Legacy 2.5 GT or MazdaSpeed 6?

I am in limbo on which of these two cars to buy. I just posted a thread on the MS6 site asking the same question. I am almost 30 and I want a car that is somewhat subtile yet has crazy performance. I am a gearhead at heart with an addiction to performance. I have heard that the AWD on the MS6 is cheap in comparison to a Subie. What are the advantages to having more torque go to the back than the front?

 

Thanks,

 

Chuck:icon_bigg

Before I bought the legacy, i test drove both cars, back to back....twice.

 

It's a hard choice, but in the end the Legacy felt to me to be the better car...plus I got the Spec B for less than the msp6 costs which really sealed the deal. The modability is better for the legacy with all the tuners out there. I did not like the AWD at ALL on the msp6...but thats just my 2 cents, the suspension however is better, but not as good as on the Spec B.

I like the Mazda Speed 6...A LOT. I liek the ala-carte options and interiors etc. I could NOT get used to the high cowl (Im not tall at 5'9", or how heavy it feels on its feet compared to a Legacy GT when driven back to back. There are also some little annoyances. One thing that drove me NUTS was the turn-signal indicator. It makes a distinctive sound that is annoying to someone like me that commutes as much as I do. I don't think the AWD system is crummy. It has some really cool features such as traction control and torsen diff, and a disconnect when you activate the parking brake as the car is moving. COOL! That said, the problems people were having with Power-loss, etc. and all of the aftermarket options that we have eventually led me to the Legacy. I wish I could have both though. I respect that car. A LOT. I've had 3 Mazdas, my last being an RX-8. Oh...and going fast in a dull looking car is a blast! I surprise people ALL the time. Good luck!

Personally I hate the way the rear end looks on the MS6. Plus that clutch is awful. Other than that, it's pretty nice. I like the Subaru because it is more mod-friendly and it looks more plain and sleeper-ish.

 

Best way to see is to test drive both.

 

Oh, and the advantage for more torque to the rear is an oversteer-bias.

I wonder how the MS6 peeps are responding to your question in their site.

I know it's not the MS6, but I drove the MS3 GT and was completely disappointed. It was slow, had a ridiculous clutch, bad steering feel, and hardly any positive feedback from the shifter. It felt numb shifting it. Huge let down.

The heat soak problem on the MS6 would have me very concerned. Imagine a three week hot spell in summer and your car sucks ass for three weeks.

Chuck Noris would already know the answer to this question... :lol:

Isn't the LGT about $5000 dollars cheaper than the MS6? Think of what you could do what that $$ to the LGT.

I really didn't like the clutch on the MS6 when I got to drive one (after waiting 2 hours for it at the Mazda zoom zoom event...).

 

But, they're offering $4500 back on '06 models right now. You can probably score an AMAZING deal on an '06 MS6 if you buy in the next week..

 

HV

Oh, man, a tough choice indeed. I was there a few months back.

 

I drove the LGT first because the MS6 was better on paper in my eyes and I was almost positive I'd want to buy the MS6 after driving it. Well, I wanted to buy the LGT right after I drove it, but I was able to hold off.

 

The LGT was a smooth ride and obviously quite fast. The sales rep. I was with was telling me to rev to about 5K before shifting so I happily obliged.

 

The MS6 I drove had a scuff mark on the driver's door, a plastic piece missing from the power seat adjustments, no RF receiver unit in the key slot, and something in the cabin kept rattling over every bump.

 

Each of these specific cars were ones I had found at the dealers' website and was configured with the options I wanted, so those problems with the MS6, combined with lower insurance costs and better AWD help tip the scales in favor of the LGT.

 

I like the clutch and gear shift unit in the MS6 better and the exterior look as well. Those are all opinions, but come on, it can't get worse than the LGT clutch. The MS6 has better suspension and brakes as well, but does feel "heavier" on the road and has a less exciting top end than the LGT, though the boot seemed to hit more abruptly in the MS6.

 

Good luck, bro. I don't think you can make a bad choice if you drive them both.

Drive 'em...I garuontee you make the proper decision...I have yet to see a MS6 on the road down here....

Plus I trust Subaru far more than mazda. Have owned both. Had 266k on my 91 legacy. Runing good. Stock motor and tranny. Had a early 90 mx-3. Fun to drive, but main a pain. I did a lot of work to it. I know things have come a long way, but I still trust subbies more.

Subaru > Ford product and day of the week and twice on sunday!

Mazda doesn't sell too many of its "Speed" division cars. I'm guessing this translates to no engine history. The small number of sales also leads me to think that there aren't too many replacement parts out there, in case something goes wrong in 5 years.

 

My opinion is worth half a cent today.

Well, you narrowed it down to the same two cars I did. Here's an interesting article

 

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=109487

 

The thing I didn't like between the two was the 6-speed tranny in the Speed 6, it was never in the right gear, I was constantly shifting.

 

I've had my LGT a year now and still every time I drive it, I love it, with a big on my face.

 

I've had no issues with my Legacy save for a squeaky driver's seat. Gives it personality.

 

Either car you'll should be happy, but you'll notice from my signature, I'm a Subaru guy, so I'm slightly biased

my two cents...i raced one tonight on the northern state, he had an exhaust, and i believe a BOV, we ran from 20, 30, 50, 80, and each time my stage 2 TDC tuned legacy gt with EEC smoked him each time up to about 120.

 

go with legacy, go with tdc stage 2, go with subaru!

one more idea...look in the paper, and look at car classified, compare the amount of subaru's sold to mazda's sold and itll be like a 1 to 10, respecivtly ratio.

Subaru's are kept becuase they dont fall apart that easily.

Drive 'em...I garuontee you make the proper decision...I have yet to see a MS6 on the road down here....

 

I rarely see an LGT sedan on the road in Chicago. Does that mean I've made a mistake?

I really appriciate all of the feedback. Hearing what the people who own the cars have to say is the best way doing research IMO. It is a hard choice, and you all have been a great help.

 

Thanks,

 

Chuck:icon_bigg

Mazda has electronic stability control the LGT 5mt doesn't. That might be a consideration.

Mazda has electronic stability control the LGT 5mt doesn't. That might be a consideration.

 

Who needs it when you have a proper awd system?

 

Tough choice tho.. up here the MS6 is way cheaper than the LGT

MS6 is cheaper than LGT right now. Mazda is till trying to sell '06 MS6 and there is a $4500 rebate while the '07 LGT only has $750 rebate right now. I was looking at the same decision last May but it was pretty easy then because the LGT was $2-3k cheaper than the MS6 Sport. I think with S-plan you can get a '06 MS6 sport for just over $20k right now. Anyway, IMHO if you are going to mod the car go with LGT, otherwise save your money and just buy the MS6.

MS6 is cheaper than LGT right now. Mazda is till trying to sell '06 MS6 and there is a $4500 rebate while the '07 LGT only has $750 rebate right now. I was looking at the same decision last May but it was pretty easy then because the LGT was $2-3k cheaper than the MS6 Sport. I think with S-plan you can get a '06 MS6 sport for just over $20k right now. Anyway, IMHO if you are going to mod the car go with LGT, otherwise save your money and just buy the MS6.

 

I still see "new" 05 LGTs sitting on dealer lots here.

I really appriciate all of your honest opinions. I signed on an 06' MS6 (please don't hold it against me, lol) due to the 4k rebate and the fact that I do not want to do any mods that would void the warranty. I did think of the fact that the LGT with some mods would crush the MS6. But, I am have become a square in my old age, lol. I just can't shake my performance addiction. I had to make a comprimise. Thanks again.

 

Chuck:icon_bigg