mycl Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Worth posting here i thought.... Liberty (Legacy) 3.0RB/GT pretty much the car of the year in the Australian press (if you exclude the SUV of the year - "ford territory") http://carsguide.news.com.au/news/story_page/0,8269,12066133%255E21822,00.html Was judged overall better than the EVO, BMW 5 etc..... just a little more confirmation for all of you who own these wonderful cars.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agctr Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Yup have to LOVE this, the lads at Docklands are over the Moon. They are moving plenty of these units which is great. Just sad that the STi GT version will never grace the land downunder. Adam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Why do you say that? do you know of it's pending existence, and it's denial from Oz? Do they grey import vehicles? Grey importing from japan is very rare in the US, but perhaps not in other parts of the world. Good to hear the news that the Australian people have noticed how good the cars are, and are buying them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandShark Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 As a Yank, I'm disappointed in the seemingly ho-hum response that the American car buyer is giving the Subaru Legacy, especially the GT. I can only speak from my local dealer's perspective but I know for sure that Legacies are not flying off the lot. I drive past the dealer almost every day on the drive to work and sometimes see the same Leggie sitting there for two or 3 weeks! It frustrates me knowing that in the stupid Honda dealer next door (and the Toyota dealer next to that) that blind, ignorant people are purchasing Accords and Camrys while never giving the Legacy a thought. Makes me want to spend my own free time on the weekends walking around the other dealerships and telling prospective buyers to go check-out and test drive the Legacy. I know that I could swing at least a handful of people each weekend. I realize that's a silly idea but the fact that I even think about it shows just how much I admire and appreciate the Legacy. What a car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
some6uy008 Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Everywhere but America Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry-Guy Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 As a Yank, I'm disappointed in the seemingly ho-hum response that the American car buyer is giving the Subaru Legacy, especially the GT. I can only speak from my local dealer's perspective but I know for sure that Legacies are not flying off the lot. I drive past the dealer almost every day on the drive to work and sometimes see the same Leggie sitting there for two or 3 weeks! It frustrates me knowing that in the stupid Honda dealer next door (and the Toyota dealer next to that) that blind, ignorant people are purchasing Accords and Camrys while never giving the Legacy a thought. Makes me want to spend my own free time on the weekends walking around the other dealerships and telling prospective buyers to go check-out and test drive the Legacy. I know that I could swing at least a handful of people each weekend. I realize that's a silly idea but the fact that I even think about it shows just how much I admire and appreciate the Legacy. What a car! Well, I think the problem lies right on the sticker. There are so many people that look at the fuel efficiency as the final answer to what car they will purchase, and I do believe the Legacy is sitting pretty low on that list. Personally that's not my concern, but for so many people, especially with the rise in gas prices, that is important. They would rather save mother earth than enjoy the vehicle they drive... I think they are a bunch of Sallies! Anyway, go Australia for picking a great car. Not that I need confirmation that this will be a good purchase, but it's good to see I can back my discision when people point out how much fuel it consumes [Ryan] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan42025 Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 It's not just the fuel - the cost of the GT is somewhat higher than the Honda, Mazda, etc. So the "ordinary" people go for the lower cost car. The equivalent really for them is the lower cost non-GT versions of the Legacy. However, this is where the whole Subaru story breaks down I think. The power is less than the alternatives, often with less features (except for AWD). So, I think someone looking for a non-performance small family car, the ordinary Legacy doesn't come with the goods. For me, fortunately I could afford a GT and that car is far better than the Hondas, etc. albeit more expensive. So, I think Subaru has let down the ordinary driver with a limited budget but excelled for people like me looking for a performance car at a reasonable price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunderkind Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 If I'm in So Cal, I won't be driving a Subaru. RWD all the time baby!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwood Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 I have trouble believing that americans are really all that concerned about mileage. I think it's more about brand loyalty, getting people to accept the trade-off in benefits btw AWD v. e.g. HIDS, nav, etc. that similarly priced cars usually offer. all lot of people couldn't give a stuff about AWD, and outside of really inclement weather, who can blame them. And also, let's face it, subaru is not as well known by john q. public as toyota et al. sorry, veering further off-topic Go Liberty! getting out of the legacy game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan42025 Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 My GT is the first AWD car I've ever owned. I too was skeptical and ignorant of the virtues of AWD. Now, I don't think I'd ever go back to a F/RWD. The benefits of AWD are so clear to me now - and not just in wet conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asqy Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Australian liberty's are made in Japan - and as pointed out Subaru's are slighty prestige in Australia due to their slighty higher price and high spec. Toyota Camery V6 goes for around 30 000 AUD While the premium 2.5i goes for around 39 000 AUD. The GT in Australia goes for 52 000 or so. Accord is 36 000 to 49 000 - depending on spec The accord Euro (Acura TSX) goes for 34 000 to 44 900 (depending on transmission) BMW 318i goes for 55 000 325i for around 75 000 BMW 330i goes for 95 000 (Yikes!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpc8bpc8 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Originally I was looking at the base Accord, Camry, and Altima -- I wanted a sedan around 20k that would last a long time. I didn't even consider Subaru until the Nissan dealer suggested the Legacy. Subaru has branded themselves so successfully with the Outback and Forester that I don't think people looking for a sedan even think about Subaru. Once I drove the Legacy in a snow filled parking lot I was hooked on AWD. Even on dry roads, with the non-turbo engine, this car is a lot more fun to drive than any base camry/accord/altima. It's not priced bad either - when you add some of the standard features (ABS, side airbags, etc.) the altimas/camrys/accords all end up in the mid-low 20's as well. So you basically get AWD and the "more fun" factor at no additional cost. If Subaru wants to sell this car they should focus on people who are looking for a sedan. (Right now I feel like they're targetting SUV/crossover shoppers). Think about a commercial that compared all of these cars: the camry/altima/accord and legacy. If the comparison showcased the advantages of an AWD car in ice, rain, snow, etc., for the same price, a lot of sedan shoppers would take notice. (Many sedan shoppers want the bad-weather advantages of an SUV but they don't want to drive a truck - the legacy is a perfect solution). The GT version would appeal to the same people who pay high 20's for an Accord V6 or Maxima. Sure the GT compares favorably with a lot of performance/luxury cars (3 series, etc.), but I think Subaru would sell a lot more cars if they focused on the Accord/Camry/Altima market. Of course, then everyone would buy one and I would feel less cool about my special car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan42025 Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 If the comparison showcased the advantages of an AWD car in ice, rain, snow, etc., for the same price, a lot of sedan shoppers would take notice. I think they have dons this in the past. Besides they always advertise the AWD distinguishing feature. Doesn't seam to do much good though. Perhaps your suggestion is a good one and they should make a really good commercial highlighting the virtues of AWD. The point I make though is they also need to add a few more "toys" inside as more and more basic low priced cars, even Australian ones are doing it. Even SatNav is coming in on some of the mid priced cars. The other thing I feel is the exterior of the Liberty is plainer than the others, in particular the Mazda 6 and Honda Accord Euro. Some actually may prefer the plainer look (I do) but I suspect most don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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