Poll: Was Subaru stupid or smart in ditching the "non" limited?

Yea or nay?

I don't really care at this point, I already have my non-limited. However, what does bother me is that they still call it "Limited", as if there's any other option. That just makes no sense to me.

 

I think they should have originally had more distinction between the two. Not necessarily more differences as far as options/features, but some type of badging to show the difference. I think if I had bought the Limited I would have wanted at least a "Ltd" somewhere on the vehicle, even if was very inconspicuous.

yeah not all of us want leather....

I'm happy I got my Legacy GT Limited sort of the way I wanted. I hate that with '06 that there is no interior color option. Instead it's some colors come with black only and other's come with beige only. What if I want a black LGT with a beige interior, or a regal blue with a black interior?

Choices never put anybody off of a car that they really wanted.

 

Lack of choice can do just that. Choice does cost more. Coice does take a little more manufacturing flexibility.

 

But more unit sales should overcome those costs.

 

Subaru has made several stupid, boneheaded moves between the 05 Legacy to the 06 Legacy. Instead of taking a step forward, they took at least 3 backward.

 

It may have shown a welcome cost cut on the projections, but I bet it will show a net sales decrease and a loss on the back end.

 

Instead of adding NAV as optional across the line...

Instead of adding HID headlights as optional across the line...

Instead of adding Spec B as a suspension package for all GTs,

 

They canned the MT on the wagon. Not even a BTO option, but it is available on the OBXT, *AND* the Legacy GT wagon in CANADA! It is built in the same plant, probably in the same RUN! Where's your manufacturing windfall now?

 

They add NAV only to Automatic sedans. As if NAV has anything to do with the transmission... And I guess Wagon owners never travel with their more practical "touring wagons." Also, the Spec B gets MANDATORY NAV to pump the price up, but shoots the concept of NAV not going with the 5MT.

 

They STUPIDLY remove the cloth interior option, and limit the leather colors to certain paint colors, and canned the black interior from the outback entirely. In the age of DIY home decorating shows, where people change the color of the rooms in their house every other weekend... the interior color choice is pulled. MAKES NO SENSE! How much could dyed plastic cost compared to other dyed plastic?

 

But yet Red Leather, a few gallons of dark silver paint, NAV, and Bilsteins, and a set of rims from FHI in Japan, and no other changes warrant an $8K price increase? (TPMS and Audio controls already exist on OBs, so I don't count them as significant price-affecting changes.)

I was hoping SOA has been kidding... but they aren't.

 

IF SIA is SOOO overtaxed that they can't afford to run these cars with some choices in build stats, then SOA and FHI are in BIG TROUBLE ALREADY!

 

Not to mention, no HID, no audio input for anything (on a non-replaceable unit), no better brake pads, no auto-open and close windows or sunroof... we've listed all of this before...

 

Option lists help sell cars. Subaru seems to be the only company CUTTING their option lists. BONEHEADED MOVES!

 

SOA needs to prove that they have their heads up and forward, rather than under an inside... Otherwise a Legacy STI will be a botched proposition, as well.

yeah not all of us want leather....

 

+1;)

 

 

 

Rudy

I would argue that options DO cost more. It is much cheaper for them to have a standard base car to send to dealers.

 

Not to say that is better for the customer.

true that removing cloth options *might* have been a mistake, but personally i could care less. i love my ltd, its a very fine car. but i should think, that those of us that are considering shelling out mid-20k+ dollars for a car are looking for, at least, the smallest flair of luxury? subaru probably saw an oppurtunity to make the legacy a luxury car, permanantly. although this will offend some ppl on this board, cloth does not particularly denote luxury. from what i see they are trying to mimick the fashions/styles found in more expensive cars. most sedans that are 30k+ don't come with a cloth option. this doesn't bother me, though; i do not plan on buying another subaru/legacy in the future and i am a fan of leather.

I'm happy I got my Legacy GT Limited sort of the way I wanted. I hate that with '06 that there is no interior color option. Instead it's some colors come with black only and other's come with beige only. What if I want a black LGT with a beige interior, or a regal blue with a black interior?

 

For me, there already wasn't a choice. I wanted a moonroof in my Legacy, so I was FORCED to take leather. If they couldn't have a moonroof/cloth combo, then yes it was smart to just drop the base model for 2006.

 

I am however extremely disappointed that they eliminated the interior color choices for 2006. Their color combos are terrible. I searched the entire east coast to buy my 2005 LGT because I wanted it to be white on black leather. IMO, the "white on white leather" scheme for 2006 looks terrible. If they were going to do that, they should have chosen a rich tan-colored leather instead of the light taupe/ivory color. Don't even get me started on the woodgrain... it is high quality, but it doesn't belong in the LGT.

I should drive an 06 WRX for comparison.. my passengers complain about the seats in my non-limited LGT. I wonder if the seats in the 06 WRX are any better.

 

Since the WRX is uglified, I definitely think people should still be able to choose a non-limited Legacy GT. Subaru makes the weirdest decisions though.. eliminate non-limited LGTs and 5MT wagons.. and then make only 500 overpriced cars designated Spec B.

It's almost like they want to prevent Legacy sales from increasing.

 

The OEM woodgrain is the worst I've ever seen in any car since the 70s.

+1 john m, i don't think its even wood. panels of plastic, very shitty quality. when i scrape enough money together i want to replace the simulated wood with exoticwood panneling

bottom line. I can't afford the GT in the Limited and I don't want the i. Thank you subaru for pricing the car out of my range . . . good thing I got the '05.

It's almost like they want to prevent Legacy sales from increasing.

 

The OEM woodgrain is the worst I've ever seen in any car since the 70s.

You apparently haven't sat in a 1995-2004 Legacy. Those Legacies had the worst woodgrain I've ever seen. It was smooth, glossy, printed plastic. Looked incredibly cheap.

 

I think the quality of the 2005 woodgrain is excellent, but it doesn't belong in a sporty car like the LGT. Better suited for the Outback wagons.

 

Don't bother with the aftermarket stick-on wood panels. I did this in my old Legacy, and they look terrible after 2 years of sun exposure. Plus, the pieces never fit correctly from the beginning.

As for the original question, I don't get why they ditched the non-limited GT after one year. I could understand if it started out being limited only, and then a year or two later they added the non-limited to freshen up the model lineup.

 

If it's really a cost issue, I don't see why they couldn't just add in an extra $500 profit (or whatever amount) to the non-limited GT's. There are people who actually prefer cloth, and there are people who don't want a moonroof (because of reduced head clearance, for example).

 

There are also people who can't quite afford the GT limited. The non-limited is an opportunity to get these people into the Subaru family, much like Audi did with the early A4 1.8T's, which could be bought for $25-27K. I think that strategy was part of the reason Audi had the tremendous growth it did in the late '90's. And I'm sure there are a lot of people who are initially attracted by the low price of the base model, but who end up buying the higher trim line anyway.

 

The weird thing is that Subaru offers all these different permutaions, but they're only available in certain models. For instance, you can get an Outback with cloth and heated seats and a power driver's seat, but you can't get that combination in any Legacy. However, you can get the Legacy with cloth and moonroof, a combination that you can't get in the Outback.

its probably all GM's fault. those big american car companies are like a cancer

I want an 06 LGT wagon with cloth heated seats, that killer sunroof, 5 speed automatic, Pearl white with black interior.

 

Can't even get close, maybe the red with black will do part of the trick.

 

that baby dump beige is already dirty when the cars arrive on the dealer lots. How will that look after a few months of use??

 

I found an 05, but the dealer doesn't realize the car is a year old and car sales are not brisk at the moment. I will be patient like a little grasshopper for the O5 or keep driving my RS.

its probably all GM's fault. those big american car companies are like a cancer

Ironically, you can get nearly any combination of options in most American cars, and they aren't arranged in packages. You even get to choose your drive ratios when buying GMC trucks!

yeah, but at the cost of poor build quality, cheap interiors, etc. everyone knows the story with most american vehicles. its probably why most of us bought subarus in the first place.

Well, I guess they won't be selling too many Legacy GTs to the leather-is-evil bunny hugger types that convinced them to drop their "mom and daugter ditch a rabbit in the woods" commercial anyway soooo...I dunno.

GM had nothing to do with this car, in any way. GM only owned a very small percentage of Subaru. As of two weeks ago, the GM shares of Subaru were bought by Toyota.

 

And the Legacy is built in America, Indiana in a plant that also builds Isuzu's.

 

Do not blame American car companies. I would blame the marketing people or the product planning people at Subaru North America. Also, the dealers probably tell Subaru what they want.

Funny, when I bought my 05 GT Wagon in June 04 I didn't want another GT Wagon with leaky sun roofs. So I was glad to be able to buy a none limited. I would have liked to get the tan leather in my black car, but that wasn't possible. I like the 5MT and will not buy a slush box transmission car for my daily driver. I hope they fix the car before I'm ready for my next new car, or it will not be a Subaru.

 

If they make this car look like that ugly Tribica thing I will not buy one. GOD, IS THAT THING UGLY.

It's almost like they want to prevent Legacy sales from increasing.

 

The OEM woodgrain is the worst I've ever seen in any car since the 70s.

 

+1

Don't bother with the aftermarket stick-on wood panels. I did this in my old Legacy, and they look terrible after 2 years of sun exposure. Plus, the pieces never fit correctly from the beginning.

 

Too late - I was the first one to have done this on a new LGT this time last year. 1 year later they look fine. The fit is excellent too.

 

The stock wood looked like a photograph of wood taped to a plastic panel.

It's this simple for me

1) I didn't want an Auto

2) I wanted a wagon

3) I didn't want to have to take care of leather

 

My car 05' LGT wagon, simple as that, if those options weren't available I would have bought another brand, SOA are you listening?

 

If you don't have another car in this category that fits my wants in 5 years or so when I want another one I will be back to buying german, they have this type of car available all the time.