

[IwantaLGTsti]

Subaru is big on the safety theme. Consequently, I don't think you will see a convertible (current track record supports this too). Driving skills tend to improve with the first 5+ years of experience so chances are you have much to learn. Still it's quite possible you are better than the average driver (that's not saying too much though). Going to driving school may improve your technical skills but I disagree that it will make you a better driver. It will probably make you drive more aggressively and give you a false sense of security. Being a good driver is at least two parts judgment for every part skill. If your parents are loaded, go for the new car with all the latest safety features. As a new driver, it's even more important. A high performance car (Corvette, Viper, Porsche, etc) is more likely to get you into trouble. Sports cars are like the One Ring, they gradually and subtlely take control over the driver despite the best intentions. My two cents, keep the change.

[EyeFlyIsTheEye]

I'm 19 and planning to buy next month, and the understated look, more-than-adequate power, as well as the ride seals the deal for me. And Alex, since you like Audis, maybe you should go for an A4 Quattro if you don't want another TT... just my suggestion. [quote name='"MtnSub"'] The Leg GT just seems like the wrong car for you or most guys in their late teens. Wrong, look, wrong, sound, wrong feel. quote]

[ADirtyLegacy]

I'm gonna chime in here. Granted NE winters are much harsher than SE winters, but since we got our fair share the past 2 yrs, I agree with everyone else, AWD or not won't help ya stop, turn, or avoid someone else's mistake. I have driven FWD and AWD through the 2 rough winters down here. The AWD was nice getting through the 16" of white stuff this winter, but my FWD (Taurus SHO) worked well enough in the first winter which is was more ice and re-ffreeze than snow. That being said, I think you should consider the new Mazda 6. An AWD car driven retardedly in inclement weather is just as bad as a FWD driven retardly in inclement weather. IMO I think the Mazda 6 is a little more sportier looking than the Legacy and when driven smartly and properly could be almost as affective as a Legacy in bad weather. Next I would say reconsider this must have a new car. Considering one day you will move away from home and attend college (unless you are like everyone from GA and NC), u need to consider saving some of the money u would end up spending on gas (SUV/car) and insurance (new/used) because life outside of the comforts of mom and dad is a wicked awakening. Look into a quality used Legacy, I'd say low mileage '03-'04. You would have the bulk of the factory warranty left. My LGT is a '02 bought off of a GM lot and I got the GM Valuguard Warranty(3yrs/36k miles and renewable @ 68k) standard since it was a certified used car. Plus this way your folks wont have to eat a $30k bullet when u run out of talent driving, or when someone else does and sweeps u up in it. I am in no way saying I'm an expert driver (I just drive better than my friends!) as I have only been driving for 7yrs, but I ran out of talent one night making a left hand turn and totalled my car. Also, if you are concerned about riding your friends around and picking up chicks, you need a serious dose of reality.Don't be a taxi, it sucks and will be a big hassle. Having a car full of your friends at that age is usually what leads to wrecking b/c you quit paying attention to what is important...driving. This is why some states have laws limiting the amount of people u can have in your car at once (at least in GA and NC). Oh by the way, if you found time to work 2 jobs and go to school, you have found more than 24hrs in a day.... Kenda

[RobY]

Buttery Clutch? The clutch is quite smooth and progressive. If you are looking for a clutch that gets harder as you push you are looking at what subaru got rid of. The turbo didnt spool till 4000? Did you push the pedal down? The car kicks my arse when it goes above 2800 at half throttle. Its VERY prominent Id say I get more power at half throttle than my friend's 2004 Audi A4 has at full tilt. I reccomend Skip Barber's Driving School gor for the 2 day course. Its very humbling from what I hear. My firiend did it hes been driving for 10 years he thought he was a good driver until they proved otherwise. Be careful. Power comes with responsibility. Your king of the road till you crash. I know 3 teens from my town that died because some young drivers decided to do somthing stupid. One in a Mustang, One in a camaro, and one killed by some punks street racing. I know you may think im just giving you a hard time but im not. When I was your age I was a dumbass only now do I realize how stupid I was. Given the things that I have done I can say I am very lucky to be alive.

[STi Boy]

go test drive a g35x sedan legacy isnt the right car for you.

[CDubbs]

If the stated dollar amt is 30k, I think with gentle persuasion spending 3-5k on school and 25k on a car might be an argument you can win with your folks. If you feel the need to push your car to the limits I would put my money on the one with 2 driving courses and a WRX over one with no schooling and a Leg GT. I stress the importance of this because I did some stupid things due to a noticable lack of judgement or simple ignorance. Incident 1: (Age 16) Accident with a minivan (lumina APV, 1995). When running to the grocery store, I purchased the basics- bread, milk, butter, oreos and on the way home on a 25mph street someone went to make a late-decision right turn. I gently applied the brakes gaguing speed that with no interruptions i should pass easily behind the car, and I felt pretty responsible at the moment. Then the milk, placed smartly between the front seats, rolled onto the accellerator. Voila! Swerve to avoid nearly missed that buick. Nearly... Sideswiped a rubber stripe down the side of the van and $700 in damage to their bumper cover and left-rear quarter. Incident 2: (Age 18) Managed to drive a minivan 50mph, backwards, with the 4AT in drive... Long sweeping left turn (in the rain), all rear seats removed and full gas tank. 45mph in a 40 zone. Lane change from outside to in (smooth input, though smooth tires also) I turned into the slide as instructed and everything seemed perfect as the tail got back where it was supposed to be. At the time, I knew nothing of the Physical term "Polar Moment" or in other words, the momentum of rotational force caused by disproportionate weight distrobution, A La full tank and no seats. I proceeded to overcorrect as the back end accellerated in the OTHER direction, left in the sweeping left... and I wound up backwards, on a hill a scant 30 feet over from a telephone pole. 3000 in damage from the tow truck getting it off the hill and blown tire/scratched wheel. Resulted in parents sneaky midnight trade-in on a Chevy Blazer lease. (Yes they are evil). Incident 3: (Age 20) Having recently purchased my 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible (White/Black top) and happy with the performace upgrade (if you believe it) over my 1986 buick century, my friend with "race" experience was trying to teach me weight distrobution in cornering, had me tap the brakes to get weight on the front wheels going into my turn then get on the throttle. Started understeering horribly (the weight, FWD, and tires to blame, not me of course!) I semi-panicked and locked the brakes... I was only doing 30-35 at the time. I plowed straight into a PVC flagpole for an apartment complex. Just paint damage this time thankfully it wasnt metal... Incident 4: (Age 22) Feeling pretty proficient with 1 yr experience in my Impreza 2.5RS I did some spirited dirt road switchback driving downhill, suggested speed of 5 actual speed of 20-30 (with the e-brake slides) Had alot of fun till my friend at the bottom of the hill with the radio watching for traffic up the hill failed to notice the nissan sentra doing 20mph up it, due to flirting with young women as I gather you also enjoy. I had to make an emergency manuver which (thanks to my 6 yrs exp at this point) avoided the sentra and instead took a 2' dirt curb, decimating the paint and plastic skirts on the driver door. Lessons learned: 1) Speed limits posted are intended for average vehicles under ideal driving conditions. If you get in an accident or do something stupid in visual range of a patrol officer, you can get cited for too fast for conditions even at the speed limit in the snow, rain, or fog. 2) Accidents can happen any time, anywhere to anyone. The most important thing is situational awareness. If youre looking forward only for over 2 minutes anytime other than long distance interstate, youre not looking around enough. 3) An entry level driving course wouldve saved me from at least 2 of these folleys. A second course in advanced weight distrobution, limits of adhesion, and hazards of momentum would have most likely eliminated all of the damage done in these particular accidents. 4) Never trust a hormone driven 20yrold with the radio around trails where bikinis are common. --I know posting these stupid mistakes ive made over the last 10 years on the road makes me look like the idiot that I was/am but its worth it for you to hear some real life incidents with more info than the news gives. Please consider trying to convince the 'rents on puttin some of that money into driving/racing school. -Chris yr16-19 = 1986 buick century, 88bhp. yr19-21 = 1992 olds cut sup conv, 140hp 180lb/ft. yr21-26 = 2000 sub imp 2.5RS, 160hp/lbft. yr26-now = 2005 leggtltd, 250hp/lbft. PS Kinda makes me wonder if I would be around today if I started with the LGT.

[Boostjunkie]

I'll chime in on this one. I'm 28, but having driven about 45-50K miles a year for the last 7 years for my outside sales job, and about 20K a year before that since age 16, I've accumulated more than my fair share of miles on the road. In actuality I've driven the same amount as the average 50 year old. When I was 16 I too thought I was a great driver. After I was young, had fast reflexes and could "handle a car"! I was really just inexperienced and had the invincibility of youth. A once crashed my car in to a ditch off a freeway on-ramp because I felt the need to follow my friend's Camero though the turn. Not a big deal except for the fact that I had a donut spare on. Not smart. Live and learn. My first car was a 1987 Honda Accord, which at the time was 5 years old. I beat the living piss out of that car and it always came back for more. It also only had 110 hp, which let me tell you was plenty enough to get me a couple tickets and nearly run myself, my then girlfriend and my cousin off the side of a mountain. I shudder to think of what I could have done given a more powerful/faster car. Having sufficiently incriminated myself now, I will say that I could reasonably dynamically handle a car then. What I didn't grasp was the consequences of pushing the envelope. That's the difference. When mom and dad are picking up the tab, it's all good. When you have to pay your own insurance, deductibles, and worry if you can pay your mortgage because you hurt yourself in an accident, then you learn to consider the possible consequences of your actions behind the wheel. I was told recently that I used to drive like I was playing a video game. If you think about it, that's pretty telling. In a video game the only object is to go fast. It doesn't matter if you crash into another car or a wall, because if you do, the game either resets you back in place or you just bounce off stuff, no harm no foul. That's not going to happen in the real world. Making a car go fast is no big trick. I don't do any competitive driving to speak of, but I placed in the top 10% in the club class in the last Mazda Rev-It-Up. From a racing standpoint I consider myself above average, but I have no dillusions of grandeur. Any real driver could easily crew me up and spit me out. This brings me to those that are recommending competitive driving schools. While race track skills and vehicle dynamics are very helpful on the street in accident avoidance, I really don't believe that lack of vehicle control is the biggest problem with young drivers. The aforementioned feeling of invincibilty coupled with a lack of accountability is really the root of the problem. Another factor is plain inexperience. Inexperience is a word that is tossed around a lot, and I think a lot of young drivers tune it out. It's not BS. Here's an example. When I'm driving down the freeway I can just feel when a driver in front of me in an adjacent lane is about to cut in front of me, or if I'm changing lanes I can just feel when someone I can't even really see is vying for the same spot. Trust me, I don't have any supernatural powers, it's just that I've seen it so many times that you can just feel it coming. Anyways, my point is that you have a lot to learn on the road. This is not a slam or a diss. Just take it as a little perspective from someone that is not that much older, but has learned how to do it wrong the hard way. I for one think that the LGT is not an aweful choice for a first car. It is a bit too powerful, but is a benign handling car, with decent safety features. Some may consider it a bit spendy for a 16 year old, myself included, but if it is comfortably within the means of you and your parents more power to you. Just take driving seriously and you'll save yourself (and your parents) a lot of grief.

[kenzo]

[i]Everyone[/i] thinks they're a great driver - until the first accident.