G35 vs Legacy GT Purchase

[bran12081]

May I add a slight wrench in this discussion

 

So I went at lunch today and drove a 2005 Volvo T5 AWD and I liked it alot better than I thought I would. Felt super solid, wasn't a rocket, but it got out of the way of itself. felt nice on curvy roads. Not to bad on room either (surprisingly from the platform its based on) They have it listed at $22,999, 27k miles with Cloth seats or "sport package" I believe.

 

What is your guys take on the 2005 Volvo T5 AWD? Thanks for all the post so far guys BTW, it's very helpful

 

- Brandon

[Vimy101]

I wouldn't ignore anybody on the forum. The OP (and anybody who reads forums such as this) needs to take everything everyone says with a fairly large grain of salt. Everyone has an opinion. If you ask me, Acura != Lexus and Infinity although many of the cars belonging to the latter brands still remind me way too much of their econobox brethren. Whenever I sit in an Acura it just feels like my finance's Accord, right down to the plastics and the cheesy feel of the controls. If you option out an Accord and presented it along with a similarly priced TL to the average lay person I bet they wouldn't be able to find a difference.

 

To me stuff like DVD sound, silly computerized bits (this is coming from somebody in IT), noise canceling stereos, and fancy headlights mean only one thing to me, added weight, cost, and complexity. I would probably skip all of these things if I were optioning out a new car. I know not everybody is like this and many would rather have a 5000 pound car with a 60hp motor that can do your dishes and wax your floors. Don't get me wrong, if I could afford a m5 I would buy it and be happy with all of is gadgetry. But, if you're considering a Legacy GT you obviously care about performance and that's why you're here.

 

I don't care what anyone says, FWD is not an ideal setup for a car with more than 200hp. I've driven a few Minis and they are absolutely a blast to drive, I even considered buying one. The torque steer was minimal, but it was there and the car understeered like a mofo. Why have four wheels if you're only going to use two? It's simple laws of physics, why do race car drivers brake before they begin turning? Because tires can only do one thing well at a time, turn or brake, not both. The same holds true for acceleration. You can add all the fancy diffs you want, even if you somehow magically eliminate torque steer all of the power the engine is making will be lost in the "magic" of the diffs.

 

Acuras are made for middle aged businessmen who want something flashy but can't afford a German luxury car, not for the enthusiast driver who is performance minded and wants a no frills (but still nice on the inside and comfortable on long trips) touring sedan. Fortunately that's why the Legacy GT exists.

 

Just my opinion (except the FWD stuff, people can back me up on that. )

 

+1

[Vimy101]

I didn't say every car should be AWD, I just said FWD is not for performance applications. A RWD car still uses all 4 wheels, two for steering, two for propulsion. 911s are all wrong anyway, why would you put the engine in the back?!

 

AWD adds weight and is most definitely not good for racing for a myriad of other reasons. However, in every day performance applications (e.g. getting around ruddy on ramps at speed, driving through rain and on less than perfect roads) it can't be beat.

 

AWD is pretty good for rally racing.

[TravisS]

You know, I've read alot of people talking about AWD in the rain. I'm not trying to be ignorant, but how exactly does AWD help you drive through the rain (note: I'm not saying accelerate through a turn, just drive through the rain in everyday driving).

Joe

 

And what if your everyday driving involves lots of stops, turns, etc... and not a lot of highway?

Mine does. And it's really nice to be able to accelerate at near full throttle even in the wet. Necessary? Not generally. But it's sure nice knowing I can

 

Actually my driveway is the worst. I'm at the bottom of a short hill, which means I can't see the cars coming until they crest it. Speed limit is 40 here, but most people go 50 if not 60 MPH (I've been passed while driving 50 a number of times). I need to be able to pull out and get on it if I look back and see somebody coming.

[JoeFromPA]

I'd give the thumbs down to the Volvo over the LGT

 

But the truth of the matter is...buy what makes you happy. Don't buy what makes other people happy.

 

elcheapo - The brembo brakes were standard on the 04,05, and 06 TL 6-speed...when there was no type-s TL.

[JoeFromPA]

Travis - I would die a horrible death if I lived where you live...I don't rev my cars hard when they are cold

 

In this instance of my current car, it's a real PITA to follow that. My car isn't happy until it's being shifted at at least 4500 rpms....wants to do 5000 for everyday shifting, and doesn't seem to want to stop at 8000 for spirited driving...

 

Joe

[sactojesse]

What is your guys take on the 2005 Volvo T5 AWD?

Which model T5? S40, V50, S60, etc.

 

The V50 T5 AWD was on my shortlist of sport wagons when I bought my '05 LGT wagon. I only had three cars on my short list, all manual transmission/AWD wagons in their first year of production, and they were, in order of preference:

 

1) LGT Limited wagon -- most power, lightest, only true midsize wagon of the group, and likely the most reliable.

 

2) Volvo V50 T5 AWD -- lighter and more powerful than the Audi, still a small wagon, funky Scandanavian interior.

 

3) Audi A4 Avant 2.0T -- smallest and heaviest wagon, great interior, dubious reliability, looks great even with the new wide-mouth grille.

[rabydanimal]

AWD is pretty good for rally racing.

 

I was going to mention that but unfortunately the only thing people care about in this country are a bunch of cars with big honking v8s going in circles.

[bran12081]

The car I am looking at is a s40 t5 2005, auto sedan

 

- Brandon

[Vimy101]

I was going to mention that but unfortunately the only thing people care about in this country are a bunch of cars with big honking v8s going in circles.

 

+ Daytona 500

[goormove]

To add to the fray a bit more... I am a new LGT owner - Manual, Ltd - and I am still not sure I made the right decision. I drove a bunch of cars and was in a similar situation than you. If you really want to have a daily driver that you have good room in and good interior "stuff" without doing any mods, the LGT may not be the best choice. In stock trim, the LGT Auto is not as good as some of the other cars you have mentioned. Both the S40 and the Acura also offer the sportiness and comfort that you seem to be looking for. For a regular driver there is nothing wrong with FWD - one needs to be careful in foul weather, but that is the case in any car.

 

I have had several germal VW variants - GTI's, A4's etc. and while they cost a bit more to fix, they have a very good driving feel for the daily commute. A used A4 3.0 Q would be a great choice if you are going Auto as the Tip works well for spirited, but not agressive driving and gets decent mileage. The other thing to consider is how long you plan on keeping the car and cost of longer term ownership. If you are like me and change out every 24-30 months, look for something with good resale and lowest expected cost of ownership.

 

I am happy with my LGT and enjoy driving it - I live in Philly and we have horrible winters. After some mods (after winter) I expect I will love it more. 2 things to consider - everyone driving style is different - you should go drive what you want to buy and drive it the way you normally drive. Don't worry about the person selling the car sitting next to you, if you can't get a good ride in a particular car, move on. And no matter what people on here say, including me, the best thing in car buying is how you feel driving the car. No one else can explain that feeling for you. I drove a modded A3 and it was one of the best cars I ever drove and if I could have afforded the quattro A3, I would have bought one is a second.

 

Not sure if any of that helps, but I was up early and reading. Good luck and have fun.

[rabydanimal]

If you go German be sure to get a CPO car. My buddy's m3 has probably paid for itself just in the repairs his CPO program has paid for. Most older VWs (4+ years) I've seen have weird minor electrical problems and/or multiple pieces of interior and exterior trim falling off. The 1.8T is a great engine though. Never owned nor do I have a lot of experience with Audi but I would expect the same sort of thing as VW.