Mr.Dobsi Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 Hey guys, ive been reading around this forum for the past couple days and decieded to join. Currently my parents and I are Saab owners.. we have a 2001 Saab 9-5 Aero, wonderful car, but just too many 'quirks'. So I am doing some research on some new cars. and its between a bmw 330i or a 2005 Legacy GT. I absolutly love the looks of the Legacy, however the bmw seems to have more 'creature comforts' built in, the performance is more familiar with the 250 hp turbo charged engine, we are used to hitting boost, and driving a N/A 6 cyclinder with the same amout of hp seems 'less impressive' so to speak because the power band is so broad. Now my quiestion for you subaru experts is what to expect from legacy's.. what are their main areas to look out for, premature failures to keep an eye on, that sort of stuff. every car has thier own things to look out for, I could go on for hours about how many problems Saabs have, yet i can go on even longer about how amazing they are! Any response is appriciated, Thanks in advance, Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetterFan Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 One of the key differences that you will notice is that the Legacy will have CUP HOLDERS. Bimmers hardly ever put them into their cars. The power range might be a bit more broad in the Bimmer, but I love it more than anything when the turbo kicks in. And as far as reliability is concerned, the Legacy will go on forever. Subaru's are known for reliability, and BMW's, simply aren't. As with any European car (especially BMW) you can expect a lot of air time (on a lift in a garage). My mom has a BMW with 24,000 miles. She has never had any serious problems, but there have been quite a few minor problems and inconvienences. The interior of the car just doesn't seem to be solid. I would definately choose the Subie, but I may not be the best person to talk to though, because I feel that BMW is an acronym for Big Money Waster! You may want to post at a BMW forum to get a "different" point of view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjwirth Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 while the boost of a turbo is a nice rush, I prefer the broad power band of the bmw- no matter where you are in rpm's, you get good power. and that engine is smoooooooth. there's a pretty big price difference between the 330 and the legacy gt, but I think you get 2 different cars. I'm not saying the legacy is a slouch, but the 330 handles great- there's good feedback from the steering yet the ride is sooo comfortable. I find the interior of the bmw to be great- everything is rock solid and well laid out. If your parents are into driving and handling, then the bmw's the way to go. the bmw also gives free service, has more "convenience features" and for short term ownership, probably costs the same as a legacy. that said, the legacy gt will handle most anything you throw at it. while it's not the performer that the bmw is, most people (even bmw owners) never really push their cars that hard. Plus add the awd, better reliability, and lower price, and it's hard to beat. Why are you looking for a 330i for your parents?? are your parents horsepower junkies- or is it you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Dobsi Posted July 13, 2005 Author Share Posted July 13, 2005 Thanks for your input.. In reply it is me who is the Hp junkie.. but i guess you can say we are hp junkies on a budget.. a $40-50K Cdn Budget.. The closet Subaru dealership is about 40 minutes away from us, whereas the closet Performance BMW dealer is about 10 minutes away, which is nice for any service oil changes etc... My parents.. Mostly my dad will be the one making the decision, my mom doeant really care.. she has her minivan, shes happy. haha I'm going to be the one servicing maintaining and using the car to its full potential, My dad likes a nice firm ride with plenty power on tap for passing.. I call it fun.. he calls it 'safe for passing cars".. whatever works i guess! I think thats why we like turbocharged cars so much, theres such an omph of power when it kicks it! it makes the car feel faster then it really is. Plese keep the input coming, it is all welcome and apreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andesite Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I was in a similar spot a few momths ago. I was looking at: Legacy GT LTD, BMW 330, AUDI A4 Quat, Acura TL. I drove all of them. I need to mention that I had a 2001 Legacy before, 80k and never saw a shop for anything other then reconmended work. Since I live in CO AWD is important and I don't care what jargon BMW states, nothing is better the AWD. So based on this it was Legacy or A4. The Acura drove great and I really liked the interior, I was really impressed overall and I really like the lines of the car, but again no AWD. I have a friend who "was" a BMW mechanic and I will tell you what he told me (this does not apply to you, since I do not know you but, just to show his intent.) "You are an idiot to buy a BMW, considering what Subaru did this year with the 2005 Legacy" and I believe him. His wife has an A4 wagon and he "had" a 330i (something). This is a BMW mechanic, who owns a BMW telling me not to get one. He even had to fix the known headgasket issue in his brother's Legacy GT and he still pushes a Subaru over a BMW. Now came the A4. This was a crap shoot at first becuase I really like the A4 a lot, regardless of the crap I may get if other members see this. I really like them, but I have enough friends with them to know they too are touchy and more $ to fix then a Subaru. That was enough for me. That and other people telling me, no BMW... Bottomline, at least you've got good taste in cars...It's a toss up to some people, and yes the turbo may have a little lag to some, but after I dusted my buddy in his wife's 2004 avant, I felt like I made a good choice... Hey guys, ive been reading around this forum for the past couple days and decieded to join.Currently my parents and I are Saab owners.. we have a 2001 Saab 9-5 Aero, wonderful car, but just too many 'quirks'. So I am doing some research on some new cars. and its between a bmw 330i or a 2005 Legacy GT. I absolutly love the looks of the Legacy, however the bmw seems to have more 'creature comforts' built in, the performance is more familiar with the 250 hp turbo charged engine, we are used to hitting boost, and driving a N/A 6 cyclinder with the same amout of hp seems 'less impressive' so to speak because the power band is so broad. Now my quiestion for you subaru experts is what to expect from legacy's.. what are their main areas to look out for, premature failures to keep an eye on, that sort of stuff. every car has thier own things to look out for, I could go on for hours about how many problems Saabs have, yet i can go on even longer about how amazing they are! Any response is appriciated, Thanks in advance, Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Dobsi Posted July 15, 2005 Author Share Posted July 15, 2005 "You are an idiot to buy a BMW, considering what Subaru did this year with the 2005 Legacy" and I believe him... What is it exactly that Subaru did to the legacy in 2005.. vs. the other years? like i said before i've never looked into Subarus, and there isn't to many around where I live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outback_97 Posted July 15, 2005 Share Posted July 15, 2005 Much info here: http://www.cars101.com Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andesite Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 Here's a quick statement - I forgot from where, but Steve is right... Much info here: www.cars101.com "The revised chassis structure makes more use of lightweight aluminum and high-strength steel, and is stiffer as a result. Wheelbase and track have increased, to improve ride and handling and interior space. The engine is mounted lower, decreasing the center of gravity and further improving handling. Both the front and rear suspensions have been redesigned, resulting in improved handling and greater comfort. Most noticeably, the styling is all-new, still identifiably Subaru but crisper and better-defined. And interior appointment levels are higher than ever before in a Subaru. With the new Legacy, Subaru has the premium European sport-luxury brands in its sights. The 2005 Legacy lineup consists of naturally-aspirated 2.5i and turbocharged 2.5 GT models, in both standard and better-appointed Limited models. Sedan and wagon body styles are offered for both models and trim levels. As with all Subarus, all models feature full-time AWD. I've been driving a new top-of-the line Legacy 2.5 GT Limited wagon for the past week. With ferocious acceleration, tenacious grip, and upscale interior appointments, it's a wonderful car that can make even commuting pleasurable. It's a fine example of turbocharging at its best. Think of it as a what a WRX grows up to be. It has all of the joyous power and handling of a WRX, with comfort and refinement that are nowhere in the WRX hardcore performance fanatic spec." What is it exactly that Subaru did to the legacy in 2005.. vs. the other years?like i said before i've never looked into Subarus, and there isn't to many around where I live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooziewhatsit Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 something to check during a test drive if you ever plan on using the cruise control.... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27345&highlight=legacy+cruise+control I would be curious to know if they still have this problem, and/or what they say about it on the test drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benebob Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 One of the key differences that you will notice is that the Legacy will have CUP HOLDERS. Yip our GT is the only car we own with cupholders. Its a darn shame too as it is supposed to be a "performance" version. My advise, buy the Bmmer, Amercian Subaru's suck for quality and now they're asking $29k for a GT. At least with the Bmmer you'll get people who look at it and say its a nice car simply because its a Bmmer, you won't get that for driving a subaru, no matter how much you pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Outback Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 benebob.......Amercian Subaru's suck for quality Why do you think your '03 is trash? I think you told me once before, but i forgot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benebob Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 benebob.......Amercian Subaru's suck for quality Why do you think your '03 is trash? I think you told me once before, but i forgot. 1. Fit and finish sucks (hood isn't aligned right, doors are off, steering wheel was way off etc) 2. Orange peel that would make a 80s gm car jealous 3. No working radio from new. 4. Pass side mirror already replaced b/c it faded 5. Transmission shifts like a J-10 jeeps, Oh yeah thats the second one. Need to make an appointment for the 3rd 6. Clutch shutters worse than my Brat's did with a quart a week rear main seal leak. Need I go on, I'm tired of typing. Sure, I'm anal, but then again, if itsn't right why shouldn't I be and it isn't just ours that is a bad example, I could go to your dealership tomorrow and pick out more issues on American made Subies than their Japanese counterparts. What'cha doing on Sunday anyways? Wanna come see a bad a$$ SVX race at Park City? We'll probably be racing around 12ish-3ish. Feel free to stop down, it is gonna be behind Sears service center. I know you won't be disappointed with the SVX:brow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Outback Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 1. Fit and finish sucks (hood isn't aligned right, doors are off, steering wheel was way off etc)2. Orange peel that would make a 80s gm car jealous 3. No working radio from new. 4. Pass side mirror already replaced b/c it faded 5. Transmission shifts like a J-10 jeeps, Oh yeah thats the second one. Need to make an appointment for the 3rd 6. Clutch shutters worse than my Brat's did with a quart a week rear main seal leak. Need I go on, I'm tired of typing. Sure, I'm anal, but then again, if itsn't right why shouldn't I be and it isn't just ours that is a bad example, I could go to your dealership tomorrow and pick out more issues on American made Subies than their Japanese counterparts. What'cha doing on Sunday anyways? Wanna come see a bad a$$ SVX race at Park City? We'll probably be racing around 12ish-3ish. Feel free to stop down, it is gonna be behind Sears service center. I know you won't be disappointed with the SVX:brow: Your third manual trans? The only blown manuals I've seen are out of WRX's that have been speed shifted into 2nd, and second gear has blown out. I agree that the orange peel is pretty shabby, but have you seen some of the newest Mercedes? I might just stop down Sunday, it's only a couple of mins from my place. I'm looking to sell my SVX once I get new front axles for it. I've gotten 3 remans from Snavely's that are just as bad as the ones I've taken out. I'm going to make them give me my money back, and go to NAPA. Other then needing a new paint job, it's in great mechanical shape. Only 98K. If you know anyone interested let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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