Is the GT worth more than the L?

[ShaneW]

I am looking on picking up a Legacy for my wife and wanted to know if the cost of the GT is worth it? The L is not that much cheeper I see.

ShaneW

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

[Heather]

I'd have to say yes, the GT is worth the extra $$$. Safety features- Much larger front brakes then the L, plus it has a Limited Slip Rear Differential and the L does not. This is a great feature. Not to mention standard CD player and leather wheel, best looking wheels I've ever seen, etc. Well worth it- if you can find one! They are very hard to find here.
Heather

[linsavy]

The answer is subjective.
Some people would rather buy the L and spend some of the savings on a few upgrades that matter.
I however liked getting more performance and more comfort, i.e.
leather seats
16" alloy wheels, with 205/55 tires
2-pot calipers and larger front discs
stiffer springs
thicker sway bar
4.44 final drive ratio
spoiler
sunroof
fog lights
door lights
glove box light
map light
leather steering wheel
power antenna
height adjustable driver seat
ground effects
body colour mirrors, door handles, bump strips
the go-fast GT badge on the back
even the fake wood trim

You can add some of the above with options on the L, but the whole package is pretty good value.

[Hondakilla]

I am selling my GT if you are interested!!!
PM or email me if interested.
Dave

[jouefoot]

Make sure you get a 1997 or newer because it has 10 more hp (total of 165hp) than the 96(155hp). The new generation Legacy L has the 2.5L 165hp engine though so you might go that route. Good luck!

-Josh

[sovereignmk1]

Go for the GT!! Since it's for your "wife" and not going to be your fun mod car I would say yes get your sweetie the extra creature comforts of the GT. But there's nothing wrong with my L and I love it.


/Mark

[etam]

In Canada, there is a special edition Legacy L with GT wheels, headlight, colored key trim, fog light (all the outside appearance of GT)... don't know if it is available in US.

[ShaneW]

Thanks for the insight. The problem is that she is starting to like the WRX wagon. She keeps saying distrubing things about kicking my butt at stop lights. It's like she is getting turbo ego before she even owns the car.

ShaneW

[Heather]

Hey get her the WRX! How could that be a problem? Can't take your wife enjoying a car or what?! Wish I would have gotten a WRX instead myself. Husband would have been really jealous though that's for sure!
Heather

[linsavy]

If you don't need the extra room, get the WRX. You trade off room and some comfort features for mega power.
Of course you should get the manual with the WRX or its not worthwhile IMHO. Turbo lag and auto equals sluggish performance in city driving. Road Track thinks so too.
If she wants an auto then stick with the Legacy GT.

[kbrate]

Well, I agree the answer to the question is very subjective but here is a late and contary position. Now, keep in mind that the comments below apply to a 3rd Generation Legacy or the 2000 - 2002 Model years.

If the "creature comfort" and "looks" of a GT are worth the difference in price than by all means then buy it, if however, you value performance then I do not believe the $ are justified.

First there is no difference in engine power, gearing etc... In fact the GT is about 100 lbs. heavier.

Second the brakes have .7in larger disks up front but the exact same caliper. This can be corrected for about $300.

Third the suspensions have exactly one difference, a slightly higher rear spring rate. Shocks, struts, front springs, and swaybars are all common between the L and GT. This is per SOA!

Fourth the wheel sizes are different 16 vs 15 but both come with the dreaded RE92's. Since your going to want to change tires you might as well buy wheels that you want at the same time. Cost $500 - $1500 but they are what you want.

Finally most of the little things Fog Lights, Spoilers etc can be had for a reasonable amount of money from SOA or the aftermarket.

Sorry, but ground effects, body colour mirrors, door handles, bump strips the go-fast GT badge on the back and even the fake wood trim have never been the makings of a GT in my opinion.

KCB - 2001 Legacy L Wagon

[nuburu2]

hmmmm...a little GT envy perhaps?

JK man, couldn't resist!!

Glenn O http://home.earthlink.net/~nuburu2/

[DeeDub]

Remember that there is a GT and a GT Limited. And you hardly see regular GT's for sale , they all seem to be Limited's with spoilers, leather, and bunch of other stuff that = 3000 bucks more. I had to special order my regular GT, which comes with cloth seats and a tape deck, only option I got was floor mats and an air filtration sysytem, for a total of about 23,900. In the case of the regular GT I think the wheels , springs, sunroof, power seat, and body kit are worth it over the L, but the Limited GT, no.

-----> Dan 2001 Black Legacy GT

[AKSubie]

I think the GT is worth it. Sure, if you want the "bang for the buck" in performance, then the L is the way to go, but if your like me (well, if your wife is) then the GT (non-limited) is probably the best bargain. You get the GT styling, wheels, stiffer suspension, etc... all standard, and the bigger selling point for me, the standard sunroof. I love sunroofs, and Subaru now only offers them in the GT's or the highline OB's. There were a few models a few years ago where they offered the sunroof package on an L, but no longer.

Anyway, I think the GT is worth it, heck I bought one, but I agree, get the "standard" GT and not the Limited version.

[Subietonic]

I've got three Legacys:

98 GT Sedan 5sp (50K miles), 17 " Tantrums with 215/45ZR-17s
98 GT Sedan Auto (27K miles) Bone stock
99 L Wagon Auto (36K miles), 30th anniversary package (height Adj front driver's seat, power antenna, moonroof, sandstone pearl paint, 15" 6 spoke aluminum wheels, leather wheel/shifter, full carpet and mats, front, rear, back) leather interior, full 30% tint, WRX 6 disk head/changer, GT Wheels and,.... a 2.2L

Big difference is the power from the 2.2 in the L vs. 2.5 in the GTs. 2.5 lots of grunt off the line and up through middle and upper registers of its power band. 2.2 some pull off the line but really makes its power at the 4200 rpm when it's right in the middle of its torque curve. Then it runs on out to redline like a scalded ape. It'll cruise all day long at 80 mph (3200 rpm) and never slow down on the long uphills. Marginally better gas mileage but would really do well with a 5 spd (stick or auto). Can't remember what the final drive is on the L (possibly 3.73 IIRC) the 4.11 on the GT's has it turning about 3500 rpm at 80 mph (5 spd) and it really feels like it needs the 6 speed tranny.

I agree wholeheartedly with KBRATE - if I were to build my ultimate cruising Subaru, it would be a 2000+ generation 5 spd Legacy L Wagon ordered with the sunroof and the power antenna. Since it comes with the 2.5L, and a substantially more rigid chassis, I'd aftermarket the fogs, the head unit, the suspension and wheels, and the go fast equipment for the engine and exhaust. If you can live without the interior amenities, the LSD and the 4.11 axles, and the marginally sturdier stock suspension, then the L makes sense.

just my .02 worth

Dale

[jfl]

I did NOT want a sunroof and therefore purchased a Legacy L. There's only one thing, rarely mentioned, on the GT that's missing on the L that I wished I had. That is the 4 bulb headlights on the GT. The L has two bulb headlights.

For me, there was nothing else on the GT that I really needed.

[Mx5racer]

The GT is just a luxury poser. Lots of bells and whistles, but very little in the way of performance. I hate it when car companies do that, and you have to pay more for insurance! Go figure.

I just got the basic wagon, added wider and lighter wheels/tires from a RS, doubled the size of my rear sway bar (from 12mm to an effective 24mm), put in my own stereo, got a steering wheel/shifter off of a WRX. Heck, my car even came with the fog lights!

Currently on order: better clutch and anti-lift kit.

Subaru didn't go near far enough with the GT. The steering wheel, stereo, suspension, wheels certainly were not enough for me (especially considering the $8,000 more the dealer wanted for the GT - if he could find one!). Certainly the GT needs more power, and still has too much understeer.

The GT isn't a GT, it is a luxury car. I certainly can enjoy bells and whistles, but I would rather pay for performance. In my case, an extra 200lbs was going the WRONG way in the performance category.

Hey, if someone gave me a GT, I would probably take it, but I would still take off all of the performance stuff that makes it a GT and make it a better car!

(oh, and for the "larger brakes", the L with the 5 speed, and the GT had the same size bakes in 2000 - probably still do).

(here is the little mud machine

[linsavy]

My response was more directed at the 97-99 GTs. As I have a 99.
The GT was a good deal then for the 2.5l, wheels, springs, 4.44 gears and brakes alone. These were definitely performance extras.
I also liked the comfort options like leather, heat seats and mirrors etc.
It seems the 2000 plus years is not a very good deal as the L comes with alot of the GT stuff that was exclusive before.
Also you US guys have to pay too much for your cars. New cars here are 15% or more less.

[nitrohuffer]

Originally posted by linsavy

Also you US guys have to pay too much for your cars. New cars here are 15% or more less.

I was wondering if it's posible to hop the boarder and buy a car? I'm only 6 hours from the boarder. It it possible to transfer the warranty to a local dealer for service? Oops sorry about the hijacking

[Mx5racer]

Well, I don't know if you want a canadian spec car. Gas is measured in Liters, and Speed in Kilometers. It can be done, althought the manufactures try to stop it because the cars are cheaper. Lots of paperwork too, plus import tax. Its probably still cheaper, but their is a fair amount of paperwork.

[ShaneW]

The question is over. We found a 2001 LL Beam with 8k miles for $20k. I would have been much happier with the VDC, but the price was good. So far she loves the car and that is all that counts. I do find the car fun to drive. Mind you, I am not giving up my RS.

Thanks to all who replied.

ShaneW

PS. When I first bought my RS, a friend told me about the Subaru curse. "If you buy one, you will buy another." I guess it just came true to me.

[Bankheist]

Originally posted by ShaneW
We found a 2001 LL Beam with 8k miles for $20k.

thats a helluva deal!

[linsavy]

There are certainly many US residents buying Canadian cars to get the discounts. So many that Daimler-Chrysler just announced that they will void warrantees. BMW makes can. MINI buyer sign a contract that they must sell the car back to them if they wish to sell within the first 6 months. Ford is having a big problem with the T-bird too.

I don't know what is takes to do this. You can however change the speed-o to get miles instead of metric. I think the way to do this kind of deal is to contact a broker who specializes in this stuff. I don't know any but have heard of it. I guess an internet search may turn up something. The savings are in some cases in excess of C$10000 depending on the car so there is margin to save money and still pay a fee to a broker.

[GuamSTI]

Originally Posted by ShaneW

PS. When I first bought my RS, a friend told me about the Subaru curse. "If you buy one, you will buy another." I guess it just came true to me.

I have had 3 so far, it might be really a curse.

[JAVAR WRX]

I'm on my 4th.
I will not give up until I have my STI.