To an '05+ LGT from an '00 RS. Thoughts? Who's done it?

[CTATV]

Ok that sounds fair then. Have you driven the LGT? If you haven't drive it, the pull of the turbo will make the decision crystal clear.

 

 

yep did for me, i was at first torn between a legacy and a WRX. test drove a regular legacy limited. loved the fit and finish, it was a 5 speed SWP immaculate condition. then i drove a WRB 04 wrx and was like wow theres no way im getting a legacy unless the GT pulls like this too but they didnt have one on the lot. I actually never test drove one I found this site and read about the power but i tell ya when i picked up my 06 spec.b in mass and drove home on the highway i was grinning from ear to ear. i will modify when i have the money but im still satisfied with stock power. i just like tinkering with things wether they need more power or not

[Siper2]

Yeah I'm absolutely picking up a catback, probably ASAP if I can find a used one I like. I'm a Prodrive nut, but I'm open to other options. I know about most of them, the ones I would go for, anyway... Strömung, Autospeed, maybe SPT...

 

Don't want to get in to mod discussion just yet, though.

[Leonardo]

DOO EET!!!

 

Man, you will love it!!

 

First mod: HID kit and Yellow fogs (for your neck of the woods).

[Siper2]

The fogs are already yellow, check the pics.

 

HID may happen, but honestly the OEM lights are much better than my RS' so I'll probably be happy with them for a good long while. At most I can get some better bulbs, from Candlepower.

[Leonardo]

BAH!!!

 

Blitz or AVO unoiled drop in filter and silencer removal mandatory though!

[Siper2]

Hehe yeah we'll see. Going to drive it stock for a little bit at first, I want to get a feel for it as-is so I know what I want.

 

 

Hmmm, I'm talking as if I already own it....... maybe that's a sign.

[Leonardo]

yep!

 

Have a compression test done! Want to see how those piston rings and ring valley are.

 

Also, if they didn't change/remove the little filter/mesh in the banjo bolt of the turbo oil feed line, have it done ASAP.

[FSRBIKER]

IMO:Instead of a CBE look for a used Accesport first, stage 1 gives you +35hp/+55 lbs torque ...I just found a AP v1 for $250.

[Siper2]

I'll end up doing both.

 

Regarding the banjo bolt, I looked up the TSB and found: #02-103-07

 

This page has some PDFs using the VIN but I haven't tried registering, don't know if you need to be a dealer...

 

http://techinfo.subaru.com/html/ixSearchKwBu.jsp?model_year=2005&vehicle_line=Legacy&transmission=MT5&engine_size=2.5+Liter+Turbo&drive_train=AWD&publication_type=16&text_keyword=&keyword=&vin=56226704&bulletin=3

 

 

I'm sure it'd documented pretty well on LegacyGT, too.

[FSRBIKER]

Here is the subscription info for that website: Please select a subscription plan. *72 Hours: $34.95 30 Days: $299.95 365 Days: $2499.95

I'm not sure why a dealer should have to pay for this since it's info they HAVE to know in order to work on Subaru cars, for the general public it's quite steep to make sure you keep up with any new ones.

[Siper2]

I thought maybe End Wrench might have something on it... I'll have to dig a bit more.

 

So, the drive went well. My wife and I both liked it, she drove first. The exterior is very good, a couple small blemishes that were touched up poorly, probably just paint chips. Didn't see any dents I don't think. The interior is not spectacular, I'd say "good" but needs some work. A couple scuffs but no leather tears. Obviously wasn't cared for, with vinyl/leather products. But no excessive wear or glaring ugliness. I'm a Vinylex/Lexol nut with my RS, I can clean up most of it.

 

Engine bay looked alright, a bit of unexpected rust, which I'll point out in pics. I'm uploading a bunch now and will post them later tonight or tomorrow when I'm at work.

 

Took a quick look under the car when I left, didn't see any leaks or anything out of the ordinary.

 

It seemed to drive really nicely, no funky noises or pulling. The tires are worn but I knew about that already. Brakes were good. Yeah it definitely pulls with gusto.... There's some kind of short shifter on it, not sure if it's the STi unit or not. Never used one (mine's a Kartboy). It does have the compass/dimming mirror, so it could be the STi one if the original owner got a couple options.

 

So... I'll post pics and chat with you guys about some stuff, and mull it over in the meantime!

[Siper2]

Hmm, uploaded faster than I thought.... Here we go:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0001.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0008.jpg

 

Little spot on front bumper:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0002.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0003.jpg

 

Too much rust? No?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0005.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0006.jpg

 

Coolant was low... maybe just didn't fill the reservoir:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0007.jpg

 

All four wheels look okay:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0009.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0010.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0011.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0012.jpg

[Siper2]

INTERIOR:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0013.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0014.jpg

 

Short shifter:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0015.jpg

 

A little cracking:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0016.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0017.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0018.jpg

 

Missing the little tab:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0022.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0038.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0039.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0040.jpg

 

A little scuffing on the driver's side bolster:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0041.jpg

 

Random door shot:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0043.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0044.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/GT-Phil-5.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/GT-Phil-4.jpg

[Siper2]

More touch-up snafu:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0020.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0021.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0023.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0024.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0025.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0026.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0027.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/Siper2/2005%20Subaru%20Legacy%20GT%20Limited/DSC_0045.jpg

 

 

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand that's it.

[FSRBIKER]

Is the rust in the engine compartment mostly on the drivers side? Reason I ask is why has the battery been changed in a 3 year old car? The rust on the timing belt bolts is either from battery acid or these bolts have been removed and the zinc or painted finish has been rubbed off. Also is that rust just to the left of the windshield washer fill in the picture on the rail by the battery? Did you do a Carfax/Autocheck on it to see if there are any reported accidents? I'm wondering if the car had some sort of front end damage/repair.

The seat wear I would say is normal, my car only has 25,000 miles and the cloth has some wear in the same spot...shorter drivers and slipping past the steering wheel/seat bolster.

Any other mods on the car, a short shifter may indicate some hard driving. Are they dead set on price? With a Carfax/Autocheck you can usually tell how long the dealership has had the car, if it's long you know they will bargain with the price.

 

I am not trying to kill your excitement just point out some things I see in the pictures and stuff/hints over the years I know to look for and what might have caused them.

[subaruski]

hm rust looks nasty...

[Siper2]

Nope it's cool, yeah I ran a CarFax, thought I mentioned that. PDF attached.

No reported accidents, no.

 

I'm not sure about the rust, and the current owner may not know either but I did email him last night before bed. I have some reddish oxidation type stuff in my RS too, similar... but I figured it might've just been age/road salt exposure/who knows.

Phil-White2005-CarFax_20080902.pdf

[jagcars26]

I don't like the look of the rust in the engine bay,plus that IS alot of miles fr a turboed car.Granted the NA Subaru motors run forever but don't go basing your opinion on that.

[Siper2]

No not at all, but everyone knows that Subaru engines are generally reliable, regardless. There's a lot of turbo Subies with more than double that mileage. I mean any engine needs to be maintained...

 

The current owner works for a garage and is willing to do any inspection/repairs at cost, so if I opt to buy this car I'd probably have him give it a good once-over. Or twice-over.

 

The paint spots on the outside aren't an issue, there's a painter in my town I can go to for that. He fixed a deep scratch on my wife's Outback front bumper and it looks really good.

[FSRBIKER]

Carfax shows a dealer took title a year ago at 83,000 miles but the car has only been driven 1,000 miles in 12 months? Also not all accidents are reported, for Carfax to pick it up the police need to report it or they pick up the claim via insurance company, etc. I would do some more investigating on the car, maybe have a mechanic do a compression/engine check and get it up on a lift to check the underside for any visual signs of damage. Has the clutch been changed, that's another expense that is probably coming up soon.

 

Offer him $10,000 and see what he says.

[Siper2]

That's the price, no negotiating, that's what they paid for it at auction. $10K seems really super low for a GT Limited at all? He's selling a blue one for $10.5K I think but it's a non-Ltd. and has a few door dings and scratches.

 

The car currently has 84K and change on it. Maybe it's noteworthy about what you said, I'm not sure. Reportedly it was traded in for a BMW so I'm not sure... maybe the owner drove another car for a while and then traded it. Or it sat on the BMW lot for a while before auction?

[FSRBIKER]

All prices can be negotiated, it all depends on how motivated they are to sell something. Remember all dealers have loans on the vehicles so every month they have it in stock they make a payment to the bank and there is also insurance. So if he is selling it for what he bought it at auction he is motivated to sell it even for a loss. When did they buy it at auction, was it a year ago?

 

If he is a mechanic maybe they can give you a year warranty on parts and labor on the powertrain(remember the clutch might be due soon)? Just remember his once over is not as critical of things as someone else you hire since he NEEDS to sell this car. Again I don't want to kill your deal, just see you buy the car for less if you can.

[Siper2]

He's not had the car long, a couple months at the most. They buy a lot of cars from auction for resale. Some are tuned, some are just repaired. They don't profit much on them, it's mostly volume and flipping. This particular car, one of the guys bought for personal use as a DD and potentially for modifying. However he has a built WRX already and decided to focus on it, instead.

 

So he hadn't officially listed it for sale but knew I was a sucker for white cars. He sent me three pics and, well, that's how it started. I just asked about it. I don't know what he would've listed it for officially, probably a little higher, but I don't know. It's not really a dealership, they just have the dealer license. It's only two guys.

[jagcars26]

Car come from Manheim?? They are one of the east coasts bigger auction houses.They move a zillion cars through there.

[Siper2]

Actually I think it's one of, if not the, biggest in the world. I'm not sure if they bought it there, but probably.

 

 

We've been emailing back and forth, and he did have this to say:

 

The auction has protocols for that in place and cars are screened before they are sold. If this car was sold down in New Orleans, then retitled in PA, yea maybe check it out. But it was a one owner car from PA, that was serviced in Syracuse, NY, so it was driven alot in snow belt country. Plus, given the only owner drove the car 35k miles a year, alot of that by sheer driving numbers had to be in the snow. That would account for any surface rust on the engine as pictured. It really isn't anything that out of the ordinary and has no reflection on the inside of the engine.

 

The blue legacy GT I have down here has similar corrosion on the engine. The oil feed pipe is completely oxidized and rusted on the back and is starting to move to the front identically to the way the white one is. Similar cars, similar mileage, etc etc. Even the level of the coolant overflow tank is about the same.

 

 

I do trust him, and has offered their ASE mechanic to investigate, fix or replace anything I like, at cost. So that's good. Perhaps they can just replace those couple of rusted lines.