Gripes about Legacy GT

[pacbreak gt]

Can't tip my tallboy all the way back without opening the sun roof.:rolleyes:

[SilverBulletJoe]

I love my Legacy GT; it's a lot of fun and there is nothing like that burst of power. But there are a number of things that I think Subaru needs to address if they are serious about going after BMW, Acura, Audi, etc.: 1. A telescoping steering wheel, which really makes a difference for some of us. 2. The ability to open/lower the windows without turning on the engine. I almost went with the Acura TSX over this, because of its ability to lower the windows with the key fob. Who wants to sit in an enclosed car in the summer time while the driver tries to get the car started and the windows lowered to get the built-up heat out when other cars in the price range make this unnecessary? How difficult can this be? 3. Stability control. I was able to whip the TSX and 325xi on my test drives around corners so easily compared to the Subaru Legacy GT. The GT handles well, but it really needs a stability control to compete. 4. I was surprised to get the digital climate control with the non-Limited GT, but frankly I'd rather give it up in exchange for a driver's seat that has 8-way adjustment like the Limited's. The climate control is confusing at best, and heaven help you if you want to go to manual mode. Anybody else think the driver's seat is not as comfortable as the competition's? 5. Where in the world is the pollen/air filter that was advertised for the GT when I bought it? How much longer does will this 'redesign' nonsense go on? I'm really disappointed in how this has been handled. I paid extra $$$ for it. 6. Make the audio system more easily modifiable. It shouldn't be tied into the climate control; that's a flawed design. 7. Better gas mileage would be nice. Subaru has a great thing going with the Legacy, but it seems like they are close but not quite there yet, IMO. For the money, it's a good value, but it seems like a few (relatively minor) changes would really help it compete better. Joe

[mightyS]

There are so many little gripes. I would hate to work for Subaru's complaint dept. To address some of the last gripes, the windows do go down without starting the engine. Place the key in and turn it to ON. You don't have to start it. Sure, some cars have a remote windows down on the key. I don't have a need for that. The car handles great for a car its size and weight. Artifical stability control (in acura) reduces the engine and applies the breaks for you. I would rather keep the control myself. Many want better gas mileage. You can't get power for nothing. To get more HP and torque, you must burn more fuel. You must compare this engine to other engines that have 250 hp and 250 ft lbs torque. Usually, that takes a large 6 cyl or a V8.

[fancub]

[quote name='avdoc']Just wanted to mention a few of issues I've had with my car and see if others have the same. I have a rattle that I think is in the rear-view mirror. I have the auto-dimming compass mirror and am wondering if other's have had this issue. I think I may have another in the dash or passenger's side door, anyone else? Also, the heated seats are really hot even on the lowest setting (nearest to off). I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this. The accelerator pedal is really touchy. I find it very difficult to accelerate smoothly. I would like more travel. I asked one of the salesman about this and he said there was nothing to be done. I know it's electronic, isn't there some way to adjust it? Even though I live in a state that doesn't require front plates, the dealer had one of their plates on the front of the car. My understanding is that they had to drill holes in the car to put the plate on. Is that correct? If it is, I am really pissed that the dealer did this just so they could display their name. It's bad enough they have decals on the back.[/QUOTE] I now have nearly 3,000 miles on my Legacy GT and have experienced none of these complaints. Even on the third world type streets of Richmond, VA, there are absolutely no rattles whatsoever. My Jetta VR6, with 50 miles on the odometer a few years ago, had roughly twently annoying buzzes and rattles. The drive-by-wire throttle as well for my GT is exceptionally smooth.

[Avishar]

[quote name='SilverBulletJoe']I love my Legacy GT; it's a lot of fun and there is nothing like that burst of power. But there are a number of things that I think Subaru needs to address if they are serious about going after BMW, Acura, Audi, etc.: 3. Stability control. I was able to whip the TSX and 325xi on my test drives around corners so easily compared to the Subaru Legacy GT. The GT handles well, but it really needs a stability control to compete. Joe[/QUOTE] I was under the impression that stability control would reduce true handling abilities? isn't stability control more of a safety feature that is designed to save you if you go beyond the limits of your car eg cutting throttle off to regain traction etc etc?

[SuperSubie]

[quote name='Avishar']I was under the impression that stability control would reduce true handling abilities? isn't stability control more of a safety feature that is designed to save you if you go beyond the limits of your car eg cutting throttle off to regain traction etc etc?[/QUOTE] Depends on the threshhold of the system and road conditions. In the right conditions and with a system calibrated well, you will be faster than without. Ordinarily, it is a safety net more than anything else. It's good to have in the event that something unexpected comes up or you spaz out. - SuperSubie

[Sneezy]

Needs a boost gague Needs memory seats Someday I will disable my DRL's My clutch pedal squeaks (I'll have it fixed this week).

[fancub]

[i] 3. Stability control. I was able to whip the TSX and 325xi on my test drives around corners so easily compared to the Subaru Legacy GT. The GT handles well, but it really needs a stability control to compete. [/i] Put em' on a track. More power thorugh four wheels beats a tire scrubing FWD with less horsepressure, period. The TSX is just a spiffed up European Accord. Stability control or VSH provides better control under emergency braking, which is a nice thing to have. This is an especaiily good option for those who favor poor handling, big SUV's. Good drivers, however, know that steering while braking with advanced ABS does exactly the same thing with the added bonus that you are actually driving the car.

[OCDetails]

My major gripe is the side mirror images are distorted. Its like I'm looking through one way glass and there is a mirror behind it that is causing double images. Its really annoying. Another gripe is the paint quality. The first car I painted came out better than this. Its not as bad as some jobs, but the level of orange peel is unreal. It is also incredibly fragile. I had paint chips on day one. A minor gripe is that I can't seem to find a comfy position to sit in. The steering wheel seems to be too far away for me. I am sure that is due to the fact that I'm nearly 6'2" and its mostly in my legs. If I get close enough to the wheel that my arms don't feel like they are reaching then my knees are up into the dash. Its my fault for buying a car built for a short person, so its not really a gripe that could be avoided. Its just the curse of having long legs and I have found it a problem in most of the cars I've driven. Things I love about the car: I love that I can actually dry the car without having water pour out from under the deck lid all day. After I wash it I can pop the trunk and dry around it and under the deck and that is it. No more water is hiding that messes up the back bumper. I love that. I also love that the doors don't automatically lock when you start driving it. I hate having people go to open my door when I pick them up and it is locked. I don't live in a car jack risk area, and if I did then I would lock them manually. I don't like it when my car makes too many assumptions for me. I love that I can disable the idiot bell for the seatbelts. That is by far one of the coolest things ever. I love how the hinges for the trunk are covered. That avoids them smashing the contents of your trunk when you close the lid. Very cool idea. I love that the windows are frameless. That looks so much better. The list of things that I love about this car goes on forever. Its a lot longer than my gripes. My gripes are minor problems that can be dealt with. I've never had a car without gripes, but I've never had a car with so much I like about it. Little extras that previous cars didn't have went a long way in my decision to purchase one.

[foerster]

[quote name='OCDetails']My major gripe is the side mirror images are distorted. Its like I'm looking through one way glass and there is a mirror behind it that is causing double images. Its really annoying. [/QUOTE] I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed that... It's only my driver's side mirror, and the dealership thinks I'm nuts I think -- I've had it (just the glass) replaced once, and the replacement has a warp in it too... Not any worse than the first one though -- pretty subtle actually... Stefan

[sjg]

Just a few days with my LGT wagon and very happy so far. A few issues though that echo some of the ones already mentioned: Passenger side legroom - I haven't measured to see if it actually has less space than the driver side or if it's an issue with the seat adjustment. Why can't the passenger seat have the same adjustments (i.e., including height/tilt) that the driver has? That might address the problem for taller passengers by giving a little more thigh support. Moonroof tint - I didn't even think that the lack of tint was the problem until reading the earlier post but with the shade open on a sunny day, it is way too hot and way too bright. Opening the shade with direct sunlight completely washes out the radio and climate control displays to the point where you can't see anything. Power off when the key is removed - Even the dealer couldn't believe that this was a problem. He was sure that if you kept the doors closed, you would have power. He was wrong. Stability control - Would be nice but this type of thing isn't a given in this price range. Audio flexibility - It is amazing that every new car doesn't come with AUX input for iPods and the like. With SOME cars now adding MP3 capable CD players, it's like the auto industry is finally catching up with trends from 5 years ago. Lots of people have iPods and the options for connecting them are pretty pathetic. Look around this site and see what people go through to be able to listen to their music. It's crazy when all Subaru would need to do is add a 1/4" mini jack input. The only explanation for this omission is that the industry wants to maintain a healthy aftermarket for audio. That said, the Legacy doesn't give a lot of flexibility there either. It's silly to gripe too much. This is nitpicky stuff and every car has it's shortcomings. Overall, we're loving this car.

[BigRob_NH]

We've had our GT Limited wagon w/automatic transmission since January. We've previously owned a 98 GT Sedan and a 2003 GT Wagon. Both 5 speeds. Let me start out by saying that this car is light years beyond either of those two cars. It is amazing what a difference there is between the 2003 and 2005 wagon. It is like you're not driving the same car. Every major aspect of the car is much much better. However, if you stretch, you can find things that could be better. -The 98 sedan was easily the finest vehicle for driving in the snow I've ever had the opportunity to drive. You could be totally fearless...and it was childs play. This car has so much power that it is no longer childs play to drive in the snow. Two weeks ago went out in a storm and I immediatly got sideways in it. Must be very careful w/throttle application. -I don't like the frameless windows. They have been the source of a neverending stream of wind noise issues on the previous two cars. I hope they've managed to tighten it up. -What were they thinking w/the position of the center console/armrest? Sell add on accessories? -The bottom seat cushion could be a little longer to give a little more thigh support. -call me lazy but all 4 windows should have 1 touch down AND up. As an absolute minimum, all 4 should be auto down and driver gets auto up. --- I know threads exist to list the pros but I just want to balance this out. - seat heaters are amazing - steering wheel is amazing - sunroof is great...the 2 sunroofs in the previous GT wagon were TOTALLY USELESS. - the auto trans is very very nice. it is a great combination w/the 250 HP. All previous GTs were underpowered (thus we got the 5spds). - Acceleration is insane. This wagon is a freaking rocket. Regards, BigRob.

[SilverBulletJoe]

Yes, I love the Momo steering wheel! It just feels great. I remarked on it during the test drive. It's a great car. Good styling, lots of fun to drive, and POWERFUL! A good deal.

[TAckhouse1]

[quote name='twisted']I cant believe none of you complained about the cruise control selector unit behind steering wheel....are we in the 90's still??? [/QUOTE] I have to disagree with you on the cruise control selector. Its very similar to the one on my 94' Toyota Camry (though I believe toyota had them as early as 1992) But I feel its a great design. I can set, adjust speed, cancel ect... my cruise control with out ever taking my eyes off the road. -Nick

[deneb]

The feel of the steering wheel was one of the things that helped me choose the LGT over the TSX. I liked the little bumps on the inside of the rim at the 10 and 2 positions. I don't have too many gripes at this point, I like the cruise selector, though my 99 Mazda 626 had the steering wheel controls. My gripes: 1) Wouldn't mind telescoping steering wheel, everyone else has that feature, even at less $ 2) Would like to be able to lower all windows via the remote 3) I echo the auto up/down for all windows via the driver side controls 4) High end audio option. Stock with the sub is pretty good, but I'd like something higher quality as an option. 5) Armrest extender in the extended position makes the rear cupholder useless 6) Velcro'ed carpet under the seats is pretty chintzy Overall, I love my LGT, the above gripes are not deal breakers by any stretch.

[Rimfaxe]

OK, lose the little cheap net thingy behind the passenger seat. Put some high quality leather pockets behind both seats. My 'co-pilot' does the navigation and would like to keep the map behind the driver's seat. I would also like a nice cargo net for the sedan trunk. Oh, an get on the stick and get my adapter for XM for that POS radio. Oh, and set me up with a kick a$$ after market sound system. Oh, and give me the power fold in side view mirrors. And the JDM rear windshield wiper for the sedan back window. Oh, and an instrument pod cluster on the dash for additional gauges. An alarm button and key instead of a separate key fob. Oh, and one touch all door unlock. Oh, and user programmable alarm instead of requiring the dealer to program it. Oh, and a fold down rear seat instead of the cheap pass through. Oh, and a cover for the rear brake light when you have the brakelight incorporated into the center of the rear spoiler. Oh, and put a CF slot and accessory plug on the OEM stereo and allow it to play MP3 CD's. If you read this far, please keep in mind that this is an awesome car! It is the best car I've ever owned without a doubt, however I've had some time to ponder these things - the odo just clicked 25k miles!

[skullskidr]

I installed that one myself! Blue wire was hidden!:lol: [quote name='B4_Maniac']Mike... SO THAT'S WHAT THAT BLUE WIRE IS... :) Don't worry, I have the same thing.[/QUOTE]