View Full Version : Subaru Legacy GT
Tiny Tim
13-10-2008, 09:42
Seriously considering getting one of these as I fancy a change. Probably a GT-B.
I know Rich R owns one but he never seems to be about these days. Has anyone else had the personal pleasure?
There doesnt seem to be much on the net as they're imports bar the fact that the big ends are known for going (apparently you have to run as high as possible octane fuel).
Struggling to see the link between the big-ends failing & having to run high octane jungle juice...?
A mate at work has a P1 Impreza. I know a few other blokes have been put off the car because he has to put an additive in the tank eveytime he fills up. No idea what it is mind. Another bloke I know has a Impreza on a W plate and he just uses super unleaded.
Tiny Tim
13-10-2008, 10:00
Struggling to see the link between the big-ends failing & having to run high octane jungle juice...?
So do I, but I've seen it mentioned a couple of times regarding Subarus (and have heard others mentioning it regarding imports as a whole).
Would the big-end issue be down to the infamous issue that imprezas have due to the location of the turbo (if thats right)?
Only thing I can think of is that running 95ron causes the engine to det', and maybe the ecu can't auto-adapt/retard the ignition sufficiently enough. For sure, det' could cause big-end failure, although I'd have thought the pistons wouldn't fair that well either?
Nothing that can't be sorted with a remap though. That, or you run 97ron+ fuel...
Tiny Tim
13-10-2008, 10:24
Tis true.
i'd just like to get to know all the weak points. If its going to be as bad as some have made out, I may as well buy an RX-7.
Would you actually buy a Rex, or are you just taking the piss, because they are 'supposedly' unreliable as feck?
http://www.rtoc.org/boards/picture.php?pictureid=435&albumid=33&dl=1221161646&thumb=1 (http://www.rtoc.org/boards/album.php?albumid=33&pictureid=435)
550Bhp. This car was awsome. He sold it for 6k. Went around combe chasing a TVR for fun. Re-build every 30k or so. I'd have one..:D
Tiny Tim
13-10-2008, 10:30
I would LOVE one. But the running costs and lack of space are my main issue. Im trying to find a car that encompasses as many factors of what I want as possible. Comfortable, quick, plenty of room (for the family) and something that little bit different.... too many Imprezas round here, so thats a no-no.
Yeh, the reason I ask, is if he did get one, I'd be down to Bournemouth in a flash, demanding he gives me his car right now. I want one in a year or two, insurance depending.
Get an RX-7 Tim, seriously. You would actually be my hero if you did.
Tiny Tim
13-10-2008, 10:32
Yeah, because being your hero is one of my goals in life :rolleyes:
Shut it ye coont! Fcuking get one, NOW!
Mitsy Evo ftl ;)
Yep, they are a bit chav-tastic aren't they?
Tiny Tim
13-10-2008, 10:38
Mitsy Evo ftw ;)
Pfft. Common as muck these days ;)
Was looking at Mitsy Galants though :cool:
Proof once again that you can't educate the uneducated... :p ;)
Pfft. Common as muck these days ;)
Was looking at Mitsy Galants though :cool:
Have you considered the Legnum VR4?
Not many around, plenty of space and pretty cheap.
Im sure they are about the same performance as the Legacys.
tim all imports are run on the best avaliable fuel v power etc, the leggys are cool but thirsty i wejnt through a montth long search for a good one and drove tonnes the gtb is the nicest one had blisten suspension as standard, avoid auto spastics.
the actual engine is a boxer unit same as a impreza manual banging out 280 and there highly regarded as a sleeper of a car, tonnes of space, and actually about a hands lenght longer than a vectra saloon so not as big as they look., great andling, the engine is only as good as the beating it recieves, there not common faults but the rest of the engine is so good it seems like the big ends go a lot but considering the number of boxer units in cars its not that much at all, top car get one if you need a big wagon. plus scooby burble cant beat that.
nice cars in my opinion if you'll bear the fuel costs, 70 plus to fill and just over 200 on a tank.
far more avaliable than the vr4's
bric rex's are my fav, but engine overhaul at 3 grand plus every 30k is a no no in my book, that coupled with running costs, takes the edge off owning one, rotary tips wear like chocolate near heat.
Sorry - yes, work is getting in the way of me being on the site so much these days :)
I've had a Gen II (1996/97) Legacy GTB for several years now. Superb cars, all the practicality of a big 4WD Subaru Legacy estate, but with Porsche baiting performance. And they're cheap to buy these days (under £3000).
However, the Gen II ones are getting on a bit now, and ten years of running a highly stressed 2 litre engine is starting to show on many cars. Big end failure is common on cars where they've been thrashed and not maintained. Fuel octane isn't necessarily the cause, it seems constant high rpm (the GTB revs to 7800rpm, which is much higher than the single turbo version of that engine in the Impreza STI does) and a failing MAF (due to age) are more likely causes. Buy a new MAF and change the oil regularly and it should be fine. If you do kill the bottom end, it'll still drive for hundreds of miles, so you won't be stranded. Cheapest fix is a second hand engine - £500 will get you a 30,000 mile one for example. I rebuilt my engine when it went, and it was a lot of work.
Mine's starting to suffer from rust bubbles in places, and the radiator is leaking - though to be fair, these aren't problems specific to the Legacy, any 100,000 mile 10 year old car gets this sort of thing.
You can't remap the Gen II ones to run on 95RON, so it's 97RON or better only. Gen IIIs (1998-2000) can be remapped though, but cost a lot more.
My advice would be to test drive one. The Galant (Legnum) VR4 isn't quite as quick, and the engine's the wrong way round, but they have a nicer interior than the Subaru.
Fuel consumption is around 28mpg at best - remember the Legacy GT and GTB are built for high speed cruising, so if you do a lot of motorway miles, they're great.
Tiny Tim
13-10-2008, 11:12
What mileage was yours on when you rebuilt it Rich? Did you rebuild due to big-end failure?
Around 160,000 km - ie 100,000 miles.
Big end failure on main bearing number 3. Engine still ran and produced full power, but sounded like a machine gun. I blame it on a failing MAF, which we put off replacing for a few weeks whilst we went on holiday to Scotland before buying a new one. MAFs are about £200.
The GT doesn't suffer as much as the GTB though, being 260bhp rather than 280bhp as it's got a lower rev limit (and different ECU map).
Mine's a manual, but to be honest, the autos are damn good too. Slightly slower 0-60 (about 6.1s rather than 5.5s), but you can get that every time without being brutal to the clutch.
I've got a UK spec Legacy 2.2GX too, which is our daily workhorse/commuting car. Boot space is identical - about 1m x 1m x 2m (wider in front and behind the suspension turrets). You can't beat loading up at IKEA and still accelerating faster than most other things on the road...
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