henryq89 Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 yay for manual transmission =] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirsimon Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I rarely contribute to Spec.B versus GT threads, but seeing as I regularly get to drive both, I think I can give a reasonably objective perspective. The Spec has some nice bits, primarily the aluminum suspension parts and the 6-speed. In reality, with some suspension upgrades, the GT will be just as capable as the Spec. The GT I drive has my Spec's Bilstiens+pinks, and an upgraded rear sway. With better rubber it handles very well. The biggest difference is in the "road feel" of the Spec, which is probably due in large part to the aluminum components. Big deal. In every day (spirited) driving you will not be bothered. I recommend that anyone trying to decide between the two cars consider how much they plan on modding it: 1. If you like the car as is, and don't plan on going to extreme, the Spec is a decent choice, as it is nicely equipped out of the box. Swap the springs, upgrade the sways and brake pads, go stage 2, and you have a nice little sedan. 2. If you plan on modding the hell out of the car, save your money and get the GT. You'll prolly replace most of the Spec.B stuff anyway. The one exception to this rule is with regard to the 6-spd, which is nice to have if you want to push 400whp. The 6-spd is (IMO) better suited to storming through the curves, but the 5-spd is better for straight line brutality. But I think it is irresponsible to run a car with that much power and not have serious brake upgrades (BBK) and a real (coilover) suspension. As far as the factory nav...who cares? Aftermarket systems really are better (though not integrated as nicely) and much cheaper. The factory nav does have a certain bling appeal though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missing-snowman Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 LegacyGT is almost unheard over here in blighty. The 3.0R SpecB is equally rare but now very affordable since it is in the highest road tax bracket of £400. Just had mine for 3 months and am loving it. Now I just need to practice the Nurburgring on the PS3 I don't have and book some ferry tickets. Pros ==== £9k for a £28k car that is 30months old and 17k miles Limited slip diff + Four wheel drive = sublime fun in Scotland Momo steering wheel (if you like that kind of thing) No SpecB badges or bonnet scoop (which makes it seriously cool in my world) BBC Top Gear favourite car (One of only 3 cars all presenter's agree on) 6 cyl boxer with Porche style variable cam automagic Cons ===== No front strut brace (what's with that?) ABS way too sensitive No cover for ski flap (to stop water dripping on the seats) Lack of torque low down - twin turbo would solve this ;-) Stock bridgestones worn out after 17k miles and slippy in wet Limited choice of new tires for 215/45/18 (can't get Michelin Pilot SP2) Some road surfaces cause a loud resonance at around 4000rpm Seat comfort not the best No reach adjustment on steering wheel Unable to disable traction control (not sure it would make much difference) Stock battery is lousy (at least mine is) Can't turn satnav voice off when in motion (think there's a hack for this) Fuel consumption (but it makes you appreciate it more) Fuel cap is seriously bad Sunroof shade rattles Stupid alarm system (Grrr!) Audio speakers not very good No mp3 socket Paying for 97octane and getting the ordinary crap My friends Mitsubishi Legnum VR-4 is probably faster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacks GT Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Welcome fellow pomm, where abouts in the uk are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blk2.5GT Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Try to test drive one with the Sportshift auto and one with the manual. Mine has the Sportshift and am wondering if I should have got the 5 speed manual. Although it is fun shifting on the steering wheel while the gas pedal is to the ground. I'm just curious to how much power the auto tranny can take...? What are some upgrades that are available for the tranny to make it handle possiblely a bigger turbo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missing-snowman Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I'm in Manchester and have been working in Scotland so have had some time to enjoy the scenic routes to Edinburgh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirsimon Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Try to test drive one with the Sportshift auto and one with the manual. Mine has the Sportshift and am wondering if I should have got the 5 speed manual. Although it is fun shifting on the steering wheel while the gas pedal is to the ground. I'm just curious to how much power the auto tranny can take...? What are some upgrades that are available for the tranny to make it handle possiblely a bigger turbo? You can get a valve body upgrade for the autobox that will enable it to handle a bit more power, or get a "built" one, but the cost is very high. If you drive a 5-spd manual and 5-spd auto back-to-back you will notice that the auto feels like it pulls harder, but the auto will feel like the power "hits" harder. This is because of the torque converter. In general, when I drove them back to back the manual felt a bit more "elastic". In terms of total power handling capacity, it depends a *lot* on how you drive. Powerbrake your auto regularily (even at stock power levels) and watch it die a quick death. Treat it with respect, and it should do OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmako Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Pros ==== £9k for a £28k car that is 30months old and 17k miles Limited slip diff + Four wheel drive = sublime fun in Scotland Momo steering wheel (if you like that kind of thing) No SpecB badges or bonnet scoop (which makes it seriously cool in my world) BBC Top Gear favourite car (One of only 3 cars all presenter's agree on) 6 cyl boxer with Porche style variable cam automagic Cons ===== No front strut brace (what's with that?) ABS way too sensitive No cover for ski flap (to stop water dripping on the seats) Lack of torque low down - twin turbo would solve this ;-) Stock bridgestones worn out after 17k miles and slippy in wet Limited choice of new tires for 215/45/18 (can't get Michelin Pilot SP2) Some road surfaces cause a loud resonance at around 4000rpm Seat comfort not the best No reach adjustment on steering wheel Unable to disable traction control (not sure it would make much difference) Stock battery is lousy (at least mine is) Can't turn satnav voice off when in motion (think there's a hack for this) Fuel consumption (but it makes you appreciate it more) Fuel cap is seriously bad Sunroof shade rattles Stupid alarm system (Grrr!) Audio speakers not very good No mp3 socket Paying for 97octane and getting the ordinary crap My friends Mitsubishi Legnum VR-4 is probably faster I have to agree with the pros and the cons. There isn't one here on my island, and the spec B giveaway is the wheels / slightly lowered suspension. Now if someone would make an affordable SC........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacks GT Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 IIRC the Spec.B sits sightly higher than the LGT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmako Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 IIRC the Spec.B sits sightly higher than the LGT My bad. My friends GT's are lower, but I thought with the new model and lower profile tires, mine was lower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpgspecb Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I rarely contribute to Spec.B versus GT threads, but seeing as I regularly get to drive both, I think I can give a reasonably objective perspective. The Spec has some nice bits, primarily the aluminum suspension parts and the 6-speed. In reality, with some suspension upgrades, the GT will be just as capable as the Spec. The GT I drive has my Spec's Bilstiens+pinks, and an upgraded rear sway. With better rubber it handles very well. The biggest difference is in the "road feel" of the Spec, which is probably due in large part to the aluminum components. Big deal. In every day (spirited) driving you will not be bothered. I recommend that anyone trying to decide between the two cars consider how much they plan on modding it: 1. If you like the car as is, and don't plan on going to extreme, the Spec is a decent choice, as it is nicely equipped out of the box. Swap the springs, upgrade the sways and brake pads, go stage 2, and you have a nice little sedan. 2. If you plan on modding the hell out of the car, save your money and get the GT. You'll prolly replace most of the Spec.B stuff anyway. The one exception to this rule is with regard to the 6-spd, which is nice to have if you want to push 400whp. The 6-spd is (IMO) better suited to storming through the curves, but the 5-spd is better for straight line brutality. But I think it is irresponsible to run a car with that much power and not have serious brake upgrades (BBK) and a real (coilover) suspension. As far as the factory nav...who cares? Aftermarket systems really are better (though not integrated as nicely) and much cheaper. The factory nav does have a certain bling appeal though. Very good response! I enjoy reading posts from people like you! Totally hit the nail on the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmako Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I'd have to agree with sirsimon on this. I really did not want to do much in the way of modification, so the specB was the right choice. I don't have any regrets. For the person that has to mod their ride, the GT is a better choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.