Prospective buyer of a LGT 5spd manual - any tips?

Hey everyone, I'm new here. I'm looking to get a LGT, year 2008 w/around 40kmiles currently priced at 20k. Any tips you guys can give me regarding what to look for when I test drive it? Anything I should know? I've been reading a lot on these forums before I registered, just wanted some last minute advice before I go see it...

 

I currently own a 99 Prelude SH 5spd Manual...terrible for Chicago winters, and falling apart from all angles.

Woops put this in the wrong forum...meant to put it in the pre-purchase forum.

I recommend going with the Spec.B right off the bat. Better transmission and better suspension, stock. It'll help you later.

I recommend going with the Spec.B right off the bat. Better transmission and better suspension, stock. It'll help you later.

Thanks Joe. You know, I've been casually perusing used car ads from cars.com and autotrader for a while, and I've never seen a Spec B for sale for the price I'm looking for (20k) or so. I would definitely jump on one if I saw one, but never have. Of course, I know that they usually go for 3-5k more than the GT all else equal, and I think that extra money can be spent better elsewhere. Cheers!

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&csDlId=&csDgId=&listingId=36857920&listingRecNum=8&criteria=sf1Dir%3DDESC%26alMdId%3D21378%26mkId%3D20041%26stkTyp%3DU%26mdId%3D21378%26kwm%3DANY%26rd%3D100000%26crSrtFlds%3DstkTypId-feedSegId-mkId-mdId-pseudoYear-kw%26zc%3D19382%26rn%3D0%26PMmt%3D1-1-0%26stkTypId%3D28881%26sf2Dir%3DASC%26sf1Nm%3Dprice%26yrMn%3D2007%26kw%3DSpec.B%26sf2Nm%3Dmiles%26yrMx%3D2008%26alMkId%3D20041%26rpp%3D50%26feedSegId%3D28705&aff=national

 

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&csDlId=&csDgId=&listingId=35030492&listingRecNum=4&criteria=sf1Dir%3DDESC%26alMdId%3D21378%26mkId%3D20041%26stkTyp%3DU%26mdId%3D21378%26kwm%3DANY%26rd%3D100000%26crSrtFlds%3DstkTypId-feedSegId-mkId-mdId-pseudoYear-kw%26zc%3D19382%26rn%3D0%26PMmt%3D1-1-0%26stkTypId%3D28881%26sf2Dir%3DASC%26sf1Nm%3Dprice%26yrMn%3D2007%26kw%3DSpec.B%26sf2Nm%3Dmiles%26yrMx%3D2008%26alMkId%3D20041%26rpp%3D50%26feedSegId%3D28705&aff=national

 

 

For 2007-2008, they are usually about 2k more nowadays in my experience.

 

For 2k, you get a better transmission and rear differential, a better strut/spring/control arm setup, some alcantara and a half-decent built-in nav system. And memory seats.

 

If you intend to take this car to Stage 2, the trans will pay for itself. If you intend to modify the suspension at all, the Spec.B suspension is a much better starting point (unless you plan to do full coilovers).

 

This is just my take. I wish I had pushed my wife to get a CPO 2007 Spec.B. when we were in the market, but she wanted new.

As for the Spec.B debate, that is a matter of what you are looking for. I have an '08 LGT 5 Spd. got it brand new. Weighed getting a Spec.B but couldn't justify the extra money at the time for what it had to offer. There are a lot of other threads to debate that, Joe makes some good points.

 

I for one, love my 5spd, and the card handles great for what I use it for. I don't have many intentions of upgrading, don't need, nor do I want navi. If I decide to get it I would either get the app for my iPhone or buy a garmin (both have upgradeable maps) for much less. The interior differences are a matter of taste.

 

As for the 2-3k be spent better elsewhere, agreed, especially if you don't have it to put into the car or want to finance that much more.

 

As for power, they both have the same engine and are equal there (the tranny may cause a slight difference, but 1st gear and 5/6 gear are the same ratio IIRC)

 

Either way, I guarantee you will love the jump up from the 'lude and the AWD will be a dream in this weather!

 

Enjoy and let us know what you do.

Any reason for the '08 rather than a '07 with around 40k miles? Are you planning to keep it stock?

Oh yeah, ask if the recall service on the Oil Supply Line has been done. Nothing major, but def something that you want taken care of before you buy it.

I'll second the car in the weather. We've gotten 71 inches of snow this year in my region (record by 5 inches for an entire winter, and we're only 2/3rd of the way in).

 

This car is an absolute tank on snowy roads, running crappy all seasons, as long as you are in gear. I had forgotten what this is like.

 

Similarly, this morning I dug the car out of over 2 feet of snow built up around it. It just backed right out and over about 8" of snow that i left behind it and underneath it.

 

Imagine what good all-seasons or snow tires could do.....

We bought our 08 LGT Limited 5spd with 5k miles in September for $23k.

We love the car so far (it is my wife's daily). The things I hate are the soft suspension, sloppy shifter and thin paint that seems to chip easily. Overall it is great to drive, but it definitely needs stiffer springs/shocks/swaybars in my opinion. We bought the car knowing that it is a little soft because we didn't want the attention that comes with a WRX, and plan to mod the car accordingly where it will make good power and handle better without attracting the wrong type of attention.

 

Look up SI drive so you know what it is/how it works before you drive one, as well as VDC (ours doesn't have it).

It is fairly common to get a little hesitation from the turbo around 4k RPMs. An ECU reflash from Subaru helps, or aftermarket tuning probably gets rid of it. If you look around here you will see lots of people having turbo failures before 100k miles, often from clogged oil screens in the turbos (best to remove the screen), and broken oil pickup tube failures. There is nothing to alert you to those problems on a test drive but I figured I would point them out.

Thanks everyone. The only reason that I'm really not too interested in the Spec B is because they're so rare. I can afford the difference in price, but like I was saying, I can find some better uses for it. I don't really drive many miles in a year...I take public transportation to work usually, I travel frequently for business (flights, not driving), and I probably drove less than 4k miles in 2009. My current car is just dying (lots of issues) and it's not worth it to fix for what the car is worth. I just drive mostly on the weekends and to run errands during the week, and I want a car I know will last me a while.

 

Regarding the turbo going out - how much does this cost to replace/repair?

$1500 to be safe....it's unusual before 60k miles, so if you plan to modify....well, a pre-emptive turbo replacement can be a good move