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05 GT - looking for info fast


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I test drove a GT for sale locally since was priced at what seemed to be a good deal. 118k miles. I found out it has a new turbo. I drove it pretty lightly. Could hear/feel some wheel noise. Maybe tires, but likely wheel bearings? Would seem slightly premature if so. Idle would occassionally get very rough. Has an automatic (I know, but the manuals lose their appeal when in stop n go). Appeared very nice other than that. $6500.

 

I drive a lot - 100 miles a day. Im not afraid of some small maintenance, but am tired of working on things and want reliability overall. Stay away from this one? Legacy GT's reliable daily drivers? What can I expect for highway milage? What are the known issues to watch out for?

 

Thanks all!

 

And yes, I have a Subaru Brat still! LOL

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They are reliable as long as you keep on top of the oil(and you have records that show prior owner did as well).

 

For an AWD turbocharged heavy car the highway mileage isn't bad, not terribly good compared to the GTI I came out of either though. I'm averaging 26mpg a tank with a mostly highway commute.

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Any service records available? Need to find out if timing belt service was done at 105k miles. As stated they are reliable if maintained properly like most cars.

 

I have 107k on mine and it drives pretty much like new.

 

Good luck.

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Beware new turbo. I'm not saying this is necessarily the case with this particular car, but this site is littered with stories of people that have blown a turbo and replaced it with a brand new one only to have the second turbo blow within a few months. The problem is that when the turbo goes, it shreds some amount of fine metal particulate into the motor oil, which is shared between the turbo and the engine. If the car was shut down immediately after the first turbo blew AND the shop that did the turbo replacement was knowledgeable enough about these cars to properly clean the engine by dropping the pan to check the magnet for shavings, replacing the oil pump, etc, the the car may be okay. However, be warned that there are even plenty of Subaru dealerships out there that get this stuff wrong and the results can vary between another blown turbo to blowing the engine too as the leftover metal trashes the cylinder walls and piston rings.

 

If you can ask the current title holder for the car, try to determine what exactly was done during the turbo replacement. (Search on here for a better description of what *should* have been done. Plenty of threads to that effect.) If everything was done right, the car could absolutely be just fine and be a great deal. If not, you are taking a risk of future problems that will make your good deal now, a pretty terrible one later.

 

Note that dollar amount is really priced to move. Great deal for you because seller needs to sell? Or problem child seller really just wants to get rid of? Up to you to decide, but make sure you do your due diligence and try to get it looked at by a Subaru specialist mechanic before you buy. Where do you live? There are plenty of members on here that I'm sure are near you that can recommend a good shop. Just ask for one.

 

Regardless, looking at 05 Legacy GTs is a great choice to find very affordable horsepower and we love these cars, but they are not perfect vehicles and they do have a few peccadilloes to watch out for, but if you do get one, they are a lot of fun. Good luck with your search. Enjoy whatever you decide to buy.

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Thanks all for the input. Greatly appreciated! I'm passing on this one as there's just too much unknown with what damage was done with the turbo going. That price looks great now, but... I also was thinking they did a little better for mileage, like low 30's.

 

I currently drive an 05 Passat TDI, but it's getting up there and they have their own set of gremlins. Wanted the awd, styling and fun factor of the Legacy GT and the Subaru's I've had always seemed to go forever, ran like a top and were simple in design/ez to work on, granted that was some time ago.

 

I live in a southern suburb of Minneapolis, btw.

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Yeah, not going to get anywhere near low 30s out of a GT.

 

With my 99% highway drive I usually get above EPA ratings, was getting 35mpg out of my GTI. But with the Legacy driving in a similar style I'm getting 26. Granted it's still new to me and I'm having a bit of fun with it, but I wouldn't expect to improve that number much. Maybe another 1-2mpg if I baby it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I drive 100 miles a day as well and get 25mpg. I drive my little LGT very hard, so I’m sure you could do better if you took a more conservative approach. The car is great, never a problem, fun to drive, and amazing in the rain. Road noise is one of its charms (not so great) but the bearings are probably shot, which are not expensive. Either way it’s worth it because it’s so much fun to drive.

As for the people that told you to get a Honda, Tercel, Corolla, or Camry, well I don't think they don't spend 100 miles a day in a car. If they did they would know that driving an LGT is a much better way to spend your horrifically giant commute than trapped in one of those little bland cars.

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