My new Legacy B4 (BL5) and my bro's Celica

[Lafite]

This is a photo of my new Legacy B4 (BL5) and my young brother's Celica, taken on New Year Eve, 2003.

[PPower]

Very nice. Are you in Australia or NZ?

[Lafite]

I'm in Hong Kong.

And BTW, I'm a member of Subaru Fans Club in Hong Kong. We have created a new forum "Global Subaru Fans Club" recently. Please feel free to drop a line or visit our forum at http://www.subaruhk.com/bbs3/viewforum.php?f=22

:P :P :P

[PPower]

Oh crap, not another. :D

12,583 posts since 3 December 03? Dang! Here I was feeling like an inadvertant postwhore.

[Lafite]

I believed I will visit here more frequently, as you guys seem to be more pro. on the new Legacy! :oops: Hee...

[PPower]

So are they not very pro-Legacy there? I'm interested to see if/how interest changes in the US after the Legacy comes out. This board may not be truly representative.

[AMT4SWA]

Lafite - you sell whine for a living? :D

BTW, welcome aboard!!! Your car looks great, and I have one important question for you... What "information" is displayed on the LCD screen at the top of the center stack...we have some interior photo's (JDM cars) on this website that show what looks like three gauges of info??? These LCD screen gauges appear to be displayed where the NAV map is usually shown??? Can you help us out?

THANX!

Chris

[Lafite]

Heee... :oops:

There are 2 models of new Legacy selling in Hong Kong: Legacy 2.0GT Sports Sedan (a.k.a. B4) and Legacy 2.0GT Sports Toring Wagon.

The new B4 arrived in September 2003 and the Wagon arrived in October/November. So there aren't much new Legacy on street at the moment. Moreover, the Outback version shall be arrived in Q2 2004.

There are 3 major clubs (related to Subaru) here in Hong Kong: WRX Club, B4 Club and Subaru Fans Club.

We've many members in Subaru Fans Club driving BE/BH models, I'm new to the club and I'm the only one BL model. :P

A successful forum / bulletin needs highly motivated members, informative, high visit rates and many new posts. This forum meets all these requirements! Right? :) :) :)

[AMT4SWA]

Do you have the LCD display in your car?

[PPower]

^^:lol: That screen is driving you nuts, isn't it?

[Lafite]

Lafite - you sell whine for a living? :D

:oops: http://www.gamehit.net/html/emoticons/wine.gif I love cocktails and wines. :oops: But my job is nothing related to wine... Hee... Are you looking for import or export? May be I can help! :P

BTW, welcome aboard!!! Your car looks great, and I have one important question for you... What "information" is displayed on the LCD screen at the top of the center stack...we have some interior photo's (JDM cars) on this website that show what looks like three gauges of info??? These LCD screen gauges appear to be displayed where the NAV map is usually shown??? Can you help us out? THANX! Chris

For my B4, there is nothing but a storage at the top of center stack.

The Japanese version has a Navigation Computer/Display installed at the top of the center stack. The three gauges display oil temperature, turbo bar, etc. (Same as Nissan Skyline GTR R-34). However, due to the Navigation Computer is not useful in Hong Kong. so local authorized dealer doesn't import the one with the Navigation Computer.

NOTE: There are over 10 models of new Legacy (excluding Outback version)selling in Japan: B4 (BL) and Wagon (BP) families have 2.0GT, 2.0GT Spec B, 2.0 DOHC (w/o Turbo), 2.0 SOHC, 3.0DOHC.

[AMT4SWA]

ALLRIGHT...If the U.S. gets the NAV/Gauge Display (I was really hoping that it would display BOOST...COOL!!!), then I'm now for the NAV option also.

Yes, I might need some Whine selection advice in the future...thanx! I will drink a glass or two the day I get my Legacy. :lol:

[SUBE555]

That new Leg looks a LOT better than the Celica. ;)

[AMT4SWA]

Toyota cheaped out on the current Celica design...YUCK! The new Scion coupe looks pretty bad also...what is happening to Toyota styling (oh, I forgot the new Solara...or is it Riviera???)?

[SUBE555]

Can't say I have much respect for their more recent designs either. Remember the old Celica turbo/4WD that they used to rally, and then there was the Supra MkIV's. Why couldn't they at least have brought some of the good JDM gear or something a bit more exciting to the U.S. instead of making everything a Lexus like the IS300. All the goods is overpriced or flat-out not making it here. Oh well, thats why I don't even look at their products. BORING. :lol:

[EJ20H-TT]

aha the GT4 now that was a good looking car with performance to back it up.

A touch too heavy though.

[SUBE555]

I agree on the weight. But it was built for function. They did rally it IIRC.

[AMT4SWA]

I loved the Celica AWD, that was a cool car and very rare in the U.S. That was the body style of the Celica that I have always liked best (the hatchback version only). The last two Celica body styles do not look very good at all IMO...Toyota is falling asleep with their car line I think.

[PPower]

I like the new Celica styling, but I've never been a fan of the Supra. I must be the only one that always saw it as a cheap Japanese rip-off of an F40.

[EJ20H-TT]

If i wanted a two seater thats the car I'd buy

Supra got a fab twin turbo sequential engine

[EJ20H-TT]

http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i11/1180_8lo.jpg

http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i11/1180_2lo.jpg

[SUBE555]

The sequential twin-turbos aren't all they're cracked up to be so I hear from some of the Japanese guys, at least they aren't from the factory. Yeah, the power might be nice, but at least in the Subaru twin-turbo Legacys I heard people complaining that the time between changover from one to the other, some people thought there was engine problems, nope that's just how it is. :roll: Yeah...

I'd rather have a properly-sized ball-bearing turbo thank you. :)

BTW, Preston I think the F40 was one of best Ferrari designs in my book, still better than any of the new stuff (less the Maranello) I think including the Enzo which is downright ugly, even if it is the hottest thing around. Somehow I really don't see the similarity between the Supra and the F40, particularly in overall shape.

[EJ20H-TT]

Yeah the Subaru twin Turbo never really worked well.

But the Supra system really works well.

Pulls something like 280ft/lb of torque at 1500 rpm peaking at 300 odd.

[SUBE555]

:P One of the guys up here just sold his Supra to some guy in Norway where they are supposedly all the craze. The guy might be able to find him a Cossie though. :twisted:

[team23jordan]

take more pics :o :o

[PPower]

BTW, Preston I think the F40 was one of best Ferrari designs in my book, still better than any of the new stuff (less the Maranello) I think including the Enzo which is downright ugly, even if it is the hottest thing around. Somehow I really don't see the similarity between the Supra and the F40, particularly in overall shape.

Take an F40, and then act as if you blew into the tailpipes to make everything swell and be more rounded everywhere. The front lights. The rear wing. The tail lights. And it's the worst in red to me. I'd take a 300ZX over that even though it doesn't have quite the potential. It at least has more individual style.

[SUBE555]

A bloated Supra, hmm. Guess that's one way of looking at it.

[team23jordan]

i saw pic of next gen supra (but i dont have any pics of'em)
and i remember that they were pretty tight
and they were planned to come in 06ish 07

[EJ20H-TT]

Take an F40, and then act as if you blew into the tailpipes to make everything swell and be more rounded everywhere. The front lights. The rear wing. The tail lights. And it's the worst in red to me. I'd take a 300ZX over that even though it doesn't have quite the potential. It at least has more individual style.

The supra does look a bit porky in some angles - but toyota make a fine engine for it.

300zx interesting looking but not fast looking - more a cruiser coupe

[Dr. Zevil]

http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i11/1180_8lo.jpg

http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i11/1180_2lo.jpg

I can only imagine the lack of road visibility over that LOOOOONG hood. Never got the chance to sit in one so I really don't know what I am talking about.. carry on!

[Lafite]

Photo of centre console:

[SUBE555]

Thats pretty darn nice! Is that a minidisc below the stereo display?

[Lafite]

Mine is the standard Kenwood 6CDs changer + MD player

The photo posted by EJ20H-TT in another post (http://www.legacysti.com/viewtopic.php?t=143&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start =0) is McIntosh audio set

http://www.subaru.co.jp/legacy/leg_50th/05/imgs/p1.jpg

[AMT4SWA]

Lafite...Was the McIntosh an available option in Hong Kong?

[Lafite]

Lafite...Was the McIntosh an available option in Hong Kong?

May be available via special request.

[achtung]

This is a photo of my new Legacy B4 (BL5) and my young brother's Celica, taken on New Year Eve, 2003.

Hi there. I am from Singapore. Just sold my 7th Gen Celica for the B4. Great car I must say. Celica is a looker but Legacy is a performer!

[CCType-S]

Hi all, I'm from US and this is my one post at this forum. Anyway, I am considered to purchase this car but I don't know much about Subaru B4. Can you guys tell me more about this car and how much is this car cost.

[Gumby]

CC, Go to the Forum Index and check out the "2005 Subaru Legacy Countdown Forum" the sticky would be a good place to start. The Subaru web site is also a good source www.need-desire.com

[CCType-S]

thanx for the reply. do you have any tranny problem? the reason why I ask is because tranny is the weakest part of the car (in any cars) and I want to know how the tranny hold up.

[CCType-S]

Thanks for the reply. Do you have any tranny problem? The reason why I ask is because tranny is the weakest part of the car and I want to know how the tranny holds up.

[Gumby]

The car will not be available in the US until around May/June. It has a strengthened tranny over the WRX. Here's a good thread to read for some tranny info: http://www.legacysti.com/viewtopic.php?p=3438&highlight=#3438 page 3 is where to look. BTW, my late '03 WRX has 18,000 miles and no tranny problems to date, in fact it shifts and feels every bit as good as new. I do look after my car however and don't launch it.

[gtguy]

thanx for the reply. do you have any tranny problem? the reason why I ask is because tranny is the weakest part of the car (in any cars) and I want to know how the tranny hold up.

Please don't start propagating the urban legend about the Legacy transmission that cropped up about the WRX transmission. As Paul Hansen has said repeatedly, the JDM cars get the same transmissions that the USDM cars get, and theirs don't break. Why is that? Because they don't beat on them, playing stoplight grand prix and other nonsense.

If you beat on it, it will break. The Evo guys are having transmission problems that make the WRX look like a J.D. Power record breaker for excellence. But they, like WRX people who break their gearboxes, are beating on their cars.

My '02 WRX has 38,000 miles on the clock, and the transmission is excellent. It goes into 1st and reverse whenever I need it to, there's no grinding or any other untoward behaviour. Further, the incidences of WRX transmissions just breaking (ruling out modded cars or abuse) is infinitesimal, well below the sampling that would result simply from a run-of-the-mill defective part.

Further, as Gumby posted, the Legacy has a "strengthened" transmission to handle the extra torque, which essentially is a stiffer case, which is the problem with hooliganism...the case flexes, which means everything isn't where it's supposed to be, which means that stuff breaks.

We don't know if the transmission is the "weakest" part of the Legacy. We do know that the transmission isn't the weakest part of the WRX, and the Legacy has a gearbox that is two or three steps in evolution beyond that of the WRX.

Sorry about the length, but this matter needs to be clarified here and now, to nip any misconceptions in the bud.

Kevin

[SUBE555]

Thank you Kevin, well put.

[evolutionmovement]

All AWD transmissions mated to high-powered engines are going to have problems when abused or have to be extremely overbuilt (like the heavy skyline). People need to understand that they're not rwd muscle cars with skinny tires that can relieve stress through spinning tires. With AWD the transmission has to absorb it all especially once all these guys start putting in stronger clutches that won't slip either. If people need to rev to 5k to get power off the line, maybe they should downsize their turbo for the low end they want and be able to take off more gently, deal with the spool time, or accept blown transmissions. They need to stop blaming the cars or get something more appropriate to the way they drive. A little mechanical sympathy from these clowns would go a long way, too. When the transmission in my 90 wagon went @ 180k mi. I had no one to blame for myself. I think it was the repeated J-turns that did it in.

Steve

[3.75L H6]

any more pics Lafite? That first was awesome! :D