Does anyone know why there's no MT for the 06 LGT wagon?

Yet it is standard on the non-turbo version?

 

Sreiously, I am trying to grok Subarus reasoning. I was going to trade in the sedan for a wagon (kid on the way, brothers-in-law advise larger rug-rat transport).

 

But then I get to the dealer and they inform me that I cannot have the turbo goodness AND a manual transmission. I just don't get it.

 

And on top of that the options for color choice have been reduced. I cannot have regal blue and a charcoal interior anymore. I can only have taupe. I hate taupe.

 

Seriously, Subaru just lost a customer.

look for a new '05 model. I hear they are still some out there.

 

<--- owns an ultra-rare LGT wagon with manual Subaru is off their rocker on this one for sure, though the 5EAT is not bad at all.

Its because the '06 models now come with the flux capacitor as an optional accessory, however, the wagon is too big. The flux capacitor can only transport a sedan sized vehicle through time. If you tried to put the sedan's flux into the wagon, you would only transport a Sedan sized amount of matter. This would render your car useless, because most of it would be in another time. Since the MT is necessary to achieve 88 MPH, Subaru just figured that they should only let the the sedan have the MT, because of the populatity of the flux capacitor. Subaru wanted to make real sure that owners of the Wagon could not retrofit the Sedan's flux because of the dangers involved. Therefore, they only put the AT in the Wagon. If you want, you can get the OB/XT which can indeed be transported due to the increased ground clearance. This clearance allows for better cooling, which leads to a more efficient flux capacitor.

Onlt the Outback XT is deemed serious enough for the 5MT.

^ good stuff

Its because the '06 models now come with the flux capacitor as an optional accessory, however, the wagon is too big. The flux capacitor can only transport a sedan sized vehicle through time. If you tried to put the sedan's flux into the wagon, you would only transport a Sedan sized amount of matter. This would render your car useless, because most of it would be in another time. Since the MT is necessary to achieve 88 MPH, Subaru just figured that they should only let the the sedan have the MT, because of the populatity of the flux capacitor. Subaru wanted to make real sure that owners of the Wagon could not retrofit the Sedan's flux because of the dangers involved. Therefore, they only put the AT in the Wagon. If you want, you can get the OB/XT which can indeed be transported due to the increased ground clearance. This clearance allows for better cooling, which leads to a more efficient flux capacitor.

:postwhore I believe the '06 and 1/2 will add the "Mr.Fusion" option to the GT wagon and therefore making it compatible with the 5mt. More power from less radioactive fuel=less ground clearance req. and therefore more cooling and greater mass allowance. Hope this clears some things up a bit.

...Seriously, Subaru just lost a customer.

 

Some Subaru America marketing MBA ran a profit/cost analysis and decided that the (I'm guessing) 10% of Legacy GT wagons sold with the MT didn't justify the production cost. Remember, the auto tranny costs more and increases profit automatically since it's a "forced" purchase. The number of dollars lost to people who decide to not buy the LGT is not equal (at least on thet MBA's spreadsheet) to the added revenue produced by the forced purchase of the auto.

 

Since you are a lost customer of SOA, you should at least spend the time to write them a letter or drop an email and let them know of your disatisfaction and be sure to mention the competing brand you're going to purchase (not that there are that many chioces). The Audi A4 wagon and the BMW AWD versions all have poorer performance than a LGT and cost a lot more.

 

As was mentioned, there are probably still a few new '05 wagons out there. Get serious and take a look if you really want a stick.

I think I saw a stat a while ago that said among all automotive brands purchased in the USA, 94% had automatic transmissions and every year it grows. A Legacy stick wagon would probably be only 2 - 3% of the total sold so it makes no business sense for Subaru to keep making it just for enthusiasts. To prove the point you can still find 05 stick wagons sitting on many dealer lots today, you just have to be willing to find one and have it shipped or travel and get it.

The numbers were broken down on this site somewhere (or maybe it was on NASIOC). IIRC, less than 500 LGT MT wagons were sold in 2005. LGT MT wagons made up something like 2% of all Legacy sales. There is no demand for a MT wagon outside of this enthusiast forum.

I drove 120mi to get my car in rush hour when I found a manual wagon last week. I drove from LA down to east of San Deigo in El Cajon.

Outback XT.

 

But why the manual in an Outback but not Legacy?

I've never understood the figures that X number of some car was sold. They used that to explain the rarity of the Eclipse GSX in the early 90s. How can you buy a car that isn't on the lot? It's a chicken and egg situation. They don't sell 'em because they don't make 'em, and they don't make 'em because they don't sell.

egg-sactly.

 

I have never understood why this can't be a factory-order option.

 

Sell all the dealers who want auto wagons auto wagons. Sell a couple of manual wagons to dealers who move a lot of units, request them, or don't care. THEN, let the salesmen know that customers can order the current production model with a manual transmission, if there isn't one on the lot.

 

I have a feeling that the few people who really want a manual trans wagon, would wait for it to be delivered. Seeing as no one else even sells one... which is part of the problem.

 

People buy what is available. If it is not available, people won't buy it. If people don't buy it, the management cans it...

 

Hence the answer to the product offering problems in the auto industry at large, especially the "big 3".

 

If you don't sell what people want, you will only sell to the people who don't care what they get.

I would have to agree with what snoman and the stats said...there really is no market for a 5mt turbo charged grocery getter-wagon in the US except for driving enthusiasts who require/desire more room than a sport sedan. I do however still think it's a great idea to make something so tame looking as a wagon be such a BEAST!!

I found it strange that, while we all assume they dropped the 5MT GT Wagon because not enough people bought them, all the dealers in central TX sold out of manual LGT wagons and had slushboxes left in inventory at the time I first heard Subaru had decided they didn't want me to be a repeat customer. Perhaps they'll change their minds on another whim in the future and do something wild and crazy like let people with a 5spd have nav without buying a SpecB, or let people with a wagon have nav at all... I just hope my Wagon lasts like a typical Subaru and I can enjoy it for enough years to get old enough to want an automatic. Hell, I'm only 40... my bones won't be brittle enough to keep me from shifting my own gears for a few years yet.

except for driving enthusiasts who require/desire more room than a sport sedan. I do however still think it's a great idea to make something so tame looking as a wagon be such a BEAST!!

 

that would be me...which explains why i flew to phoenix and drove 900 miles back to cali for one of the last 05 5mt manuals. havent stopped smiling yet.

 

ill post picks later this month once a few goodies are on.

i think the real problem is that wagons are usually for old geezers and soccer moms.

 

Those 2 groups prohably are 99% auto.

 

get hip or just get a sedan

My new car purchase came 2 years earlier than anticipated because of this. Once I learned no more GT wagons in MT for 2006, did not waste time to snap up a 2005!

I should also point out that I drove 600 miles to buy a red limited sedan w/ 5MT because my local dealer had only automatics in limited trim.

They produced a Legacy MT Wagon because the WRX MT Wagon sold well. The LGT fits a different demographic for the most part. Shame the MT Wagon is no longer.

This my friends is a very disturbing trend in the U.S. especially. As I have stated before our next car will be Asian simply because the domestics have pretty much abandoned the true clutch manual. Even performance oriented

cars like the Charger SRT and Grand Prix GXP have no manual option. If this trend continues into the import brands in about ten years, or even less there will be no real manuals except in the very high dollar cars. At that time every manufacturer will have one manualmatic tranny for each vehicle line take or leave it. It does seem that a company like SOA which sells a very limited number of vehicles compared to Honda or Toyota in this country would deem those 100 or so wagon buyers that want a manual to be worth going after just to get them into the brand.

been posted before: LGT Limited 5MT wagons are available in Canada

As pflo said, they make a LGT 5MT in North America but you can't have one. You can't convince me that business makes sense. Someone in the states screwed-up while Canada was paying attention. Whether you want one or not how can you offer a GT badged car without a manual?

SOA has spent too much time with GM. Hopefully that will change.

 

Peace,

 

Greg

It's simply a business decision based on demand. These things do not happen by accident.

It's simply a business decision based on demand. These things do not happen by accident.

You mean it wasn't completely random? You must have inside information