VW Convert Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Hey guys, I just test drove an 05 LGT. It was automatic and it felt wierd. I asked the dealer for a 5-speed and got an auto. I drove it anyway and was disappointed. I would stomp the gas, and without exaggeration, and the engine would respond nearly 2 seconds after the stompage. Some background first. I'm coming from a manual 03 VW GTI. My car, according to the stats, in a bit slower than the LGT. When test driving the subie, it "felt" slower and the driving experience was numb and detatched. Now, I'm not saying that the car sucked, but I like to drive and the VW has much more feedback. My question is whether this "problem" is; A. My conditioning from the VW and will disappear over time. B. Just the difference between the manual and auto tranny. C. Japanese v German driver feedback engineering. D. Life. deal with it. Please help me find clarity, Thanks, T PS.On the holy-shit factor. I could nail the throttle in snow pack and still accelerate dramatically. My VW in comparison would spin it wheels hopelessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Get MT. It has instant response. Done. As far as "respose" - stock LGT suspension is not great (actually it's poor - very underdamped and soft). But upgrading tires, struts, springs and sway bars transforms the car the level of handling no VW could not even touch (seriously - and I like Dubs, btw). Go, find and test drive an MT LGT! Or even better test drive a SpecB for a taste of what (mildly) upgraded suspension does to the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tantal Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Get the MT. Enjoy your car!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianspi Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I would stomp the gas, and without exaggeration, and the engine would respond nearly 2 seconds after the stompage. I have a 5MT and there is a 1/2 second lag between pedal and response. I heard that the Autos are much slower. I did get used to the throttle though and it didn't become a concern after about a week of getting used to the clutch. For technical sake, the heavy flywheel and pulley contribute to this problem (from what I've heard). I could nail the throttle in snow pack and still accelerate dramatically. My VW in comparison would spin it wheels hopelessly. I drove up my hill-inclided driveway yesterday covered in snow without any problems. My old RWD mustang's tires would spin and I would actually fall down the hill. My LGT always puts a smile on my face in severe weather enough zip ties and duct tape will fix anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impulse Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 test drove a 5eat lgt wagon while looking for a nice replacement car for my mom/brother. (the turbo was just to get a feel of how the wagon version felt, they didnt have any 2.5i autos on the lot). it made me cry. slower than my MT, less responsive, alot more numb compared to my sedan.i made a left out of the parking lot onto the main road for the test drive... and the AT shifted gears midway through the turn JUST as i romped on it to accelerate out. that was the only time it was out of sportshift mode afterwards... not that bad, but it was night and day (for me and my dad) between the two transmisisons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
executor485 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Definately a LOT of lag between stompage and go in the auto... But 1) the cobb AP helps a fair bit... and 2) sportshift mode is the way to go... when your actually out there doing some "fun" things, its very responsive... Partially the ECU in the car as well (hence the Cobb AP helps quite a bit)... But I definately wish I would have gone with the manual, but when Im cruising around with the girlfriend, it makes it really nice not to have to shift gears all the time... And she cant drive a manual, and yes... I do let her drive it on occassion... so it has its bonuses, but definately MT if your looking for serious performance. The stock handling is very good, but it does have drawbacks as well... feedback as far as the steering goes I think is awesome, but the actual suspension could do with some upgrading if your looking for really tight handling. Hope you find what your looking for in a Legacy though... they are a very nice car and you wont be dissapointed. If you can, hold out and buy someone's off this forum... Normally they are taken GREAT care of and sometimes have little specific mods on them, you can also get a really great deal. Welcome and enjoy. If I pass you on the right, I'm flipping you off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW Convert Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 You guys rock! Thanks for the input. It's nice to get the inside opinion. Dealers are too slippery and rarely have a clue about what they are selling. Thanks again, T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Again, I want to emphasise - let not the stock LGT suspension discourage you from buying it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Also... the ECU takes awhile to learn if you are a stomp and go driver. If the car isn't driven aggressively... the throttle response is slower than if the car is driven by driver who mashes the pedal more often. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Ok, enough of the BS:rolleyes: by stomp i meant aggressive driver... but i didn't want to be negative... [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabydanimal Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Damn throttle by wire crap. I put on aluminum pedals the other day and had to remove the go pedal assembly. The only thing connecting it to the engine was a set of electrical wires. I miss the days when your foot was directly connected to the engine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montana Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 I have a MT turbo wagon and a 5AT turbo sedan. The lag difference is due to the drivetrain difference, I notice it every time I drive the "other" vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillboy Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 The issue isnt whether there is a difference between man and auto. There is, at least stock for stock. That being said, the best way to get performance out of the auto is not by stomping on it.. +1 Drive it differently and the auto works fine...you just have to get used to it. I happen to like the drive-by-wire throttle. My wife's '02 NA Outback has a severe case of overly sensitive throttle tip-in...hard to move forward with out it lurching like you're racing. Maybe I am wrong but my GT throttle feels less sensitive when the car is in reverse...takes more application of the pedal to get movement, which is a great idea for backing up. It is still ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deimos Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Certainly if you mash the pedal in an LGT (MT or AT), it doesnt work as well as if you "roll-on" the pedal. If you use this method youll have lots of power before your foot even hits the floor. When mashing the pedal you tend to actually get less response than if slowly putting it to the floor. On top of that the AT as mentioned will be much laggier than the MT but driving the AT differently would help too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akm3 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 If you want a manual, get one. Can't anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ispool4u Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I wanted to test drive the manual LGT also but once I drove the 07 w/ SI-drive/auto, it shifted plenty fast. I'm coming from a manual 3000GT VR4 and before that a manual Eclipse so this is my first auto. I lived in the Washington DC area so the auto is nice for traffic. Another reason I got the auto was because it was the only Diamond Grey available at the time and I couldn't wait to order one. Had the LGT a week and loving the auto, but from what I have heard, if you get auto you would want an 07. -David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 VW I came from a Modded S4 Avant to the Auto in the LGT. At first I regretted getting the 5EAT but after doing a few mods the tranny really appreciated the extra HP&TQ. Going to just a Stage II setup with a Protune will solve most of your issues..... Also, always keep the car in sport. The ECU does learn;) Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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