Looking to get a BD Legacy

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I know headgaskets are a pain so which model had an issue? I know MY98 with the DOHC did also I'm looking at getting the car in a 5MT so anything drivetrain related I need to check out?

will be my fourth Subaru I had 1 95 Impreza L FWD, MY98 Forester L and MY93 Forester XS. However I've always liked the BD styling it was & still is a toss up between this and a 05 LGT but I think I might still settle on a BD sedan.

some stuff after I would acquire the car is put a mechanical LSD diff in the rear

[Huffer]

Headgaskets = anything with a DOHC 2.5L engine prior to 2003.

[1-3-2-4]

Thanks!

[1-3-2-4]

oh another question I think the 2nd gen sedan is the only one that had the fold down seats for both seats instead of the little pass through?

[Huffer]

correct.
BD= folddown
BE= passthru

[1-3-2-4]

Now question is is a 1997 2.5GT with 156K miles too much for $6,976 too much?

Only thing that has me a little uneasy is the amount of mileage thats on it since thats about the time I got rid of my '1995 impreza because of transmission problems but this Legacy is a 5MT

it seems here the Wagons outnumber the sedans lik 5 to 1

[d1giPhux]

^ Yes.. i paid $5800 for mine with 131k and the body in near perfect condition (always garage kept). This price also included a new clutch, brand new tires, and some other nice things such as floor mats, and new brake pads.

Another 1999 LGT Limited i bought had 150k miles on it when it was bought, and it was only $3200.


You could find a MUCH better deal.. for that year car / mileage.. i would pay NO MORE than $3500.

[1-3-2-4]

^ Yes.. i paid $5800 for mine with 131k and the body in near perfect condition (always garage kept). This price also included a new clutch, brand new tires, and some other nice things such as floor mats, and new brake pads.

Another 1999 LGT Limited i bought had 150k miles on it when it was bought, and it was only $3200.


You could find a MUCH better deal.. for that year car / mileage.. i would pay NO MORE than $3500.

Man this is going to be hard because in my area 250 mi search about 90% of the Legacys in this year range are all wagons :(

maybe some will pop up in Jan near tax time or something like that...

[Huffer]

I paid $4000 incl tax & title for my 98 BD 2.5GT w/auto... 160k on the clock.

[Reason]

correct.
BD= folddown
BE= passthru

1st gen has rear fold down seats too.

[1-3-2-4]

well just as I thought more listings for a GT sedan for a automatic but I'm not going that way this time around after going through 2 4EAT's.... One on the impreza and one on the 03 Forester (really was the front diff that shattered)

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how strong is the 5MT? reason I ask is I would have left over money if I can find a good deal and I wanted to do a Wrx 2.0L swap or STi swap but I don't want the gears to be cut up on the first shift.

[Mr. Sociable]

how strong is the 5MT? reason I ask is I would have left over money if I can find a good deal and I wanted to do a Wrx 2.0L swap or STi swap but I don't want the gears to be cut up on the first shift.


Do your research on this before you take the plunge. It's more work than some expect and a lot get in over their heads.


All 5mt's in newer Subarus are essentially the same (barring the JDM STi iirc). From what I've read (I have a 4eat :cry: ) they're kind of fragile under WRX power, even stock. I guess it should be ok as long as you dont try to crank a bajillion hp through it, but then again I don't have any first hand experence.


Someone slap and correct me if I'm wrong.

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yeah Im in no way going to get another Subaru auto for the time being...

I found a Red 97 GT the price is fair.. $4,900 or I should say better then the other and this one has 127,369 on it.. but it has a problem.. it's red :-/ I forget his name who lives in PA and has a red one his I will admit looks very nice but I don't think I could do red everyday..

Bad enough my 95 Impreza was that seafoam green color...

recap..

red one with 127K
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4091/4186wr5.jpg

Green with 156K
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/115/s3838abl5.jpg
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/6761/s3838a03ep1.jpg

[Mr. Sociable]

Could just be the camera, but that green one looks CLEAN.

[1-3-2-4]

yeah I thought so too.. I wonder how dealers feel if you tell them about the price in the book and how it's overpriced.. a few things good for it is I don't need to go out of state for it.. bad news is still price..

also for the green one at least from the picture just looks like the front plate bracket has rust? Can it be removed? I never put up my front plate.

[Reason]

Could just be the camera, but that green one looks CLEAN.

I was thinking the same thing. Plus those two colors are my least favorite, but I would never buy a red car.

[1-3-2-4]

CT has a hard-on for wagons and automatics :-/


Green is ok better then red.. When I was looking for an 05 LGT I never found any at a decent price in black.. most all were priced about $2-4 too high

Haha I still remember the day about 4 years ago I went to test drive a Legacy L which was a 1996 which had 63K on it dealer wanted $13K and some change on it.. I was like you have to be kidding me...

I wonder how green would look with JDM taillights

[Huffer]

The green is more durable than the red... though the red is an eye popper when properly detailed...

Of the two I would probably take the green, just because the green will hide minor dings better. But the red would be good because the wheel color selections are greater.

There's nothing wrong with the 4EAT in Subarus, provided they are properly maintained and not abused. Same as the 5MT, really.

And a WRX swap with stock WRX power will be fine with a Legacy 5MT...

[1-3-2-4]

The green is more durable than the red... though the red is an eye popper when properly detailed...

Of the two I would probably take the green, just because the green will hide minor dings better. But the red would be good because the wheel color selections are greater.

There's nothing wrong with the 4EAT in Subarus, provided they are properly maintained and not abused. Same as the 5MT, really.

And a WRX swap with stock WRX power will be fine with a Legacy 5MT...

I'm looking at some rota SDR wheels now and I wonder how steel gray would look on the car.. I don't want anything flashy I guess the stock GT wheels can be for winter.

as for the 4EAT I never could stand the hunting.. and my 1.8L impreza it was really bad.. around 75-80 mph if you happen to press down on the throttle about an inch more it would downshift then go back into 4th... very touchy throttle when you got faster.

Also having worked at a Subaru dealership for a week (a story in it's own) I drove a few manaul's Legacy turbo and wrx wagon they all seemed to rev quicker then the auto's my 4EAT crapped out in my Impreza at 159K I still had all my forward gears but my reverse was slipping like I don't know what until one day at work I no longer had reverse..

In the end I think I did the right thing the car was a FWD impreza and I was in no way going to spend money converting it when I could just get another model.

These fold down seats will be helpful for me with my photogear but I don't want the wagon.

[Huffer]

Look in xcntrk75's members thread for Rota SDR's on a red legacy. Looks good with the right suspension drop.

I still stand behind the durability of the 4EAT, the 98's have pretty good logic and mechanically they are quite reliable if the fluids are changed correctly. I've got one clocking 212,000 miles.

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Look in xcntrk75's members thread for Rota SDR's on a red legacy. Looks good with the right suspension drop.

I still stand behind the durability of the 4EAT, the 98's have pretty good logic and mechanically they are quite reliable if the fluids are changed correctly. I've got one clocking 212,000 miles.i wish i could say yes to the auto but not this time around besides if i remember right no one makes a front diff for the auto

[Sarra]

You're going to change the front diff? If you're going to do that, then why not get an auto, toss the junkbox, and put a manual in it?

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You're going to change the front diff? If you're going to do that, then why not get an auto, toss the junkbox, and put a manual in it?from what i was told no one makes a front lsd for a auto but they do for the manual. Lol funny every one here seems to like the auto but other sites are like get the manual.

[redlegacygt]

yeah Im in no way going to get another Subaru auto for the time being...

I found a Red 97 GT the price is fair.. $4,900 or I should say better then the other and this one has 127,369 on it.. but it has a problem.. it's red :-/ I forget his name who lives in PA and has a red one his I will admit looks very nice but I don't think I could do red everyday..
would that guy be me? :lol:

i didnt think i could do red either... but now i love it... how could you resist this?

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/07/legacy-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/07/AstinsCaratPlant-1.jpg

don't be shy.. go for the red :lol: jk... just get whatever color you like.. i've become partial to the white as well...[/quote]

[dodik]

When i was shopping for my first suby i test drove a red 99 Gt and that thing was way better looking then the green one i ended up buying. of course there was a 5k price difference between the two. from those two pics i would say go for the red one first of all it has less miles, its cheaper, and it wasnt polished the crap out of it trying to make it look nice liek the green one was. when ever i see a buffed car for sale i tend to stay away because usually after first heavy rain you start seeing all the scuff marks that werent present before and car looks regular and not shiny like in that pic.
as for a tranny it all about what you want if you gonna buy 5MT thats great as for an auto great as well, buy the one that suits your needs most. as for longivity of life my 4eat was in perfect shape after 275k on it, shifted as smooth as new when i traded car in.

[MXS]

For what it's worth, I paid about 3800 for mine last September. 97 GT sedan, 5 speed, black, 165k.


I wonder how green would look with JDM taillights Everything looks good with JDM taillights :smile:

[oskar_subaru]

For what it's worth, I paid about 3800 for mine last September. 97 GT sedan, 5 speed, black, 165k.


I wonder how green would look with JDM taillights Everything looks good with JDM taillights :smile:

http://myndir.ekkert.is/d/493389-1/IMG_2788+_Medium_.jpg

http://myndir.ekkert.is/d/493392-1/IMG_2788_clear+_Medium_.jpg

[1-3-2-4]

For what it's worth, I paid about 3800 for mine last September. 97 GT sedan, 5 speed, black, 165k.


I wonder how green would look with JDM taillights Everything looks good with JDM taillights :smile:yea i wonder what the dealer would say when i tell them the price listed in the book.. And they cant jack the price up just for changing parts can they? Its i subaru dealership

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so while waiting for my shift to start at work how is the stock handling of the car? I never got to drive anything older then 2004, also for a rear lsd which is better a clutch type or mech. Type?

[Huffer]

It handles ok... but it really needs better tires and stiffer swaybars to be a good ride.

Springs are a must too, to help combat rear end squat under acceleration.

I always figure an additional $6-700 in suspension mods on top of the purchase price.

[1-3-2-4]

It handles ok... but it really needs better tires and stiffer swaybars to be a good ride.

Springs are a must too, to help combat rear end squat under acceleration.

I always figure an additional $6-700 in suspension mods on top of the purchase price.

tires I'm still up in the air over.. I was thinking about getting some Enkei RPM2 wheels which I think only come in a gunmetal color.. I think it would go ok with a green GT... I was going to go with some A/S tires Bridestone Potenza G 009's Or the Continental ContiExtremeContact

Something I was reading this morning while waiting for my train.. so impreza suspension parts wont fit the legacy? Like I wanted to get the KYB adjustable struts but from what I was hearing we don't have that many springs to pick from?

[Huffer]

Something I was reading this morning while waiting for my train.. so impreza suspension parts wont fit the legacy? Like I wanted to get the KYB adjustable struts but from what I was hearing we don't have that many springs to pick from?

Impreza springs will fit, but I believe in getting the WAGON specific parts simply because they are rated to support the rear better than the SEDAN parts. "saggy butt syndrome" is common amongst BD owners who install WRX suspension.

[1-3-2-4]

if I get springs I just don't want to drop too low since some streets are not plowed well or at all during the winter.