aaykay Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 I think the STi is more of a focused driving machine. Very little compromises have been made to it from the perspective of an all-out performance machine. It has been given high-end mechanical differentials in the front, center and the rear. Only the rear differential in the Spec B GT is able to match what the STi has been given. The front diff in the Spec B is obviously open, unlike the high-end diff in the STi and the center diff is a relatively cheap Viscous coupling based system while the STi gets a high-end planetary gear based system. In addition to all of this, the STi gets HIDs, more powerful Brembo brakes, faster/quicker ratio steering rack and a chassis that is much more stiffer than the Spec B for focused world-class handling. Edmunds commented recently that the Spec B has a relatively weak chassis when compared to the STi or the EVO, and the car begged for the intensity level to be dialled down when taken to its limits, while the STi challenged for even more, with its limits way beyond what the testers were gutsy enough to try3. 2 completely different animals. But for family men, the Spec B is a better alternative, since it is more toned down, spacious and more "refined" - just don't try to take on an STi, either on the track or on the road. 2.5i Impreza = boy racer WRX = club racer GT Spec B = mature driver with sporty aspirations:icon_cool STi= All out performance machine JMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaykay Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Just to stave off any loud protests (in response to my previous post), let me state upfront that Iam in the market currently, seriously looking at a Legacy GT wagon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leggtnut Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Just to stave off any loud protests (in response to my previous post), let me state upfront that Iam in the market currently, seriously looking at a Legacy GT wagon. Seriously, you really can't go wrong with either the STI or the LGT (spec b or not). They are all awsome driving machines . But what do I know. I just love my subies Ben (2014 Outback SAP w/ eyesite, 2014 Tribeca Limited, 2006 LGT limited sedan) Subaru Ambassador PNW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joon525 Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 30 years old and own an LGT, but voted for the STi Ltd over the Spec B. I'd have a harder time picking between the LGT vs the STi Ltd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edkwon Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 5 years ago i would have answered 'STi limited' in an instant, mainly i wasnt in the right time in my life to be driving a car like a legacy, now having gone thru changes in my life and position, definitely the legacy all the way. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 GT Spec B = mature driver with sporty aspirations:icon_cool JMHO All the rest have a shelf life. The Spec is better at performance than the STi is at touring. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 All the rest have a shelf life. The Spec is better at performance than the STi is at touring. Ladies and gentlemen, we have an opinion ! Fixed it for ya Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Fixed it for ya No. You didn't. The Spec. is better at performance than the STi is at touring. Fact. Careful with the ninja efforts. I could be laying traps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 No. You didn't. The Spec. is better at performance than the STi is at touring. Fact. Careful with the ninja efforts. I could be laying traps. It can't be a fact because you have no way of measuring it or proving it. Get your facts right Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 It can't be a fact because you have no way of measuring it or proving it. Get your facts right Think about it for a second. The LGT can be cheaply (relatively) modded to match STi's #s. The STi would never match the Spec.B touring ability. Measurement by the dollar. Facts. Yep. I love 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Think about it for a second. The LGT can be cheaply (relatively) modded to match STi's #s. The STi would never match the Spec.B touring ability. Measurement by the dollar. Facts. Yep. I twist 'em. And for the same $$ that you put into the LGT you can make the STi faster by the same amount. By touring I'm guessing you mean comfort level, and although the STi is harder, it is by no means uncomfortable, so that really is a matter of opinion. If I had an allowance of $50,000 for my car, it would have been an STi no question. Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 And for the same $$ that you put into the LGT you can make the STi faster by the same amount. That's not the point. The STi is not a touring car. The LGT is a performance car. By touring I'm guessing you mean comfort level, and although the STi is harder, it is by no means uncomfortable, so that really is a matter of opinion. Touring is more a performance and luxury combination, IMO. It's why I don't use the term luxury when describing the Spec.B. If I had an allowance of $50,000 for my car, it would have been an STi no question. That's great but if I were going to drop that much I'd be looking at an M45 which doesn't have AWD which is why it was cut from my short list in addition to my goal of reducing weight and displacement compared to my former venerable J30. The J30, BTW, was not readily performance upgradeable but leaned more heavily to the luxury side of things. Great car nonetheless. Still miss her sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emlevins Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I am looking to trade my wife's 02 legacy L for an STI and have test driven 2 05s, 1 06 and 1 07 Limited in the last several weeks. And, I've spent a great deal of time on www.iwsti.com and researching things lately. And for the record, I am 54 . Here's my take: Though my 05 LGT limited is about as quick as a stock STI, the 05s and 06 STIs I drove were a bit (meaning a little bit) more fun to drive due to their tossability, handling, steering response and braking. I also enjoyed the gearing. And, it would only cost about 1k to go to stage 2 and get another 50 hp at the crank from them. But, they are loud, spartan, and then there's the wing (but it can be swapped for a WRX trunk/wing) or just deleted. There is little that can be done about the interior or the noise. The 07 STI limited, while not quite as nice as my LGT limited on the interior, is quite nice. Leather, moonroof, heated seats, etc. rival the interior of the LGT limited though I still prefer the latter. But, the gearing has changed in the 07 STIs and it is a dog down low. Throttle response is slow, it hiccups (kind like our stutter), and seems unresponsive. It was not nearly as fun to drive as the previous year STIs. But, the wing is gone and it is comparably very quiet at cruising speed (and would be even quieter with different tires). But, the driveability issues exist and give me great pause for concern. Perhaps they will be addressed with engine management. If you are seriously considering the STI limited, get on www.iwsti.com and do a search - there are alot of threads discussing the 07 limited and the driveability issues. Good luck with your decision. 05 SWP Legacy GT Limited (aka "Pearl")- 5MT AP - Stage 2 Protuned (238/284) - wife driven 07 BMW 335xi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarlQHan Posted October 23, 2006 Author Share Posted October 23, 2006 I think at the age group I mentioned before, being right out of college, working and single, I think for me it would be a toss up between the LTD and spec.B. However, if I were in my 30s, married with kids, I would get a FXT (ULTIMATE sleeper anyone?) :] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarlQHan Posted October 23, 2006 Author Share Posted October 23, 2006 Though my 05 LGT limited is about as quick as a stock STI, the 05s and 06 STIs I drove were a bit (meaning a little bit) more fun to drive due to their tossability, handling, steering response and braking. I also enjoyed the gearing. And, it would only cost about 1k to go to stage 2 and get another 50 hp at the crank from them. But, they are loud, spartan, and then there's the wing (but it can be swapped for a WRX trunk/wing) or just deleted. There is little that can be done about the interior or the noise. The 07 STI limited, while not quite as nice as my LGT limited on the interior, is quite nice. Leather, moonroof, heated seats, etc. rival the interior of the LGT limited though I still prefer the latter. But, the gearing has changed in the 07 STIs and it is a dog down low. Throttle response is slow, it hiccups (kind like our stutter), and seems unresponsive. It was not nearly as fun to drive as the previous year STIs. But, the wing is gone and it is comparably very quiet at cruising speed (and would be even quieter with different tires). But, the driveability issues exist and give me great pause for concern. Perhaps they will be addressed with engine management. Haha, very cool! My dad just turned 50 last week so he's "over" boy-racer type cars. He is looking into weekend cruisers now though and in a few years would like to either buy the S2000 or Saturn Redline Sky (I'm hoping for the Saturn as it is quite a beauty and being turbocharged out of the box has more HP potential than the already nearly maxed out F22 in the Honda). I'm already on IWSTI ;] I however, have not heard of these problems on the LTDs. I believe all 07 STIs have the new revised gear ratios. I would assume the new gear ratios would be faster for 1/4 mi rather than the other way around (you can't hit 60 in 2nd and you trap high enough to be in 5th with the previous gear ratios). I believe any throttle response issues can and will be dialed out when the new COBB APII comes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaykay Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 30 years old and own an LGT, but voted for the STi Ltd over the Spec B. I'd have a harder time picking between the LGT vs the STi Ltd. I have no Subaru currently and might swing for the LGT Wagon as my new car but from a performance/value standpoint, I would vote unhesitatingly for the STI. I am not that young either - 37 and my other vehicle is a minivan. We can add all we want to the LGT or Spec B but if we are planning on changing the steering ratio, adding a front differential, changing the center differential to match the sophistication of the STI center differential etc., and to integrate all of that into a high-performance whole, without the help of high-end equipment or technical manpower like a manufacturer has, will take some doing ! Mere changing of some suspension components or increasing the power in a Turbo car or putting on aftermarket Brembos etc are easy mods and should not be a big deal - but that is not what I am talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallysquirrel Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I'd get an STI as a weekend car IF I had more money. Read no wife, no kids. All my money went to the SpecB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob N Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I went to a dealership today and took a look at both cars today. In fact, they were right next to each other on the lot. Wow. I was impressed by both cars. For whatever reasons, you guys chose the Legacy GT over the WRX STI. However, the Impreza got more subtle and Subaru rid of the massive wing, added heated leather, moonroof, and black Brembos, while the Legacy got more "ricey" with the blue alcantara inserts. Right now, I'm 22 and still in school, so I like my STi right now. If I were 5 years older, out of school and working in a corporate setting, I think I'd take the the LTD and if I were 10 years older, possibly married, I'd take the spec.B. What about you guys? To begin with, how does one who is 22 years old, in school and afford a car that's over 30,000? I'm 47 and would have bought a 2005 STi but I wanted something a little less boy-racer. I just couldn't get past the car's fast and furious look. I like the idea of a STI Limited but I'm not going to run out and dump my 05 Legacy GT. It doesn't make economical sense. The investment, depreciation, and value are not currently in-line for a profitable transaction. Wished they had this back in 2005. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreoSTi Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 However, if I were in my 30s, married with kids, I would get a FXT (ULTIMATE sleeper anyone?) :] I'm 27, still in school, not married, and have an FXT... To begin with, how does one who is 22 years old, in school and afford a car that's over 30,000? IBTL. Well, I have higher hopes for this board, but on NASIOC these types of questions take a thread downhill fast. -Mike- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarlQHan Posted October 23, 2006 Author Share Posted October 23, 2006 To begin with, how does one who is 22 years old, in school and afford a car that's over 30,000? I'm 47 and would have bought a 2005 STi but I wanted something a little less boy-racer. I just couldn't get past the car's fast and furious look. I like the idea of a STI Limited but I'm not going to run out and dump my 05 Legacy GT. It doesn't make economical sense. The investment, depreciation, and value are not currently in-line for a profitable transaction. Wished they had this back in 2005. To answer, the military. Good ol' Uncle Sam and the piggy bank he likes to call the MGIB pays for it. I am not going to lie and say that I'm not spoiled and pay for everything myself. I got lucky my parents were able to set up a trust fund through the College Illinois program, so my tuition has already been paid for. At the time I bought my car, they also had an extra car they had and wanted to sell, so I sold my old car and their old car to put the down payment on my car. My parents do pay the insurance on the car, which I do appreciate very much. However, I am trying to start an online company to "pay my own way". My dad also has the 05 LGT and I jokingly egg him on to get the new spec.B, but for reasons you just listed, he will not do so. This is why he wants to wait a few years until the car is paid off to get a weekend cruiser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 This is why he wants to wait a few years until the car is paid off to get a weekend cruiser. Sounds like a plan. STi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 That's not the point. The STi is not a touring car. The LGT is a performance car. Touring is more a performance and luxury combination, IMO. It's why I don't use the term luxury when describing the Spec.B. That's great but if I were going to drop that much I'd be looking at an M45 which doesn't have AWD which is why it was cut from my short list in addition to my goal of reducing weight and displacement compared to my former venerable J30. The J30, BTW, was not readily performance upgradeable but leaned more heavily to the luxury side of things. Great car nonetheless. Still miss her sometimes. The LGT is not a performance car, although it can be made to go very fast and handle reasonably well. An M45 is going to set you back well over $70,000, take a look at my location Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 The LGT is not a performance car, although it can be made to go very fast and handle reasonably well. An M45 is going to set you back well over $70,000, take a look at my location The LGT may not be a performance car but it is a top of the line true sports sedan especially the Spec.B which is why I bought it. My wife thinks its a luxury car. Jus wait a couple of years until the exchange rate works its way into foreign produced cars. The loonie has appreciated back to its more historic levels so you can look forward to more "cheaper" Infinitis in a couple years. I didn't want a V8 and the 3.5 didn't have LGT performance numbers especially with AWD. The new G looks very tasty though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarlQHan Posted October 24, 2006 Author Share Posted October 24, 2006 Sounds like a plan. STi? Haha, no, he thinks he's too old for them. Besides, he can drive my car if he wants to anyways. He's thinking of a used S2000 or used Redline Sky in a few years. And when the car's paid for, he's thinking of giving my brother the LGT and possibly getting a GS350 AWD or M35x. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob N Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 To answer, the military. Good ol' Uncle Sam and the piggy bank he likes to call the MGIB pays for it. I am not going to lie and say that I'm not spoiled and pay for everything myself. I got lucky my parents were able to set up a trust fund through the College Illinois program, so my tuition has already been paid for. At the time I bought my car, they also had an extra car they had and wanted to sell, so I sold my old car and their old car to put the down payment on my car. My parents do pay the insurance on the car, which I do appreciate very much. However, I am trying to start an online company to "pay my own way". My dad also has the 05 LGT and I jokingly egg him on to get the new spec.B, but for reasons you just listed, he will not do so. This is why he wants to wait a few years until the car is paid off to get a weekend cruiser. I'm sorry if I sounded derogatory. I was curious and hey, sounds like you've done well already at 22. Keep up the good work in school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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